Combating “Throw-away” Culture
Sustainable Design
“The essence of interiors will always be about people and how they live. It is about the realities of what makes for an atrractive, civilized meaningful environment, not about fashion or about what’s in or what’s out. This is not an easy job.” — Albert Hadley
As the world is in the midst of a global pandemic and facing a “second wave” of infections, the issue of sustainability in design might not currently be at the forefront of everyone’s agenda; especially when the future of the industry still seems so uncertain. However, whilst Greta Thunberg might have had her press tour cut short (with Meg and Harry — ex HRH — taking the baton and gilding it), the issue is still very much alive and kicking. In May 2019 Parliament declared a climate change emergency, pledging to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050 (an initiative, it would seem, not supported in its entirety by the likes of Sainsbury’s, Asda and Waitrose, who, whilst trumpeting their green credentials, are reportedly members of a group lobbying against air pollution crackdown) and as any efforts to implement new measures might have been put temporarily on hold, David Attenborough’s recent BBC documentary, Extinction: The Facts, reduced viewers, including, or so we’re told, the young Prince George, to tears, with tales of havoc humans have wreaked, and are wreaking, on the natural world. Whilst its clear legislative change is necessary so as to encourage (or force) big businesses to take action, increasingly, on a personal level, people are re-evaluating different aspects of their lives, from food and fashion choices, to travel and tourism habits, with environmental issues in mind. These concerns are slowly filtering into the interiors sector, and something that the industry at large — and in particular, the luxury prime-residential sector — will increasingly need to take into account as client’s become sustainably conscious. Since my days at Architecture school, issues of the negative environmental impact of buildings, efficiency and moderation in materials, energy and the ecosystem at large have been hot on the agenda; indeed sustainability in building design is pretty much industry standard, with most practices incorporating it as part of their business model. As yet, by and large, the interiors industry has failed to take it as seriously. “There’s this very vulnerable planet of ours with finite resources,” said Robin Day, best known for the injection-moulded polypropylene stacking chair, “Architects and designers have, I think, a fair responsibility for conserving energy and materials and making things durable” This succinct and pithy proclamation neatly sums up the obligation of designers and architects to design responsibly and to advise clients accordingly.
Tobacco leaf wall-panels by Nature Squared at the Kempinski hotel in Munich
An eggshell table (detail) by Nature Squared
The interiors industry has long been thought of as something that is not terribly environmentally friendly, generating enormous amounts of waste and contributing to the “throwaway” culture, the result of fast changing “trends” which, like the fashion industry, fuel consumption that runs counter to the aim of using limited natural resources more carefully. Instagram has opened up the interiors world to an extent previously unseen, and “generation rent”, comprising, largely, Millennials and Gen Z, increasingly unable to get onto the housing ladder, let alone climb it, are unwilling to invest in expensive furniture, and instead, are turning to homewares — picture frames, wall art, table lamps — in order to personalise their living spaces (mindfulness having taught us a safe-haven is beneficial to mental wellbeing). This has resulted in the rapid expansion and popularity of brands such as Zara and H&M Home — who pedal cheap trend based products, touted as “must haves” by the media, which tend to be entirely un-recyclable, composed of man-made synthetic materials that end up in landfills. Aside from the environmental impact, a by-product of this culture of cheap and cheerful seasonal home additions, is that it dulls the senses — often about as much thought goes into choosing a lamp, or art print, as a loaf of bread, or bag of potatoes, resulting in homogenous interiors that are entirely devoid of any personality. Far better, both for the environment and for the sake of style, would be to buy less and buy better; a principle equally applicable to interiors as it is to fashion (Interestingly, the fashion industry is now actually driving the expansion of sustainable fabrics in the luxury interiors world, with the latter, up until recently, having been somewhat slow to catch on). Go to auction houses, not necessarily Christie’s and Sotheby’s, but smaller regional sales where one can often find bargains; the same goes for antique and vintage furniture stores. Even with a healthier budget, dealers like Dorian Caffot de Fawes, Brownrigg and Gallery BR can be far cheaper than poorly made mass-produced modern equivalents.
Fabric wall panels with a mother of pearl inlay, produced by Nature Squared
Eggshell inlaid tables at Ella Canta Restaurant, Mayfair, designed by David Collins Studio
One important aspect of implementing appropriate environmental measures is to understand what’s meant by sustainable, eco-friendly and green. Often used interchangeably, there are important differences that as consumers we should understand and take into account. The FT Lexicon defines sustainability as “a state in which the demands placed on the environment can be met without reducing its capacity to allow all people to live well, now and in the future”. If something is eco-friendly, it means it’s better for the environment than other, comparable, products, but doesn’t necessarily mean the product is sustainable. Green is essentially an incredibly vague catch-all term for describing things and practices that don’t have an immediate negative impact on the environment. For some years there has been an increasing emphasis on opting for eco-friendly products and being more green-minded, or environmentally conscious, in order lead healthier and more sustainable lives. The Pandemic, for many, has merely accelerated these trends, bringing issues of “wellness” once again, to the forefront — with increased demand for building features that encourage positive behaviours and support a “mind, body, spirit” approach.
