Waimea, Hawaii— Shirley Wagner ASID-NCIDQ, owner and principal of Fine Design Interiors, Inc. and her company Fine Design Interiors, Inc., were featured in two regional Hawaii publications this summer.
In a July cover story in Hawaii Island Midweek, Ms. Wagner discussed her passion for healthy furnishings and sustainable interiors. The only Hawai‘i interior designer who is a member of the global Sustainable Furnishings Council, Wagner offers clients the option of purchasing healthy and sustainable furniture as a package collection, or available as separate pieces. She says that surprisingly, it’s not any more expensive than other high-end furniture and textiles she recommends to clients. “I wish to act in service to the world by not using harmful, oil-based products or unsustainable, non-locally sourced hard-woods with toxic finishes,” she says. “It’s the first step in the process of making the future more healthy and sustainable for ourselves and our planet.” The second story appeared in At Home in West Hawaii magazine in August. Ms. Wagner expanded on the importance of using healthy furnishings for interiors, even if you have to start small with organic toppers and sheets before taking the plunge into an organic mattress. “I’ve wanted to do a collection like this for years and have been researching it intensely,” she says. “The goal is to bring style and substance into a sustainable furnishings collection for clients who desire to live with less chemicals and off gassing in their interiors.”Sustainability
Sustainability with Style
One of the best parts of our work is creating beautiful, local and sustainable furnishings for – and with – our clients. It’s an opportunity not only to create a custom piece, but also to share an experience and story that stays with us and our clients for many years. Pieces with character are conversation starters. They almost beg to tell a story.
The headboard of this gorgeous bed pictured above is a great example.
Design inspired by natural beauty
From the beginning, the wood itself really shaped the piece. When the client and our designer selected the wood slab at Kamuela Hardwoods their design concept immediately began to evolve. They chose monkey pod, the most widely available sustainable wood in Hawaii, and more durable and termite resistant than koa.
Inspired by the wood’s natural beauty, they worked closely with the fabricator to produce a unique piece. From the size and cut of the slab to the decorative butterfly (which helped to maintain the live, organic edge of the piece), the team collaborated to highlight the natural integrity of the wood. The result was a handsome headboard that distinctly reflects and respects the natural resources of our local environment.
More accessible than you think…
Custom crafted pieces like this are actually more accessible than you might think. Our relationships with local artisans help us to get beautiful, affordable pieces with a four-week lead time. But it’s the artisans and wood workers themselves who make the materials available by sourcing locally sustainable wood, e.g., a variety of woods from fallen trees and older trees, pieces left over from other projects, and even broken pieces from other furniture.
Each time a piece of wood is re-used or repurposed, it generates an even more richly layered story. Something that combines the land and the people. And, for a home in Hawaii that feels just right.
Loving those Luscious Linens
article by Shirley Wagner
When it comes to linens, everyone seems to have a favorite. And what makes it a favorite is highly personal – for some it’s quality and feel, for others it’s durability or easy care.
Personally, I love sliding into soft sheets and feeling the coziness of a plush towel while knowing I’ve made the healthiest choice possible. Good for me, good for the planet.
What’s my favorite?
As you might imagine, as an interior designer I’ve seen dozens of great linens over the years, but Coyuchi, a northern California-based company that describes itself as a “home textile company with the greater good in mind,” remains at the top of my list. I love the quality of their products, the subtle colors, and the company’s unwavering commitment to sustainability.
Here’s Coyuchi’s “Five Reasons Why Organic Sheets are Better”:
1. Purchasing organic cotton supports more than just cotton, it affects the entire ecosystem of organic farming.
2. Organic farming creates 60% less output of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases than conventional cotton.
3. Organic cotton farming uses zero toxic pesticides ensuring a safe working environment for workers.
4. No use of toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, phthalates and endocrine disruptors.
5. Can be reused or recycled.
While we’re talking linens and bedding, I encourage you to look closely at the mattress under your sheets. To gain the full benefit of a healthy bedroom, you may want to change out your mattress for an eco-friendly, organic version that isn’t treated with flame retardants and made from petroleum-based nylon, polyester, press board, polyurethane foam or vinyl.
One of the brands I recommend is Naturepedic. They carry organic mattresses and bedding for the whole family – adults, kids, and babies (check out their organic crib mattresses). Their products are made to last a lifetime, with heirloom quality workmanship by Amish craftsmen. From their website: “We believe that removing chemicals from your sleep environment is essential for optimizing your body’s ability to rejuvenate itself”. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Locally, on Hawaiʻi Island, you can find eco-friendly mattresses at Sleepland in Kona. If you’re not on our island, you can also find organic mattresses online through SavvyRest. [Read more…] about Loving those Luscious Linens
Living Well In Longevity
“In this day and age, how can we live without considering sustainability? There is no alternative” — Vladimir Kagan, American furniture designer
Are you ready to learn how to create a home that will help you live well in longevity?
