In this episode of the Business and Interiors podcast, we sit down with Chloe Bullock, founder of Materialise Interiors, co-founder of Interior Design Declares and author of Sustainable Interior Design.
With 30 years of design experience, Chloe explains how her formative years at The Body Shop, working closely with Anita Roddick, instilled in her a commitment to ethical practices. This experience laid the foundation for her approach to sustainable design, emphasizing the importance of transparency in material sourcing and production processes.
Chloe talks about her book, Sustainable Interior Design, which serves as a practical guide for interior designers looking to embrace sustainability in their work. She highlights eleven key principles, including conscious supply chains, healthy buildings, biophilic design, and ethical business practices.
The episode also explores the challenges Chloe faced in pioneering vegan and sustainable design, particularly in an industry where these concepts were not initially mainstream. She discusses how the demand for sustainable products has increased in recent years, with clients becoming more conscious of their environmental impact. However, she emphasizes the need for designers to be proactive in offering sustainable solutions and educating their clients on eco-friendly alternatives.
Chloe also touches on the misconceptions surrounding sustainable interior design, such as the idea that it is always more expensive or less aesthetically pleasing. She advocates for sustainability as a means of enhancing creativity, encouraging designers to view it as an opportunity to solve problems in innovative ways. Ultimately, Chloe’s message is one of empowerment - encouraging designers to take small, actionable steps toward sustainability while educating clients on the long-term benefits of eco-friendly design.
