Studio Descartes :: Paris, France

Its been a couple of years since my last trip to Paris and whenever I return to see my friends and family in England I always try to sneak in a quick trip.

I love Paris... I love people watching from your street side cafe, the beautiful historic buildings, those back street food markets, strolling around art studios and the courtyards restaurant in the Marais district and spending a day relaxing with a deep tissue massage at the Hammam (Arabic steam baths) and refreshing in the tea rooms at the French Mosque (Mosquee de Paris) afterwards.

So you can image my delight when a friend of mine in Australia decided to purchase a loft studio slap bang in the heart of Rue Mouffetard in the Paris Arrondissement 5. The studio is just in front of the Patheon and a stones throw from my favourite Hammam.

The studio has been recently refurbished with a mix of natural finishes and typical Parisian features.

 

The tiles for the kitchen and bathroom are small "tomettes" (terra cotta tiles). Most often hexagonal in shape and red in hue. The tomette is a symbol of old Paris and la Provence, of antique and traditional houses. Antique tile sellers clean and scrape antique tomette tiles to make them ready for laying again.

The floor is a timber parquet. Being a 17th century house with a 12th century paris city wall going through it (erected by the Philippe August in 1200), it would have required some skill to lay this parquet on such an old uneven floor base.

Finally all the new painting was with Low "VOC" paint products. Just to note, normal VOC paints and oil paint products are now banned in the UK, France and the Europe.

Hammam de Paris

Le-Salon de Thé

If you are planning a trip to Paris feel free to click here for booking this wonderful character studio.

Have fun.

Renovation tips :: Low VOC and natural paints

With all the rebuilding that will begin to take place this year I thought the best thing I could do is to share a series of renovation and decoration tips.

If you are moving into a new home, decorating your nursery, renovating your existing home or just renovating some old furniture there are a few things you should consider when it comes to paints and finishes.

Materials such as paints, stains, varnishes, carpets, new furniture and kitchen joinery contain compounds that "off-gas" over a period of time producing poor air quality in your home. 

A simple example of this is the odour from fresh paint. The smell will dissipate but the compounds will continue to "off-gas" for years after the products or materials are initially installed. For more detail see the image below from Green Painters.

for more details click here at Green Painters

Believe it or not some paints are healthier than others.

I often hear people say... “I love that new home smell” when their walls have been freshly painted or when their timber floor has been sanded, sealed and polished.

That “new smell” is likely to be the product of VOC off gassing and is actually toxic gases released into the air.

You may ask what is a VOC...? 

VOC is short for Volatile Organic Compound. If you would like to learn more about air quality & Volatile Organic Compounds click here.

Otherwise I will try to explain... Regular paints, the sort we normally buy from our local hardware store, are made from a cocktail of petrol based products and chemicals and can give off differing levels of toxic fumes called VOC’s into the environment that can cause symptoms such as breathing and respiratory irritations and headaches.

From the time when these paints and finishes are applied they continue to release their highest levels of emission over the first year and then continue to release lower emissions for years after the first application.

New environmental regulations and consumer demand have led to the availability of a range of healthier paint options from organic and natural paints to zero VOC and low VOC paint products.

If these healthier paints are used along with choosing low VOC finishes, low formaldehyde materials and natural furnishings a newly decorated room should have no smell or odour.

An example of a project where I have used a range of low VOC and natural paints is “Three Little girls and a Boy named Ted”. 

TYPES OF NON-TOXIC PAINTS

image via Marston & Langinger


Natural Paints and Finishes

• Many of these ingredients are made from renewable resources and natural raw ingredients such as water, plant oils and resins, plant dyes, natural minerals such as clay, chalk, milk casein, bees' wax, earth and mineral dyes.
• These are ideal for residential applications, or for use when chemical sensitivity is an issue or sustainability is the main focus.

Zero or Low VOC Paints

• More of a traditional water based or acrylic paint product and ideal for residential and commercial applications.
• These products can be quick drying, better to clean and have a higher UV resistance.
• For chemical sensitivity use Zero or Low VOC paint (less than 1 gram/litre).

Some major paint manufacturers in Australia still use tints that contain high levels of VOC'S. With all paints you can ask for a product's technical data sheet that will explain the VOC level within the product.

With products that brand themselves as “Low VOC” on the tin it is still worth checking what the final VOC level is after a tint is added. When tints are added the VOC value may increase and therefore the original VOC level cannot be guaranteed.

PAINT MANUFACTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY 

for more details click here at Green Painters

Another thing to think about is that just because the paint is classed "low VOC" it does not mean that the product has a low environmental impact. The whole life cycle of the product needs to be considered:

• Does the product come from a renewable resource? 
• How much water is needed to make the product?
• How much energy is used in producing the product?
• Can the product be disposed of with a low environmental impact method?
• Can the product or it's waste be recycled?

There are now eco labels that can help you identify how sustainable a product is. This labeling system will vary from country to country but shows if a product has passed a comprehensive sustainable life-cycle based assessment.

Here in Australia just look for the label below...

GREEN PAINTERS

Green painters and decorators are now becoming much more popular. When selecting low VOC or natural paints I always try to use green painters and tradesmen that are familiar with using these natural products. The benefits of this are that:

• Your painter is qualified and trained to apply these products.
• Your painter uses waste-water minimization and disposes of painting waste correctly within EPA guidelines.
• You know that your paint will not be swapped for a cheaper brand.

WHY NATURAL or LOW VOC PAINTS?

1. Natural finishes, allergy safe & toxin-free.
2. No fumes or smells - healthier on your family and colleagues.
3. Sustainable life-cycle managed product.

