Designs By Lora, The Sensory Alchemist

You walk in the door after a long day. The light is harsh, the room smells like a candle someone else picked, the TV echoes off bare walls, and before you've even set your keys down, you feel the tension build and your shoulders creep up toward your ears. You didn't do anything wrong. The room just took your energy before you had a chance to use it.

Now picture walking into a space where the light is soft, the air smells clean, the sound is quiet and warm, and your whole body exhales. Same you, same day, different energy. That's what I design, a room that uplifts you.

As a person whose entire family is neurodivergent

I learned early that one room can feel completely different to each person in it. What calmed one of us overwhelmed another. As a person with my own sensory needs, I feel it right away when a space drains me, and when it lets me breathe.

So I design for how a space feels to you, not just how it looks. If you're neurodivergent, living with health challenges, feeling more sensitive than most, or simply ready to shift the energy around you and within you, your space should be working for you, not against you.

Details you may not notice, but you feel

As a person who feels more than most, I know a room can lift you up or wear you down long before you can say why. When energy is designed for sensory needs, it lives in small details. You may never spot them, but your body does.

In my short-term rentals, I shaped every stay around what guests were looking for: a soft place to land, room to breathe, and the comfort of home. These are some of the steps I took.

Visual flow and energy

Color, layout and light guide your eye gently from room to room. Nothing pulls at you, so your mind slows and you settle in the moment you arrive.

Reduced fragrances and dye-free detergents

Sheets and towels are washed without heavy scents or dyes. Your skin and senses get a break, so you breathe easier and sleep through the night.

Soft materials that soften sound

Rugs, curtains and plush furnishings soak up echoes. The room sounds calm and warm, so you rest deeply and wake up refreshed.

Multiple lighting options

Bright, soft or warm low light, all in your hands. You set the mood that fits your day, so you feel in control from morning to night.

Special treats

A chocolate on your pillow and flavored coffees and teas waiting for you. Little surprises say someone thought of you, so you feel welcomed and cared for.

The proof is in the thank you

The design didn't stop at the front door. From the moment you booked until the day you moved on, every message was meant to make you feel expected, looked after and at ease. Here is how my guests said it felt.

“We had missed our flight… It was an awful start for our trip. When we arrived at Lora's place, it was like a breath of fresh air. So welcoming and cute and homey.”
Valerie, Airbnb guest

“The second you walk in you cannot help but to smile… it feels less clinical and 'hotel-ish' and more like you're staying at a friend's home.”
Renee, Airbnb guest

“As soon as we walked in the door it felt like home… The furniture was welcoming and relaxing.”
Anita, Airbnb guest

“Once you go inside it almost feels like if you open the door behind you and then open it again you're on a beach… It's incredibly bright and comfortable.”
Tea, Airbnb guest

“Not only was I able to catch up on work, I was able to relax! … Lora's communication and graciousness turned a stressful situation into a peaceful blessing!”
Brandy, Airbnb guest

“Working with Lora was a genuine pleasure. When I managed her studios, I saw firsthand what a gifted designer she is. She took a property with a lot of history and turned each unit into a warm, charming retreat. Her antique-inspired decor and thoughtful themed touches gave every studio its own character, and made the whole place feel elevated, cozy and full of personality. Guests consistently loved the vintage charm and the care that went into every detail, and many said it felt like stepping into a little piece of history. Lora was also wonderful to partner with. She was responsive, appreciative and easy to communicate with, and she clearly cared about her guests having a great stay. I'd recommend her design work to any host who wants a space guests remember.”
Randall Cloud, Cloud Dream Homes, former short-term rental manager

Imagine coming home to that feeling every day. Let's talk about your space and the energy you want to feel when you walk in.

Book a Design Consultation

See the rentals

The Stylish Retreat

Cozy Cottage

The Renton Retreat

Jones Landing

A large house with a great room, long tables, a sunroom, and a home gym. Interior design by Lora Brown.

Great room at Jones Landing with wood beams, a fireplace, and a piano — The great room: wood beams, a fireplace, and a piano

Seating area in the great room at Jones Landing — A seating area in the great room

Long tables set up for a group at Jones Landing — Long tables set up for a group

Bedroom with a green accent wall and a gold mountain headboard at Jones Landing — A bedroom with a green wall and a gold mountain headboard

Chairs set in rows by the fireplace at Jones Landing — Chairs set in rows by the fireplace for a gathering

Cherry blossom mural behind a black piano at Jones Landing — A cherry blossom mural behind the piano

Sunroom with a hot tub at Jones Landing — A sunroom with a hot tub

Home gym with a bike and treadmill at Jones Landing — The home gym

Lora Brown pointing at framed moss wall art at Jones Landing — Lora with the framed moss wall art

Kitchen with a large island at Jones Landing — The kitchen, with a large island

Dining room with the table set at Jones Landing — The dining room, table set

A house that had to hold everyone

Devin, Kellen and MaKenna, our children, each needed a different sensory world. All ADHD, all ours. Kip is wired that way too. Lora feels inputs in her body, and after her brain injury that was daily life in our house.

Some of us needed the buzzing to stop. Some needed the world turned up. Some needed quiet and something real to put a hand on. Neurodivergence is not a problem to manage. It is a reason to design a space on purpose.

Read how we learned it. The same idea is on the road now: The Untethered Foundation.

Our kitchen: from one cook to an easy orchestra

Feel, function and flow matter as much in my own home as they do in yours. Our kitchen only worked for one person at a time. I changed the cabinets into clear work areas that flow from one to the next. Now two of us move and cook side by side with ease, and guests gather at the island to talk in the heart of our home. Your home can feel this way too.

The before and in-progress shots are phone photos of printed pictures, so they look softer.

