# Neurodiverse Design: Marketing Gimmick or Genuine Inclusion? How superficial adaptations fail to address real needs in neurodiverse product design - **Source:** [Interior design | Dezeen](https://brifing.si/source/cb2e5f17-36d4-4880-b1ae-26168d46e00a) - **Published:** 2026-09-21 - **Topic:** [Design & UX](https://brifing.si/c/design) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/96d355be-3051-457a-b537-e775ffda6f46 ## The rise of neurodiverse design The interior design industry has seen a surge in products marketed as neurodiverse-friendly, with 15-20% of the global population exhibiting neurodivergent traits. While awareness is growing, many offerings focus narrowly on color variations rather than addressing deeper spatial needs. Recent years have brought numerous product launches and events promoting 'designing for difference', yet solutions remain superficial. Manufacturers frequently rebrand existing collections with new colorways while claiming neurological benefits. ## The color conundrum Current neurodiverse design solutions overwhelmingly focus on hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity to color, offering products in both bright and neutral tones. This limited approach overlooks other critical sensory factors like lighting, furniture movement, and spatial arrangements. At industry events like Clerkenwell Design Week, brands showcase installations addressing sensory needs while launching barely modified product lines. The emphasis on color allows manufacturers to position themselves as ethical without substantial redesign efforts. ## Missed opportunities in design Neurodiverse individuals face numerous unaddressed challenges in interior spaces: low-hanging lights causing claustrophobia, unstable furniture creating emotional distress, or complex chair designs triggering obsessive compulsions. These issues demonstrate how current solutions fail to consider the full psychological and physiological impact of objects. The industry's focus on superficial color changes suggests neurodiversity remains chronically understudied in product development, with manufacturers prioritizing marketability over meaningful innovation. ## The greenwashing parallel Neurodiverse design risks following the same path as greenwashing, where minor changes are marketed as major ethical improvements. Manufacturers repurpose existing collections previously sold as 'versatile design' or 'biophilic trends' under new neurodiversity branding. This approach allows companies to capitalize on growing awareness without investing in genuine research or development. The result is a flood of products that overpromise benefits while delivering minimal functional improvements for neurodivergent users. ## Brand positioning tactics Many companies use neurodiverse design claims to subtly reposition themselves as ethical market leaders. Recent product launches often include tenuous connections between new color options and mental health benefits. Luxury vinyl tile collections, for example, maintain familiar patterns while claiming to ease mental anguish. Such strategies enable mass production of existing portfolios with minor cosmetic changes, leveraging neurodiversity conversations for brand enhancement rather than user-centered innovation. ## The co-opting of design trends Current neurodiverse offerings frequently repackage existing design trends like minimalism or wabi-sabi as solutions for pattern-sensitive individuals. Lounge chairs once marketed for their versatile aesthetics are now sold as neurodiverse-friendly. This repurposing demonstrates how manufacturers exploit multiple design narratives without meaningful adaptation. The practice reveals a fundamental disconnect between marketing claims and the complex spatial needs of neurodivergent individuals in real-world environments. ## Lack of genuine inclusion Few manufacturers demonstrate authentic engagement with neurodiverse communities in their design processes. Many fail to involve neurodivergent individuals in product development or direct consultation. This absence raises questions about whether recent neurodiverse design initiatives represent genuine inclusion or opportunistic marketing. Without meaningful participation from the neurodivergent community, products risk being solutions in search of problems rather than responses to identified needs. ## Call for deeper engagement The design industry must move beyond superficial adaptations to address neurodiversity meaningfully. Designers should scrutinize manufacturers' claims and investigate their long-term commitment to inclusion. Future solutions need to consider comprehensive spatial experiences rather than isolated color choices. Authentic progress requires direct collaboration with neurodivergent individuals throughout the design process, ensuring products meet real needs rather than marketing objectives. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.dezeen.com/2026/09/21/neurodiverse-design-ellie-foster-opinion/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._