Hey, Green Junkie!
How many of you struggle between wanting a gorgeous, aesthetically pleasing home and also wanting to reduce your waste and fill your space with sustainable pieces?
Interior design and home remodel can be full of a lot of waste. I mean just watch one episode of an HGTV show and you’ll often see nothing but wasteful practices which can turn off anyone who is wanting to spruce up their home but also really care about the health of the planet.
So today, I wanted to bring on Hannah Oravec, a sustainable home and interior design expert to share with us how we can all uplevel our homes sustainably, cheaply and creatively.
In this episode we will discuss,
- The importance of having a sustainable home
- Simple things you can do now to make your home more sustainable
- Side effects of living in a chemically laced home
- Why understanding your values is the first step to a more sustainable home
- Saving money on sustainable design
You’ll discover that and so much more in this episode.
If you love this podcast be sure to leave a review and share a screenshot of this episode to your IG stories. Tag @greenjunkiepodcast so I can shout you out and publicly say thanks.
Thanks for listening and being here.
Your green bestie,
Xoxo Stephanie
Hang With Hannah:
https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahoravec
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp2txI8K6e9h2lya0lY4gwg
Previous Episodes Mentioned
Episode #9: How to Reuse What You Already Have
Episode #20: 6 Ways to Detox Your Home
Episode #27: Eco-Guilt – Just Drop it
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https://www.goodgirlgonegreen.com/green-sustainable-coaching-calendar
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Produced by: Alecia Harris
Music By: Liz Fohle
LISTEN BELOW
TRANSCRIPT FOR EPISODE 34
Stephanie Moram 0:07
Hi, Green Junkie, I'm your host Stephanie Moram, and today I have the pleasure of speaking with Hannah Orphic about sustainability in the interior design industry, and how we can make your home more sustainable. Lawless design was started in 2016 by founder Hannah, out of fusing her passions of interior design and wellness. Lawless design is a full service holistic design firm that focuses on residential products and boost textile, commercial space. She strives to incorporate wellness and sustainability into all the spaces she designs. Hannah advocates for sourcing from sustainable companies, and eco friendly materials that are non toxic for the spaces she designs. When she's not designing, she enjoys being outside and going on hikes with her husband and dog.
Stephanie Moram 1:05
If you love learning new ways you can reduce your impact on the environment. Please subscribe to the Green Junkie Podcast on whatever platform you get your podcast. That way, you'll never miss another green living episode.
Stephanie Moram 1:20
Hi, Hannah, thank you so much for being here. I'm super excited to have this conversation with you today.
Hannah Oravec 1:26
Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited.
Stephanie Moram 1:29
You're very welcome. So let's dive right into sustainable design. So first, tell me about yourself and kind of how you got started on this sustainable interior design journey.
Hannah Oravec 1:42
Yeah, so I'm the founder and interior designer of Lawless Design. I started it a few years ago. So I went to school for interior design, a college just north of Boston called Endicott College. And I had a bachelor's degree of interior design. And I also had a minor in, in business. And then we focused on a concentration in sustainable design. So in college, it was really the first time that had really ever kind of even heard of sustainability. To be honest, it wasn't super common. This was like the 2010 era and it wasn't super, super common, I guess where I lived, I came from a small town. And, you know, my parents recycled and kind of did the the little things like that. But I hadn't really noticed that. And so after college, when I graduated, I worked for a couple of different architecture firms. And while I was there, I I loved the work that I did, for the most part, love the companies that I worked for, I just started to realize it wasn't my passion. And I really wanted to fuse my love of healthy living and wellness with interior design. And originally, I wasn't 100% sure how to. So over the years, it's really evolved. And when I started my business, that's really when I started implementing it.
Stephanie Moram 2:59
And Lawless is a very unique name. So how did you come up with that name?
Hannah Oravec 3:03
It's actually my great grandmother's maiden name. And then it's my grandfather's middle name. So I really wanted something to be personal, and tie in with, like me and my family. But I didn't necessarily want my name. So I thought that adding Lawless design not only just sounded cool, I thought that had a nice, it was nice to have like that family tie to it.
Stephanie Moram 3:03
Right. And it's super unique. Like, probably no one else is gonna have that name. Like going forward, right? So super unique name. And before we just dive into, like sustainability, interior design, I know we touched, I touched on it in your bio, but can you explain to the listeners like what does that look like sustainable interior design? Because, you know, we know what interior design is like designing your home. But what is it marrying sustainability and interior design? Exactly.
