WHAT DOES COVID-19 HAVE TO DO WITH INTERIOR DESIGN?
Now that everyone is spending more time in their homes you may find yourself asking these questions:
"How do I keep my Interior surfaces clean or becoming less contaminated?
What about my home air quality?"
"How can I design my home to function better and improve my families health?"
With so much at stake these days, we will explore the things that should be part of the Interior Design for your home that will help keep you safe and improve your daily lifestyle with function and aesthetics.
THE COVID-19 FACTS
So much unfolding daily about this virus, leaves us all confused about exactly what to do. Generally, germs can be spread through sneezing, coughing, breathing, shaking hands, and kissing with a sick person. The person is exposed to germs firsthand when they touched on contaminated everyday objects.
Common items including doorknob, pen, cellphone, tabletop, faucet, and remote control are all subject to be contaminated. Germs can also spread through sweat, saliva, sexual contact, blood, water, and ingestion. Also, poor ventilation, dirty air conditioner or HVAC system will help speed up the spread of bacteria and viruses .
So after all the technical stuff about germs, we have resorted to Quarantine, Social Distancing, and of coarse Washing our Hands, which all is expected to slow down or minimize the spread. But how do we handle the virus our homes? We also know that the virus can live on plastic for 24 hours and up to 4 days on cardboard.
But does this include our sofa fabric, draperies, furniture, or cabinetry? The answer is YES! But each will have a different expected time frame depending on the surface and material. This and other answers to your concerns will be addressed here to give you some guidelines.
THE SOLUTION
So what is the solution? Under your current Interior Design situation, it is best to follow the standard cleaning methods the CDC my offer or NPR for cleaning surfaces. As you realize that changes are needed to improve your Interior, there can be permanent solutions to minimize the contamination to your home. These six solutions are simple changes that will help the overall well being of you and your family.
1. Select Fabrics with Antimicrobial Qualities.
Fabrics labeled as "CRYPTON" where designed specifically for this purpose and offers many other features such as stain resistance, and durability. Fabrics made with "SUNBRELLA" or similar polyester/nylon or acrylic fibers may not offer inherent antimicrobial features, but often times can be cleaned with a diluted bleach solution that won't harm it, unlike standard fabrics. Only these fabrics will be labeled for this type of cleaning, so you need to be mindful of the label.
Natural fabrics have been designed to meet Interior Design needs by adding metals like silver or copper into them or have a coating applied to make them inherently antimicrobial. Look for names like: SILVADUR, MICROBAN or NANOSTITCH. Plant fibers like Bamboo are great natural alternatives for a fabric with intrinsic properties to stop virus and bacteria from growing.
2. Select Solid Surface Products for Counters and Floors.
Hard surfaces for counter tops and floors are obviously the best and easiest for cleaning. Look for man-made quartz products like CAMBRIA and WILSONART Quartz that have a rating to be used in hospitals and other medical interiors because of their antimicrobial properties.
Another great solid surface that is highly used is CORIAN. Other products used, similar to fabrics, are coatings. When applied to or mixed into the product they provide the antimicrobial properties for Interior Design spaces. These include epoxies, polymer coatings, poly urethane and MICROBAN. All can be found with low VOC properties, that also offer low odor transmissions, non-allergenic, durability, and easy maintenance.
3. Select Copper over Stainless Steel.
Where ever possible you should select copper products or items with a copper additive. This metal has inherent properties to stop bacteria which can harbor viruses. Although Stainless Steel may seem to be a surface that is easily cleaned, it is porous and can hold bacteria on the surface up to 72 hours. There has been some advances in Stainless Steel which has added silver, nitrogen and carbon to the material to ward off germs, but by comparison, copper is still the metal of choice.
A perfect opportunity for this use is in your Interior Design is in the kitchen sink. Copper is also used in conjunction with other metals and chemicals to produce solutions that are infused into wood or made into coatings which in turn are applied to building products, furniture and cabinetry.
4. Improve your Air Quality.
The first thing you can easily do is replace your standard A/C filters with ones that have a MERV 8 rating or above.
MERV is the rating system in the industry that describes how effectively the filters remove particles and allergens like pet dander, dust, and pollen from the air. The higher the number the smaller the particles it removes. HVAC filters with a rating of 15 to 20 are meant to be used in residential and commercial structures where there is a strong concern about the potential spread of viruses. These filters can remove even the smallest of particles at a .30 micron particle size or less. But you want to be sure that what ever filter you do use, it is compatible with your equipment first, otherwise it may not run efficiently or worst cause equipment failure. Verify with the manufacturer or a licensed HVAC provider what MERV filters your equipment can use.
If you want to add extra protection, you can also purchase a small, portable, Air Purifier. You want to look for one that uses a HEPA filter combined with UV-light technology. At Airfuji.com you will find some of their recommended top suppliers for Air Purifiers. Advances in this technology happen often, so make sure to select latest advances in A/C equipment or Air Purifiers when replacing or buying new.
5. Select GREENGUARD Products.
GREENGUARD is a certification that helps Identify healthier products. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is closely tied to health, and is therefore recognized as an important concern in homes, schools, healthcare environments and commercial spaces. All products and many surfaces can affect the air quality in your Interior Design. This is important to note that selecting items with this certification can help reduce potential objects to either harbor or promote viral growth.
When you choose a manufacturer whose products have been GREENGUARD certified, you make a consciously healthy decision, since the certification credits the product as microbial resistant. This sanitary aspect of the certification means that your Bathroom or Kitchen products won’t grow mold, mildew, or harmful bacteria that could spread sickness.
6. Work with a LEED AP Interior Designer.
LEED AP is the designation for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional. A LEED credential for an Interior Designer indicates their proficiency in today’s sustainable design, construction, and operations standards.
Becoming a LEED AP requires individuals to develop a fundamental knowledge of green building concepts—including transportation, energy, water, and air quality, which is the definition interpreted by the leaders at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Using an Interior Designer that is a LEED AP, will guide you to making the right decisions to better the quality of your environment through better selections of products and Interior Design.
HIRING A PROFESSIONAL
When it comes to resolving the balance of the questions regarding function and Interior Design improvements, it is best to leave it to a professional ASID Interior Designer. They can work with you and your concerns to design your home that will function to suit smaller current needs, like working from home, to larger scaled projects that require new construction.They can assess your environment to provide you with ways to improve your home's health and the ability to combat today's challenging worldly concerns.
COVID-19 & INTERIOR DESIGN
So what does COVID-19 have to do with INTERIOR DESIGN?
It can mean the difference between COVID-19 staying alive in your homes which continue it's cycle to transmit to others!
It means that your home can become a Petri dish, if you are not careful!
Or it means that you can contribute to society as a whole, to lessen the impact of this virus to the community by becoming conscientious about your choices in your Interior Design.
It is common knowledge that most antimicrobial products have been in the commercial world of Interior Design for many years and is where we are familiar seeing them. But our worlds of Commercial -vs- Residential has been slowing meshing together over the years. Many companies are closing their office operations to have employees work from home where others are creating home-like environments in the office.
With so much cross over, the materials seem to follow and manufacturers are designing their products to adapt to higher standards, design styles, and healthy properties.
Now is the time to think about your well being and be considerate to others by making healthy choices in your Interior Design for a better world to all!
MAY YOU STAY SAFE AND WELL,
MICHELINE LABERGE, ASID, LEED-AP
