Designing for a Fairer World
Fair Place Designs was founded to bridge a critical gap in the design industry – accessible, equitable creative services that genuinely serve people of all abilities. Our work is rooted in the belief that design is more than just aesthetics; it’s a tool for connection, empowerment, and social good.
Our Mission
Fair Place Designs exists to create accessible, equitable, and human-centered design solutions that genuinely serve people of all abilities. By embedding accessibility as a fundamental standard, we empower communities, foster equity, and drive meaningful change through inclusive branding, digital experiences, and innovative design systems.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is simple yet powerful: design should serve people – not exclude them. We approach projects with curiosity, care, and a focus on building equitable solutions tailored to evolving community needs. Whether it’s redesigning a digital interface or crafting accessible packaging, every project is an opportunity to make a real, positive impact.
Our Core Values
Care
We design with empathy, equity, and personal impact in mind. Every project works to serve people of varying abilities. We center our designs to be accessible to those with visual, physical and cognitive impairments.
Guidance
Navigating accessibility can be complex, but we’re here to simplify the process. Our design decisions are informed by the latest research, WCAG 2.2 AA standards, and, most importantly, the lived experiences of diverse communities. We guide you every step of the way toward inclusive, impactful design.
Motion
Accessibility isn’t a one-time solution – it’s a continuous journey. We embrace innovation and adaptability, creating designs that evolve alongside your community’s needs and expectations. Our work is built to grow, ensuring lasting inclusivity.
The Why
Behind the Design
At the heart of our website lies a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. Every design choice we made serves a specific purpose, ensuring that as many people as possible can engage with our content without barriers. From the layout to the colors and typefaces, each detail reflects our belief that design should serve everyone.
Repetitive Layouts for Ease of Use
You might notice that our website layout feels repetitive – and that’s entirely intentional. Repetition reduces cognitive load by creating predictable patterns, ensuring users know exactly what to expect as they navigate. For individuals on the autism spectrum or anyone who finds it easier to process consistent structures, this consistency transforms a potentially overwhelming experience into one that’s calm and intuitive.
Transparency for Understanding
We’re all about transparency – sometimes to the point of sharing what feels like an abundance of information! This is to ensure that neurodiverse users have everything they need to fully understand our services, with no ambiguity. By breaking down complex ideas into clear, digestible sections, we foster trust and make the experience enjoyable and stress-free for everyone.
Typeface That Works for All
Our choice of typeface, Atkinson Hyperlegible, is more than an aesthetic decision. This font was specifically designed to support individuals with visual and reading disabilities, such as dyslexia. Its bold, clear letterforms ensure high legibility, making text easier to read. The generous spacing and considered kerning provide additional support for those with cognitive differences, offering clarity and comfort with every word.
Colors That Are Thoughtfully Selected
Our color palette – yellow, red, and blue – were chosen for its functionality as much as its symbolism. These primary colors evoke a sense of going “back to basics,” creating a clean and friendly vibe. But more importantly, the palette is crafted to remain accessible to individuals with color blindness. While these colors appear differently to users with visual impairments, their contrast and balance ensure the layouts remain visually clear and appealing for all.
A Commitment to Accessibility in Every Step
From the smallest detail to the overarching design, we’ve made intentional choices to create a website that welcomes everyone, regardless of ability. Whether it’s through consistent layouts, transparency, typefaces tailored for readability, or accessible color schemes, our goal remains the same—to make interactions simple, empowering, and inclusive.
Because accessibility isn’t just an add-on for us—it’s a core part of who we are.
Meet our Founder
(She doesn't like having her photo taken)
At the heart of Fair Place Designs is Dominique Marcil, a passionate artist with a vision for a more inclusive world. Her life experiences and unparalleled drive led to the creation of a company committed to accessibility and fairness in design – a philosophy rooted in her own story.
A Journey Fueled by Passion and Experience
Dominique’s path was shaped by her experiences living with AuDHD (Autism and ADHD), which gave her a deep understanding of the challenges people face when navigating a world that often overlooks unique abilities. These challenges sparked her determination to create designs that serve everyone. Dominique saw an opportunity to bring her academic research, creativity, and personal perspective into a powerful mission to make accessibility a priority, not an afterthought.
Academic Excellence and Recognition
Dominique’s dedication to accessibility began during her studies at the University of Lethbridge, where she excelled academically and graduated at the top of her class. Her groundbreaking research in accessibility design earned her several prestigious awards and set the foundation for her future work. This recognition only solidified her passion for crafting thoughtful, inclusive solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives.
You ask, we answer
If your question isn’t listed, feel free to reach out to us – we’re here to help and will do our best to provide an answer!
Our story began with our founder, Dominique, who witnessed how inaccessible design negatively impacted friends, community members, and marginalized audiences. What might seem like small oversights – the lack of inclusive digital tools or packaging that excludes certain users – causes real harm every day. Determined to create a better way, Dominique launched Fair Place Designs with one guiding commitment: to challenge an industry that too often prioritizes profit over people.
The name “Fair Place Designs” was born out of frustration and a heartfelt conversation. Our founder, Dominique, was speaking with her mother and expressed a simple yet profound wish – to find a place that was fair to people, a place that truly understood and embraced the fact that everyone is different. Dominique believed that no one should ever be shunned for their differences, and this belief became the foundation of Fair Place Designs.
Our values are the very foundation of Fair Place Designs – they’re what started this company and continue to guide everything we do. Every decision, design, and color choice is deeply rooted in our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. It’s our values that drive us to create designs that are as accessible as possible, ensuring that no one is left behind. They’re not just principles; they’re the heart of our mission.
Our story connects to our clients and their needs by addressing a fundamental truth: we live in a world where attention is constantly demanded and exploited. At Fair Place Designs, we take a different approach. We strive to capture attention in a healthy, meaningful, and productive way. We don’t create to bombard or overwhelm; we avoid pushing out meaningless content. Instead, we focus on building genuine connections—sharing real stories and showcasing the people behind businesses to connect authentically with the real people they serve.
Join Us in Making a Difference
Discover how Fair Place Designs can help you create equitable, accessible experiences.