Hannah Oravec 3:52
I think it's gonna look different for everyone. I mean, it really looks a lot different for every single client, because I think you want to focus on what your values are, and what's important to you. So when I originally start working with clients, I talk to them about this and talk about sustainability and eco friendly products. And some of them are really, really interested and that's why they're hiring me. Other times clients are like, oh, like, that's cool, but it's not something that they necessarily really even thought of. So a lot of it is kind of coaching them and you know, figuring out how to implement those kinds of things. And so I think a lot of it just starts with being mindful. I think interior design can get a really bad rap for being really wasteful. You know, a lot of it definitely can be. And so being mindful about the products that you use, being mindful about the companies that you source from is really just important and you know, the first start of sustainability for your home.
Stephanie Moram 4:45
And so you touched on like sometimes clients will come to you and they're not really in like the green living sustainable, like bubble, you know, so they just want their house designed. Do you still work with those clients and then guide them to that letting them know – like, when I am working with clients, I'm promoting sustainable interior design. So no, sometimes the price is more expensive sometimes. Right? So are you guiding them that direction? Or will you just kind of follow what they want? If that makes sense?
Hannah Oravec 5:15
Yeah, no, it definitely does. And I think it's definitely had to evolve over the years, because when I first started, I didn't have the portfolio work, or the client relationship, to get those kinds of projects. And so it's really evolved over the years where starting out, you know, you're kind of, you're really just doing any project that you can make a name for yourself get work and, you know, really grow your business. And so over the years, it's something now where I'm fortunately able to take on the type of projects that I want to. And so going into it, like I said, a lot of times the clients that come to me, I think they come to me, because we have a lot in common outside of interior design, outside of like my style, and what we're gonna produce for them, but also, oh, they really enjoy being outdoors and hiking, or, you know, they're really into gardening and growing their own fruits and vegetables, or, you know, all these different kinds of things that I promote on social media and kind of just things that I do with health and wellness in general. Other times when clients just see our work, and they see the portfolio, and they're like, oh, you know, it's nice, that's where I do have to educate them and tell them, you know, this is why we should be looking into these things, this is why we should be going with this paint first, this paint, or going with this kind of material. And a lot of it, I think a lot of it is just again, you just don't know what you don't know, as I did years years ago. And so it's really just important as you teach, and you work with clients, they start to just realize the importance of the selections and, you know, for themselves and for the environment.
Stephanie Moram 6:50
And so, so you work with these clients, and you know, you're guiding them to, you know, maybe better paint options or better furniture options. So, when you got started on this whole sustainability, you know, coming together with interior design, like why do you, why do you think it's important for people, whether they're, you know, maybe they're not ready to like, do a big interior design job. But why do you think it's important for people now, to really be more mindful of selecting better products and being sustainable when it comes to this? I know, you mentioned waste, like interior design can create waste. But why do you think it's important for people now more than ever specifically like to make those more mindful choices and kind of whether they're into sustainability or not to just take that route anyways.
Hannah Oravec 7:35
Well you're in your home, so much more, I think just in the last couple of years, people have realized. So the different products that you're exposed to, and materials and chemicals that you're exposed to, can really make a big difference with, like I had, we had talked about paint earlier, and go certain types of paint have VOCs in them, you know, which we know that can be harmful for us. And so just going with different selections that are going to be better for your health in the long run is really, really essential. I actually had a client, I think about a couple of years ago now. And before we were working together, she had shared with me that they had moved into a new build, before they ended up having to move but this new build, there were some mold issues in it. And within six months that the husband already had a respiratory issue. And he ended up getting really, really sick from some of the materials and some of the different aspects that went into this home that they ended up having to move after just felt like a few months, because he got so sick from that home. And so I think that was a really big wake up call for me to just see how important that the selections that we make are. And to be honest, a lot of times it's not as dramatic as someone getting incredibly sick from that very noticeably. But I think the the these things have long term effects and detrimental over time over a long period of time.
Stephanie Moram 9:02
And it also doesn't have to be all or nothing right?
