Luxury Interior Design with an eco conscious

It used to always trouble me that somehow design could be perceived as both frivolous, as well as potentially wasteful. I remember earthborn, the wonderful first eco paints, hugely expensive, at least to a single Mum with a young child, but gratifying that they didn't have that noxious smell that paints used to have, and a gorgeous, gentle, clay like finish.

Around 15 years ago I came across eco-fashion, for me this was quite a seminal moment, as I felt I could easily marry the two passions, which had previously occurred as conflicting.

The small, brave clothing brands, the majority of which, no longer exist, were perhaps a little on the bohemian side ... but they too combined their desire to be as sustainable as possible with their love for design.

Fast forward to now, my passion is creating environments for people, which can be described amongst other words as, stunning, visionary, and luxurious; somewhere that provide an individual with the mental space to both connect to themselves and to others. Of course how this looks will be individual, and what works in one space can look unimaginably dour in another space.

My point is, that to design a stunning space doesn't have to be wasteful, we can use our imagination, use what is already existing, but in a new, fresh way, there are some superb furniture makers re-using furniture, upcycling, as well as re-upholstering sofas and chairs. I recently re-used a client's vertical set of 4 storage cubes, putting them on their side, painting them and had a bespoke seat squab made, so that they had a seating area with storage underneath. There are also some eco-friendly interior fabrics, for example Romo's recycled wool fabrics, though I haven't come across as many as in fashion.

Perhaps my evangelical zeal has waned over the years, (it reached it's zenith when I seriously considered standing for the green party in the Tory stalwart of Tunbridge Wells), but I am still clear that it is not difficult to consider different methods of re-using, reducing, recycling the inevitable waste that goes with the interior design territory.

My ongoing challenge is, I believe, much the same for every designer, to maintain artistic and design integrity whilst at the same time being conscious of our own personal impact on what is ultimately the design.

If anyone has anymore suggestions, or ideas please do share ...