Healthy Home Design Q & A

WHAT IS AN UNHEALTHY HOME?
In today's fast food and rush world, shortcuts have become a way of life. More convenient materials such as synthetics flood our homes. Manufacturers use preservatives, petroleum based chemicals and pesticide to insure the lifespan of their products. These same products can create health problems by producing poor indoor air quality. They may cause sore throats, insomnia, headaches and depression in people with chemical sensitivities. In the worst possible cases, studies show that unhealthy homes cause asthma and worsen ADD symptoms in children.
Let us assist you in discovering what makes "your healthy home" by reviewing your new home plans, exploring your existing home, introducing specialists and selecting materials to simplify your life.

HOW DO I GET A HEALTHY HOME?
Different people have different sensitivities. You can start by observing your reactions when you are in contact with man made products or in different environments. You can strive to use the most healthy materials and products available. Proper ventilation is one of the easiest tools for maintaining clean air.

HEALTHY HOME TOOLS
LOW VOC PAINT
Most standard paint brands have volatile organic compounds (VOC) and synthetic biocides in them. These compounds can cause allergic reactions and give off petrochemical stimulants in the air.

HEALTHIER CARPETING & PADDING
97% of all carpeting in the United States is made of synthetic fibers and colored with aniline dye derived from nitrobenzene. These carpets often outgas hundreds of different chemicals into the atmosphere, including methacrylic acid and ehtylbenzene. The healthier alternative to synthetic carpeting and padding is using a product made of 100%-wool yarn. It is an undyed, non-mothproofed wool carpet without harmful pesticides and glue.You may also want to explore other flooring alternatives such as bamboo, cork or natural stone.

IMPROVE AIR QUALITY
Ventilation issues are one of the worst foes of the healthy home. Poor design layout of windows and air systems in your home are the usual culprit.

HOW CAN WE HELP?
We shine in defining your needs and finding the most attractive non-synthetic flooring materials for your entire house. We can help you select beautiful colors available in low VOC paints for your home. We will review your existing architectural plans and make sure that your home is being built to assure the utmost air quality. We are all unique in our sensitivities. Some people do best in homes with closed windows and carefully filtered air, while others thrive in open windows with a fresh breeze. You are the most important investigator in discovering the best solutions for your family.

WHAT ARE MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS?
Assisting customers in picking out all facets of the interior life of their home. From lighting to floor tiles, paint to carpet. Material specification aides you in assuring all little touches within your new home meet your standard of excellence.

WHAT IS PROPER VENTILATION IN A HEALTHY HOME?
All homes contain items that outgas pollutants into the air. Many new building materials outgas formaldehyde, preservatives, pesticides and other irritating chemicals. Proper ventilation can dilute the concentration of those chemicals. Older homes often have poor systems that do not get rid of the toxins in the air. Mold from hidden sources of moisture can affect your families health. Good ventilating systems and careful material selections will assure that your family is not breathing harmful pollutants in your home.

Courtyard design by Susan P. Berry, ASID

Bella Collina, Florida

Spanish Colonial Style Home

Elements of GREEN MATERIALS for your GREEN HOME

· Promote good indoor air quality through reduced emissions of VOCs or formaldehyde
· Durable & low maintenance (life cycle analysis)
· Incorporate recycled content in product (post consumer or post industrial)
· Salvaged from existing or demolished buildings for re-use
· Produced using renewable resources
· Low embodied energy (the energy required to produce & transport materials)
· They do not contain ozone depleting substances in the manufacturing process
· They do not contain highly toxic compounds & their production doesn’t result in highly toxic by-products
· Obtained from local resources & manufacturers
· Support “sustainable harvesting” foresting stewardship
· Easily reused whole or through disassembly
· Easily recycled in a preferred closed loop system
· Frequently biodegradable
· Third-party certification such as LEED points gained.
Winter Park, Florida home
Residential Building Design by Susan P. Berry, ASID

Quick Green Kitchen Facts

· Lighting, Refrigeration& cooking 41.5% of homes energy consumption… Kitchens have most energy consumption in house
· Small space efficient kitchens are smart
· Reuse & recycle materials whenever possible
· 90% of our time is spent indoors
· 9/10 people do other things than eating and cooking in the kitchen
· 69% enjoy time in kitchen
· 40% of energy & 60% consumption used in buildings
· 1/3 people spend 3-4 hours in the kitchen each day, 20% said 5 hours or more in the kitchen.