Kitchen remodel before, original kitchen and eating area — **Before:** the original kitchen and eating area (a photo of a print)

Kitchen remodel before, original island with a bookshelf end — **Before:** the original island and bookshelf end (a photo of a print)

Kitchen remodel before, original glass-front cabinet and counter — **Before:** the original glass-front hutch and counter (a photo of a print)

Kitchen remodel in progress with new cabinets going in — **Mid-remodel:** new cabinets going in (a photo of a print)

Kitchen remodel late stage with granite counters, wall ovens and refrigerator in place — **Nearly done:** counters and appliances in, the island taking shape (a photo of a print)

Finished kitchen after remodel with dark wood cabinets — **After:** the finished kitchen with dark wood cabinets

Finished kitchen range wall and island, open to the family room — **After:** the range wall and island, open to the family room

Finished kitchen seen from the eating nook with a window bench — **After:** the kitchen seen from the eating nook, with a window bench (a photo of a print)

Finished kitchen with wall ovens and built-in cabinets — **After:** wall ovens and built-in cabinets

Family room beside the finished kitchen — **After:** the family room beside the kitchen

Our master bath: from rushing out to ready for the day

Our master bath had no fresh, renewing energy. It was a room you wanted to leave fast, not one that sent you out ready to tackle the day. I planned it on paper, then rebuilt it with a double vanity, a glass shower and a skylight that pours in daylight. Now mornings start calm and clear. For me and my family, the energy shift in both rooms made a world of difference. Imagine starting your own mornings that way.

The sketches, plans and photos marked as prints are phone photos of printed pictures, so they look softer.

Floor plan of the new master bathroom — **The plan:** the floor plan, with the tub, shower, and double vanity placed (a photo of a print)

Hand sketch of the new master bathroom design — **The plan:** a hand sketch of the new master bathroom, from a photo of a print

Hand sketch of the master bathroom double vanity and linen cabinet — **The plan:** a sketch of the double vanity and linen cabinet (a photo of a print)

Master bathroom before the remodel, with a corner jetted tub and a single vanity — **Before:** the original master bath, with a corner jetted tub and a single vanity (a photo of a print)

Finished master bathroom with a white double vanity, a tub, and two windows — **After:** the finished double vanity, tub, and windows

Finished master bathroom glass-door shower and skylight — **After:** the finished glass-door shower and skylight

Master bathroom after the remodel, with a white double vanity and a tall linen cabinet — **After:** the new white double vanity with a tall linen cabinet (a photo of a print)

Cozy Beehive

Four small units under one roof. Where a room started and where it landed, unit by unit.

The exterior: from grey to golden

Same walls, same roofline, new energy. A warm, sunny color turned a tired grey four-plex into a home that says welcome before you reach the porch.

Before: Cozy Beehive four-plex painted grey — Before

After: Cozy Beehive four-plex painted a warm yellow — After

Utah is the Beehive State, and four units under one roof made a hive. Cheerful yellow makes it easy to find and glad to see you. Overgrown shrubs and trees came back so the light could reach the door, and the trim colors bring out the early 1900s details so the history feels alive instead of tired.

Unit 1

Unit 1 before: the original living area — **Before:** the original living area

Unit 1 after: the same space, now the bedroom, with a deep blue accent wall — **After:** the same space, now the bedroom

The original layout put the bed by the kitchen with open doorways all around. Nobody wants to fall asleep to last night's dinner, so moving the bedroom here gave you a door, quiet and a real place to rest.

Unit 1 living and dining area after — **After:** the living and dining area

Unit 2

One room, two swaps. Moving the kitchen and the bed turned a barely twin daybed into a king and gave you a real place to sit and eat. The glossy black wall at the far end pulls your eye through all 425 square feet, bounces the light, and shows off its texture like artwork.

Before

After

Cozy Beehive Unit 2 king bed with a yellow throw under the wood beam

Unit 2 bathroom before, with a corner shower — **Before:** the bathroom and corner shower

Unit 2 bathroom after, with a corner shower — **After:** the same bathroom, refreshed

Unit 3

Bold red, crisp white and original brick. The kitchen opened up and every corner gained a purpose.

Before

Cozy Beehive Unit 3 kitchen stove wall before the redesign

After

Cozy Beehive Unit 3 arched black mirror after the redesign

Cozy Beehive Unit 3 original brick column with a large wall clock

Unit 3 bathroom shower before — **Before:** the bathroom shower

Unit 3 bathroom after — **After:** the bathroom

Unit 3 kitchen after, with a white island — **After:** the kitchen, with a white island

Unit 4

Every wall in the living room wore a different texture, and dim light gave it a fun house feel. Smooth walls, deep blue and warm gold, and furniture with a purpose turned a jumble of desks, tables and chairs into a place where you can relax. The bedroom felt like a dungeon, so the TV moved to its own cozy nook next door and the bedroom became a place for peace and rest.

Before

Cozy Beehive Unit 4 desk nook and doorway before the redesign

Cozy Beehive Unit 4 peeling wall with a bookcase before the redesign

After

Cozy Beehive Unit 4 reading nook with a deep blue wall and gold clock

Cozy Beehive Unit 4 framed misty mountain art mural

Cozy Beehive Unit 4 bedroom after the redesign, with a navy tufted headboard and bird art

Unit 4 kitchen before — **Before:** the kitchen

Unit 4 kitchen after, with a wood counter and open shelving — **After:** the kitchen, with a wood counter and open shelving

The Energy Behind Your Life Force Is How You Make Your Impact

When your space restores you, you show up fuller for the people and the work you love. The energy you come home to becomes the energy you carry out the door.

If you are ready for a home that gives back to you, let's start with a conversation.

Book a Design Consultation

Life Design Duo, LLC
522 W Riverside Ave #10475, Spokane, WA 99201