GOCOV~R STORY •

Wilson was reared with household con-taminate concerns after suffering fromasthma and allergies. Allergic to pets, pil-lows, products and even some foods in herformative years, Wilson stressed the signif-icant sensitivity of one who suffers fromallergen vulnerability. "1was the personwho was wheezing and sneezing indoors,and then I'd walk outside and have the

same issues." To accommodate herallergies, her parents made lifestylechanges, including switching toorganic foods and installing hard-wood and tile throughout thehouse. These steps influenced herawareness and desire to work witheco-friendly materials.

Wilson later would watch hergrandparents manage homes cre-ated for workers in the oil fields ofTexas. "The quality of the houseswas typical of simple constructionwith little insulation and ill-fittingwindows." After working with theLower Colorado River Authoritywhile pursuing her undergraduatedegree, she became interested inenvironmental issues as her knowl-edge of energy, water and powerconservation grew. After leavingcorporate jobs, she obtained hermaster's degree in Real EstateFinance at New York University. It

was then that she realized the tie of indoorair quality to asthma and allergens and theneed to fulfillher legacy.

Wilson examined the hierarchy ofbuying green products and noticed buy-ers tend to focus on their personal eco-sys-tem before thinking about the global eco-

Continued on page 16

Synonymous with sustainable designBY M~LlSSA MCGUIR~

She was once featured in the NewYork Post's annual list of the "50Most Powerful Women in New

York." She has worked on renovation proj-ects in the Harlem office of formerPresident Bill Clinton. She was part of a'green dream team" that worked on 'theprivate residence of Robert F.Kennedy Jr.She is the first woman to license her nameto eco-friendly kitchen cabinetry,which is sold at 500 HolidayKitchen dealers nationwide.

Meet Robin Wilson, a national-ly recognized award-winning, 8CO-

friendly and healthy space interiordesigner. With a focus on design-ing everything from the "founda-tion to the furniture" for residentialand commercial clients, Wilsonbecame an early advocate forclean construction and, thus, a pio-neer of sustainable design.

Wilson launched her firm,Robin Wilson Home, in 2000 witha focus on interior design, residen-tial renovations and project man-agement. Over the years, the com-pany has built a strong reputationin the renovation and design busi-ness in a style that can best bedesc~ibed as characteristicallyclassic with a modern 'touch. Herpassion for indigenous cultures isfound in her use of ceo-decor; which inte-grates textured patterns, natural stoneand organic fibers. But today, it is RobinWilson's mission to combine her passionfor design with healthy living.

Wilson insists that an eco-friendlyhome is all about our overall health in ourhomes. Her firm lives by four principles:

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re-usable, sustainable, non-toxic and recy-clable. As an example, she often specifiesbamboo flooring for homes from eitherDragonfly or Mohawk. "Mohawk strandwoven bamboo flooring is made with100% of the bamboo stalk, creating noenvironmental waste as a byproduct, andutilizes environmentally friendly adhe-sives:' she said. "And with Dragonfly, the

Robin Wi SOlI .combine,her passionfor desig~~~~<~~~==~~~with healt,hyliving.

products have a UV coating that protectsagainst yellowing and another coatingthat is low VOG It also uses a lock andclick system, which alleviates the need forformaldehyde glue, which can ruin theenvironmental story in one shot."

The idea of healthy living stems fromher childhood. Hailing from Austin, Texas,

SUMM~R 2011 I GO I 15

• GOCOV~R STORY

Continued from page 15system. 'Tm finding people initially careabout aesthetics;' she said. "Then they'reconcerned about prioe. Then it's their fam-ily's health and the environment."

Before Wilson can suggest specificproducts, she needs to have an under-standing of the space and how it's pur-posed. "The first thing I ask a client is howshe wants to use the space. AJ:e there chil-dren? Will it be heavily trafficked or is itdecorative? The next thing to know is theuse of the space. For instance, will an eventhave women with heels? And third iswhether the home is owned or rented."

. After determining the client's wantsand needs, she begins focusing on prod-ucts. "I always ask myself if a product isrenewable or sustainable. I want to knowif it can be refinished or if it's off-gassing."

Wilson also researches attributes likeadhesives and sealants. She looks to see ifthe product is a resin, wax or containslead. "Kids lick walls and pets lick floors. Iwant to know if you could inadvertentlybring toxins into your body. And what ifthere is a major catastrophic event suchas a flood? Will the surface be durable?"

