Getting Started on Your Healthy Home
Material Safety Data Sheets. Not the most exciting reading, but can help guide you as to WHAT is in your materials and WHEN it can be problematic.
When getting started on your healthy home, there are a lot of things to consider. It takes careful research from reputable sources to help establish your goals for your healthy home (and patience to filter through the internet noise!) Whether you are trying to avoid allergens or chemicals or if you would like to incorporate other wellness features in your home, your design team can help you establish these goals.
Learn to read Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
Look for cues—what chemicals are you trying to avoid. At what stage are they problematic? In some instances, after reading sheets and talking with our team, we opted to be “ok” with things that were encapsulated. Trim and sheetrock components were considered stable once painted. Once the homeowner, design team, and builder have had a chance to review MSDS information, meet to review and determine what goals can be met.
Use whole materials when possible.
In a similar way to food, the more processed a material is, the more “stuff” holding it together. In some cases, we have changed the cabinet boxes to plywood vs mdf. Since cabinets run the risk of getting wet, mdf can break down and the plywood created a sturdier and safer box. Longer lasting and healthier, definitely a win.
Depending on your health goal, cottons, wools, and other natural fibers can be wonderful solutions, and in others, synthetics can help prevent issues such as mold/mildew.
Research Product Certifications.
We have found that many Greenguard Certified Products meet great standards for residential applications. In pillows and bedding, and other fabrics, Okeo-Tex certified products have been tested and meet standards for toxic chemical components.
Create a Plan.
Your design and building team can assist in establishing a plan and parameters for your project so that care and consideration are taken by all trades involved in the project. There will still be moments that require flexibility and change, but it helps to have a plan to serve as a baseline.
Move Forward.
While the above steps take great care and patience, there is great joy found in stepping forward with a confident plan in place.
As designers, we are trained to help our clients find creative design solutions. If you are interested in more and how this process works, we would love to visit with you!
Many layers go into a project! With the help of your design team, we can determine when and how to best achieve your health and safety goals!
Let’s make your next project shine!
We would love to meet you and learn more about your project.