Nurture Your Bath With Nature

Nurture with Nature


It's no secret that nature often helps bring us to a contemplative place of peace.

• Bringing nature into your bathroom will help restore your sense of serenity.

Incorporate a variety of textures in the space such as natural stone, exotic woods, tumbled marble and limestone of varying textures and finishes.

If you're partial to hardwood floors, remember that they tend to expand and contract with temperature and humidity.

A nice compromise is to go with laminate wood, which won't absorb nearly as much water.

If you're in love with your spa's ceramic tile, keep in mind that you'll want to stick with a neutral color and pay attention to your wall colors.

Dark walls will look better with lighter flooring, lighter walls with darker flooring.

Street of Dreams Equestrian Bath by Susan P. Berry, ASID

Go Grean For A Healthy Bath

Bella Collina Bath by Susan P. Berry, ASID

Go Green

• In addition to brightening up any room, indoor plants contribute to making a space healthier with their oxygen-releasing function Bathrooms are perfect places for plants that are typically hard to keep alive because they require such humidity.

Go Exotic

• Bonsai trees and tropical plants to add a unique, exotic element to the space.
• Traditionalists should stick with white lilies or always elegant orchids.

Soften the Lighting

• Look for softer lighting and natural light.
• Candlelight flatters every skin tone.
• Halogen bulbs produce a wide color spectrum which allows the true colors of natural materials to glow.
• Install dimmers on lights to adjust the lighting based on your every whim and mood.
• If your bathroom has little to no natural light and connects to a bedroom, consider replacing the door with one made of frosted glass.
• Install colored LED lighting in whirlpools.
• Not only will this create a mood-enhancing effect & emit ambiance, it is also quite a romantic addition to the space.

Heated Towels, Fireplaces & Steam: Luxury Bath Design

Heated Haven

The Bottom drawers in the bench below the clear glass window to the shower are towel warming drawers.

Street of Dreams, Bella Collina

Susan P. Berr, ASID

Art & Accessories by others

Warm pockets of soothing steam, towels that feel like they just came out of the dryer, floors that keep your toes toasty ·

• There are several kinds of towel warmers- wall mount, free standing, warming drawer · Install radiant heated floors; they are energy efficient and take the comfort factor to an entirely new level.
• Put steam units into the shower itself, keeping the heat from dissipating into oblivion while you bathe. And while you're at it, add a radiant heated seat bench in shower.
• To truly create a warm living space, consider putting a fireplace in your bathroom, This lends an inviting element to the space while it provides additional heat and pleasing visuals.

Your Spa Bath Is In The Finishing Touches

Finishing Touches
Street Of Dreams Home, Interior Detailing Designs by Susan P. Berry, ASID
Accessories & Art by others

• Upholstered furniture in the bathroom creates a more inviting place to relax, blurring the lines between bathroom and living room.
• Add music. Spas don't just appeal to your sight and touch; they also soothe you with sounds.
• Delight your sense of smell with sweet smelling products and aromatherapy.
• Get oversize shower heads. Rain showerheads are extremely popular. They create a waterfall effect so you feel as though you are truly in an oasis.
• Take it a step further by installing multiple body sprays/showerheads for a full body experience - this also turns the bath into multipurpose space, a place to bathe the kids, wash the dog, etc.
• Treat your toes to plush texture by investing in a luxurious rug for your bathroom.
• Indulge with true luxury linens. Consider wrapping yourself in an oversized fluffy bath sheet.

