Comfort and Ease
for Every Life
Scandinavian-inspired ergonomics, home safety, and inclusive design—for every stage of life
Our Story
Where Healthcare Meets Design
Growing up in Norway, I watched my mother transform homes through thoughtful interior design, while my pediatrician father improved lives through clinical care. I learned to see how spaces themselves could support health, comfort, and independence in everyday life.
In Norway, universal design principles shape public spaces—from libraries to transit systems and outdoor spaces. I’ve brought that same intentional, evidence-based approach to hospitals, salons, community spaces, and homes, helping people find ergonomic and accessible design solutions that fit their lives and bodies.
FjordErgo was born from the belief that everyone deserves spaces that support their needs, their routines, and their independence—whether you’re managing chronic pain, planning for the decades ahead, or seeking more comfort and ease at home or work.
FjordErgo blends Norway’s calm, research-informed approach with practical solutions that fit your space, your budget, and the way you want to live—so you can feel better in the places you use every day.
Meet Kristin Amlie
As a Norwegian physical therapist and American ergonomics specialist, I’ve spent my career asking one question in every space: How can this work better for the people using it?
Seeking answers has led me from surgeons’ operating rooms to animators’ studios, research labs to salon chairs, and home kitchens to outdoor patios. I’ve helped people with arthritis garden with less pain, guided remote workers through ergonomic home office setups, helped drivers sit more comfortably, and helped families and organizations design spaces where everyone can move, work, and live with ease.
My approach is grounded in clinical expertise, ergonomics principles, and Norway’s pioneering universal design standards. Every recommendation—whether for an individual’s desk setup, a home renovation, or senior housing plans—considers who uses the space, the equipment they use, and what they need to do there, including lighting, sound, and other environmental factors. I’m a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) with advanced training and certificates in universal design, assistive technology, and home modifications, and I conduct comprehensive home safety assessments.
I lead community initiatives that help cities and organizations become more age-friendly and disability-friendly and have presented in the United States and internationally on evidence-based ergonomics, universal design, and inclusive design. I collaborate with healthcare facilities, families, caregivers, architects, designers, and community centers—because the best solutions come from listening to the people who will use the space.
Lofoten, Norway: Kristin’s father in the landscape that shaped her vision for beautiful, functional design.
Norwegian Physical Therapist · American Ergonomist · CAPS Certified · Executive Certificate in Home Modification (ECHM, USC) · U.S. & International Speaker · Consulting in the US, Norway, and Beyond
The most gratifying part of my work: when someone says
“ I didn't know it could feel this much easier.”
Ready to get started?
Understanding Our Approach
You’ll see us use terms like accessibility, ergonomics, inclusive design, and universal design. They are related but distinct approaches that all focus on designing spaces around people, not the other way around.
Accessibility
Accessibility means meeting standards and removing barriers so people with disabilities can access information, services, and spaces as effectively as people without disabilities. It is often the minimum requirement for legal compliance and forms the baseline for accessible, inclusive environments.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the science of designing workspaces, tools, and environments around human capabilities and limitations. It considers physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and organizational factors to improve comfort, reduce injury risk, and support safe, sustainable performance.
Inclusive Design
Inclusive design focuses on designing with and for a wide range of people—especially those who are often excluded. It involves co‑creating solutions with users who have different abilities, backgrounds, and lived experiences.
Universal Design
Universal design is a more structured framework for creating environments, products, and services that are usable by as many people as possible, without the need for special adaptation. FjordErgo draws on universal design standards while also tailoring solutions to day-to-day constraints and individual needs.
Our Philosophy
At FjordErgo, we use a human-centered design approach that blends ergonomics, home safety, inclusive design, and universal design principles. We work toward environments that are more usable and welcoming for everyone, while recognizing that each home, workplace, and community setting has its own practical constraints and needs.
Why Universal & Inclusive Design Matter
Why This Approach Benefits Everyone
Universal and inclusive design aren’t just for people with disabilities, chronic conditions, or mobility changes. They’re for everyone—because we all experience changing needs throughout our lives. When we design homes, workplaces, and community spaces around diverse human needs, families, employees, clients, and communities all benefit.
- An ergonomic chair, desk, and monitor setup helps remote workers stay productive without chronic neck, back, or shoulder pain
- The right mattress and sleep position help people wake up refreshed and pain-free
- No-step entries, wider doorways, and lever door handles make it easier to juggle groceries, strollers, and wheelchairs
- Workplace and community spaces designed with ergonomics, acoustics, and wayfinding that work for all users
- Improved lighting, attractive grab bars, and clear pathways for fall prevention and confident movement at every age
- A home designed for young children and aging parents includes safety features for all ages and abilities
Universal and inclusive design reduce friction, lower injury risk, and create spaces where people feel good and thrive—whether at home, at work, or in community settings.
Throughout her career, Kristin has helped thousands of individuals, families, and organizations create spaces that work better for their bodies and their lives.
Kristin helped us choose outdoor furniture that works beautifully for my husband’s back and my hips. Our patio is finally a place we actually use.
I was having trouble getting up from my favorite chair at home. Kristin gave me a simple solution that my husband implemented without buying a new chair, and now it’s so much easier!
Ergonomic & Design Support at a Glance
Universal, Ergonomic Design
From your desk chair to healthcare facilities, bedrooms and bathrooms, community centers, and your kitchen—solutions designed around real people and real needs, not generic checklists.
Personalized Service
Whether we meet in your home, your facility, or connect virtually, you'll get clear, prioritized recommendations you can act on right away—plus support as your needs evolve.
Smart, Flexible Design
From budget-conscious modifications to custom, bespoke solutions, we find the right fit for your space, your needs, and your life—now and in the future, with thoughtful design and value.
We Work With
We work with individuals, families, organizations, and design teams—from the San Francisco Bay Area to California, Oregon, Texas, Norway, Italy, and beyond—wherever thoughtful design can make a difference. We meet you in person or virtually. From focused consultations to comprehensive redesigns, we tailor our services to match your project needs.
Whether you need quick, budget-conscious adjustments or a fully custom, design-forward solution, we start with your goals and recommend only what truly fits. Some clients benefit from simple, low-cost modifications they can implement right away. Others work with us on bespoke, high-end projects—blending ergonomics expertise with thoughtful aesthetics for complex spaces or unique design visions. Every project is tailored to you.
Keep Learning With FjordErgo
Stay current with tips, events, and resources related to ergonomics, aging in place, and universal and inclusive design. Whether you’re just beginning to explore changes or supporting others in your life or work, FjordErgo shares practical tools you can use right away.
Our Vision & Our Mission
- Our vision: Spaces where comfort, safety, and ease are the foundation—not an afterthought—and where people of all ages and abilities can live, work, and thrive.
- Our mission: To make evidence-based ergonomics, home safety, and inclusive and universal design accessible, practical, and personal—one space, one person, and one community at a time.