The question
What are your views on "eco-chic" furnishings? Do you use reclaimed-wood furniture, second-life rugs and low-VOC paints in your work? And how realistic is it to decorate an entire home in this fashion?
The answer
Being of Irish descent, the closest I get to "green" movements is on St. Patrick's Day. All kidding aside, our firm contributes daily to the saving of the world, one settee at a time. In the interior design department, we are constantly refurbishing antiques, reusing old chair frames and giving new life to second-hand rugs. (In the latter case, the less pile a carpet has these days, the more expensive it is.) In terms of paint, most companies are using latex paints instead of oil-based ones; I even work with a millwork company that won't produce a lacquered finish because of its toxicity. On the architectural side, we are always exploring new methods of heating and cooling while examining the materials we specify. Is this all realistic on a mass scale? It can be and will become more cost-effective as more people apply the technologies to everyday living. My advice in the meantime is to use natural textiles such as cottons, linens and silk and pick woods whose graining you love and don't require staining. It's a big world, so pick your battles, but do try to make it a cleaner place to live, even if it is only one driftwood leg at a time.
Follow architect and interior designer Dee Dee Taylor Eustace, president of Taylor Hannah Architect Inc., on Twitter: @ddtaylordd. Have a design dilemma? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.