EP 322 | Accessible Interior Design & Aging in Place with Jennifer Bertrand
How can interior designers create spaces that truly support clients through every stage of life?
In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Jennifer Bertrand—HGTV Design Star winner—to explore how interior designers can incorporate social responsibility into their work through accessible, inclusive design.
From aging in place to designing for clients with special needs, Jennifer shares how thoughtful design decisions can improve quality of life while also expanding your services and impact as a design professional.
If you want to design with greater purpose—and tap into a growing niche within the industry—this episode will open your eyes to new opportunities.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- How to leverage visibility (like TV exposure) into long-term business growth
- Why designing with circadian rhythms in mind supports better mental health
- Key features of accessible design, including zero-threshold entries and curbless showers
- How thoughtful kitchen design can improve functionality for wheelchair users
- Why voice-activated technology is shaping the future of interior design
- How to incorporate social responsibility into a profitable design business
DESIGN INTERVENTION
Feed the eagles, starve the turkeys: Focus on the smaller groups, work, design projects that will mean a great deal more to individual people/families, rather than the big companies. That’s not to say you shouldn’t work for them when an opportunity arises but it’s important to focus on those to whom the impact of your design work will be greater.
About Jennifer Bertrand
Jennifer Bertrand is best known as the winner of HGTV’s popular series Design Star, drawing over 5 million viewers thanks to her no-nonsense, accessible approach to making positive and impactful design changes without breaking the bank. After taking the competition by storm, Jennifer moved on to host her own show, Paint Over!, featuring families in transition and in need of help. Bertrand currently is the designer on the series Military Makeover, airing on Lifetime.
Facebook | @Jenniferbertrand
Instagram | @jenniferbertranddesign
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Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and provides general business advice for interior designers and design professionals. It is not intended as individual legal, accounting, or professional guidance. Kimberley Seldon and Business of Design® make no guarantees regarding accuracy and are not liable for how information is used. Strategies shared may not apply to every situation—listeners should seek qualified legal, financial, or professional advice before making business decisions. References and resources mentioned may change over time.
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