Do you want to make low tox choices for your interior finishes and fixtures when renovating or building your family home?
Melissa Wittig from Healthy Interiors is a ‘health-focused’ Interior Designer. In this episode, she shares some fantastic knowledge and insight into what you need to know about low tox choices for your home.
Melissa has over 15 years industry experience, and her work not only focuses on Interior Design, but also in helping homeowners understand how to make low tox choices that create healthy interiors. And she’ll explain more about what this means in this interview.
Melissa’s work and knowledge has been published in various publications including, Sanctuary and House & Garden Magazines. She is also the author of several award recognised design resources including a book called The Smart Living Handbook, which she co-authored with Danielle King – and we’ll be talking more about that book in this episode.
So, in this episode, Melissa and I talk about:
- What does ‘low tox’ mean when it comes to building or renovating your home?
- Why does this information matter when you’re choosing materials and finishes for your interiors?
- How do you know a material or product is ‘low tox’?
- What types of questions should you ask to determine how low tox a finish or product is?
- Where are the main areas to focus in creating a low tox interior for your home?
Melissa shares some fantastic and actionable advice, and also some useful resources and tips, when it comes to creating your low tox home.
LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE:
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
Government website NICNAS for checking chemicals, etc >>> https://www.nicnas.gov.au/
Melissa’s website Healthy Interiors >>> http://www.healthyinteriors.com.au/
Melissa’s book on Amazon (or you can buy it on her website) >>> https://amzn.to/2poYdb2
Join The Welcome Home Course here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/the-welcome-home-course/
With over 30 years industry experience, Amelia Lee founded Undercover Architect in 2014 as an award-winning online resource to help and teach you how to get it right when designing, building or renovating your home. You are the key to unlocking what’s possible for your home. Undercover Architect is your secret ally
The community is become more aware of this already. But no one is giving guidance on how to implement the principles of low toxic home i.e. how and where do we go to source low toxic products particularly building materials of all forms from insulation, cladding, to cabinets and floor and wall paints. Also large higher risk home contents like couches and matrices.
Does your 101 course cover this? Where do we go for the information?
Thank you
Hello Deb
There are several different types of professionals providing help and guidance on these selections. Inside ‘Interior Design 101’ we cover some of the basics, but it’s a HUGE area and something that many specialise in. A Building Biologist can be a great source of info, health-focussed Interior Designers and Architects such as Melissa Wittig (her book is a great resource) and Kate Hamblet are also super helpful. And my dear friend, Alexx Stuart of Low Tox Life, also has some great resources inside her online course regarding the selection of soft furnishings.
Hope that helps!
– Amelia, UA