Dr. Toby Israel, a visionary founder

Toby Israel, Ph.D

“I think clients would be interested in this … It would offer a great deal of efficiency in focusing the client.”
-Andres Duany, quote Some Place Like Home

Design Psychology

“The practice of architecture, planning and interior design in which psychology is the principal design tool.”

Bombarded by messages about how your place “should” or “must” look?

Want to find or create a space with meaning and soul, not just another “cookie cutter” place?

Design Psychologist Toby Israel helps clients “design from within”.

  • Home buyers - guiding you in your choice of ideal home
  • Home owners - helping you create your “just right” home
  • Designers and realtors - saving time, focusing your client's “wish” list
  • Groups - targeting user/market preferences, building consensus

How does Design Psychology work?

All of us suffer from “early childhood amnesia”—we lose conscious memory of our most intimate connection with childhood experience of places. Dr. Toby Israel leads clients through her toolbox of exercises to uncover this most positive experience of past places. Drawing upon your core of best-remembered spaces, colors, textures, furniture and objects, Dr. Israel helps you translate these elements into an ideal design for your home, school, work or other place.

How is Design Psychology Different?

Unlike traditional designers, Dr. Israel uses her extensive training in Environmental Psychology to guide you through a “deeper-than-deep dive”, helping you create a real place that not only looks good but supports positive growth and change.

What is the Design Psychology “product”?

Knowledge gained during sessions about your place experience/emotions is translated into a “Design Psychology Blueprint”—specific guidelines for place choice, space planning, style, color, furniture and other elements—to be used to as a catalyst for life-enhancing design.