A sustainable home isn’t just about the architectural design, it’s also about everything that’s inside it. From the furniture choices to the paint selections, interior design is what ultimately influences the mood and functionality of a space. Understanding this, we’ve welcomed a new team member: Malin Ford, an interior designer who’s keen to help you take your sustainable home to the next level. Below are some of the philosophies that she will follow to transform your sustainable house into a sustainable home.

Environmentally friendly products

As a society, we’ve started becoming more aware of the impact that products can have on the environment before we even buy them. But deciding what is and isn’t sustainable is a complicated process. The true environmental impact of a product can only be determined by evaluating its entire lifespan—from production to disposal. Considering all these factors can be overwhelming, but that’s exactly where Malin can help. With a careful selection of products she’ll find a balance between sustainability, practicality and aesthetics, to result in a home you’ll love.

Considering the impact of materials

As we mentioned earlier, the direct environmental impact of a product is important, but it’s also about how they influence the home. Textures are a great example of this. It’s pretty well known that in colder climates carpeted flooring is a good idea. It insulates against outside temperatures, retains heat, won’t feel cold on bare feet and simply gives the perception of warmth. Choosing interior decor that suits your environment can significantly reduce your carbon footprint and your electricity bill.

Similarly, the colours in your home effect how it feels and how much energy you’ll need to use from artificial lighting. Dark colours like navy blue or black absorb light, and you’ll need to compensate by turning the lights on more often. Brighter colours like white, on the other hand, reflect light and reduce your need for artificial lighting.

With our interior design service, the materials we choose for each room will reflect both how you want the room to feel and what will reduce your environmental footprint.

Reducing waste

Unfortunately, the construction industry is a huge contributor to the growing waste problem. In 2018-19 it was responsible for 44% of all waste in Australia, and while the majority of it is recycled there’s still room for significant improvement. By selecting products that have been upcycled or manufactured from recycled materials, your home’s interior design can be a part of the solution. However, not all products can be made from recycled materials, which is why we ensure we always understand manufacturing dimensions and aim to select products that minimise offcuts and wastage.

Paperock and natural timber counter tops are a sustainable choice at Claremont Haus. Image: Jody DÁrcy

Concrete Floors are durable, timeless and require no additional manufactured products to provide a finished surface. Floreat Haus II.

Aim for longevity and adaptability

It’s common to want to design our homes according to current trends, but as the next one inevitably rolls around this can easily lead to regular, unnecessary updates. To avoid this, we choose products that you’ll love, but are also durable and timeless in their design.

But it’s not just trends that change, so will your individual and household needs. Whether you’re building a family, changing work circumstances, or simply aging in place we aim to design a home that can be adapted to different needs. For example, we avoid built-in furniture and maximise storage so we can reduce the need for future renovations that would be both wasteful and costly.

Consider your health

Without proper design and maintenance our homes can become detrimental to both our mental and physical health.

Lighting, in particular, can impact our mental wellbeing in many ways. Your architect should ensure you get plenty of natural light, but through careful interior design we can also ensure that artificial lighting is optimised for your mental health. We do this by considering colour. White light encourages alertness and productivity and is best used in kitchens and studies. Yellow light, on the other hand, is warm and calming, ideal for living rooms and bedrooms where relaxation is a priority. And to make sure artificial lights don’t disturb your circadian rhythm too much, we can install dimmable lights. These can be dimmed in the morning and evening to simulate dawn and dusk.

The materials in your home can also impact air pollution, something that we aim to reduce as much as possible. To do this, we look for products that have low emissions of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and other pollutants that are often found in paint, varnish and even furnishings. We also make sure your home is easy to clean to reduce the risk of mould and dust build-up. We do this by choosing materials that are easy to clean without harsh chemicals and avoiding dust traps and ledges.

Interior design plays an important role in all aspects of a home, including its sustainability. So, it was only natural for Leanhaus to introduce it to our services. Whether you would like sustainable interior design to go with a home designed by us, or as a stand-alone service, get in touch for a quote!

Words by Ellie Prober with Malin Ford