Following are some tips to help you create a perfect environment to support the best you as you move further along in your journey. We encourage you to use the guiding principle of “sustainable and maintainable”; and, to ponder design and décor choices that will transform your home into a place that is full of life.
As you ponder, consider the following:
- Healthy Furnishings and Natural Textiles — select toxin-free furnishings. Start asking, “what’s it made of?” when shopping for new additions to your home. Consider furnishings made from grown and renewable material: certified and reclaimed wood, bamboo, cork, palm, thatch. Products made from natural raw materials such as sorghum, cotton, and paper.
Biocomposites made from bast fibers derived from flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, miscanthus, cane, crop straw, bamboo, and cordgrass; leaf fibers from sisal, banana and palm; seed fibers such as cotton, coir, and kapok; wool. Natural paints. Earth and clay. Stones. Lime. Recycled gypsum board
- Mindful Furnishings — place items in your home that bring a sense of joy and serenity. A beautiful fountain. Artwork that expresses your inner spirit. A design vignette that you adore, or a splash of color that enlivens you.
- Natural Linens — try some beautiful organic bedding, bath towels, and throws to caress and pamper you day and night. Extend this natural feel of comfort throughout your home – handy for a nap or a cuddle.
- Healthy Body Boosts — invigorate your body with a Vitamin C showerhead that elevates your daily routine to a whole new level of self-care. Revitalize your energy levels with a Bemer mat that improves microcirculation and promotes blood flow in small blood vessels.
- Fresh Flowers — “live like a flower and foster a happy life”. That’s the finding of studies out of Harvard, Rutgers University, and Texas A&M University. Their research indicates a link between flowers and satisfaction in life.
Flowers in your home can increase happiness, reduce depression, anxiety, and negativity, increase compassion and emotional contact with family and friends, and improve problem-solving skills and creativity. Flowers are a touch of beauty that makes people smile! Place them where you’ll see them often, e.g., your bedside table, bathroom, and kitchen.
- Ergonomics — discover ergonomic, body-friendly furniture that supports your body, makes you feel strong, and keeps you balanced in your environment.
- Color — paint your walls with mood-enhancing colors that make you feel good. Decide how you want to feel in particular room and choose colors accordingly. For relaxation, choose neutral, softer colors. For more energy, consider brighter colors or pops of color.
- Furniture Arrangement — arrange furnishings for safety, comfort and ease. Don’t box yourself in; make it easy to move around freely in your home.
- Clutter Management — clear your clutter. Aim for simplicity (clutter can cause stress) and display/feature only the keepsakes and photos you love. Clean out your closets!
- Lighting — make sure you have adequate sun and lighting that supports both your vision needs and lifestyle. Let the sun shine in to brighten your home naturally.
- Air Flow and Air Quality — improve the quality of the air you breathe while indoors. Indoor air pollution can be from two to five, and in some cases even 100 times, higher than pollution levels outdoors according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Household appliances, building materials, pesticides, herbicides, furnishings glue, fabricated wood, and mold can all contribute to lowering air quality.
Use air purifiers, charcoal filters and house plants to help purify indoor air. The best air purifying plants include purple waffle plant, English ivy, purple heart, foxtail fern and wax plant. For more details read this article.
Install a carbon monoxide detector!
- Electronics — while electronic devices are a huge convenience, offer ease of communication, and safety, be discerning and choose only electronics that best serve your lifestyle.
5 Tips for Creating a Healthier Home
Are you reading this at home?
Take a look around you – a good, long look – and notice the environment where you may be spending up to 90 percent of your time. Is it a healthy space? Do you know? Actually, that was a bit of a “trick question”. Fact is, most of us don’t know.
It’s likely that many of the items in your home could be hazardous to your health because of the toxic chemicals they contain. So, if you want to live in a healthier environment, consider making some changes.
An easy first step? Start with your bedroom.
Specifically, the mattress on your bed where you sleep for several hours every night. Depending on the materials it’s made from, it can degrade the air quality in your home by emitting fumes from toxic chemicals (“off gassing”), and/or turn into a breeding ground for bacteria and dust mites.
Now that we’ve got your attention…
[Read more…] about 5 Tips for Creating a Healthier Home
So… What Are Sustainable Furnishings?
It’s the first question people ask about
DesignAlive Furnishings™
Basically it comes down to this: sustainable furnishings are made and distributed in ways that protect our planet…taking into consideration the impact on workers, communities, and the environment, as well as those living in the space (that’s you!).
[Read more…] about So… What Are Sustainable Furnishings?