Five Steps To Creating A Designer Home That’s Good For The Planet & Good For You

What does it take to create a planet-friendly home that also has design flair? Not so long ago, the look de jour was rammed earth walls randomly embellished with recycled glass and candle recesses. Not anymore, writes Leanne Moore.

The modern green home has beautiful, carefully considered interiors, designed by experts who know how to create spaces that are good for the people who live there, and the planet we live on. Dubbed “wellness architecture” or “wellness interior design”, this growing movement demands style with substance.

“As more research reveals the real-life impact our surroundings have on us, the responsibility to design and build more sustainable, harmonious and healthy spaces is becoming all the more important,” says Jade Hurst, one of a growing number of creatives who are reimagining the world of interiors. She founded her Auckland-based wellness interiors studio, Good Space, in 2020.

1 An eco-friendly space designed for wellbeing

“I first became aware of the strong connection between wellness and the space we live in more than 10 years ago when my husband and I were renovating our own home,” says Jade, of the Ponsonby, Auckland, villa where they lived at the time. “I’ve always been deeply inspired by beautiful physical spaces and that project sparked a desire to merge my passions for wellness and interior design into a business.”

She gained her credentials via the renowned International Well Building Institute, becoming the eighth person in New Zealand to receive the certification. Jade works with architects, construction companies and clients across New Zealand to design/build/renovate/style their spaces. With an approach that is both unique and collaborative, she brings building science together with aesthetics to design healthy and immersive spaces.

Tūī Glen, a housing project to be built next year in Birkenhead, Auckland, is all about refined living and sustainability. From layout to interior finishes, the four stand-alone homes have natural, thoughtful details that make everyday life meaningful, says architect Jimmi O’Toole, a director at Ahha Architects. He and wife Charlotte White established their housing development company, Good Good, to create design-centric homes that are good for both people and the planet. “With wellbeing a top priority, light and sunshine have been considered throughout the home. The floorplan is orientated around a vaulted lightwell surrounding the stairs, carrying light deep into the house. Careful placement of windows and skylights supplement the lightwell, while bench seats and day beds are placed about the home, to create peaceful basking spots as the sun shifts throughout the day,” he says.

All materials for Tūī Glen have been carefully selected for their regenerative, carbon and circularity credentials. “This holistic approach to materiality enables a low embodied carbon footprint and an aesthetic in harmony with the surrounding bush,” says Jimmi. “These playfully designed and beautifully crafted homes are made for living well.” Nude wooden walls and cork flooring give a feeling of refined cosiness, while helping retain warmth inside the home. Other sustainable aspects come through with night-toned marmoleum and 100% wool carpets – both made from renewable resources. The earth-toned decor nods to the views of the adjacent native bush canopy, through to the forest green tiles in the bathroom.

Wellington-based interior designer Samantha Rei, of Sustainable Spaces, is an expert at showing her clients how to incorporate a planet-friendly ethos into their home environment. She urges anyone planning a renovation or new build to select regenerative materials where possible. “Many people think sustainability comes at a high financial cost, but with clever thinking, anything is possible, even on the smallest budget,” she says.

3 Biophilic design and how to incorporate it into your home

Biophilic design is a philosophy that aims to integrate natural elements into indoor spaces to enhance human connection to the natural world. Its goal is to improve wellbeing, reduce stress and boost productivity by bringing nature closer to us in our everyday environments through:

Natural materials: Wood, stone, bamboo, cork and other natural materials.

Natural light: Windows, skylights, and strategically placed mirrors to maximise the use of natural light.

Plant life: Indoor plants are added to improve air quality and add a touch of living nature.

Views of nature: House layouts orientated toward views of natural landscapes and the ocean. Images of nature can also be incorporated into the décor.

Water features: Incorporating elements like small fountains or aquariums to add soothing water sounds and visual interest.

4 Making the old new again

Supporting the circular economy is a key aspect to sustainable design. This practice takes products or materials that have been pre-used and deploys them in a way that means they can be part of a new project. Why buy something new if there is something old that will work equally well, maybe even better? In Jade’s Ponsonby villa renovation, she added warmth and character to the kitchen with a wall of recycled bricks (once part of Victoria Park Market’s chimney). They blend beautifully with the natural timber tones of the flooring, open shelving, and timber-topped kitchen island.

Recycling and repurposing something that would otherwise have been destined for the scrap heap is enormously satisfying. In recent years, there has been a noticeable growth in demand from those who are devoted to creative reuse. As well as using pre-loved bricks, dedicated recyclers and upcyclers are sourcing reclaimed timber and utilising salvaged materials for building and renovation projects. Samantha says repairing and reupholstering furniture is a key part of her interior design service. “Most homes have items that can be brought back to life with a little love and creativity. I’ll often get a beautiful vintage piece refurbished or reupholstered, to ensure it remains in use for many years to come,” she says. Op shops, vintage stores and antique auctions are all rich sources of pre-loved furniture that can be given a new lease of life. Adding a piece with patina to an interior scheme always brings soul and character to the space.

5 Everyone can do something, it doesn’t have to be perfect

“Whether you’re updating your interiors, renovating, or building new, everyone can do their bit,” says Jade. “It’s not about doing everything perfectly, rather it’s about making practical and conscious decisions to do what makes sense for your project. The good news is that the Green Building industry is on the rise, with more transparency, creative solutions and new products developed here in New Zealand.”

That growth is directly linked to the increasing number of consumers seeking to make well-considered and intentional interior design decisions that are easy on the planet. “Avoid trend-driven purchases and fast fashion items that won’t last the distance. Instead, pause to consider what you buy and look to support local businesses that have good sustainability policies,” says Samantha, who offers a bespoke ecologically-driven interior design and consultancy service. “I recently worked on a project that transformed a previously unloved dark, damp space into an inviting bedroom retreat that is cosy, dry and quiet. My client now loves spending time there and says how delighted they are with the results.” Creating eco-friendly interiors is not only good for the planet, it can be life-enhancing.

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