HOME, SWEET ECO CHIC HOME

Style that shows respect for the planet is uber- fashionable

Australia’s leading eco-warrior architect Glenn Murcutt once told me that people would not convert to a more sustainable home, just because it’s the right thing to do. He believed, they also had to love, see and feel the benefits of an eco-friendly home to embrace healthy choices.

Now there are so many designers getting on the green bus, that you’d have to try hard not to catch the wave of more conscious design. Of course, living in our region, nature is always centre stage and most people appreciate the beauty and fragility of our environment and respond with informed choices.

The fist place to start at home to create an eco-friendly environment is to audit and conserve the energy you use in your home.

There is a stack of information out there about how to manage this, with often common sense advice, such as the correct use of windows, window coverings and doors.

The next step is to choose the least toxic finishes in your home. There’s now low-toxic, volatile organic compounds (VOC free) paint available at Ecocolour and Painted Earth, both in Byron Bay.

VOC free paint is safe to use around chemically sensitive people, asthma sufferers, pregnant women, pets and children.

Next you would want to choose furnishings that are at the very least, made of natural, healthy materials and fibres.

Clever designers such as Bandhini and Uniqwa (both just over the Queensland border) sell their eco-friendly designs to a growing international market. Their success lies not only in their stunning designs, but the emphasis in creating healthy,