Founder : Michelle Ifversen
My Path to Wellness Design

I’ve inspected and tested hundreds of homes over the past 15+ years—and I’ve seen how and why buildings fail, and how they can silently make people sick. Mold, VOCs, poor ventilation, off-gassing finishes, EMFs, toxic materials, and proximity to industry or traffic all impact human health in profound ways.

I know this not just professionally, but personally. I originally planned to become a doctor. As a child, I was captivated by the human body—watching brain surgeries on TV and dreaming of healing. But in college, during my first cadaver lab, I had a severe reaction to the formaldehyde—a toxic exposure that revealed a lifelong sensitivity I didn’t yet understand.

I shifted to design, studying art and visual communication in Europe before launching a career in San Francisco as a usability engineer and experience designer. I led the development of digital learning platforms, conducted ethnographic research, and shaped how people interact with complex systems. Over time, my interest expanded—from how we interact with screens to how we interact with space, light, and material.

In 2000, after becoming a mom, I searched for non-toxic items for my baby’s nursery—and found almost nothing. That wake-up call led me to launch Green This Life, one of the first eco-wellness platforms. I later trained with the Institute for Building Biology and Ecology, earning certifications in Healthy Building, Indoor Air Quality, EMFs, and Environmental Testing.

My work became even more personal after toxic mold exposure and grief-related trauma triggered serious health conditions—a connective tissue disorder, POTS, and MCAS. I became certified as an Integrative Health Practitioner to understand the link between our bodies and environments on a deeper level.

But this story began long before design or illness. I was raised in nature. My mother was a renowned landscape architect, my father a builder and sculptor. I grew up on job sites, in gardens, surrounded by texture, soil, structure, and form. Beaches, forests, and mountain trails weren’t a getaway—they were home. That foundation continues to inform my work today.

My deepest passion is biophilic design—bringing the intelligence of nature into the built world. I use natural materials, healthy light, clean air and water, and visual connections to the outdoors to help the nervous system regulate and the body heal. It’s not just about beauty; it’s about biology.

Today, I lead DesignWell Studios, where I consult on wellness-focused homes, retreats, and workspaces. I also teach designers, builders, and health-conscious homeowners how to create restorative, regenerative environments—through our online education platform and custom client work.

Designing spaces that support healing is no longer a luxury. For many, it’s a necessity.

My mission is simple:
To create spaces that feel as good as they look—spaces that heal.