What If LAB: The Psychology, Design, and Sustainability of Spaces

What If LAB has a unique approach to design challenges that is rooted in its clients’ future and expands on that vision. Influenced by the latest technology and innovations, they create ideas and environments that leverage foresight and imagination to enhance the human experience.

“Beauty and great design have to be in harmonious balance with function and science,” says Adelia Schleusz, the founder of What If LAB.

The Spaces We Inhabit Shape Who We Are

Schleusz brings over 25 years combined experience of interior design expertise and applied psychology to her work. Blending beauty, function, and emotional resonance into every environment she touches. Known for her award-winning commercial interiors, she’s recognized not just for how her spaces look, but for how they feel, behave, and sustain. Her forward-thinking approach reframes design as a tool for both human and environmental well-being.

Her expertise in commercial interior design, art, research, behavioral psychology, and sensory design is the foundation for What If LAB’s holistic approach to design, combined sometimes referred to neuroaesthetics.

Neuroaesthetics concentrates on how the brain reacts to visual art, music, and the environments people inhabit. What If LAB understands how important it is to create places that elevate the experiences within our surroundings. Immersive spaces are intrinsically sensorial environments. This underpins the importance of curating experiences through lighting, art, wayfinding, biophilic strategies, art, and performance. Utilizing a multifaceted and comprehensive approach to interior design is not exactly new. Latest research reinforces Schleusz’s long standing approach to how the neuro- [fill in with ‘arts’, ‘interiors’, ‘aesthetics’, ‘design’] can be a powerful and scientific strategy in enhancing our well-being and evoking emotive environments.

“We need to intentionally foster interdisciplinary ‘mind share’ and collaboration to realize the potential of spaces, technology, materials to uncover what’s possible…” says Schleusz.

Psychology, Design, and Sustainability

Schleusz’s background in psychology is essential to her approach. She values deeply listening to her clients and their aspirations well before offering creative solutions. Being an observer and listener first is vital to understanding client and community specific needs and is the first step in any project.

Schleusz emphasizes the importance of imagination in design. She regards it as a critical component of creating unique, meaningful, and impactful solutions. Her creativity in design is tailored to suit each client while keeping an eye on other important factors such as engaging the senses, the mind, and overall design composition.

What If LAB is constantly looking toward the future, longevity, and sustainable solutions. Schleusz addresses the issue in her designs by asking, “What if we live and breathe the future in the present?” She admits to “none of us have a crystal ball but there is that sense of urgency to be designing for the future, and we have to do it with intentionality, and quickly.”

Schleusz recently had a meeting at a university where an in-depth discussion on the future of design occurred. One thought starter was how homes and buildings are now being 3D printed and the types of materials being used. How are we having open dialogue across disciplines on human impact while technological advancements rapidly evolve? Out of that meeting, new opportunities arose to address sustainability, design psychology, and innovations, including the beginnings of a course in Design Psychology. ​​This kind of cross disciplinary thinking is exactly what drives What If LAB, where design is treated not just as a visual output, but as a conversation between people, place, and possibility.

As What If LAB continues to expand its influence, Schleusz looks forward to working on design problems that are “unique and interesting” or present a “challenging, complex design problem.”

For those equally passionate about interdisciplinary teaming and the future of the world around us, Schleusz’s What If LAB is ready to play a pivotal role in realizing your vision.