Hannah Oravec 9:06
Yea definitely yeah,
Stephanie Moram 9:06
So when you are, you know, if you wanted to share some tips so like somebody maybe isn't in the position right now to like hire interior designer, but what are things that somebody can do to make their homes more sustainable? Is it their furniture? Is it their paint? Is it you know, what is it in their home that you would recommend you know, a bunch of tips when it comes to changing up your home to make it more livable and make it sustainable and designing it? What are some tips that you can offer?
Hannah Oravec 9:36
I think the first thing is just start thinking about what you really value and what's going to make the biggest, biggest difference to you. I have clients where certain rugs are really important to them and that's something that they love. So we started looking at natural fiber rugs or maybe we were looking into rugs. Other times maybe the client just really wants to spruce up up the walls, like you said, so looking into certain paints is really important. So I think kind of identifying your values first is the first start. But I think the number one thing, if you do start to look at furniture, is to shop vintage, and I talked about that a lot, I think there's a lot of great aspects about vintage furniture. For one, the quality is really, really amazing on a lot of vintage pieces, a lot of pieces, you know, aren't made like that anymore to, obviously a sustainable because you're not making another product. If you're able to find something locally at your local thrift store, then you're cutting down on shipping costs. And the other thing that I think is also really vital and important, is it brings a uniqueness into your home, which I think is really cool to add in this character where not everyone is going to have the same piece, and it makes it really personal. So when you're at home, it reflects you and your personality. And it's not just some random object that anyone could go online and buy.
Stephanie Moram 11:03
Right. And I think, you know, I love that you're touching on thrifting. And secondhand because a lot of people, you know, roll their eyes like oh, I would never buy something secondhand. I'd never thrift clothing. I would never thrift this that. Right. But I think, you know, depending like you said, your values and what you want, I think you can save a crap ton of money by thrifting. You know, like you said, there could be like unique pieces, you go to a thrift store and you're looking for like a vase or you're looking for some decorations in your house, you're probably not going to see it in anyone else's house. Or it'll be like a really old house. Because you're finding stuff at a thrift store. So can you touch on like a little bit of the decoration aspect? Do you incorporate a lot of secondhand for decorations in the house as well?
Hannah Oravec 11:46
I do. That's actually I a huge thing a lot. There are some clients that aren't huge fans of vintage furniture. And you know what, that it's not my house. So I'm not gonna push someone to get something that they don't like. And if I'm showing them some digital things and you're like No, what I sometimes clients are like, I just don't know what the quality is going to be or maybe the condition of it. And they're just a little hesitant. And you know, no matter how much you talk to them about, you know, the quality and the sellers great or whatever. A lot of times adding those vintage and vintage items in through decor is really a great thing like you said vases is one thing I love getting vintage lights, lighting is my favorite thing to pick out. And I think that lighting makes the biggest difference in a home personally, just the mood that lighting can set for your home when you have table lamps and floor lamps. And, you know, accent lighting, I think is just a really, really cool way to you know, add the ambiance to your space.
Stephanie Moram 12:47
So like outside of finding lamps, or maybe some furniture or you said like we can get you know, vase, there are other things that you that you would thrift that you'd like to decorate homes that are like, Yeah, I'm on board with like the second hand thrifting I'm going to save some money, and it's going to be super unique. What are some things that that you'd like to look for?
Hannah Oravec 13:06
Oh, art is another big thing I have a really good hack is to even places like the Goodwill or savers or things like that have artwork, and they have frames. And a lot of times for photo shoots. I just pop out the artwork and switch it out with artwork that I already have, or I got from a small shop or on Etsy or something like that. And they're just a few dollars. And that's something where I think, you know, interior design can be really expensive, getting sustainable pieces. But you also can find really inexpensive things if you're just thrifty, and a little crafty. Other things too. I don't do this so much anymore, just because I don't have a lot of time. But I did use to buy a lot of vintage fabric and make pillows for our clients.
Stephanie Moram 13:54
Oh, wow.
Hannah Oravec 13:55
That was something really fun. Whether it was I don't know if you've heard of Brimfield. Brimfield is really big here in Massachusetts. It's, I think, the biggest antique show on the East Coast. And it happens three times a year. So I would go to Brimfield and get a bunch of different fabrics or I'd go on Etsy, or other shops and just find vintage fabrics, which I think just adds in a really cool uniqueness factor. Even if you have a plain sofa. You're just you can get these really cool fabrics and make such a big difference in home.
