Stephanie Andrews, owner of Atlanta-based Balance Design, works with homeowners who are interested in learning about the eco-friendly aspects of materials and how they are made.
“They’re just concerned about where things are coming from and if they’re authentically made to begin with,” she said.
Andrews, who started Balance Design in 2002, shared tips for folks interested in enviromentally sustainable design.
Q: What steps do you often take for clients interested in sustainable design?
A: We only prescribe a zero VOC (volatile organic compound) paint. That technology for paint has come a long way. Even some of the deeper, richer colors now are able to go into the zero VOC paint. It's really not much more cost and it's certainly better for families if you just do the zero VOC versus low VOC. Now there's no reason not to do zero VOC overall.
Q: What’s a flooring option that people should know about?
A: People are going more toward a wide-plank floor with an actual tongue oil finish, which is also much better in terms of off-gassing (emitting noxious gasses). Even in terms of maintenance, it just requires a little polishing and buffing versus having to sand it all down and re-polyurethane. Ross Design (an architecture firm she works with) is doing a lot of wide plank floors with a locally milled lumber yard, Eutree (eutree.com).
Q: Where do you often shop for furniture and rugs?
A: Verde Home has rugs and furniture that have to pass an eco test. They make sure that everything is sustainably forested. The other company is Room and Board. Typically you can actually get a profile on who built your piece of furniture, which I think is not only cool in a green way, but just in a human way of knowing the story behind your sofa, behind your table. Atlanta MADE has some great dining room tables and chairs that are made by Atlanta artists. We're bringing in 10o percent cool hand-knotted rugs (from retailers such as Anadol Rugs, Designer Rug Warehouse and Verde Home). They're not only green but they're absolutely going to last for generations.
Q: What’s a tip for designing in an eco-friendly way?
A: On a broad base what we're talking about is really taking items that they have and not throwing away everything. And really taking time and figuring out how to reuse them in a new fresh way so they integrate with the items we're bringing into the house. We do a ton of re-upholstery. Why not give it a new life with a new fabric?
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