This Westchester County bungalow designed by Robin Wilson features Hunter Douglas solar shades, low-VOC paint, and furniture from ABC Home, including a reclaimed tree log coffee table.
“I believe that going green will just become a new way of life for people. It’s very exciting,” Angelo Surmelis says of the trend he has seen flourish over the past few years. Surmelis is owner of angelo:HOME, a line of home furnishings, and also a television host who has made his mark in ecofriendly living from an early age. During his college years and shortly after, Surmelis found himself shopping at thrift stores, reupholstering and repurposing found objects, and being extremely resourceful due to a tight budget. These simple techniques can get you started on the road to going green, he says. “It’s completely attainable at any budget.”
But going green doesn’t mean your home will be filled with hemp and seagrass. Robin Baron of Robin Baron Design doesn’t compromise on high style, and says the green world has caught up on its aesthetic.
“You need to give a sophisticated client a sophisticated product,” Baron says, noting this as why she uses certain vendors such as Artistic Tile, Vanguard Furniture, CaesarStone, and Green Electrical Supply, who now provides compact fluorescent light (CFL’s) bulbs fit for chandeliers.
Sharing Baron’s beliefs is Robin Wilson, of Robin Wilson Home. Wilson says ecofriendly design should be sustainable, reusable, non-toxic, and recyclable. She believes there is no longer a tradeoff in quality or aesthetics within sustainable products. Aside from large projects she often works on, Wilson also consults clients on ecofriendly living.
“If you can’t do the big stuff, these are simple things you can do,” Wilson says. She offers New York House readers some tips on living sustainably:
• Change your pillows—a brand new pillow weighs 10 ounces, within two to three years it can increase to 20 ounces.
• Change your shower curtain from vinyl to nylon—that will decrease the smell of plastic, as well as exposure to harmful chemicals.
• Use low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints such as Benjamin Moore’s Aura (low-VOC) or Natura (no-VOC)—both are available with the entire palette of Benjamin Moore colors and dry within one hour, leaving chemical smells behind.
• Buy WaterSense faucets and fixtures, including toilets, shower heads, and kitchen and bathroom sinks—they provide low flow technology that combine water and air allowing droplets to feel larger when in actuality less water is being used. Wilson prefers Kohler because both its WaterSense products and standard fixtures cost the same amount.
• Purchase fixtures such as kitchen cabinets that have already been cured and have no formaldehyde based adhesives. Wilson highly recommends Holiday Kitchens, a brand she is a spokeswoman for.
• Take off your shoes—leave the dirt outside and carry your shoes to your room. This will prevent tracking pesticides into your home.
These are all relatively easy changes you can make around your home. But if you’re looking to overhaul your dwelling there are many more facets of sustainable living that you can dive into.
Surmelis often finds himself doing gut jobs, dealing with the nuts and bolts of a space. To him, picking tile for floors, backsplash, and countertops is what he enjoys best.
“What makes me most excited is the material that keeps coming out and the amount of choices that are now available,” Surmelis says. He suggests buyers look locally first, which in turn can cut down on shipping costs. A product he enjoys using on kitchen floors is cork, something he has even installed in his own home. “It’s available in so many different looks. It can be marbleized, made to look like hardwood and concrete. It’s also inexpensive and unbelievably durable with kids and pets.”
Buying pre-sealed cork is the best way to go so you won’t have to worry about water damage in kitchens and bathrooms. Another tip he has for homeowners is to ask a lot of questions when dealing with big ticket items.
“If you don’t know the answer, make sure you find an interior designer who does, and if they don’t, make sure they are willing to find out,” Sumelis says.
Both big and small renovations can have a huge impact on indoor air quality, a focus for Interior Design Solution’s Susan Aiello, a LEED Accredited Professional (AP). “To me, it’s a matter of protecting future generations,” Aiello says. She often finds herself working with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood, recycled glass, clay substances such as stucco, and rubber flooring—her favorite brand is Nora.
She suggests homeowners add an energy recovery unit onto their existing HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system. It mixes cool air with fresh air before it exhausts, which helps to keep energy bills down, while having the proper amount of air exchanges.
Aiello believes that when choosing a designer it is crucial to look for a certification from the National Council for Interior Design Qualification and it is always a plus if they are a LEED AP. She found that when she took her LEED AP test, most of the practices dealing with indoor air quality were things she had been using for quite some time.
“It’s about seeing the big picture and making sure we don’t do anything to compromise the health of ourselves but most importantly our children,” Aiello says.
