The Design Industry's Dirty Little Secret

Here’s the dirty truth about the design industry. It’s secretly wasteful.

Behind all those perfectly styled shelves and flirty fun cheap pillows is a consumer culture matching that of fast fashion. I’m not standing on a high horse. I too have been guilty of buying these $5 trinkets at big box stores. I get it- they are cute and affordable. I mean HELLO! Who doesn’t love affordable design?!!

The PROBLEM is that these cute, fun and inexpensive items are doing more harm than good. We are consuming inferior products at such an incredible volume and rate that I can only imagine the landfills in 10 years. Sure, you can donate your unwanted items and I’m a huge advocate of this. But most of the time these cheaply made items (sorry but it’s true) end up breaking or falling apart long before we are done with them. So they end up in the trash.

And let’s be honest - no one actually needs more stuff… Ok so I just horrified every Interior Designer and Decorator in North America with that statement.

But what if there was another way? What’s if we could design and decorate a home to make it look high end and beautiful without harming Mother Earth? I TRULY believe this is possible. I DON’T however have the answer… yet. I am however making a conscious effort to change my approach to design. The team and I have begun to research products and companies that are sustainably minded or 100% Canadian.

I will share our journey and our findings with you but until I get there I’m starting to raise awareness by talking about it.

In honour of earth day I am donating $100 from every consultation booked in the month of April to Habitat for Humanity.

A great cause that finds new home and life for unwanted home goods and materials.

Any movement starts with a conversation. Be thoughtful when you’re shopping, look to estate sales and consignment stores for great QUALITY finds that can add character and beauty to your home before running out and filling your cart up with plastics from overseas. I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy new - of course you should. And if you know me well you’ll know that I love to have custom furniture made for my clients at every chance I get - using local products, local people and hopefully soon - sustainable fabrics and the like.

So if you’re looking for design advice and to give back. This is the month to book your consult! Happy (early) earth day!

☺️

Rebecca