Beyond sustainability. How sustainable interior design creates a healthier home and a better environment

Sustainable interior design is often understood through materials and technical choices, focused on aesthetics and functionality, but its impact goes much further than that. At its core, it is about how these choices shape our well-being as well as reducing the environmental footprint. Natural light, air quality, sleep and the way technology sits within our homes all have a direct influence on how we feel, focus and rest.

Think, for example, about the quality of your sleep.

Imagine resting on a mattress made from natural materials such as organic wool and natural latex, free from unnecessary chemicals. An environment that is naturally breathable and hypoallergenic, supporting deeper, more uninterrupted sleep and, in turn, overall wellbeing.

Ai Weiwei artwork at Arnolfini | Forest: wake this ground

In this article, I will explore how sustainability translates into real interiors, focusing on two key spaces: the living room and the bedroom. Through these examples, I want to offer a clearer understanding of the role interior design can play in supporting healthier ways of living, both for the individuals and the planet.

With Decorex 2023 just around the corner, I found myself reflecting on how sustainability and wellbeing can be brought together more meaningfully in my work. Industry events are usually an important part of my research, helping me stay connected with new materials, products and ideas. This year, however, my focus was more intentional. I wanted to meet brands that align closely with my values, with sustainability at their core.

The commitment to meaning and sustainability is central to my life and my work ethos. I value quality over quantity and creativity over unnecessary consumption. In practical terms, this translates into careful material selection and design solutions that are made to last.

Part of my role is to guide clients through these choices, offering clarity and support so they can make informed, conscious decisions about the spaces they live in.

This approach is relevant because of the reduced environmental footprint but also because of its profound impact on my client’s well-being. Many materials commonly used in furniture, finishes and paints contain chemicals that are rarely considered in everyday decision-making.

Way beyond aesthetics and functionality, as an interior designer I feel I can play a crucial role in shaping environments that support the mental, emotional, and physical health for my clients.

Light, air quality, sleep and technology are some of the pillars that as designers we must take into account to make a difference in our client’s lives. 

So, if you are wondering why sustainability is so important for your well-being as well as the environment and you are interested in learning how an interior designer can help you at different levels, this article is for you. 

Since the pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift towards more holistic ways of living, with interiors increasingly designed to support both body and mind. This has challenged designers to rethink materials, processes and priorities. A new generation of makers is also emerging, reinterpreting waste as a resource and creating thoughtful, functional pieces from unexpected materials.

I met Alice, from  Sedilia on my first day at Decorex. I was immediately drawn to the elegant proportions and clean lines of their sofas, but our conversation quickly moved beyond aesthetics: designed for a lifetime, and responsibly handcrafted in their light-filled workshop in Southwest London. Fully foam and FR chemical free. Their passion, commitment and integrity truly resonated with mine. Here is their fascinating story. 

Sedilia at Decorex 2023

My second discovery is Naturalmat, a brand with sustainability at the heart since the very beginning. You can tell they are proud of being the first B Corp Certified bed and mattress company in the UK. Based in Devon, they craft beds and mattresses using natural and locally sourced materials: wool from organic farms, organic coir, recycled denim, and natural latex. There is a quiet consistency in their process that speaks for itself.

It was truly inspiring talking to Aissa Gonzales, the creative director and designer, sharing our passion for well-made, meaningful design and how we convey this into the way we work and to our clients. Here you can learn more about their sustainable and regenerative practices. 

Budleigh bed from Naturalmat

Events like Decorex are not just platforms for planned encounters. They offer the opportunity to explore innovations, meet like-minded designers and makers, and engage in inspiring conversations that fuel our collective journey towards sustainability and well-being. 

Personally, I feel the next challenge is to make those products available to a wider audience, finding ways to meet different price points without compromising the quality.

A good example towards this direction is REHOME, a UK-based platform giving quality ex-display and pre-loved kitchens, bathrooms and interiors a second life, connecting design-led spaces with new homes instead of landfill. Or, Sustainable Kitchens, a Bristol-based kitchen maker that has developed a curated range of standardised overlay cabinets with sustainability at the core, reducing cost but maintaining quality. 

Now it is your turn to be part of this shift. Your ideas, your needs, and the way you live all hold the potential to shape interiors that feel considered, grounded, and supportive of daily life.

If you are curious about how sustainable materials and principles can be translated into your own home, please be in touch. A conversation is often the simplest starting point for a different way of thinking about space.

Stay tuned for more as we navigate this journey together.

Here a few great resources I came across to during a Workshop on Sustainable Interiors with UGREEN:

METROPOLIS. A think thank committed to a sustainable, just, and nurturing built environment, featuring projects, publishing insights, creating resources, and organizing events connected to the future of design for more than four decades.

MINDFUL MATERIALS. This portal brings together the brands investing in transparency and impact reduction — with the companies looking for products to meet their sustainability commitments.

CRADLE TO CRADLE. A global certification powering the shift to a circular economy by setting the global standard for materials, products and systems that positively impact people and planet.