As more products are available on the market more people are asking for natural alternatives to protect the health of their children and colleagues. By selecting products that are non-toxic and low VOC you are improving the quality of your air within your home and selecting a more sustainable product.

the beautiful Sistine Chapel - painted between 1508-1512

I hope this has explained a few things about low VOC and natural paint products. Natural paints are not a new thing, they have been around for many years and used to decorate the Sistine Chapel and all the stuccos and ceilings in Europe.

Have fun.

Renovation tips :: Trade secrets for a greener and healthier home

With all the rebuilding that will begin to take place this year I thought the best thing I could do is to share some trade secrets with a series of greener and healthier renovation and decoration tips to help when it comes to redecorating or rebuilding your home.

These tips will not only create a healthier home but will reduce your bills and also save you money in the long term with a more effective selection of finishes, furniture, appliances and equipment.

I have listed a few subject ideas below and in my questionnaire at the top of my blog. Feel free to let me know if there are any other specific topics or issues you would like to me to cover.

What does "Low VOC" paint mean?

Healthy, natural and eco paints

Natural fabrics and fibres

"Low VOC" materials and finishes

How to create a greener kitchen

How to create a greener bathroom

How to choose greener appliances and equipment

Recycling ideas for the home

I welcome and look forward to your comments and suggestions. Have fun...

Stylish Blogger Award

I was lying low for a while gathering my thoughts on how to proceed with this year when both Michelle from Paper Tree Studio and another fellow interior designer Kristie from Elements at Home awarded me a Stylish Blogger Award. Thank you so much for your awards and for motivating me back on track...

The rules of the award are:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back.

2. Share seven things about yourself.

• I am a "Possie" (which is short for Pommie Aussie)... I was born in England and lived mostly in or around London. I met my husband (also English) on one of my project's construction sites in London and a few years later we decided to migrate to Australia. We have been here 6 years and love our lifestyle here in Brisbane.
• I turned 40 last year and I used to be much fitter in my thirties! So this year is all about increasing my fitness level :)
• I love good quality chocolate... in restricted quantities this year :(
• I love spas and massages (especially in rainforest or beach settings).
• I love trekking... and some weekends I can be found at the top of a mountain or climbing a rainforest creek around SE Queensland or Northern NSW.
• I am a keen traveller and really excited as I am currently planning my next overseas trip :) Watch this space later on in the year.
• I love interior design but after many years of designing consumer driven spaces I am now focused on educating, inspiring and designing with a healthier, low impact and sustainable interior design approach.

3. Then you are supposed to pass on this award to other stylish bloggers that you have discovered and inspire you. It's entirely up to you but please do not feel under any obligation to do this.

Here is my list (and please do not be offended if I did not include you). For those of you on my list please do not feel under any obligation to pass on this award.

• the design traveller
• Sonia from Raine & Sage
• Sandy at Paint Me White
• Jo from Desire to Inspire
• Linda from Oeke

Have a great week.

Helping to rebuild :: Flood discounts

My last post was during the floods. We lost power, the contents of our fridge freezer and had to clean up all the stuff we had stored under our house which had been attacked by mould build up from damp caused by the constant rain. We have been lucky compared to many and with so much loss elsewhere it did not feel right talking about interior design and decoration.

As a way of moving forward I would like to ask that if you know of anyone that has been affected by the floods please forward this website to them: www.flooddiscounts.com.au

via Niche Studio

Flood discounts is a site started by a friend of mine from Niche Studio. It shows where flood affected families can go to get access to heaps of discounts from all types of trades and services. There are discounts from tile suppliers, building trades, building designers, kitchen manufacturers, furniture suppliers and much more.

Flood Discounts

Please pass this info onto anyone you know who may need assistance during this time to rebuild their lives and homes.

Brisbane floods 2011

Apologies for being off line for a while. We have only recently got power back on at our home.

I am speechless.... It feels quite surreal that this has happened to my home town of Brisbane and my friends home town of Toowoomba (which is high up on a mountain range). For anyone who is still on holiday and unaware of the severity of the flood disaster here in Brisbane and Queensland please feel free to click here for the latest update of the flooded areas.

A shoe floats out of the front door of a flooded residence in New Farm (Photo from Brisbane Times)

A couple of flooded houses in West End (Photo from Brisbane Times)

I have been through something similar before with the Boxing Day Tsunami but was able to escape the sea and return to Australia for emotional support. This time we have also been very lucky. 

We are close to the Brisbane River but our home is high up on a hill and safe from the flood level. Our neighboring suburbs however have not been so lucky. We used to live in Fig Tree Pocket right on the river's edge and only hope that there has not been too much damage to the houses of our FTP neighbours.

In times like these everyone is pulling together, mucking in and supporting friends, neighbours and strangers.

Our deepest thoughts go out to all who have lost so much in this tragic event.

Christmas & New Years in NSW :: Coast, city & country

What a great end to the year! We drove down to Sydney from Brisbane popping into Byron Bay, Yamba (staying at the riverside Moby Dick Motel) and Dorrigo National Park before finally basing ourselves for Christmas in a lovely cottage called Japara Lodge in Coomba Park overlooking Forster-Tuncurry. We were also ever so lucky in that we managed to escape all the rain.

The Moby Dick, Yamba

Fishing in Yamba & Forster, walking in the Dorrigo NP and the view from our accommodation in Coomba Park.

Our New Years Eve was a few days in Sydney followed by a drive back via the New England Highway and a spot of wine tasting in Stanthorpe. It was nice to see much more of the NSW country side. 

New Years in Sydney 2010

Recycled country mailboxes and windmills

I still have some traveling to do as I will still be on holiday for a few more weeks but will keep an eye on all your posts. 

Hope you are having a great start to 2011. Have fun. Lisa