Stephanie Moram 14:27
And do you ever recommend to clients like to DIY stuff, let's say for example, for me, I had this old milk jug and I wanted to make it into a vase so I like I painted it with like baking soda and paint and it's like all shimmery. Do you ever recommend to clients like oh, this is really beautiful, but we can like spruce it up and kind of change it like it's like a unique piece but it's kind of outdated. Will you take that piece instead of going to the store and buying something or even thrifting something do try to incorporate what they already have and then spruce it up if you need to.
Hannah Oravec 14:59
It's pens what it is, I guess, I think some of the times with the clients that I have, they just don't have the time for that kind of thing. So I think it depends on the client. And it depends on the item. I personally do. And you'll see me do it my husband do it a lot in our home. But I think for some of the clients that I have, a lot of them are either like two busy working parents, or, you know, maybe they both have jobs or something like that. So I think some of the DIY things are things that they don't necessarily have time for.
Stephanie Moram 15:33
Yeah, I get that. I mean, with the busy mom, a busy dad, a busy parent, you know, got littles running around, they don't necessarily want to be like DIY or interior design. So you've done like an interior, like design job, whether it's like one bedroom or the whole house, what do you do with the stuff that they don't want? So say there's like some stuff that's still in really great condition, but they're like, Yeah, I'm done with like the 60s, look in my living room, or whatever that is, and they want to spruce it up? Do you help them dispose of stuff properly? Like, so what is that process for you like for your business?
Hannah Oravec 16:07
Um, that's such a good question. I'm so glad you asked that. Yeah, that's a huge thing, because again, with interior design, it can be really wasteful. If you're not mindful about, you know, what you're doing with the things that you already have. So a lot of times clients will either have family or friends that want to take something, maybe the sofa is in pretty good condition, it just doesn't really work with the space, or maybe it came from an old apartment, and it doesn't fit in their new one. So family and friends are definitely first. I think things like Facebook marketplace are really awesome. I was just with a client a couple days ago, and he has some appliances, and they're in decent condition. They don't work, they were leftover from the previous owner, and they don't really work in this space and the new kitchen that we're remodeling. And he was like, Oh, I'm just gonna put them down in the basement, I don't really know what I'm going to do with them. And the contractor was like, Why don't you put them on Facebook marketplace, you can make a little bit of money. And you can, you know, get rid of it to someone who needs it. The other thing too, is Habitat for Humanity does have a good program, it can be a little tricky, sometimes depending on the condition of something. But if you call it Habitat for Humanity, and send them photos and you know, talk with them, they'll be able to come and actually pick up, you're the items that you want to get rid of, and then they bring it to the store, and they sell it for a small fee. And it's donating to the habitat.
Stephanie Moram 17:36
That's really good. I think, you know, that also makes your business sustainable, right? Because I'm not sure a lot of interior designers, I'm not going to, you know, paint everyone with the same brush, obviously. But I think a lot of people don't realize that a lot of waste is created and that they're just like, oh, we'll just put it in the trash. Or we'll just get rid of it, you know, and just out of sight out of mind, right? So I love that you really incorporate that in your business, you're like, Okay, I'm gonna help you design your home. But like, let's find ways that we can like get rid of this properly. So do you, you know, say you have clients that have all these, you know, their, their family doesn't want it Facebook marketplace isn't working, whatever do they do encourage them? Like, hey, like, let's drop it off at, you know, a donation center, because somebody else might really like this. Do you encourage your clients to do that as well?
Hannah Oravec 18:24
Yes, absolutely. And I think the other thing, too, is, even before we start to look at donating things or giving it away to friends, family, we look at things and say What can work in this house that you already have? Because I think sometimes clients are like, Oh, I don't really know about this space, or I don't really know about this chair. And maybe it's just mixed with the wrong things. I have a client who has some really, really beautiful Persian rugs. And she was like, Oh, I don't know if it'll work in this space. And I'm looking at like, I think that's gorgeous. It's just mixed with the wrong things. So I think it's doing an inventory of what you have and utilizing that because for me, I mean, I would never want someone to just go out and buy something just to buy it. I think something should have a purpose. And there's a reason why you're getting it not just to get everything new, just because.