Sexy Baths are Here to Stay

Design Trends & Tips Spa Retreat Bathrooms

Focus on adding relaxation and even a little romance to your home. Create a soothing full body experience versus just getting clean functional.

Clear out the clutter

• Having a place for everything will lessen your anxiety and create an instant calming effect.
• Create different "zones" for the various bathroom functions. For example, designate one zone to makeup, another to bathing, etc.
• Rather than having towels tossed anywhere, roll them up & place them standing up in a basket by the bathtub.
• Clear, frosted glass containers will help disguise your necessities while adding a touch of elegance and sophistication or choose ones that match your finish/fixtures.
• Use Calming Colors
• In bathrooms, especially where you apply your makeup, choose colors that complement your skin - flattering yellow-pink-blue undertones.
• Hold a paint chip next to your face to choose a color that best suits you.
• Enhance the harmony in the space, by painting with colors in similar tones.
• Calm and relaxing greens are emotionally balancing and also connect us to nature.
• Red is the color with the longest wavelength and shortest frequency, so it is very intense and stimulating rather than relaxing. Don't do it.
• If earthy isn't your thing, stick with soothing pastels in your spa bathroom.

Ready To Make Your Move, Think Big For Fun & Games

READY TO MAKE YOUR MOVE: THINK BIG FOR FUN & GAMES

Denise Bates Enos

Special to the Sentinel

October 9, 2005Copyright (c) 2005, Orlando Sentinel

Ready to "monsterize" your own game room? The key is to take an over-the-top approach to whatever theme you choose, down to the smallest detail.

If you're a pool-shooting sports fanatic, for example, but can't afford to replace your existing table with a custom-color one, consider exchanging the standard green pool felt for one of your team's colors. Many pool-table manufacturers and suppliers offer re-felting services, and color choices range from fire-engine red to neon blue. Enhance the sporting theme with push-the-envelope accents. Create hanging lights by drilling holes in the tops of team football helmets and adding a standard light kit, available at home-improvement stores. Buy a full-size mannequin from a retailer's supply store, dress it in a uniform -- complete with pads and cleats -- and suspend your team player from the ceiling, prop it up in a corner or find another place of honor for your new game-room mascot. The key to successful monsterizing is thinking big, without neglecting those small touches that add drama to a room's theme.

Maitland interior designer Susan P. Berry of Classical Home Design, who has created plenty of wild-and-crazy grownup playrooms, shared these ideas for pumping up a game room.

Berry spotted plasma-screen televisions mounted under clear Plexiglas in the floor of a sports bar in New York City. A creative and skilled contractor could duplicate the look in an upper-story game room. The concrete slab of a first-floor foundation likely would prevent the addition of such an unusual floor detail. Another Big Apple trend is the addition of beds in some nightclubs. Club-hoppers stretch out on these beds to relax, chat, listen to music or watch television. Berry suggests capturing that feel at home by mounting a plasma-screen TV on the ceiling so you can watch favorite shows or play video games with friends while reclining in style.

When Berry designs first-floor game rooms, she often creates an adjacent outdoor living area to serve as a cigar-smoking court. Fire pits, camouflaged speakers, fountains and outdoor TVs are popular accoutrements. For the ultimate in convenience for one client, a prominent sports figure whom Berry declines to name, the smoking garden included an outdoor urinal between the bushes. Another of Classical Home Design's clients enjoys ballroom and salsa dancing. The homeowner had the company design a lift in the floor under his pool table: With the press of a button, the pool table disappears and is replaced with a dance floor. It's something to consider if you have multiple recreational interests -- and money to burn.

Berry notes that dueling video games are a popular feature for clients. It's simple to add a pair of comfortable recliners facing two big game-playing screens to a gaming space. Texas Hold'em is popular on television and at home. Berry's company recently designed a two-story, round poker-table space that opens to a larger game room. Drapes that are 26 feet long frame the space, and with the click of a button, they close around the poker table for privacy. If you're willing to eschew the electronic bells and whistles, you could achieve a similar effect more affordably with curtains you close yourself.

