Category: Interior design tips

1. Top 5 tips for a luxurious and sustainable room design

   Posted on 3:00pm Thursday 23rd Jul 2020

   1. Take a little time to review what you have at home already.  Can you use things from other rooms instead of buying new?   Are there loose or fixed items in the room that you can reuse?  Do you really need to strip it all out?  You’ll be surprised what moving lamps, mirrors, art and decorative items into to different rooms can do!
   2. Reuse.  Do family or friends have unwanted items you could reuse or that need a repair?   A home with collected items from travels, family and friends and has so many more stories to tell, is so much more original and luxurious looking and it has a soul. It’s all about vintage.  I believe every room needs at least one vintage item in it in order to ground it.  
   3. Recycle.  An easy thing to do is look for recycled content when you source things like tiles, flooring, rugs, bedding, fabrics. You can even buy paint that has been recycled.  Better to recycle materials that are already here than making new ones!
   4. Avoid trends - unless you love those colours and designs.  Buy things YOU love rather than what magazines tell you to like.  You will like it for longer and that  Let colour in if it brings you joy!  Experiment.  Paint onto lining paper and try colours on different walls. Perhaps you have friends who have been doing the same thing and you can share sample pots?  If you are decorating yourself - it’s worth reading the guidelines and use the paint calculator given by manufacturers for coverage because we always buy too much.  It’s good to keep some for future touching in and repairing - but did you know an estimated 50 million litres of paint sold each year goes to waste in the UK?
   5. Buy quality.  If that means saving up a bit longer for that quality item or buying preloved.  Being savvy - better quality items have a resale value, so if you do fall out of love with it - you can sell it on.  If you buy anything made from new timber - always check it is from a sustainable source.  This means it’s timber (or paper goods including wallpaper) from a well managed forest that has a replanting program.  Look out for the FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) logos.

2. Unexpectedly working from home?

   Posted on 5:10pm Tuesday 14th Apr 2020

   

    

   I hope this finds you well.  Life has for now has changed.  Let’s get the aspects we can control in order.  Are you sitting comfortably?

    

   I’m a follower of human-centric design and am also really interested in ergonomics.  I’m really keen to make spaces work for the people using them.  

   How can I help working from home a more comfortable and enjoyable experience?  I've applied the principles of healthy building standards (WELL Building Standard & Fitwel) to the working from home experience...

    

   How is your new home workstation? 

   Not knowing how long this might be for - it’s a good opportunity to stop and assess.  I’m HOPING at the least you have a table and chair set up. I’ve seen allsorts on Facebook.  Hammocks used as chairs, ironing boards used at desks, people having to sit on their bed. If you’re working on any of those you pretty urgently need a better set up.  That can’t go on for days! 

   You’ve probably always worked at a dedicated comfortable desk set up, maybe even one with two monitors.  Now you are suddenly at home. On a laptop. With new kinds of distractions. Hopefully you’ve found a quiet space without your partner also working from home on video conferencing as well or children to keep occupied and home schooled - or BOTH!   Oh and pets interrupting those conference calls - which has become the norm for me. It will take a bit of adjustment. Here’s the source of my interruptions.  I did a time lapse for one morning and didn’t realise how many times she comes to sit with me.   You can see I’ve just learnt to work around her!

   

    

   I hope you are settling into this new way of working.  I’ve been working from home for over 14 years. I don’t have the luxury of a dedicated office room - but I’ve learnt to make the space at home work for me and I thought it would be good to share with you my learnings.  Perhaps we can also use the opportunity to build in some better habits to help our wellbeing while we are at it (me included!)

   Please watch this excellent short video of Jo from Posture People talking through the potential problems people might have working on a home table and chair set up….

   https://youtu.be/VmRH59V7dnM

   

   How does your space compare?  Could any of those clever tips or pieces of kit help you?

    

   What’s wrong with using a dining table?  

   As you’ll have seen in Jo’s video, dining tables are designed to be around 3cm higher than a desk.  Couple that with a shorter person sitting at the table - they then have some wrist pain problems which the kit that Jo demonstrates will elevate..  

