Look outside. What’s good for nature is almost always pleasing to the eye. The same is true for your home. For proof, look to this Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, retreat by Shanon Munn of Ambi Design Studio. The living room and master bedroom are prime examples of thoughtful design that dazzles.
Shanon doesn’t market herself as a Green designer. In fact, she hopes that one day recycling, reducing, and reusing won’t seem so special because everyone will be doing it. She approaches each project in steps. The first step is a beautiful design. Then she decides how to make it happen using environmentally friendly products.
Color Smarts
Shanon starts by using low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint on the walls. Regular paint can release low-level toxic emissions, and most new products put chemicals into the air (this is called “off-gassing”). Low-VOC paint does not off-gas and only emits a low odor during application. Brands that offer low- or no-VOC paints include Benjamin Moore Eco-Spec, Sherwin-Williams Harmony, and Duron Genesis.
Material Matters
In the living room the sofa and two ottomans are custom-built from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood and upholstered in cotton/rayon fabrics. The master bedroom’s four-poster bed is crafted from rattan, a fast-growing, sustainable product. It can be grown in natural forests without disturbing the existing structure and balance. (For more on rattan and bamboo, visit www.inbar.int.)
Fabric Facts
The draperies are sheer cotton. Shanon says it’s always best to choose a natural, plant-based fabric, such as cotton or a cotton/rayon blend. “People don’t realize that rayon is a plant-based fiber. It is a manufactured fiber, but it comes from a plant,” Shanon says. The organic cotton bed linens in the bedroom are from Coyuchi. The bedspread is made of conventionally grown cotton.
If you have the option, choose organic cotton, because regular cotton plants are sprayed with pesticides. Organic isn’t available? It’s
still better to choose cotton over a synthetic material such as polyester, Shanon says, because most synthetic fabrics are made using petroleum.
Natural leather is another good choice for upholstery. The four lounge chairs in the living room will stand up to wear and tear, reducing the need for future recovering.
