Non-Toxic Bedroom by Interior Designer Sarah Walker

Known for designing spaces that are as healthy as they are beautiful, Sarah Walker's firm, The Curated House, was the natural choice for the bedroom of Organic Weave Founder's daughter in NYC.

"Sarah knows all the non toxic sources, AND the questions to ask to ensure her design selections support well-being, instead of secretly compromising it. My daughter wanted chic and I wanted safe. Sarah delivered!” says Linda, Organic Weave's Founder.

With an incredibly tight deadline, Linda agreed to embrace Sarah’s mantra of progress over perfection. Using the 80/20 rule, they aimed for 80% sustainable, non-toxic elements and 20% standard products that could be delivered quickly, even in the midst of the pandemic.

Naturally, the first piece they chose was an Organic Weave rug. As Sarah says, “starting with a rug makes for good design planning, but makes even more sense when seeking to reduce hidden toxins. Consider the square footage of materials coming into your space and their associated affect on indoor air quality and health. Floors and walls have a huge impact".

Sarah’s next recommendation was to paint the space with truly VOC-free AFM Safecoat. “This paint isn’t just non-toxic. It actually seals in harmful chemicals that may have been applied to the walls previously. It’s the only paint I recommend for clients who are chemically sensitive,” the designer says.

Knowing we spend a third of our lives in bed, the mattress was on the non-toxic list. Naturepedic was able to deliver the mattress quickly and without any of the nasty, health-hijacking chemicals of concern found in most of the mattresses on the market. “You really do have to know the questions to ask and how to trace the materials back to the source in order to ensure what you’re specifying is safe,” Sarah says. “I take that responsibility very seriously. Much of our industry has yet to make the connection between the spaces we design and the health of their occupants, but that is front and centre for me in every project I touch.”

Having bonded over the joke that healthy design doesn’t have to be the style equivalent of wool socks with Birkenstocks, Sarah and Linda were in lock step on the textile selections. “Our sense of touch is central to the restorative powers of a space, so the GOTS-certified organic custom drapery panels from Two Sisters Eco Textiles were a natural choice.”

The result? "My daughter is delighted with her peaceful, comforting oasis. She’s sleeping better than ever, did well in her program and got the summer internship of her dreams", says Linda.  For Sarah, that positive impact made the impossible deadline worth it.