   Laptops really aren’t great for longer term working.  

   • Are you using the built in mouse and keyboard of your laptop?  
   • A quick improvement would be to raise the laptop on a stand as use it just as a monitor and then use a separate mouse and keyboard.  There’s a whole host of pieces of equipment available from Posture People to adapt the furniture you have.  If none fit - call them. They’ll have a solution.

    

   Even desktop monitors need attention.

   I have mine on a box so it is raised to the ideal level which is screen is at—or slightly below—eye level.  Your eyes should look slightly downward when viewing the middle of the screen.

   

    

    

   What’s wrong with using a dining chair?  

   Almost all of the recent marketing emails I’ve received giving advice on working from home set ups show four legged chairs in the photo.  The reason we use task chairs is they are not only adjustable to fit you (seat, height and arms) - but being on castors mean you can constantly adjust your sitting position and move laterally.  The kit that Jo suggests will really help make a four legged chair more comfortable, but if budget will allow I would encourage you to buy yourself a dedicated task chair.  Posture People has a range of quick ship options received in 72 hours.  You can buy high quality recycled options such as a Herman Miller Aeron chair from Recycled Business Furniture.  Also quick ship.

   

    

    

   Move! 

   Get up and walk about once an hour.  More often if you can, especially if you are using a dining chair and table set up!  Set a kitchen timer or timer on your phone to make sure you do it. Put that timer somewhere you have to get up and walk to.  

   You could use your kitchen counter for some tasks like reading so you vary your working position and therefore reduce the chance of back pain. This could be where your ironing board comes into play.  You could use it for a standing height area for reading tasks or webinar viewing (...and wow.. aren’t there alot of those happening now!)

   Mark Catchlove of Herman Miller’s mantra is “SIT - STAND - MOVE - repeat”.  Their company researched a whitepaper on moving during a working day.  The conclusion was that full time sitting or full time standing is not good.  Switching between the two is what we need to do. There’s many health benefits and it’s even found to increase good cholesterol.

   Try and do some stretches like this one - make yourself Y shaped and lean back - repeat a few times a day.  Roll your shoulders backwards and forwards.

    

    

    

   Access to nature 

   We might not all be able to go for walks in nature for some time but try to incorporate what nature you can into your day.  For me it’s a view onto our garden, with my favourite plant next to me and a desktop photo of greenery. Yes even imagery - seeing nature’s patterns and woodgrain is good.  There’s a small park near to me so I’m going there for my daily exercise. It really does help your mood and productivity and it will decrease stress. According to the WELL Institute - 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise per week has a 20% mortality risk reduction.  So we may as well use our physical exercise time (while we have it!) Spending this time in close proximity to home is good for our sense of community too… even with social distancing. We’re using our local shops more and hopefully will continue to after all this. 

    

   Air quality

   Air quality is a big factor for indoor health.  We are making our spaces increasingly airtight.  Inside air quality can often be many times worse than outside. And now we are spending even more than the average of 90% of our day inside of those spaces!  

   Give the area you are working in an air flush at least a couple of times a day by opening windows.  Use an electric fan if you can to circulate the air. Even better - if you need a stand for your desktop monitor - add one with an air purifying unit.   

   Air purifying plants like the snake plant (Sanseveiera trifasciata) soothe and aid good mental health as well as cleansing the air we breathe. They can be ordered for delivery from Market Florist or online still.  Snake plants are among NASA’s top ranked for absorbing formaldehyde, benzene, xylene and trichloroethylene. They need little water and plenty of light.

   Also good are….

   • Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)  The no.1 on NASA’s list. Low maintenance, shade-loving evergreen needing little water.

   • Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata) Palm like top air purifier removing formaldehyde, benzene, xylene.  Water twice a week and happy in indirect sunlight.

