Going Beyond Form & Function
This is not a “it all started when” blog post.
But rather, a series of events, as life likes to throw at us, that have led me to here.
My passion and my calling.
Let me take you on a journey towards healthy and sustainable interior design
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I always knew I wanted to pursue a creative career path.
For me, it was always going to be music or design.
I was meticulous, to the point where I made sure I had all the required units for the HSC to be able to apply to either university pathway, if I was yet to make up my mind.
I opted for a ‘gap year’ to continue working, but also enrolled in a Diploma of Interior Design to see how appealing I would find it. My mind was quickly made up, and I moved from the Southern Highlands in New South Wales to Canberra to pursue design.
I got my first full time interior design job in 2008, a few months before starting my university studies towards a Bachelors Degree. Three years later I graduated with a degree in interior design.
I started to develop an interest in health and wellbeing, and enrolled myself into some e-courses that focused on reducing toxins within your environment, including skincare and food.
That opened quite the ‘can of worms’ for me…
I coincidentally came across an option to study a Masters Degree in Architecture/Interior Architecture.
I put together a thesis proposal of my preferred topic…and the rest was history, as they say.
To further my understanding of health, I also enrolled in units that focussed on health and wellbeing, including, physiology and anatomy, nutrition, musculoskeletal anatomy, biochemistry, chemistry and naturopathic philosophy.
And this is where it gets quite raw…
The next stepping stone was a much less-pleasant experience
I decided to purchase my first home. I did all the research:
Proximity to town and work
A corner apartment for cross-ventilation
North-east facing to maximise sunlight without suffering from the harsh afternoon sun of an Australian Summer
Amenities, and,
Budget
The day I moved in, in 2015, I was graced with a water leak, one that had been occurring long enough to cause mould growth to the woodwork and stained (still damp) carpet!
I followed the recommended paths for rectification.
As investigations occurred, I started to become quite unwell. Lighted-headed, nauseas, swollen and painful joints, weakness. I desperately tried to hide the symptoms from friends and family, to avoid worry.
The months progressed, the leak(s) persisted, my health deteriorated, and I struggled with any benefits from proposed medical treatments. Diagnoses included coeliac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, depression and anxiety to name a few. So I started to really question if what was making me sick was actually an external issue, an environmental issue.
Almost 13 months after moving into the apartment I found a specialist general practitioner who has a high interest and understanding in environmental health and chronic inflammation. The diagnoses increased to include a sluggish liver and kidneys, adrenal fatigue, bacterial biofilms to my sinuses, bladder and lungs. A systemic inflammatory response had apparently occurred, with multiple inflammatory markers evident from further tests.
Whilst I moved out of the apartment not soon after that initial appointment with the practitioner, the inflammation continued for quite some time. I had to adhere to diary free, gluten free, sugar free diets that also restricted acidic (inflammatory!) foods.
I was taught life-changing stress management techniques that helped through such a dark period. I was on an extreme amount of supplements to try to rebalance my body, and I was taking binders to remove mould and other toxins believed to still be within my tissue.
It was an incredibly dark and painful journey, and something I have never been overly open about because of the memories it recalls.
I have mostly healed, and the majority of those diagnoses are no longer evident in tests, with the exception of Coeliac disease.
I am very cautious not to ‘reactivate’ the inflammation.
During this time, my Masters studies continued and I completed it finally in 2021.
The research focuses on common toxins that are prevalent within today’s interior built environment and the health implications they can have on us.
I have continued my research on health and the interior built environment because it is, and always will be, an evolving environment as new innovations (and even chemicals) are developed.
I have learnt first-hand that the environment can influence our health.
And it shouldn’t be just the odd toxin here, or the odd chemical there, that we consider. How is the concoction, or the accumulation, of all that we are exposed to impacting us?
Earlier communities constructed dwellings and structures from raw materials. Though today there is a disturbing amount of chemicals being incorporated into our environments - plasticisers, fire retardants, volatile organic compounds, pesticides. Not to mention, we were spending an average of 90% of our time indoors, and that was prior to the pandemic!
Interior design needs to go beyond form and function.
It is not simply decoration. Good design acknowledges how a space can contribute to its inhabitants. Though we need to venture beyond that still.
How are our interior spaces actually impacting our health?
Are we being exposed unnecessarily to toxins and increasing our toxic load?
Is your environment designed FOR your health?
We must maximise air filtration, minimise condensation, and reduce direct sunlight that may increase off-gassing but encourage more natural approaches.
It can be daunting and can challenge the ‘norm.’ But The Paradigm Room is here to help, carefully and empathetically.
We strive to leave you with knowledge that you too can grow from, rather than overwhelm. If this resonates with you, please share with your family and friends.
And if you are seeking advice or hoping to engage us for a design package for your home or workplace, please reach out for our support.
