Sustainability is the simple act of not compromising the environment with the intention of meeting specific needs. Phenomenography within sustainability has to do with how people think about sustainability and what their experiences are or have been. It is a qualitative methodology, therefore how and what people think sustainability is. In this case, individuals, and society as a whole, tend to view sustainability in Interior Design as ‘not aesthetically pleasing’ or it is viewed as ‘low quality’ or even ‘more expensive’. What individuals don’t realize is that to be sustainable in Interior Design, does not necessarily mean it won’t or can’t be made to be ‘aesthetically pleasing’ but rather can have an influence of being eco-friendly and creating a low impact on the environment. (Narasimhan, 2010) (Karsli, 2013)

When the thought of interior design comes about, it is often found to be viewed as only aesthetic – how the space looks and feels. In fact, Interior design is actually the enhancing of a space with regards to its functionality, creating a healthier environment and keeping in mind the aesthetic aspect of the space.

Interior Design is an example of an industry that has the ability to implement sustainability as they are able to control what product, material and space an individual interacts with. Technically, an Interior designer is the deciding factor of introducing and creating spaces that incorporate sustainable design principles to ensure that the space is still aesthetically pleasing to the client but is more importantly eco-friendly and sustainable for the benefit of the environment as well as the clients well-being.

Society’s perception of sustainability is changing, and people are becoming more aware of how to become sustainable and the importance of the implementation of it within their daily lives.

In order to introduce sustainability into the interior design industry and the process that is involved within it, it has to be integrated in an optical, efficient and effective manner.  This will ensure that by incorporating sustainability into Interior Design, it aims to reduce the damage on the environment in terms of low impact materials and products being used, as well as the use of local suppliers and manufacturers to help boost the economic aspect of sustainability within a country. This can be done by incorporating various options that can be implemented into an interior design space. (Karsli, 2013)

Firstly, by creating a sustainable interior design space, the choice of using low impact environmental materials like organic materials such as natural stone for a kitchen or bathroom usages (examples of organic material are marble or granite), materials that are renewable (examples of renewable materials are hemp wood and bamboo) and for furniture manufacturing and fabrics that are sustainable (examples are organic cotton, hemp and natural wool). These materials grow at a faster rate than regular materials which will help reduce the environmental impact at a substantial rate as it is natural and not a man-made material or product that has been created with the use of various harmful chemicals. These materials will need to be extracted from the environment in a responsible and sustainable manner as well as be locally produced and manufactured in order to maintain the low impact they have. (Karsli, 2013)

In addition to this, the use of non-toxic products also has a positive environmental impact. From organic materials that are grown locally and are treated with no harmful pesticides, to the interior paint products that are used on the walls and furniture items in the spaces being designed. Interior designers need to be more conscious of the quality of the air in the specified space as these non-organic, toxic paints and chemical products release poisonous particles into the air which therefore are technically polluting the air in the given space provided. The use of non-toxic paints and products for finishes in an interior design space will significantly reduce the environmental impact and air quality of the space as well as creating designs whereby the air ventilation is considered and accounted for in order to provide quality airflow in throughout the space whether this involves adding of windows or doors to insure this. (Karsli, 2013)

 Another option that an interior designer can implement into the design space is the purpose of restoration. With the existing furniture in the space, an interior designer can refurbish and restore the existing furniture back to being durable and timeless so that it is able to fit into the aesthetic of the space. The purpose of restoration with regards to sustainability is to reduce the consumption waste due to interior designers discarding old furniture instead of rather upcycling and reusing the original furniture. This means that waste is reduced within the interior space as well as the environmental impact is improved as waste is limited. (Econyl, 2021)

Furthermore, Interior designers are able to design with the thought of ‘lifespan’. When a space is being designed or even redesigned, an interior designer must implement the thought of the future. How will things be changing and how will the designs of the interior space adapt to these changes in order to be sustainable. Therefore, by designing a space that is versatile and timeless with regards to the function and aesthetic of it, it creates a more sustainable and user-friendly environment as it becomes flexible to change and lasts longer. Not only is the interior designer implementing a sustainably designed space but also a space in which the client can save money and maintain without having issues for years to come therefore having a sustainable economic impact. (Karsli, 2013) (Econyl, 2021)

Another implementation of sustainability within an interior design space is to include multifunctional furniture that can not only save space within a home or design but also serve multiple purposes to the client and be more cost effective and efficient in the future. It also creates a decluttered and healthy environment for the client to live in. (Econyl, 2021)

Lighting is an important aspect when it comes to interior design. Sustainability and lighting can work well together and can definitely be implemented into an interior space as the energy consumed by lighting plays a large role in climate change. Lighting in interior design is not only electrical lighting but can also natural lighting and can be introduced into an interior space in various ways such as skylights, large windows or sliding glass doors and even the implementation of mirrors into a room that will help reflect light into the space. Lighting in an interior space can also be improved by using lighter colours in the form of fabrics and paints as they brighten up a space. The installation of electrical lighting can be made sustainable with the type of lighting such as Halogen lighting which is high efficiency lighting of good quality, LED lights of low voltage and lighting that is long lasting which all adds to the sustainability and environmental impact that lighting has. (Karsli, 2013) (Obiero, 2021)

In addition to this, by adding carpeting to a room, it can act as a natural insulator for heating and can act as a natural insulator for absorbing sound and vibrations.

