Designing for Calm: In conversation with Studio Heim
Kate Allamby of Studio Heim studied textile design before training at Central Saint Martins, spent years as a homeware buyer in London and built a reputation for considered residential interiors in Edinburgh. She founded Studio Heim with a strong belief that good design should feel just as good as it looks. We followed her work long before Arheus existed, and when the time was right, the call to Kate was the easiest call we made.
You specialise in creating homes that feel comfortable, grounded and deeply personal. When a dental clinic landed in your inbox, was that an exciting prospect? Or did it give you a moment's pause?
It was definitely an exciting prospect. I love a challenge, and I also enjoy designing different types of spaces from time to time. We had never worked on a dental clinic before, so I was very quick to get back in touch with Kate. Once we met and discussed the brief in detail, I knew it would be a wonderful collaboration. She had such a clear vision for what she wanted to create, and it immediately felt like a project we could really bring to life together.
While residential design will always be at the heart of what we do, I think good design is really about understanding how people want to feel within a space. Whether that's a family home, a boutique hotel or a dental clinic, the process begins in exactly the same way: listening carefully, understanding the brief and creating an environment that supports the people using it. In many ways, this project felt like a natural extension of our approach, just applied in a different setting.
From the very beginning, there was a clear intention to move away from the traditional clinical aesthetic. What did that first conversation with Dr Kate sound like?
Kate and I met for coffee and discussed her brief in detail, which was essentially for the clinic not to feel clinical at all. I loved that idea because, let's be honest, very few people genuinely enjoy visiting the dentist. If we can make that experience feel a little warmer, more comfortable and even a little luxurious, why wouldn't we?
Our surroundings have a huge impact on how we feel, and Kate was incredibly passionate about creating an environment that felt calm, welcoming and reassuring. That aligns perfectly with how we approach design, so it felt like a very natural fit from the beginning.
What struck me most was how much thought she had already given to the patient experience. She wasn't simply creating a dental practice; she was creating a place where people would feel cared for. That distinction informed so many of the decisions we made throughout the project.
Arheus sits within a Category A listed Georgian building in the heart of Edinburgh. How much did the architecture shape your design decisions, and where did heritage requirements and clinical considerations meet, or at times, maybe not quite agree?
The building itself played a significant role in shaping the design. We knew many of the original features needed to remain, but I saw that as an opportunity rather than a limitation. Georgian architecture brings such character, elegance and warmth, and those qualities really supported the atmosphere we were trying to create.
One of my favourite examples is the fireplace in the reception area. Although it could no longer function as a fireplace and had been completely boarded over, it remained a beautiful focal point. We decided to celebrate it by lining the interior with marble mosaics for texture and painting the surround black to give it presence and depth. It became an important feature within the room while still respecting the building's heritage.
As with any listed building, there were moments where practical requirements and conservation considerations needed to be carefully balanced. However, I think the architecture ultimately worked in our favour. The generous proportions, period detailing and sense of permanence all helped reinforce the feeling that this was somewhere welcoming, established and trusted.
You've spoken about making spaces that people truly enjoy being in. That's a beautiful sentiment when designing homes, how did you reframe what enjoyment could mean in a clinical context?
For me, enjoyment starts with comfort. If you're not comfortable in a space, it's very difficult to enjoy being there, whether it's your home or a commercial environment.
In a clinical setting, comfort becomes even more important because people may already feel anxious before they arrive. We focused on creating an atmosphere that felt warm and reassuring through colour, materials and lighting. We deliberately avoided the colder aesthetic often associated with healthcare environments and instead introduced warm-toned finishes, layered lighting, natural materials and comfortable seating.
I think enjoyment in this context is perhaps less about pleasure and more about ease. It's about helping people feel relaxed, reducing stress and making an experience that can often feel intimidating seem a little gentler.
Dental spaces almost always default to white, grey or clinical blue. Arheus moved well away from that. Was there a particular tone or colour you felt drawn to from the beginning?
One of the words that came up repeatedly during our early conversations was "warm", so that became the foundation for the entire palette. Every colour was selected with warm undertones in mind, creating a sense of comfort and familiarity throughout the space.
We incorporated rich timbers, coppery accents and a variety of highly textural materials. Natural finishes played a particularly important role because they instantly bring warmth and authenticity to an interior. Texture was just as important as colour. We wanted people to experience the space as layered and inviting rather than flat or sterile.
