08 OCT 2025
The Design Police Dilemma: Passion vs. Perception.
AI generated image for illustrative purposes. ©️Dawn Scott 2025.
When calling out design flaws becomes uncomfortable — but necessary.
I never set out to be the “Design Police.” But sometimes, that’s how it feels.
You see a beautifully styled interior online — soft lighting, perfect textures, all the right tones. It gets thousands of likes.
But hidden in the details is a problem: poor contrast, confusing wayfinding, or surfaces that could overwhelm someone with sensory sensitivities.
You hesitate.
Do you say something?
Because speaking up about accessibility in a sea of heart emojis can feel like being that person — the one pointing out what everyone else missed.
But some of the most problematic design decisions are the ones we don’t talk about.
Aesthetics can mask real problems
Take a space with poor contrast between walls and floors.
It might look calming in a photo — soft, tonal, minimalist. But for someone with low vision, that same space could feel unsafe or disorienting.
Or think about a trend-led space with glossy surfaces and complex lighting. It might win awards. But for an autistic person, it could trigger sensory overload in seconds.
And I’m seeing it everywhere — co-working spaces where steps, ramps, and changes in level are almost invisible because the flooring and wall colours are identical.
Accessible cafés and restaurants where tables, chairs, and floors are all the same tone — making it difficult to judge depth or see obstacles.
Even toilet doors designed to blend into the walls with no handles or push plates — because it “looks sleek.”
When we only value the visual, we risk forgetting the lived experience.
Even AI gets it wrong sometimes
With the rise of AI image tools like Midjourney, it’s easier than ever to create interiors that look stunning.
And I’ve done it myself — I’ve got thousands of AI-generated images in my archive.
Beautiful aesthetics. Gorgeous lighting. But if I’m honest, many of them wouldn’t pass a compliance check.
They’re inspiring — but not always inclusive.
Because the AI doesn’t know the regs.
It doesn’t see the sensory impact.
And it definitely doesn’t understand what it’s like to walk into a space as an autistic person, or someone with dementia or visual impairment.
So I’m careful about what I share.
I don’t want to flood people’s feeds with more unrealistic design standards — especially if they’re likely to be copied or referenced.
In fact, maybe it’s time for a “What Not to Do in Design” series using some of my own AI-generated examples.
Would anyone actually want to see that?
Image: Example of poor colour and contrast between walls and flooring in a restaurant interior.
AI-generated images for illustrative purposes.
© Dawn Scott 2025.
It’s not about gatekeeping — it’s about growth
Calling out bad design doesn’t mean I think I’ve never made mistakes. I absolutely have.
But every time I spot a space that overlooks accessibility or misses the mark on inclusion, I want to highlight it — not to shame, but to educate.
The more we talk about contrast, sensory needs, wayfinding, and visual accessibility, the more we raise the standard for everyone.
Because design isn’t neutral — it either includes or excludes.
Image: Example of a hotel lobby where striped flooring could be misinterpreted as steps, posing a potential trip hazard for people with visual impairments. AI-generated image for illustrative purposes. © Dawn Scott 2025.
And here’s the tricky bit…
When you critique someone’s work, it’s natural for them to feel defensive.
Design is personal — we put time, care, and creativity into it. No one likes to think they’ve missed something important.
But often, people genuinely don’t realise what they’ve overlooked.
The designers who listen, ask questions, and take feedback as an opportunity to improve are the ones who evolve — and they’re the ones who help raise the standard for everyone.
So should we call it out?
That’s the question I keep coming back to — because staying silent can sometimes do more harm than speaking up.
Join the Colour Conversation
I’m Dawn Scott — a Senior Colour Designer at Dulux, interior design expert, and advocate for accessible, wellbeing-focused spaces.
This blog is part of a growing library that supports The Colour Code — my regular newsletter on colour, inclusive design, and how AI is reshaping interior design.
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Views expressed are my own and do not represent those of my employer, AkzoNobel/Dulux.