Water conservation is also an aspect of interior design that can often go unseen as it is not looked upon when designing a space. By replacing a shower head or a tap to an eco-friendly option, it can reduce the consumption of water up to 70% and therefore creates a lower impact on the environment making a more efficient and sustainable space

Research conducted by various individuals have been done with regards to sustainable interior design. Caroline S Hayles stood out to me with her research as she looks at supply and demand within sustainable materials and how these materials can impact the consumer by encouraging them to purchase and promote specific products. She also researched how and what the sustainable products are being used for by consumers. (Hayles, 2015

Sustainability within interior design should offer appropriate solutions to improving the environment or a space in which the design aspect is taking place. Designers are able to and have the ability to be implementing sustainable options, as per the ones listed above, to clients in order to encourage the use of low environmental impact products and materials that don’t require an immense amount of upkeep. By the implementation of eco-friendly materials and products as well as designing spaces that are healthy, cost effective and aesthetically pleasing for a client, Interior design is able to be efficient and reliable if made sustainable for the environment.

References

econyl. (2021). 5 Principles of Sustainable Interior Design. Retrieved 10 March 2021, from https://econyl.medium.com/5-principles-of-sustainable-interior-design-b390503a5176

Hayles, C. (2015). ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR DESIGN: A SNAPSHOT OF CURRENT SUPPLY OF AND DEMAND FOR GREEN, SUSTAINABLE OR FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN PRACTICE [Ebook]. cyberlink. Retrieved from https://cyberleninka.org/article/n/379507

karslı, u. (2013). Intergrating Sustainability into Interior Design [Ebook] (p. 8 pages). Istanbul, Turkey: Elsevier Ltd. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/20153861/Integrating_Sustainability_in_Interior_Design_Studio

Narasimhan, U. (2010). Sustainability in Design Education [Ebook] (p. 5 pages). India: National Institute Of Fashion Technology. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/36081800/Sustainability_in_design_education

OBIERO, V. (2021). HOW TO DECORATE YOUR HOUSE WITH SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR DESIGN [Ebook] (p. 3 pages). Nairobi: Kenyatta University,. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/43174985/HOW_TO_DECORATE_YOUR_HOUSE_WITH_SUSTAINABLE_INTERIOR_DESIGN

PR Newswire. (2020). Interior Designer Michelle Rohrer-Lauer Earns “Designer of the Year” Award for Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Interior Design:. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/docview/2452934366/7C5FC329276640B7PQ/1

RASHDAN, W. (2021). CRITERIA FOR SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR DESIGN SOLUTIONS [Ebook] (p. 1). Dubai: WIT Transactions on Ecology and The Environment. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/docview/2255684018/E4D3B8128B2041E2PQ/6

Schneiderman, D. (2008). The Sustainable Envelope: Teaching Sustainable Practice in Interior Design [Ebook] (p. 6 pages). Arizona, United States: Arizona State University. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/2953663/The_Sustainable_Envelope_Teaching_Sustainable_Practice_in_the_Interior_Design_Studio

Machinery set up, pattern cut out of my fabric, thread and pins all ready to go.

I start off by turning my fabric inside out and overlocking the edges. This way, once it’s overlocked, I can turn my fabric the right way again, and my dress will be seamless.

I then use my normal sewing machine and fold the edges neatly to make a seam. And whala, done!

Now listen ill be honest with you… sometimes it’s not a super smooth process. I’ll be real with you and say that it can be frustrating when you stuck and don’t know what to do. You prick your fingers, you sometimes sew skew and even cut your pattern too small ending up with this miniature dress, small enough to fit a 12-year-old. But that’s not the point. You see, dressmaking isn’t all that hard, people have this belief that creating your own clothing can be difficult or hard to execute but with practice, it can come easy.

With this blog I have wanted to try and encourage anyone reading this to try and get creative, to move out their comfort zone and gain the confidence of creating your own clothing. Have some fun and enjoy. I hope this possibly help!

Now that I’ve sorted myself out and have gained the confidence, it’s time to start my dress creation.

I’m not by any means a professional dressmaker, nor have I had any proper experience. I make my dresses from eyeballing my sizing and somehow it miraculously works out every time. Weird right? But I’m not complaining, so touch wood it works out this time because then that wouldn’t be too good.

When making a dress for yourself, I often find that it is easier than creating a dress for someone else. Firstly, you know your body and secondly, you are able to picture yourself realistically in something.

Pattern making is something that I know I’m not doing 100% right, but I have followed many tutorials on YouTube, and you know what, it doesn’t seem that hard… except for the fact that I am eyeballing EVERYTHING…

Nevertheless, now that I’ve gotten all of that explaining out of the way, I can start with the basics I will need.

I often find it easier if you have a top that is similar to your dress style. This way you can trace the pattern of your top and lengthen it to the sized dress you want. All I will need is brown paper, a ruler, a black marker and of course my chosen top, which is an over the shoulder top. I trace my top on the brown paper, measure how long I want my dress to be, extended my pattern, cut it out and BAAM, I am done.

When cutting out my fabric, I find that it’s better to double my fabric up so I can save time and get a more precise size. Placing my pattern, I manage to get an accurate shape that I’m looking for.

Now it’s time to sew!

When creating your first dress, you have to make sure you understand the basics of fashion. Number one is understanding your fabrics for the perfect dress. You want to choose a fabric that suits the style of dress you’ve chosen. Does this dress need to be stretchy? How will it sit on our body? And how comfortable will it be to wear? Number two is being kitted out. Having a reliable machine is helpful as well as all your pins and thread. Then lastly, confidence and creativity are key.

Today’s goal for me was to pick the dress style I want to do as well as the type of fabric to compliment it. The dress I’ve decided to make is a one shoulder, tight cocktail dress. The fabric I’ve picked is scuba, which is a fabric that allows for lots of stretches as well as gives your body a good shape. 

When buying your fabric, you need to ask for assistance if you are unsure of something. Once you’ve found your fabric, you need to now measure the amount you will need. Depending on your personal size, the assistant at the store should advise you on how much you need. Remember, having more is always best.

You are now ready to move on to the next step!