Design grounded in wellness and sustainability
Design for wellness and sustainability goes beyond what you may expect. While utilizing materials with recycled content or designing a home with adequate daylighting is important, there is more to the story. Let’s consider creating homes that support health and the environment so that wellness is the outcome, making it a lifestyle and not a trend.
It’s important to have early conversations with clients about their project goals and place emphasis on wellness and sustainability. A chart may be a helpful tool to understand their lifestyle and values.
What if conversations with clients started with how their homes could improve sleep quality, reduce headaches and fatigue or even help with allergies?
These conversations about health and how spaces can support in lasting ways opens up a wealth of opportunity. Indoor Air Quality is crucial to the success of a healthy home. So many of our materials carry chemical smells that are detrimental to our bodies. Consider paint, top finishes, adhesives for flooring or wallcovering, foam, plastics, rubber and any composite products such as medium-density fiberboards.
HVAC and air filtration manufacturers have come so far over the past five years that we have so many more options to filter indoor air. This is great news because most people spend more time inside than outside. The industry is helping address these issues. However, designers and builders alike can circumvent issues with indoor air quality by selecting materials from the beginning with low to zero volatile organic compounds and safe alternatives that are backed by leading sustainable organizations. Utilizing natural materials such as cotton, linen or wool in textiles for upholstery, rugs, drapery, bedding and pillows is a practical recommendation for clients. Also, any time solid wood can be utilized in found furniture or wood that has been reclaimed by a local mill supports the environment both inside and outside the home. Other benefits include supporting the local economy and creating storytelling features within the home.
Another practice that may aid in the health of a home would be establishing various zones that filter out dirt, dust and debris as you enter then move through a home.
Spaces such as mud rooms, laundry rooms, bathrooms, both for people and pets, could be emphasized as drop zones for jackets, shoes, bags and even delivery boxes. Designers, builders and clients alike have control over how these spaces are arranged and the path from a drop zone to communal and gathering spaces to bedrooms. The idea is to protect the spaces that are used the most with better indoor quality by creating drop zones.
Clients should consider their remaining square footage that we’ve protected for spaces to gather, recharge and rest. Plan for windows, as well as layers of window shades and drapery to set the tone for waking up, recharging and winding down from the day. Furnishings and textiles should support clean air while the client works, plays and sleeps. If the materials and environment support these needs, you’ve created a livable space that supports health and wellness in a holistic way.
Starting with two to three wellness goals is a great place to start, then establishing a plan of action would be the next, best step. Consider the time and resources needed to achieve that goal and evaluate if there is a simpler, local method. If the design team can follow the plan and action steps, then there is a higher chance of achieving those goals. The result becomes a story and a case study that inspires neighbors and colleagues alike. The efforts involved in creating more healthy and sustainable spaces set the stage for a better lifestyle rather than something temporary.
One last step to support your clients on their journey. A toolkit in the form of a PDF document or binder with a list of maintenance and cleaning guidelines based on materials and furnishings used would be a helpful way to make their spaces look beautiful and function well for the long term. This toolkit would not be limited to the client, but a helpful tool to the designer and builder on the project as a standard to continue to reference and build upon with each project. The best place to start are conversations about what wellness or sustainability means to a client.
By Stacey Breezeel, ASID | LEED AP. Breezeel is a Partner and Lead Designer at Shine Interior Design Studio. She can be reached at stacey@shineidstudio.com.
This is featured in the Green Home Builder April issue, read the print version here.
