In conversation with The Space Doctors

Dr. Augustin and Dr. Champion had a range of experiences before they joined forces as The Space Doctors—they weren’t born yesterday even if their faces do have a certain youthful glow in every photograph you’ve ever seen of them 🙂

In this article they’ll tell you a little about themselves.

So, can you tell us a little about your background?

Sally Augustin:  First, I was an economist, or at least an economics major at Wellesley.  I took a slew of statistics and econometrics classes and then realized that I didn’t like any of the jobs that economics majors had.  It was unfortunate that I had this revelation my senior year when it was too late to redirect my studies.  So, I did what many good, but directionless, students did in my day, I went to Northwestern University and earned a Masters Degree in finance and marketing.  After graduation I happened to get involved in corporate design projects as the management type (this was actually my job!) and I got so interested in how design influenced how people thought and behaved that eventually I went back to school at Claremont Graduate University to earn my doctorate.  There was a lot of working in the real world between the time I graduated from Wellesley and the time I graduated from Claremont and in that time I had grown quite attached to solving real world problems in practical ways that use resources, financial, time, and otherwise, effectively.  What I do now for most of every day is to help people designing something apply neuroscience research in practical ways to achieve their goals.  I am really interested in adding value, financial and otherwise, via design.

Ness: I started life off as an academic, my PhD was in Greek and Latin, which might seem a thousand miles away, but I was always fascinated by how environments were designed in the ancient world, particularly the ancient healing centres. For instance did you know that the Asklepeion was like a “retreat”? People would go there to be healed, they would sleep there, and it was often built next to restful water sounds, like rivers or brooks, with amazing views of nature, the smell of pine trees, thyme, hearing bees buzzing, bird song, sheep. The bucolic environment really was valued, and really it is a prime example of excellent Biophilic Design! I’ve since gone on to be a bit of a fanatic about Biophilic Design as some of you might know, and so I am always researching and interviewing thought-leaders in this space, which is how I met Sally (definitely a thought-leader in this space) in the first instance! I worked in editorial and in old-school marketing and PR agencies, also using photography and film to support activities, which further enhanced my fascination with how visuals can impact how we perceive something. Alongside my editorial and research career, I also run a media company, the strapline for which is “media that makes a difference”. It is from that position, that The Space Doctors also is really important to me as I feel that we are sharing knowledge that people can really use to transform their homes and offices to help them have a happier life. If you’ve always had a dream, then creating your home and office into a space that means something to you and is designed in a way that can really help your wings unfurl then that has to be a good thing. From my heart, I wish you all the best with everything you set your heart on.

If you had a £100 to spend sprucing up a house before you put it onto the market what would you do?

Sally Augustin:  If I had 100 pounds to spend on sprucing up a house before it goes on the market, I’d spend that money painting and making the house smell just right.  All walls, doors, etc., should look clean and fresh, that makes it seem like the house is well cared for and a place people enjoy living—after all they keep it up.  Since most of us highly prize the comfort security, the refuge, we find in our homes, I’d make sure that walls are painted shades that are not very saturated but relatively light, as discussed in this article.  Lot’s of people hate the color yellow (except on the walls in kitchens), so I’d make sure to re-paint yellow surfaces, doors, etc., if at all possible.  Greens are great colors for home offices (as discussed in this article), so I’d make sure to paint the office green.  If you want people to feel your home’s maintenance, etc., is in tip top shape, I’d use lots of blues, on the front door, etc., since blue is associated with trustworthiness, competence, and dependability.  Blue is also linked to “rest” so it’s a good color for bedrooms—people in a blue one will get the impression that they’ll spend many restful nights there in the future.  Whatever money I didn’t spend on paint, I’d spend on subtle air fresheners.  Lavender for bedrooms because they really do help us decompress and relax and they’ll make a bedroom/bath/etc. scented with seem even more like a refuge from the tough world in which we find ourselves much of the time.  To calm nervous shoppers and to encourage them to feel more confident, less anxious, about choosing your home, add orange (like the fruit) and lemon smells elsewhere.  There’s more information on scents and how the affect how we think and behave here. Sure, you’ve heard that you should bake cookies before house shoppers arrive at your home, but everyone else knows that also and no one wants to feel like someone is trying to manipulate them, so it’s more constructive to go with the lavender and citrus scents.

Ness: If I had a 100 pounds to spend on making a home just right before it goes on the market, I think I’d find it hard to beat what Sally has mentioned here, but here are some of my thoughts. First of all, I’d declutter the place, clear out anything that doesn’t serve you anymore. Whether that’s the mixer that’s sat in the kitchen since you bought it five years ago, or those crazy shot glasses you bought in Ibiza when you were high on the holiday vibe! Pop all these things in boxes and take them to the lovely charity shops near you, or put it on a “freecycle” online platform. Wash your bedlinen, keep it clean, also the curtains or any other fabrics (cushions, etc), so it all smells fresh, or rather doesn’t smell! Shift furniture around, such as we’ve discussed in other articles so people feel comfortable and can move around. Also, one of the best things for making a space look uncluttered is actually getting rid of a piece of furniture, it’s amazing how liberating that can feel, creating a big space! Also make some coffee when they come to view the house, apparently that also makes people feel like home, either way it will steady your nerves! Hmm, ok, so far I haven’t spent anything, so maybe I’d then buy all the paint and things Sally suggests!

Do you have a question for The Space Doctors, email us! Email us on: vanessachampion@thespacedoctors.com or through our Contact us page. We’d love to hear from you!