Personal pinball, flight simulators and virtual-reality games frequently are requested as part of the game rooms Berry designs. Another of her company's projects required designing a room around a flight simulator. A real parachute was suspended from the ceiling and down the walls, creating a dome-shaped gaming retreat.

By taking your cue from creative ideas such as Berry's and thinking big -- really big -- you'll be well on your way to transforming your own play space, Monster-style.

Visit OrlandoSentinel.com

It's Never To Early To Plan Your Home For Your Sunset Years

Here is an outline of some simple changes to make life easier.

• Install 3'-0" wide doors with lever door knobs throughout the house.
• Have the Builder put wood bracing behind the drywall and tile in the bathroom walls for future grab bar locations.
• On the first floor, have a roll in shower without a step or lip (slope floor to drain in at least one bathroom).
• The shower should be a minimum of 5'-0" wide by 4'-0" deep.
• The shower could be located near a Guest Suite or used as the Pool Bath.
• Install lever faucets in this bathroom and an adjustable hand held shower head.
• Provide a toilet in the same bathroom with a 3'-0" clear empty space next to it for transferring.
• Place a decorative furniture piece in this area until the space is needed.
• Minimize changes in floor level throughout the home and outdoor spaces.
• Anywhere that there is a stepdown, select two different colors of flooring material.
• Minimize any stepdown to the garage.
• Make sure that there is adequate space in the garage to maneuver a wheelchair with an assistant around the parked vehicle.
• Add extra lighting in the Garage for maximum visibility.
• If you need to walk through a Laundry Room to access the garage, make sure that it is large enough for both a wheelchair to turn around in and clothes hampers on the floor.
• Locate extra security system and lighting controls in the rooms where you plan to spend most of your time.
• Install adequate lighting throughout the home for safety and visibility.
• Locate electrical service boxes, security boxes, main water disconnect valve and any system controls that you might need to access in an emergency where they can be comfortably reached from a sitting position.
• Consider a 3'-0" out-swinging or 6'-0" sliding glass exterior door in the Accessible Guest Suite for easy emergency medical support access.
• Do not block doorways.
• Design the Guest Suite large enough for a queen size bed, large chair and dresser with a minimum of 4'-0" clear on all sides and 5'-0" clear on the closet side, exit door side and access to the bathroom door.
• Consider 3'-0" pocketing doors or 6'-0" bi-pass doors on closets.
• Make all Hallways a minimum of 5'-0" wide and use the extra space for bookshelves, a computer desk, or display furniture until the extra width is needed by your loved one.

Custom Design for Physical Disabilities and Aging in Place

Consulting services specializing in residential design for people with varying physical abilities

We design new custom homes, review existing home plans and renovate current spaces with attractive and functional details that are unique to the individual.

We understand that no two people and no two abilities are alike.

We know that even though many home sales professionals advertise "universal designed homes," there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution. Children grow and adults change.

The American Disabilities Act provides guidelines for designing buildings for the disabled. Their guidelines are minimum standards based on the general population. We are grateful for the ADA, but we also believe that minimum standards means minimum.

• We believe that the possibilities are endless and unique to your individual challenges.
• We believe that good design is limitless.
• We strive to create spaces that give you maximum ability within the constraints of your budget.
• We listen to you.

Together we explore the options and solutions, so that we can create a home that meets your needs both today and tomorrow. We strive for maximum safety, because we understand that when individuals feel safe, they gain self confidence and increase independence.

Many of our new home designs incorporate features to plan for the future. These facets include beautiful accessible guest suites for aging parents, sizing the home to meet comfort requirements of people who are not of average size and creating joyful spaces for growing children with special needs.

Whether you are remodeling an existing home or building a new home, we look forward to discussing your possibilities.

WHAT IS UNIVERSAL DESIGN?