TI-l~ !=LOORING STORY

When it comes to flooring, Wilson hasworked closely with Mohawk Industriesand its family of brands because it pro-vides the solutions she seeks. "I loveMohawk," she said. "Karastan, Dal-Tile andthe engineered hardwoods are myfavorite." She recognizes Karastan for notusing vinyl backing and implementingeco-friendly, natural materials. "In addi-tion to their vast sustainability, the prod-ucts are aesthetically pleasing and can becustom made. For instance, a rug can beturned into a carpet or vice versa.Customizing is very important today."

Much of Wilson's success is attributedto the fact she understands sustainabledesign and beautiful design are not mutu-ally exclusive, according to Jenny Cross,global sustainability director, Mohawk."She takes care to understand the needsof her clients and to present them with themost sustainable options available to meetthose needs. She has brought awarenessto eco-design and the beauty of the spacesshe has created speaks for itself."

As a designer, Wilson also pays closeattention to what manufacturers are doing

Robin Wilson has suggestions for improvingthe health of a home. They include:1.Paint with no-VOC paint. If the paint of a home is toxic, that is what

everyone is breathing in.

2. Get an eco-friendly mattress. Most mattresses are manufactured withchemicals that include flame retardants, petroleum-based foams, plastics,vinyls, fungicides and pesticides.

3. Purchase a dual-flush toilet. Save water and money.

4. Switch from carcinogenic cabinets to healthy ones. by Holiday Kitchensare made with low to no-VOC paint and make a lasting impression withoutleaving a negative impact on the home. Many cabinets out there are gluedtogether with formaldehyde-based adhesives, which are carcinogenic.

5. Opt for recycled countertops. is a durable surface made of 100%recycled glass in a cement matrix. Each slab is VOC-free, made inthe USA and holds Cradle to Cradle Gold Certification.

6. Outfit your home with furniture that is good for you and our earth.Environment Furniture and Mitchell Gold uses sustainably harvested woodand opt for environmentally sound manufacturing practices.

16 I GO I SUtv1tv1~R 2011

in-house. "Icare how the product is manu-factured and if it is sustainable." She notesthe importance of having manufacturersrelay their green message to the end user. '1love a manufacturer that can make it easyfor me or a consumer to find accurate infor-mation to form an opinion." As an example,she cited Dal-Tile,which now has an eco-friendly station in its showrooms thatallows people to make a decision based onfactors other than prioe alone. "It'sgreat foreveryone. Plus, they have a huge inventoryof ceramic tiles to ensure they have limitedshipments overseas."

In addition to Mohawk, Wilson has alsoinstalled Carlisle wide plank hardwoodnoting the company's 100%Post ConsumerAntique Reclaimed certification from theForest Stewardship Council.

'We also highly recommend carpettiles," she said. "It's a great idea for anyone,especially people with children. Ifthere is aspill such as a soda, all you have to do isreplace one tile." Wilson has worked onnumerous projects with InterfaceFLOR,often cited as one of the leading sustainablemanufacturers. '1 like its rubber backing asopposed to a vinyl backing. Plus, you caneasily install it yourself."

ROBIN WILSON I-lOJv1~Today, Wilson's eponymous design firm,Robin Wilson Home, focuses on consulta-tion with developers, new & retrofitdesign/construction, showhouses, health-care facilities, office spaces and residen-tial clients. For the past two years, thecompany has moved toward licensingwith major brands to build eco-friendly

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design awareness. As mentioned earlier,her RWHkitchen line is sold at more than500 retail stores. By spring 2012, her retailcollection will launch horne textiles, pil-lows and a bath line.

In addition, she created The Nest Store,

For Robert F. Kennedy's living room, inlayedpatterns of contrasting dark and light woodswere relcaimed from old barns in tvlaryland.

a web platform to introduce the consumermarketplace to eco-friendly and eco-healthy products on her website, thenest-store.com. "Many artisans do not have themarketing budget, so The Nest Store hasprovided a medium for them to have theirproducts featured to a wide range of buy-ers," Wilson said. "It is exciting to reviewproducts to determine if they meet oureco-friendly criteria, and then we love tosee consumer response. We work hard toidentify unique products that are beautifuland eco-friendly in a variety of materials,including bamboo, concrete, metal, soy,

GO.

organic cotton, microcotton and mangowood, and others."

Wilson is also providing informationon the site, targeting specific audiencesthat benefit from her sustainable expertise."Somany families are affected by the envi-ronment. I want to target those who reallyneed help - mommies to be, cancer sur-vivors who need a pristine environment,and the physically challenged community,espeically soldiers."

She believes there is a strong need foreco-friendly information and exposure tothose who are health conscious but lackawareness about products. "Healthy prod-ucts can be affordable as well as aestheti-cally pleasing."

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Interface STROL[

For details, go towww.interjacestroll.com

Visit

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