7 Hints for a Sustainable Interior Design in Los Angeles – Roomhints

Hey! At Roomhints, we are always trying to find fabulous ways in which we can educate our audience and inspire with sustainable design. Today we sat down with the fabulous Sharlene Kayne of @skaynedesigns to learn about her 100% sustainably designed home.

1. Tell us a bit about who you are :)

I am an artist specializing in torn handmade-paper collages. The paper I use is sustainable, made by paper artisans from all over the world. I generally create collages that are fun twists on old master paintings, as well as vintage looking portraits.

You can follow Sharlene at @skaynedesigns on Instagram.

2. What inspired you to design a home using sustainable principles?

Well, I have been a vegetarian for most of my life (more recently a vegan) so my interest in designing with sustainable principles is probably no surprise. The first pieces of furniture I ever bought (long ago!) were antiques.

I love the uniqueness and quality of antiques over mass-produced pieces. To date, probably close to 90 percent of my furniture is vintage or antique!

3. Were there any hurdles you encountered with designing a sustainable home?

Thankfully it has become much easier to design with sustainable pieces with the availability of more products and the ease of finding them. It just requires patience! One of the goals in sustainable design, is not to purchase “throw away pieces”, so it may take longer to find just the right piece that won’t need to be replaced. I looked for the perfect vintage sectional sofa for almost a year!

4. Where did you find your sustainable pieces?

Thankfully there are a lot of vintage and antique shops locally in Los Angeles, Ca. I also look online for specific pieces, and try to find local sources.

5. Let's go into detail about each room. The dining room. How did you make this space sustainable?

We were lucky that the previous owners left behind a beautiful Midcentury dining set. They also left a rug made of synthetic material that I was able to donate and replace with a natural fiber Tuareg mat.

6. The living room. How did you make this space sustainable?

That sectional that I mentioned searching almost a year for ended up here! It’s at least 50 years old and still as comfy as can be! I don’t mind the little signs of age at all! All the pillows are made from vintage materials.

The coffee table is a Midcentury piece found at a local vintage shop. And the lamp? Another great vintage piece left behind from the previous owners!

7. The bedroom. How did you make this space sustainable?

We started by replacing (donating) a synthetic rug with a vintage Moroccan rug. The bed frame was a lucky Midcentury find spotted at a local vintage shop, and more vintage pillows were used on the bed.

The stool at the foot of the bed is also a vintage piece. I added air plants tucked into the rock wall because I love how they make a space feel, and the way they purify the air!