Universal design is the principle of designing space for people with disabilities, size issues, or limited mobility. Design principles that are integrated into Universal Design include: compensating for reduced range of motion, compensating for reduced strength, assist mobility and agility, and help with balance and coordination. Successful Universal Design creates a barrier free environment for the individual.

Views on the Craft and Business of Home Design

From an interview in "Interior Focus" magazine


Where do you first meet with a client?
It varies. Many times it’s at the client’s home or job site. It gives us an idea of how they actually live, what furniture they possess, what they collect and what they want to change. The first meeting is really about how people react to one another. Chemistry is critical.
Do most clients bring pictures?
Photos and clippings are good for inspiration, giving insight into their taste and personality as we reinterpret the design qualities from the pictures. We always encourage bringing available architectural plans and details.
How many projects do you accept each year? Do you oversee each project?
We do several projects a year. The number is determined by the scope and scale of each project, as well as how many others we have going on at the same time. I personally oversee every each project. Customer service is our foundation. Many of our
new construction projects may last for two years from concept to turn key which allows us to do exclusive craftwork.
Do you work closely with Architects and Residential Designers?

Very closely. We enjoy a collaborative team approach to design.

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural Design and advanced studies in Classical Architecture, I have tremendous respect for architects and building designers. I am also a Professional Building Designer, but prefer to concentrate on the Interior and detailing aspects of the home design. The project is always more successful when there is some discussion early on of what the plans are, how the desired furnishings fit and how the spaces function.
Reviewing the preliminary plans will save the client money in the end. We do a lot of interior architecture ourselves. We find that most clients want us to design the fireplaces, wall treatments, libraries, tiles, details, custom furnishings, ceilings, moldings, cabinetry, lighting, electrical, theaters and everything you see inside that brings the total design vision
together.
How large is your staff?
Our inclusive working nature provides high quality work to all of our clients. As needed, we call upon design assistants, draftsmen, artists and craftsmen to help produce exclusive designs.
Can you think of a time when you turned a design crisis around?
Yes, in the midst creating a home, sometimes even the smallest details can appear as a crisis. We strive for serenity. We simply analyze the situation and create alternate solutions.
How do you convince a skeptical client that you are right?
We listen. We give them visuals. Lots of sketches custom tailored to their ideas, bring the vision to life. Reevaluating certain aspects based on a client’s wants and needs , can open up new avenues to explore. We learn to see through the eyes of the person who is actually going to live or work in the space and work on ideal fit. Design is a process.
Is there a room you prefer to design first? Where do you start in any given room?
It depends on the project and the client’s needs. We look at the architecture first, what the space has to offer, how the rooms connect and how people move through the space. We develop an overall design concept. Materials, finishes, accessories and furnishings evolve through ideas.
Which cultures shaped your aesthetic?
I am fascinated by pieces that transcend their style or period. Details which are timeless.
Does your style have surprise elements?
I like to incorporate surprise elements or colors that work with the overall scheme. It might be a unique accessory or even a major piece that adds an element of intrigue to a room. I love hearing a client say, “Wow! I never would have thought of that, but I love it!” It tickles the soul when something unexpected fits in.
What design style do you abhor?
Anything too predictable or overdone.
How are your costs handled?
All projects are quoted on an individual basis.
What is the most expensive job you’ve done? What is the least expensive?
Residential projects have ranged from 22,000 S.F. mansions to home libraries.
Each year we select several different Children’s philantrophy to donate design services.
What are the biggest mistakes clients make?
Completing the architecture without an interior decorator’s involvement is the #1 mistake clients make. That’s where the most serious, costly errors are made. Builders sometimes expect that they can control the whole process. Projects tend to take on a life of their own. Only through a team effort, common vision and open communication, do we make the creation process a great experience.
Repeat clients and colleague referrals are at the core of our business. We thrive on creating an exceptional experience clients desire to share with friends and colleagues. Our objective is “simply beautiful design”.
Susan P. Berry can be reached in her studio at (407)622-4855 or on the web at http://www.classicalhomedesign.com/
She can also be reached by email SusanBerryDesign@aol.com