Stephanie Moram 19:16
Yeah, I totally agree. Like there's some stuff I'm very adamant on buying new. And then there's some stuff I'm just like, I don't really care if it's secondhand. You know, for me some furniture I'm very adamant on getting new for a host of reasons that can be another podcast episode. And then there's other stuff where I'm just like, Yeah, I'm I love, you know, like you said, that uniqueness, that originality that it brings to the house and I all like I really appreciate that. You know, yes, you're sustainable interior design, and you are going to attract those types of people, right? You're not going to attract. I mean, you might attract somebody that might not care about the environment, but hopefully you'll be able to educate them a little bit along the way, but most people are probably have that. Like they have a level have consciousness of green living and sustainability. But I just really appreciate that you're not going into someone's house and saying, Okay, we need to, like, get rid of everything. Because I would imagine there are some people that do that, right? They just go in. And even if the the piece of furniture or like you said, just doesn't fit the style of the room, it might fit somewhere else in the house. So I just appreciate that you go in, you're like, okay, like, let's audit what you have. And if somebody doesn't fit in this space, it might fit into another space, and then you don't have to spend more money.
Hannah Oravec 20:28
Exactly. And I think the other thing, too, is, with interior design, I'm not a trendy designer, by any means. I, you know, I think it's fun, of course, to you know, see, oh, what's quote, unquote, in style and things like that. And obviously, you know, you want things to look nice for, you know, nowadays, and to be like, more modern, essentially. But I'm not going to go in there and say, Oh, this is the trendy call of the year. So let's get yourself at this color. Let's paint the walls, it's color, the spaces that I design, I really want to be classic and timeless, and evolve with time. So that you're not just sitting there a couple of years from now being like, Oh, well, now we need to replace everything because we're really, you know, over this, this look, I think it's something where it's a curation of different styles and blending them correctly. To make these spaces, not necessarily just be very dated,
Stephanie Moram 21:24
And sometimes can be just as easy as like switching a blanket, like, Okay, maybe not as easy as a blanket, but are just like, Yeah, I'm gonna rug and it just changes the whole look of, of the room.
Hannah Oravec 21:35
Yeah, it's those little things to like, if they do want to add, because a lot of the palettes that I work with are a lot of neutrals. And I think if a client wants to have some color, it's like, okay, you know, maybe we'll do it with the pillows, or some of the smaller textiles or accessories if they do want to switch it out. It's just these little things are not replacing a whole sofa or chair, you know, any of those big items.
Stephanie Moram 21:59
Yeah, because I think people sometimes get overwhelmed like interior design, I'm gonna have to rip out my whole house. But it like I said, it just can be as simple as just like little tweaks to change the feel of the of the home, right? Yep. And it doesn't even have to be, you know, I would imagine you go into some homes, and it's just, oh, we're just working on the kitchen, or we're just working on the living room. Versus like the whole house.
Hannah Oravec 22:23
For the most part I do majority of the home. Oh, yeah, we we've done some single rooms, but not too much recently. It is a majority of the home.
Stephanie Moram 22:36
I just wonder I was just curious, because I was like, Oh, is it just price play a point does, but I guess if somebody's like, I want to change the living room, and then the living room kind of like, goes out to the kitchen. And then the kitchen leads to this, I guess it's like, at one point, you're like, hey, just do it.
Hannah Oravec 22:51
Yeah, that's kind of it. I think a lot of times, yeah, it's like, if one room isn't really great for them, it's very typical, that majority of the house looks like that. And I think also once, because we also have done phasing to with clients where it's like, okay, well, maybe we start in this room, and then we'll move on to this for you do one room, and then they're like, oh, yeah, this makes such a big difference. I think that's when you start to say, Yeah, we really do have to do some of these other spaces, because I think a lot of it is just especially right now is the happiness and kind of like that wellness factor, or just feeling really good in your space.
Stephanie Moram 23:29
Yeah. And I think, you know, we moved probably about a year and a half ago, left our condo and moved to new home. And it makes a difference. Like, you know, our condo was nice, it was pretty, it's two bedrooms just didn't work for people. Now, it just wasn't fitting with our family. But it makes a difference, like we moved and there's bigger windows and everything's a little bit more modern. And there's like a lot of light and like plants galore now, whereas I didn't have plants before. And it just makes a huge difference on your mood and how you feel, you know, so I could just imagine when you go into someone's house, and you really, you know, switch stuff out or move stuff around, or like move a rock here or there and go buy some like, it really does change how you feel like it really does. And I I think people often you know, we'll just keep the house the way it is. Everything's fine, but they're living in a dungeon because it's so dark.