    

   Lighting 

   Sit near a window to benefit from the daylight exposure, but try to sit at angle (90 degrees ideally) to avoid glare on your screen.  Early exposure in the day to daylight really helps to keep our body’s circadian rhythm. Consider using a warm to cool white light bulb so you can program the light colour through the day from cool in the morning through to warm in the late afternoon.

   If the only lighting in your room is direct and harsh, and you can’t dim it - use a task light instead. You might have one elsewhere in your home or IKEA have super cheap ones including this award winning one for £3.50 and are still delivering. 

    

   Nutrition 

   Keep hydrated.  The WELL Building Standard recommends the US Institute of Medicine daily guideline of 2.7 to 3.7 L of water (through a combination of beverages and food).  Try to eat as healthily as you can - eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.  Using that break away from your workstation to eat mindfully will reduce your calorie intake as well.  

    

   Mind  

   Clear the clutter around you and feel in control of your space.  You will feel better for it. I work in the middle of our living space so have to be quite disciplined about working tidily.  Well I think it’s tidy! There’s still piles of things. I’m working so much more paperlessly than I did even three or four years ago.  

   Clear your mind clutter as well.  Write down your objectives for the day and consider drafting a productivity timetable to suit this new way of working, incorporating some time for exercise and spending time with those you live with including any pets.  Pets are hugely important to our mental and emotional well-being.

   Your working day could look very different especially with all the distractions you may now have.  Give yourself licence to make your timetable work for you at this time.

    

   Altrusim

   Help others selflessly.  Help a neighbour or just have a chat.  Join your local COVID Mutual Aid group on Facebook.  Do some volunteering if you feel inclined and have the time.  Give blood. Give a charity some time if you can’t give them money just now.  

   I say it’s selfless ...but you are surely going to feel a benefit from helping others as well! 

     

   I’ve gathered my favourite products here

   I also have these excellent resources to share with you….

   1. Lots of further tips and advice from Posture People link
   2. Osteopath stretching advice: https://www.posturepeople.co.uk/ask-an-osteopath-the-best-stretches-when-working-from-home/?mc_cid=c868f31325&mc_eid=315d50c095
   3. Local massage therapist Maria Pali can help remotely with exercises if you are experiencing problems and I recommend her once we can have massages again.  She does corporate onsite massages and workstation assessments as well
   4. Mental health: https://www.mariapali.co.uk/10-ways-to-stay-on-top-of-your-mental-health-during-self-isolation/
   5. Lighting: https://workinmind.org/2020/03/31/how-to-light-your-home-workspace/
   6. Productivity:  3 ways to manage your time more effectively - advice from Lyndsey of Heads Up consulting

    

   I've written a further blog on creating an inspiring workspace here  

    

    

   For a limited time I’m offering one hour consultations in return for a donation to the Brighton & Hove NHS Food Bank

    

   
   
   

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   Chloe Bullock is a BIID Registered Interior Designer® at the British Institute of Interior Design – the pre-eminent professional organisation for interior designers in the UK.  She offers Animal-friendly, Human-friendly, Planet-friendly interior design to both residential and commercial clients.  

    

   The importance of good design saving waste and money is very important to Chloe so she offers a wide range of interior design support ranging from free advice calls, short consultations and adhoc help at points in a project where it's needed - through to full service design.  

    

   Prior to setting up her own company over 14 years ago, she was part of The Body Shop team delivering ethical global store concepts and specifications. Her ongoing commitment to environmental awareness, sustainability using circular economy principles and cruelty-free specifications learnt at The Body Shop, has translated into her own interior design business. She was the first interior designer in the UK to be VEGANDESIGN.ORG CERTIFIED™, she has recently become a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and is a FitWel® Ambassador and keen follower of human-centric, healthy design.

   
   
   

   materialiseinteriors.com

   Ph: 07799 534685

   [email protected]

   facebook.com/MaterialiseInt

   instagram.com/materialiseint

    

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3. The important of sleep

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 18th May 2018

   

    

   Lack of sleep has been proven in many studies to have negative affects on us – our moods, hormone and stress levels . This week for Mental Heath Awareness Week, Mental Health UK and Eve Sleep have published their findings from a sleep study of 2000 people *.