Thankfully, Kate loved the direction from the outset, so there was very little convincing required. We were completely aligned on the vision and trusted each other throughout the process, which always makes for a stronger result.
The branding, website and photography all took their cue from your interiors, every touchpoint intended to feel seamless. Were you involved in that wider creative conversation, and how important is that kind of alignment for a business?
I wasn't directly involved in those elements, but it is a huge compliment that they appear to have taken inspiration from the interiors.
I can't take all the credit though. Kate had an exceptionally clear vision for both her business and the experience she wanted to create for her clients. I think she knew exactly how she wanted Arheus to feel long before we met. Our role was to help translate that vision into a physical space.
That kind of alignment is incredibly important. When every touchpoint feels cohesive, from the interiors to the branding, photography and online experience, it creates a stronger and more memorable impression. Clients may not consciously analyse why everything feels so seamless, but they absolutely notice the feeling it creates.
Your eye for furniture was no doubt sharpened during your years as a homeware buyer in London. Tell us about the choices you made for Arheus, and are there any favourite pieces?
My favourite piece is undoubtedly the sofa. Its curved form brings softness and movement to the room, preventing the space from feeling overly structured or clinical. Curves have a wonderful way of making interiors feel more approachable and relaxed.
I also love the sideboard with its arched detailing and turned ball feet, as well as the large asymmetrical mirror above the fireplace. Looking back, there was definitely a recurring theme of soft, fluid shapes throughout the scheme. Those elements helped reinforce the calm and welcoming atmosphere we wanted to create.
Much of the inspiration came from residential interiors rather than commercial spaces. We deliberately looked at beautiful homes, boutique hotels and hospitality settings because those environments naturally prioritise comfort. We wanted patients to feel as though they had stepped into a thoughtfully designed living space rather than a traditional waiting room.
Is there anything in the clinic that you think patients will notice without quite knowing they've noticed it? And is there a detail that was placed entirely for the person who feels apprehensive?
My hope is that people simply walk in and feel at ease, even if they can't quite identify why.
Every design decision in the reception area was made with the patient experience in mind. The curves of the furniture, the layered lighting, the natural textures and even the way people move through the space were all carefully considered. None of those elements shout for attention individually, but together they help create an environment that feels calm, welcoming and reassuring.
I think good design often works quietly in the background. People may not consciously notice the softer forms, the absence of harsh lighting or the balance of materials, but they will feel the effect of those decisions. For someone who feels apprehensive about visiting the dentist, those subtle details matter. They help create an atmosphere that feels safe, familiar and human, rather than intimidating.
The waiting room is so often an afterthought in dental spaces. How do you design a moment of waiting so that it feels a little less like waiting?
You make it feel like a home.
I never wanted the reception area to feel like a traditional waiting room, so we approached it more like a living room. The furniture is arranged to encourage comfort and conversation, there is soft, ambient lighting, a beautiful fireplace and carefully layered textures throughout.
The experience of waiting often feels longer when you're uncomfortable or anxious. By creating a space that feels relaxed and welcoming, people naturally settle into it differently. Instead of sitting under bright lights counting down the minutes until their appointment, they can simply enjoy being in the space.
Ultimately, it's a welcoming living space that happens to have a reception desk in it. There are no rows of plastic chairs, outdated magazines, harsh lighting or the classic dentist’s fish tank! The goal was to make the experience of waiting feel far more relaxed and enjoyable.
How did you work with the light in the clinic, and where did you need to be more deliberate in supplementing it?
The reception space benefits from beautiful natural proportions and a stunning central chandelier, but we knew layered lighting would be essential to creating the atmosphere we wanted.
Alongside the chandelier, we introduced wall lights and a picture light to add warmth and depth to the space. We wanted to avoid relying solely on bright overhead lighting, which can often feel harsh and clinical. By layering different light sources, we created a softer and more relaxed environment that feels welcoming throughout the day.
Lighting is one of the most powerful tools we have as designers because it can completely influence how a space feels. In homes, we rarely rely on a single source of light, and we approached the clinic in exactly the same way. The result is a space that feels calmer, more intimate and far removed from the stark, brightly lit environments many people associate with healthcare settings.
Finally, when you think about someone stepping into Arheus for the very first time, what is it you hope they feel?
Ultimately, I hope the space communicates something that is at the very heart of Arheus: that they are in safe hands, that they're being looked after, and that everyone there genuinely has their best interests at heart.
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