Authors: Jessica Alba
B00AFU6252 EBOK (27 page)
Before I decorate a room, I always compile an inspiration book. In fact, even once a room is “done” (except it’s never really done!), I’ll refer to the book whenever I want to make a tweak or a more major update to remember what my initial idea was and ensure I’m staying on track. This is because
whether I’m working with an interior designer or not—at the end of the day, my house is all me.
And I can fall in love with everything if I’m not careful . . . so I’ve found inspiration books are the best tools to help me stay within my original theme and not go off the deep end, trying to cram too many ideas into a room at once.
I like to build my inspiration books the old-fashioned way: on paper. I do mine as collages—they’re almost like scrapbooks! It becomes a fun creative project where I can involve Honor—I love that when we made the book for Haven’s room, Honor added her own artwork to the cover. It was a cool way to start talking to her about the new baby and becoming a big sister. But I also find tons of inspiration online at Pinterest and other sites that let you create virtual inspiration boards—this is so helpful when you’re trying to remember where on earth you saw that specific type of recycled glass bathroom tile or whatever.
Here’s a peek at one of my inspiration books, with tips on how to create your own.
- TEARS FROM MAGAZINES.
I’m a magazine junkie. I read everything from the kitchen renovation guides you find in the supermarket to
Lonny
(an online shelter magazine;
lonnymag.com
) and
Milk
(an amazing French children’s design mag;
milkmagazine.net
). Don’t limit yourself to design mags only—I’m often tearing out catalog pages, cool advertisements, fashion spreads shot in gorgeous locations, and more. Sometimes, I pull out a specific idea I want to try—like pictures of tree decals behind a crib, which is what we did in Haven’s room. But I also keep an eye out for less literal inspiration photos, like a bouquet of flowers or a sunset that inspires a color scheme. - FABRIC SNIPPETS.
These might be real fabric or pictures of it—either way, use them to represent potential color schemes or ideas of how you want to use fabric (favorite curtain styles, flag bunting, framed as art, etc.), plus, of course, the actual linens you’ll want to source for the room. - GRAPHIC ELEMENTS.
Stencil lettering and glitter are obviously optional! But they make the inspiration book more fun . . . and they do end up subtly informing my design projects. In Haven’s room, we added a string of lights around the perimeter of her ceiling for a little touch of nighttime glitter that also helps soothe her to sleep. - NOTES.
I don’t write a ton on my inspiration books, but a little note here and there (to remind yourself why you love an image or to keep track of a specific thought on how you want to use it) can be helpful when revisiting a page later on. - PAINT CHIPS.
Free at any hardware store or home improvement center, chips are the best way to play around with color combos. Stockpile a bunch in a little box or if you use them a lot, you might consider putting them all on a key ring or even investing in a Pantone Color Chart—I organize mine by room and color scheme in baggies! Chips are also great for craft projects, gift tags, place cards . . .
W
HETHER YOU’RE
in the market for new sheets or undergoing a major renovation project, here’s what to look for when you’re making a home décor purchase—plus some of my favorite brands. See “
The Honest Details
” for resources.
Safer carpets.
Skip wall-to-wall carpet—it’s too toxic because it releases (or “off-gasses”—you’re going to hear me use this word a lot!) chemicals from the glue and synthetic fibers. FLOR modular carpet tiles are made with renewable and recyclable materials and are endlessly customizable—and if you spill something on your wall-to-wall tile carpet, you can simply swap out one tile to have it cleaned or replaced, no problem! For area rugs, I look for natural fibers made from pesticide-free wool, cotton, jute, hemp, coir, cornhusk, coconut fiber, or woven silk. You can easily remove them to clean and air outside. Vintage area rugs are fantastic—old wool rugs (especially oriental) were most likely made without synthetic fibers and coatings and they’re gorgeous. Your house instantly looks lived-in and stylish. For new, I like Capel Rugs, which offers a huge selection of rugs, even hand-braided, that are made in the USA so they don’t guzzle energy being shipped from halfway across the world.
Sustainable floors.
If you’re having your existing hardwood floors refinished, consider skipping the usual (super-toxic!) polyurethane coating in favor of a PVC-free finish like tung oil or the polywhey floor finishes from Vermont Natural Coatings. If you’re installing new floors, look for sustainably harvested hardwood (it should be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council), or consider cork, which is a highly renewable resource. We used this in Honor’s room—I prefer the floating floors, which click together and don’t require toxic glues or adhesives. I also love salvaged wood floors, which repurpose old wood (often from barns or vintage flooring), though they can get very expensive; the Vintage Wood Floor Company is a great resource.
FOUND IN:
Kitchen cabinets, carpeting, mattresses
WHAT IS IT AGAIN?
A preservative
WHY IS IT SKETCHY?
Chronic, long-term exposure has been linked to cancer, plus it can trigger more immediate allergic reactions, rashes, asthma, nosebleeds, and other respiratory issues.
No-VOC paint.
You know that new-paint smell? That’s the scent of harmful chemicals! Always look for a no-odor paint—then read the label to make sure the manufacturer has really taken out the nasty stuff (instead of just masking it with yet more chemicals). My absolute favorite is Mythic Paint, which is completely zero-VOC (which means it doesn’t contain any “volatile organic compounds”—see
this tip
—and is also free of many other toxins), is ultralow in odor, and comes in tons of gorgeous colors. But pretty much every brand has a no-VOC line now, so make sure you opt for that, no matter what.
Toxin-free wallpaper.
Many wallpapers are made from vinyl and require toxic adhesives—even after these glues dry, they continue to off-gas for years (it takes about two years for vinyl wallpaper’s fumes to completely dissipate). Instead, try to find nonvinyl paper, organic cotton, or recycled content wallpaper and use a nontoxic paste or adhesive. Natural fiber covers (arrowroot, bamboo, cattail, jute, paper weaves, reed, rush, sea grass, or sisal) are also nice, although not great in moist rooms. I like Graham & Brown and Phillip Jeffries; both carry nontoxic papers made of recycled or natural materials.
With tile, head to the nearest discount tile warehouse and ask to see all of their recycled glass or other environmentally friendly lines—pretty much every dealer has some now. For counters, consider kitchen salvage depots, which can have great deals (and save somebody else’s old granite or marble counter from going to a landfill). Or look for recycled glass or concrete for more sustainable options. We used IceStone, which is made from 100 percent recycled glass mixed with concrete and comes in tons of beautiful colors.
Most mainstream brands of cabinets are made with pressed wood or particleboard that’s stuck together with glue containing formaldehyde and other preservatives that off-gas chemicals you won’t want in your kitchen. Cabinetry is a great opportunity to go used—look for architectural or kitchen salvage depots in your area that specialize in pulling out kitchens when other people are renovating and selling the cabinetry (often for much less than you’d pay new). Or look for a local cabinetmaker who will work with all wood and nontoxic glues; we opted for an Amish-run company that did wonderful work, though a bit slowly, since they don’t use electricity or glue! On the budget but stylish end, IKEA has made a big effort to get the toxic stuff out of its cabinetry.
If you can’t afford to wallpaper an entire room, consider using paper as an accent on the inside of built-in bookcases or on one wall, like I did here in my kitchen cabinets. You can even frame beautiful wallpaper inside molding as a giant piece of art!
FOUND IN:
Flooring, windows, plastics
WHAT IS IT AGAIN?
The same plasticizer in nail polish also makes your shower curtain strong and flexible; it typically turns up in PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastics.
WHY IS IT SKETCHY?
It’s a known endocrine disruptor, so avoid exposure in pregnant women, babies, and young children.