Sustainable Materials I Chose With My Interior Designer in Dubai

The bunk unit fits! I measured the correct wall, and I said I would let you know. I was more nervous about it than I'd like to admit.

Stage two of my apartment is underway, which means the kids' room and the hallway (previously a scooter store). While choosing the materials, I started asking myself questions I had never really considered before.

Why I Started Asking Questions

I work from home, so I spend more time in this apartment than anybody. When the board samples for the bunk unit arrived, I started wondering what was in them. The board, the glue and the paint.

I'm not an expert, so I did a quick bit of research. The US Environmental Protection Agency has a page on volatile organic compounds and indoor air. It says levels of these compounds are consistently higher indoors than outdoors, and it lists paints, varnishes and building materials among the sources. That helped me ask more informed questions.

The Bunk Unit Board

This is the largest piece in the room, so it got most of my attention.

I loved the solid wood option, but it was costly. The standard board was cheaper, but I couldn't get much information on what it was made from. I went for a certified low-emission board with a real wood veneer, from a supplier who could provide the documents. It was a little more expensive, but I can live with that.

Always ask for data sheets. If I couldn't find out what a board was made from, I didn't go for it. I also asked about the glue, which I wouldn't have even considered a month ago.

Paint

I went for a water-based, low-VOC paint. My mood board colour was available in a low-VOC version, so this was easy.

The EPA page also recommends increasing ventilation and only buying what you need. I made sure the windows were open while the painters were in, and I didn't end up with five half-empty tins in my cupboard. It smelt a bit of paint for a day, and then nothing.

Hallway Tile

As you may have read in my last post, my light tile idea didn't last long after a test with outdoor shoes. Luckily, the dark speckled tile I went for turned out to be a sustainable choice.

Durability is part of sustainability. If your floor still looks good in 10 years, you won't want to tear it up and replace it. I hadn't considered this until my designer mentioned it.

Fabrics and Little Bits

The curtains in the kids' room are cotton with a blackout lining, and the rug is wool, like the one in the living room that solved my echo problem in stage one. Both should last and can be cleaned.

I also reused what I could. My old hallway shelf was sanded, painted and moved into the kids' room for books. It cost me a tin of paint and a Saturday morning. The ceiling lights are LED. Nothing fancy, but it all adds up.

What I Learnt From Working With an Interior Designer in Dubai

I thought sustainability was going to be a big, costly word, but it really came down to a few questions:

• What is it made from? Always ask for data sheets, especially for boards and paint.

• How long will it last? Cheaper items aren't cheaper if they don't last.

• Can it be cleaned? Removable covers and washable finishes make life easier.

• Can something old be reused? My hallway shelf proves it can.

Any Interior Designer in Dubai working on homes like mine will have thoughts on this, so ask early. Before my materials meeting, I read up on how to plan a family home with an interior designer. It reminded me to think about how the space gets used every day first, and the finishes second.

Where Things Are Now

The bunk unit is in! The paint is dry and there's zero smell in the room, which is a small victory. The hallway tile goes in next week, so the shoes and scooters will finally have a proper place.

Next time I'll let you know whether the bunk unit actually gets slept in, or whether I'm back to sharing my bed at 3am.