The future of sustainable interior design will be guided by environmental considerations to help reduce energy consumption, pollution and waste; a responsible designer should advise clients on building for longevity and flexibility — employing the same key principles, such as functionality, accessibility and aesthetics, but with people and planet in mind. Essentially designing for a healthy environment, with low impact, whilst catering to a clients individual requirements, which, clearly, are paramount. Appropriate measures might include implementing a low energy lighting scheme that individually and collectively meets a clients needs whilst decreasing waste usage; and anyone worried about the environmental impact of soaking in the tub (excluding the carbon footprint of that accompanying glass of wine) can assuage their conscience by buying a VitrA Balance Eco bath, which, thanks to its economical design, actually requires less water. With the high cost and environmental impact of new construction, we’re also likely to see an increase in retrofitted existing structures; the industry has been growing rapidly with over $500 million being spent on retrofitting old hotels in 2018 alone, including the integration of smart building technology.
In recent years, both in terms of commercial (including hospitality and leisure) and private client, there has been a greater emphasis on the materials architects and interior designers use. Eco-conscious consumers are no longer motivated primarily by convenience, and are willing to spend a little more and go out of their way to ensure their choice has a positive effect on the environment — shipping two tons of marble from Italy for the bathroom of a Chelsea townhouse is certainly not environmentally sound (ignoring the fact that certain stones have already been quarried into non-existence). It’s important that the choice of hard materials that make up the interior architecture are specified with the lowest possible energy consumption and environmental impact, for e.g. natural wool insulation, locally quarried stones and formaldehyde free plywood. This is particularly so as materials become scarcer and the impact of their use more obvious. To the thoughtful consumer “less is more” and even within the realms of super prime, this might equate to using local craftsman and materials — for e.g. Bath Stone instead of Calcata Oro — so as to reduce carbon footprint. Emerging trends in this area include the increasing use of “intelligent” materials, such as worktops made of recycled waste, including plastic and glass. Similarly luxury interiors studio Nature Squared transform sustainably sourced materials, including a number of by-products, such as discarded eggshells from farms and bakeries, seeds, bark, and leathers, into luxury objects. For e.g. in the cigar lounge of the Kempinski hotel in Munich, delicate tobacco leaf wall-panels, with a nod to the work of French designer Jean-Michel Frank (1895-1941), pay homage to the tradition and culture of cigar smoking, and at Ella Canta Restaurant, Mayfair (designed by David Collins Studio), table tops were painstakingly inlaid with eggshell; a heritage craft employed with aplomb by Jean Dunand (1877-1942) in the 1920s and 30s, well deserving of a comeback and a beautiful, and sustainable, alternative option for use within the luxury interiors sector.
Conscious interior design consumption can help conserve energy, reduce waste and pollution and help create more positive interior environments that are better for overall health. Long term this will increasingly apply not only to hard materials, but to product production; for e.g. in 2010 Swiss designer and entrepreneur Yves Béhar worked with Herman Miller to create the Sayl chair — a high-concept, low-impact, low-cost chair. As we become, as a society, ever more design savvy, and more concerned with the impact of the products we consume, negative connotations of “eco design” are being shaken off. Designers have a real obligation, not only to themselves, but to future generations to introduce sustainability in every aspect of their operation — it’s no longer acceptable merely to produce a product “less bad” than its competitors in terms of sustainability. Although environmental impact has become major issue in the interiors sector, the frequency with which interior designers make sustainable choices in real terms is still incredibly limited, and this is especially so where materials selection is concerned. It should be relatively easy to take a more sustainable approach to designing a home, but often that’s not the case, especially for e.g. when 90% of the wood used in the U.K. is imported. We need an urgent shift in mind-set to the way we approach interiors and our use of natural resources. Environmental issues are often at the forefront of media coverage and yet todays impulsive, disposable culture is entirely at odds with ideas of sustainability. To mitigate these negative effects, designers should be increasingly prioritizing sustainability — utilizing new technologies and smarter methods to minimize energy use and decrease emissions. Sustainability should be seen as an ethos, and not merely an optional extra, so as to placate those who are already socially conscious.