Hannah Oravec 24:21
Yeah. Yeah.
Stephanie Moram 24:23
Daylight paint might help, right.
Hannah Oravec 24:26
Daylight is so important. I think that's something that's really underrated and kind of goes along with that lighting aspect is just having the right daylight in your home can really make a huge difference.
Stephanie Moram 24:37
And when you're designing do you incorporate a lot of plants into people's designs?
Hannah Oravec 24:40
Yeah, I think that's I mean, I, for one, just love plants and even love the look of it. But I think they're just they have so many great benefits for people. So that's definitely something that we add in.
Stephanie Moram 24:51
And it's so funny. It was probably like a week or two ago, my husband was on Facebook doing something and he said, oh my god stuff he's like I just found the perfect thing for you. Second hand plant. It's like, perfect thing. I'm like, What do you mean? He's like, go on Facebook marketplace, and I go on, I'm like, Oh my gosh, everyone's getting rid of their plants, like, holy crap. Well, because there's some people that, you know, regrow their plants if like a leaf fell off, and then they're selling them for like five bucks, or they're legit, you know, selling their plants at a fraction of the price. Now, my husband just like, this is like a goldmine for you second hand plants. He's like, Who would have thought? You know? So it's like, you wouldn't think about it, but it's like, how can you you know, plants can, you know, can be as little as $5. And some of these are hundreds of dollars, right? So I'm just thinking like for design, you could go to Facebook marketplace, and you could probably find a lot of plants.
Hannah Oravec 25:47
Yeah. Plants can be expensive when you're with the decor and just, you know, when you start to get like, you need a couple of big plants. And yeah, they can be a couple of $100 each, and then you need to get planters for them, too. It can definitely add up really quickly.
Stephanie Moram 26:03
Yeah, so that's, that's where I'm hanging out right now for my plants. Marketplace. I'm like always searching, I'm like, ooh, that plant it's not far from my house, I'm gonna go pick that up. And like, even like planters and stuff you can find as well like some nice ones. I think people often forget that. You know, it's not forget, but there's so many sites like Facebook marketplace and other sites that that sell secondhand stuff. And it's just, it's, they're in good condition. There's nothing wrong with it, the person just doesn't want it anymore. You know what I mean? It just doesn't fit. You know, they have too many plants now, you know, are there a plant store in their house? Like they're, they're, they're, they're selling plants out of their house. But that is I just, I just really love that you incorporate all this together, you know, you're like, I'm going to help you redesign your house. And it's going to be pretty, and it's going to be warm, and it's going to be all the things, but we're going to incorporate the sustainability of sustainable products. We're going to incorporate secondhand stuff, maybe some secondhand plants one day. I just I just appreciate it. Because I don't there's not I don't think there's a lot of people out there. Like when I was when we got our home, we had someone come in. And I mean, they weren't interior designer, but I was like, okay, like, I had to tell her what I want. Like, I'm like, I don't want this, this and this. And she didn't this not that she didn't have the answers. But it wasn't her, her specialty that she didn't know where to find stuff. I was like, I want this, this and this, but she didn't know where to find it because she's never done it before. So I think it's going to be coming more and more common that there's going to be, you know, businesses and consultants and interior designers that are really going to focus on sustainability. And I think it's really, really important. Like really,
Hannah Oravec 27:45
Yeah, I think a lot, it's definitely grown over the years, I have a well, AP certification. It's kind of similar to lead. But LEED is how buildings affects the environment, and well is how buildings affect people. And when I got that I got that I think about five years ago now five, maybe six years ago. And it was very, very new. I was like, one of the first like few 100 people to get it. Now there's like 1000s and 1000s of people who have that certification, it's becoming a lot more popular, which is amazing, and really great that the industry is making strides towards that, because that's what we want. You know, we want more people to get into this. We want more companies because I think also, it can be a struggle sometimes. And I think that's why I love shopping vintage a lot because it can be a struggle to find good quality products, sometimes for clients. Because there's some times where clients are very particular about what you want. And you're like, Man, where am I going to find?
