A note from Lisa · Mentorship & friendship
Renée Mascari.
Design that starts
with you.
A kitchen is something we experience every day—with our senses, our habits and our own way of seeing the world.
Renée is my mentor and a very good friend. Her conversations about neurodiversity in the kitchen belong in this story, because they connect so naturally with the questions I keep coming back to: how does a room feel, and what does the person living in it need?
Follow the conversation ↓01 / Learning through conversation
Look closely.
Listen first.
What I value about these conversations is the reminder to begin with the individual. The same kitchen can feel very different from one individual to the next. A busy pattern, a bright reflection or the sound of an appliance might be barely noticed by one person and difficult for another.
Renée brings design, teaching and art into that discussion. In her published writing on design education, she connects art, colour, lighting and texture with wellbeing and our senses. It is a perspective that resonates with my own curiosity about the spaces we live in.
Read Renée’s own words on design and learning ↗02 / Bringing it into the brief
How will this kitchen
feel to you?
These are some of the questions I want to make room for when we design together.
Light & reflection
Where do you need clear task lighting? Where would you prefer softer light? We can look at daylight, glare, reflective finishes and controls that let you adjust the room.
Sound & activity
Which sounds do you notice most? Think about extraction, appliances, doors and the way conversation carries between cooking, dining and living areas.
Storage & visual detail
Do you like the things you use to be visible, or would you prefer them behind doors? We can balance easy access, clear organisation and the amount of detail in view.
Movement & routine
How do you prepare a meal, make a drink or share the room? The layout should make sense to you, with space to move and a place to pause.
03 / From the kitchen to the whole home
Light. Sound. Air.
The conversation continues.
For me, this opens a wider discussion about wellbeing at home. Alongside sensory preferences, I want to consider indoor air quality: how we plan extraction and ventilation, the materials we specify and how a room is used and maintained.
That is where this personal connection with Renée sits alongside my interest in Kas Bordier and MAVI. Each brings a perspective that encourages me to look more closely and ask better questions.
Explore Kas Bordier, MAVI & longevity architecture →Art, friendship & a sense of home
A connection
you can see.
Renée is part of our story in a very tangible way, too. Her painting now hangs at Ash House, bringing colour and a personal connection to the entrance hall.
It is a lovely reminder that a home reflects the relationships, conversations and ideas that matter to us.
Continue reading
Your home. Your way of living.
Tell us what feels
right for you.
Your routines and preferences are a good place to begin.