An Interior Designers' Role in Sustainability
More frequently, people are choosing a sustainable lifestyle over mindless, seemingly easy living. Consideration and care are being adopted into the way people shop, parent, socialise and work.
As an interior designer, I'm the "middle man" between consumer and supplier, and I have a role of responsibility in the process — to introduce and encourage onshore, ethical brands in my clients' home. I'm passionate about sustainable, Australian design — it's a highly considered aspect of my design process.
I recently received an email from beloved Australian furniture makers Jardan with a Sustainability Report, summarising their progress and goals in 2019. I think it's an incredible initiative — and I commend the company for holding themselves accountable.
We proudly use pieces from companies like Jardan, Koskela, Totem Road, Coopers Store and Planet Furniture. My company follows a firm design system and process for each project, to ensure that we avoid expensive, time-consuming errors which can double the eco footprint unnecessarily. By removing any chance of mistakes, we cut down on the use of technology and as a studio we are proudly almost completely paper free!
For our larger renovation projects, we consider how sunlight can play an important role in easing the use of electricity to fulfil heating and lighting needs. Placing your living windows within the movement of the sun can harness warmth throughout the day and well into the evening.
Go vintage! We love incorporating our clients' original pieces into the finished design. Not only is it comforting for our clients to include items which remind them of their family and past, but it is an effortless way to completely remove the use of additional furniture and any waste associated. An interior that incorporates vintage always looks beautiful!
We prefer working with trades who consider their environmental footprint as well — whether it be the low/no VOC paint used on your walls, the elimination of any site waste or the type of light globes used.
When we establish supplier relationships, we look into the origin of the furniture they produce. Many brands advertise assembling their pieces in Australia, but with some research you'll discover the smaller components are all factory-produced offshore. It is so important to know your brands — and to know what questions to ask them. This is another reason to bring an interior designer who really cares about sustainability onboard for your project.
Regardless of our professional roles, we all play a serious part in caring for our global home and those within it. We can all do our little bit to have a positive impact on the planet.