Stephanie Moram 28:50
And you know, everything you'd like you said, like a lot of the older furniture, it's better me they used real wood. It's not pressed wood. It's not like, whatever it is that wood is not like great. So sometimes not even real wood, right? It's like the board. Yeah, it's just like, it's weird. Like when we moved into our home, we took some of the furniture just because we didn't have furniture to fill a house. And we're like, okay, we need and my husband knew that we wanted to look at sustainable stuff or or secondhand and sustainable furniture can cost more. So he's like, we're gonna go kind of room by room or what's what's the more most important thing we're going to tackle. So we kept some of the furniture and we kept the dining that like the kitchen table just because but I'm pretty sure it wasn't wood. Like I'm pretty sure like it looked like wood but I don't I mean, there might have been wood in there somewhere. But like it was a man made like some sort of build and I'm so glad that we ended up getting actual wood and steel as our table because it just it's gonna last so much longer. You know.
Hannah Oravec 29:51
Yeah, I mean, that's the big thing about sustainability too, that I think people should think about because I think in this day and age people are very well versed in to Amazon or Wayfarer, and these, you know, the I think it's the equivalent of fast fashion, but like, you know, fast interior design. And I mean, for one, like with lead times right now people are like, I don't want to wait five months for a sofa, I can just pop on to Amazon or Wayfarer and get one in a couple of days. But what they don't realize, I mean, with that kind of quality, you're probably going to be getting a new one in a couple of years again. And so I think that's, you know, probably one of the most important things with sustainability and picking things out is buying things that are good quality that yes, they might be a little bit more of an upfront cost. But if you're not replacing that in a few years, and you're having this for 1020 years, that is going to save you money in the long run.
Stephanie Moram 30:46
Oh, for sure. Like we waited, I don't know how long for our kitchen table. Like, I felt like a year. I don't think it was a year, but it was like, and like,
Hannah Oravec 30:55
Honestly wouldn't surprise me if it was a year at this point.
Stephanie Moram 30:58
No, we waited a really long time, we waited a long time for my daughter's bed. But it was because yeah, we had it, you know, we got it from a company that does mass produce some of their stuff, but their sustainability line, they don't mass produce, so we had to wait for it to actually be constructed. So I think that's a big piece of sustainability is you know, buying stuff that last, so whether it's you know, you talked about fast fashion, you know, buying clothing, that's not going to fall apart after you wash it four times, right, it's buying a vase that you know, maybe not plastic that's going to fall apart, you know, it's buying furniture that is going to last and it's not made from some manmade material, it's made from wood or steel or whatever. And I think people you know, it's fast, fast fashion, fast furniture, like it fast everything. I think people just want stuff fast, because like you said, they're just so used to Amazon, that, Oh, I want it now. And I get it now. Right. And so it's the same thing when it comes to like, the interior design of your home. So I just appreciate, like what you're doing. And it's going to have such a ripple effect, you know, all these homes are, are going to be safer. And they're going to be made with better products, like with better materials, and it's just the ripple effect. And people you know, maybe they're going to change other things in their lives. Right, just from you educating on certain things. So that's really cool. But I do have a question for you like a little bit outside of like, your interior designing. So what do you do in your everyday life? So no, Hannah's like not designing a house today or tomorrow? Like what do you add in your home to be more green? And not necessarily designing but like things that you do? So, you know, reusing cups or you know, reusable bags, just like what is it that you do with your husband? And perhaps your dog? That's sustainable, like outside of the design world?
Hannah Oravec 32:57
Yeah, so right next to me, I have my water bottle, my clean canteen and water bottle that I use every single day. I think a lot of things are kitchen oriented because I love food. But a lot of like beeswax and glass Tupperware reusing jars. I know you're big into reusing glass jars. That's something that we do a lot of, you know, I think those are a lot of, I think it's a lot of like the kitchen aspects that I think is really important. Other things too, is I do love. I love fashion. I don't necessarily love buying a lot of new fashion. I think definitely over the years I've become more minimalist and kind of have more of like the capsule wardrobe. But certain clothing brands I really love and advocate for like Everlean I love I don't know how to pronounce with our friend Suzanne versus on probably pronouncing it wrong. I love those companies. And then I do a lot of vintage shopping to of course with clothing as well.
Stephanie Moram 33:56
And has your husband kind of like because you do part of the business together. Don't you? Like part of art you guys you guys are do a bit of work together when it comes to the design or you're building a cottage.