   83% of people surveyed say it was stress that prevented them from sleeping.

   We are learning that sleep is so important.  After the results of this survey you’ll be glad to know it’s now being recognised as important in the workplace.  So much so that the International Well Building Institute (IWBI) have policies as part of their WELL Building Standard to encourage employers to implement**.  These policies include offering employees subsidised sleep related monitors, limits on expectations for the amount of work performed at night, start times at schools ….and even provision for employees to take naps at work!  Yes… short naps are recognised as improving mental and physical sharpness and therefore helping productivity***. They also help to lower stress and improve our mood.  This is bound to have a trickle-down effect and influence employers generally as the standard rolls out. Let’s hope so.

   We need to protect our body’s circadian rhythm, which is the internal clock that keeps our hormones and processes in a healthy cycle.  We need to have good ‘sleep hygiene’ – a routine of habits and practices to optimise our sleep quality. Obvious good habits are to keep to the same time for going to bed, not eating too late and avoiding caffeine (and that includes many fizzy drinks too). We should also have a cut off time at night for using screens, using their night-time setting so we aren’t exposed to high levels of light into the evening.

   Looking at the bedroom space. Using lower levels of lighting generally in our homes at night also helps us to sleep better – so use those dimmer switches and low level lighting.   At this time of year – your circadian rhythm can be disrupted by the early morning light – especially if your bedroom window faces East.  A good blackout blind or lining will help this.  As you wake – and try and keep that time the similar each day – get as much natural light as you can in the room or consider investing in a wake up light if you particularly struggle to wake in the dark winter mornings.

   How ventilated is your bedroom?  Is it easy to ventilate naturally or is the air quality poor where you live?  Could you benefit from using an air purifier?  Philips and Muji both make ones that rate well in trials.  Plants can be used in bedrooms for their air purifying abilities (aloe vera, snake plant and spider plant).  Some even aid sleep such as lavender, jasmine and gardenia according to a study by NASA ****.  There’s even paint you can use that absorbs air pollution *****.

   As we look at making our bedrooms a sanctuary, we should also look at our beds and bedding to ensure they aid sleep too.  How long have you had that duvet and pillows?  ‘Natural’ feather pillows and duvets attract dust….as much as a third of the weight of them could be dust mite and bug droppings ******.  Bad news for allergy sufferers.  Lots of chemicals are used to process these ‘natural’ fillings – making them not natural at all.  Sadly ‘natural’ means abuse of animals as well.  The gruesome and cruel method of ‘live plucking’ is how down is harvested.  There’s no reliable chain of custody – so there’s no such thing as ‘ethical down’.  A pillow contains the down from 12 geese to fill and a single duvet is filled with the down of 32 geese.  I strongly feel that ‘natural’ is no longer the best.  Feathers and wool play a part in this ‘quality’ myth and the animal welfare standards are grim for them as well.  Best avoided.  The first thing I did after qualifying as VEGANDESIGN.ORG CERTIFIED™ was to research and replace all our bedding.  Luxury is now all about innovative materials and natural is not luxurious at all.   Fogarty do ‘Just Like Down’ pillows and there’s lots of high quality choices at retailers like TK Maxx. You need to go to the store and feel them and check out the plumpness for yourself. Debenham’s ‘Feels Like Down’ duvet won a PETA Vegan Homeware Award last year. When I replace ours again in future I’ll be buying a breathable 100% cotton duvet as I find I get hot in the night.  The general advice is to replace pillows every three years and duvets every five years*******. A good mattress lasts 9 to 10 years, according to the National Sleep Foundation, but consider replacing yours every 5 to 7 years if  you don’t sleep well as it could be the reason.  Mattresses can be recycled into new mattresses – John Lewis make them.  So you can sleep on an ethical mattress too.

   If we spend a third of our lifetime in bed – then let’s get the best quality sleep we can to protect our mental health and wellness.