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Green
What is green interior design?
Green interior design focuses on creating healthy, non toxic living spaces, improving the air quality in the home and making smart choices that minimize the impact on the environment.
Why focus on green interior design?
We tend to spend most of our time indoors and the EPA reports that indoor air is 2-5 more polluted then air outside. The indoor pollution is created by building and furnishing our homes with toxic materials such as formaldehyde (used in kitchen cabinets, flooring, furniture), PVC (found in synthetic rugs, blinds etc) and polyurethane foam (found in upholstered furniture).There are better alternatives out there and we can help you source products that are as safe as they are beautiful.
Believe it or not, there are amazing furniture manufacturers out there that care about your health and the environment and make beautiful pieces. So rest assured, you don’t have to sacrifice wellness over style.
Which rooms should I focus on first?
We recommend greening kids’ spaces first. While children with asthma or allergies particularly benefit from a healthy bedroom or playroom, all kids are vulnerable to toxic exposure because their bodies are small, their immune systems are not well developed and their brains are growing and changing rapidly. The younger the child the greater the risk exposure (with pregnancy being a critical time).
What are examples of green design?
- Building materials - for renovations and new build, we advise on safer and environmentally friendlier materials such as paint, flooring, kitchen cabinets, closets etc., so that you can breathe healthier air in your home.
- Upholstered furniture - we recommend furniture and mattresses without polyurethane foam, a petroleum based product that offgases, is highly flammable and often treated with flame retardants (chemicals that have been been linked to cancer, infertility and developmental problems in children). We opt for upholstered products made with wool, natural latex and cotton that are safe and stylish, especially for bedrooms (where we spend 30% of our lives) and main family spaces.
- Rugs - we love natural fiber rugs (cotton, wool, jute) instead of synthetic carpets. Synthetics are often treated with flame retardants causing allergic and respiratory reactions.
- Wood - we are very picky about the type of wood used in the furniture we specify. Most furniture on the market today is made from particle board or MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard made from wood dust bonded together by a glue containing urea formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, that may emit formaldehyde gas for months and even years after manufacture). Opting for solid wood, walnut/teal/oak, minimizes your exposure to toxic glues and bonding materials that often carry the “Proposition 66” cancer warning label.