Interior Design for Wellbeing with Sophie Castro

“Looking at what is our furniture made of and understanding the importance of good quality indoor air will ensure that we experience wellbeing in the spaces we live and work in.”

Originally from Paris, Sophie Castro, an interior designer, a LEED Green Associate,  studied Interior Design at the Parsons School of Design New York City.  She thrives to create well balanced, healthy, and beautiful spaces, committed to eco-friendly and sustainable interior design, considering indoor air quality, energy conservation, and how furniture and furnishings are made of.  Here are some take away from the conversation:

• EPA reports the average American spends 87% of their time indoors - likely more in the time of pandemic.  It’s the foremost importance to ensure the indoor air quality.  The starting point is to ask “what are things made of?”
• Whenever you bring new items into your home, leave it outside or in an empty room and keep the windows open for several days.
• When repainting, make sure to use zero VOC paint.
• For flooring, consider:  FSC Certified wood, reclaimed wood, cork, and Marmoleum; or tiles with post-industrial recycled content.
• For rugs and carpets:  Natural fibers such as wool, cotton, silk, natural grasses with non-toxic backing and adhesives.
• For counter tops, Vetrazzo (cement or resin mixed with pieces of recycled glass), Paperstone (mixture of recycled paper with non-petroleum base rsin.)
• Great resources to find sustainably oriented materials:  GreenBuildingSupply.com