Environmentally friendly and sustainability are the catch phrase of our new century but what does this really mean for our home and how we choose to design it. If you are thinking about building or renovating then this is the time for you to start thinking about the type of home you want to live in. If your answer is a home that is safe and healthy for my family to live in and one that will cause the least amount of harm to the environment then this is definitely the path for you.

When your planning the types of materials that you would like to have in your design this is the time to make yourself heard. If you are looking at flooring or paint for example just ask your designer or supplier what their best performing sustainable products are. This has a double impact. The first is that you will be shown a range of products that have been produced responsibly and made from renewable materials, but the bigger impact is that these supplier go to the manufacturers and tell them they need more of this type of product to sell because their customers are asking for it. Voilà, you become a catalyst for change.

One small but powerful product to choose carefully is paint, we all use it don't we, it's an instant face lift. When buying your paint ask for a paint that has low VOC's (volatile organic compounds) and even no VOCs try (www.ecolour.com), they offer home delivery. In laymen's terms this type of paint will reduce the amount of harmful toxins that are release into your home over the years, making a healthier home for your family to live in as well as helping the environment. Now who doesn't want that.

There are also some amazing products on the market such as Eco+ Carpet by Godfrey Hirst that is made from corn starch which is a renewable product. Let me tell you that when I walked through the carpet show room running my hand across all the carpets, as I always do, this was the softest one there. Big tick. Or how about Bio-Luminum Tiles recycled from retired air planes. These innovative tiles have been made by melting the fuselage into solid blocks of aluminum and then slicing them into the finished tiles. They are light weight which reduces the impact from pollution that transport can have. They are 100% recycled and recyclable and I might a say they are quite stunning. A perfect example of cradle to grave design.

So when you start thinking about your interior design ask the question "What are my sustainable and environmentally friendly choices?" You never know what treasures you might find.