List of Green interior designers (arranged alphabetically)
Susan Aiello, ASID, LEED AP, CID Interior Design Solution 300 E. 74 St., New York, NY 10021 (212) 628-3938; saiello@idsny.com interiordesignsolutions.com, idsgreen.com (blog)
Susan Huckvale Arann, ASID American & International Designs, Inc. 1110 South Ave., Ste., 4 Staten Island, NY 10314(347) 273-1364; susanharann@aol.com designamericanyc.com
Robin Baron, ASID, IIDA, IDA Robin Baron Design 1776 Broadway, Ste. 1006, New York, NY 10019 (212) 262-1110; info@robinbarondesign.com robinbarondesign.com
David Bergman, USGBC, LEED AP David Bergman Architect Architecture + Interiors 241 Eldridge St. #3R, New York, NY 10002 (212) 475-3106; info@cyberg.com, cyberg.com
John A. Buscarello, ASID 27 W. 20 St., Ste. 1206, New York, NY 10011 (212) 691-5881; john@buscarello.com, buscarello.com
Tim Button, USGBC Stedila Design 135 E. 55 St., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10022 (212) 751-4281; tim@stediladesign.com stediladesign.com
Kati Curtis, ASID, LEED AP Nirmada Interior Architecture and Design, LLC 205 W. 54 St., Apt. 4G, New York, NY 10019 (347) 374-8299; kati@nirmada.com nirmada.com; nirmada.com/blog
Carl D’Aquino D’Aquino Monaco Inc. 214 W. 29 St., New York, NY 10001 (212) 929-9787; carl@daquinomonaco.com daquinomonaco.com
Carol DeBear, ASID DeBear Designs Inc. 6 Circle Rd., Scarsdale, NY 10583 (914) 725-2385; debeardesigns@gmail.com debeardesign.com
Thom Filicia Thom Filicia Inc. 270 Lafayette St., Ste. 10012, New York, NY 10012 (212) 736-6454; info@thomfilicia.com, thomfilicia.com
Paul S. Gleicher, LEED AP Gleicher Design Group 54 West 21 St., Ste. 603, New York, NY 10010 (212) 462-2789; info@gleicherdesign.com gleicherdesign.com
Jacqueline Hosford, ASID Jacqueline Hosford Interior Design LLC 3875 Waldo Ave., Apt. 9T, Bronx, NY 10463 (347) 482-1700; jacqkam@gmail.com jacquelinehosforddesign.com
Carol J.W. Kurth, AIA, LEED AP, USGBC The Office of Carol J.W. Kurth, AIA, PC The Arcade Building 644 Old Post Rd., Bedford, NY 10506 (914) 234-2595 carol.kurth@carolkurtharchitects.com carolkurtharchitects.com
James D. Lothrop Jr, ASID, AIA, CID Judy Girod, ASID, CID Lothrop Associates, LLP 200 Summit Lake Dr.,Valhalla, NY 10595 (914) 741-1115 ext. 238 jlothrop@lothropassociates.com jgirod@lothropassociates.com lothropassociates.com
Alison A. Miller, ASID Alison Miller Design PO Box 809, Woodstock, NY 12498 (845) 706-3101; alisonm@mbgny.com
Barbara R. Moore, ASID B Moore Design, Inc. 385 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11217 (718) 369-9494; info@bmooredesign.com bmooredesign.com
Diane Neff, USGBC, LEED AP Diane Neff, Architect, PLLC 43 Concord Ave., Larchmont, NY 10538 (917) 880-9517 diane@dneffarch.com; dneffarch.com
Chuck Silver, USGBC Hudson River Design 120 Lighthouse Dr., Saugerties, NY 12477 (845) 246-0725; csilver@hvc.rr.com chucksilver.com
Baani Singh, ASID, LEED AP, AIA 25 Petalas Dr., East Greenbush, NY 12061 (518) 729-2967; baani00@yahoo.com
Pam Smith Design Smith Interiors 7 Knollwood Dr., Rye Brook, NY 10573 (917) 952-6572 psmith@designsmithinteriors.com designsmithinteriors.com
Taylor Spellman August Black 350 E. 82 St., Ste. 3G, New York, NY 10028 (917) 703-3720 taylor@august-black.com august-black.com
Christine Spitale Sunflower Staging Certified Real Estate Stager & Home Stylist 3 Alloway Crest, Highland Mills, NY 10930 (845) 325-5519; spitale5@optonline.net sunflowerstaging.com
Angelo Surmelis (213) 482-4696 customerservice@angelohome.com angelohome.com
Cheryl Terrace Vital Design Ltd. 102 W. 85 St., 2G, New York, NY 10024 (212) 799-1540; cheryl@vitaldesignltd.com vitaldesignltd.com
Janus Welton, AIA, USGBC EcoArchitecture DesignWorks, PC PO Box 86, Woodstock, NY 12498 (845) 247-4620; cecoarchitect@hvc.rr.com janusweltondesignworks.com
Robin Wilson, IIDA, USGBC Robin Wilson Design 230 Park Ave., Ste. 1000, New York, NY 10169 (212) 863-9197 robinwilsondesign.com
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