Hannah Oravec 34:09
I wish we worked either. I don't think he would like that. But we so we just bought cabin in Maine that we're renovating. So that that's kind of like, you know, when you say in our free time, that is our free time right now. So we're going up to Maine every weekend and we're renovating the cabin. And so that's like a huge thing about where I want to use this as you know, a, you know, a showcase for clients like you can, like here's what we can do to your home, you know sustainably and we're completely renovating all of it. So just making sure that we're staining off the worst sanding and staining of the walls currently so the stain that we went with has no VOCs in it. You know I think that's something that is really important to be mindful of especially when we have Kona our dag, you have little kids to be mindful of just the materials that are going into it and the products that you're using.
Stephanie Moram 35:08
And so my question was going to be like, Is your husband on board with a lot of the sustainability things you do? You know, the reusing, you know, the thrifting, the repurposing and stuff like that?
Hannah Oravec 35:18
Yeah, he's really, really knowledgeable. And I think what he brings to the table is a lot of the technology, things that I don't know about, or a lot of the home, like, some of like the home aspects of like, the HVAC or electrical, like, those are things that he knows very well, because he's an engineer. So it's really nice that we can kind of fuse and blend our knowledge together.
Stephanie Moram 35:44
That's great. My husband's an engineer as well.
Hannah Oravec 35:47
Cool.
Stephanie Moram 35:48
Yeah. You know, like, engineer, I'm like, Yeah, my husband's an engineer, too. And like, for your everyday life, like he, he he's on board with like, you're like, Okay, we can't forget a reasonable month today. We can't forget this. Or we got to bring a bag, like he's on board with, like those different changes.
Hannah Oravec 36:05
Oh, totally. Yeah, he's, he's probably the one that's like, hey, like, we need the reusable bags. What are your grocery store? You know, he's very, very good about that. And also, I think, just like, mindful about the companies that we purchase from, you know, he's definitely like, we're very important with each other.
Stephanie Moram 36:24
That's great. And I think some I just often wonder if couples struggle with that, you know, if you know, one of the partners or like the wife, husband, or wife and wife or husband, husband, whatever, like, whatever your partnership is, if you know, one is more into the sustainability world, and the other person is like, Yeah, I'm not really into it. And I often wonder if it's a struggle, my husband and I, he, he's on board with everything, like for the most part, I mean, he's not as dark green as he's always like, you're like, almost black, you're so dark green. But it's just, it's nice when your partner is, like, interested in those things, and does want to make changes as well. You know, like, my husband will say, like, Oh, I was getting a new shirt, and I got it. He had to buy boxers, or I don't remember what it was, and like, Oh, what did you buy? And he's like, look, what I found. They're made of XYZ. And they're, like, sustainable. And I checked out the company and all these kinds of things. And, you know, maybe 10 years ago, I would have been more helping him find those things, or encouraging him, and now he's doing it himself. So it's really great when your partner can be on board and you kind of like, do these things together. So
Hannah Oravec 37:27
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Stephanie Moram 37:30
So how can listeners find you your website, your social media, and you he's going to talk about Instagram, you gotta check out her Instagram. Her pictures are gorgeous, by the way.
Hannah Oravec 37:39
Thank you. So my Instagram is @lawless_design. My website is lawless-design. I did buy the domain for lawless design. Finally, I got that domain a few weeks ago, I'm so happy. I need to add that to my website and get that running.
Stephanie Moram 38:00
And so I just want to thank you for being here. It's been a great conversation. I like having unique conversations with people. So this has been super, super great. So thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to sit and chat with me for like 30 minutes.
Hannah Oravec 38:14
Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, I love talking about this. This was fun.
Stephanie Moram 38:18
Thank you. So for more green living inspiration, you can listen to other episodes, Episode 27 eco guilt, just drop it. Episode 26 ways to detox your home. Or you can listen to Episode 9 or all three of them. How to reuse what you already have to stay connect with me on Instagram. You can find me at Green Junkie Podcast and don't forget to subscribe to the green junkie podcast on the platform you're listening on. If you're curious about zero waste, living sustainable fashion, or wondering how to read food cleaning and product labels, I've got you covered. For direct access to me your green living expert, click the link in the show notes where you can ask me questions and get a customized plan on how you can live a greener life or hop on a one on one call with me on Zoom. Or Zoom is not your thing. You can ask me your questions via email. I will be your hashtag personal greeb Google and you can pick my brain. Thank you for listening, and I'll see you next Tuesday Green Junkie.
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