When building or renovating their home, many people focus on getting the project finished or making it aesthetically pleasing. However, few take into consideration the health of their home. In this blog, Killarney Metals partnered with Christine Cimabue (@holistichomes.bychristine) to discuss the importance of creating a healthy and holistic home for you and your loved ones. Read on to find out how you can apply these principles to your home and get to an exclusive Q&A with Christine.
Living in a cluttered, messy space can put your body in a state of stress. With all the goings-on of our daily lives, there is no place for it in your home. Having a home that is organized and decluttered creates a stress-free zone, which in turn allows you to free up those much-needed mental resources. Not having to worry about your space allows you to focus on the things that are most important to you.
As you are getting started, take a quick moment to discern your personal reason for organizing your space. Maybe you would like to find your keys more easily or come home to a tidy environment after a long day. Whatever the reason, keep it in mind throughout the process to maintain your motivation when the organization process gets overwhelming. Break each task into subtasks. For example, you can start by straightening your junk drawer or categorizing your linens. Throw away or donate any items you no longer need to make room for the things that bring you joy. After overcoming your first hurdle, the next job will seem more manageable.
Set distinct intentions for each room in your home. If you want your bedroom to prioritize sleep and relaxation, ensure that the room is a serene place that uses subtle lighting and minimalistic decor. If you have a separate room where your kids play, be sure to decorate it in a way that encourages creativity and fun with colors and patterns. If you want your living room to be a place of comfort and bonding, create a space that you feel cozy in and has a layout that encourages conversations and face-to-face interactions.
All of this can be done through thoughtful and intentional decoration that expresses your goals and desires for your space. Studies show that blue, green, and white promote sleep and a sense of calm, while orange and yellow inspire creativity. For comfort and peace, consider green, blue, purple, and white. Another contributing factor to the feel of your space is your choice of lighting. Does the goal you set for the space lend itself toward dim lighting for relaxing or bright lights for reading, as an example?
Feeling secure and safe in your home is vital to having a healthy home. Again, let us minimize stress in our home at all times. Having a security system gives you peace of mind that your family will be protected in an emergency. Getting to know your neighbors can also be beneficial. In case of a crisis, it is important to know that your neighbors are there for support. Consider making an exit strategy in the event of a fire or flood. You can never be overly prepared in an emergency.
Perform regular maintenance on home appliances so that they can be relied on for years to come. However, consider safeguarding your home from unforeseeable emergencies. You can protect your home with a leak pan for your washing machine, dishwasher, and anything else that can spring a leak. Water damage can lead to mold, costly repairs, health issues, and more. By simply having a pan to catch and stop leaks before damage occurs, these issues can be mostly avoided.
Q: Start with your background and why you got into the field you are in.
A: I bought a home in 2011 that had a home inspection and I was informed there was a small sign of mold under the kitchen sink that was going to be repaired during escrow. I closed on the home and the plan had always been for us to remodel the kitchen, well…I got a call from our demo crew that work had to stop because the entire kitchen was covered in visible mold.
I was devastated to then find that this small portion of mold under the kitchen sink was in fact a much larger issue, it was the experience that changed the way I viewed home construction. Having already been in the construction industry a few years, this was the moment when I began to question just how healthy our homes are? How healthy are the new homes being built? And knew there were likely others who were being affected by water damage issues.
I have since been dedicated to learning, educating and advocating for healthier home building practices for my clients.
Q: What are some of the major things you see in homes that contribute to health issues?
A: health issues within a home start to become apparent often when the homeowner starts to have symptoms and suspect something might be off within their home. Indoor air quality plays a huge role in the health of our homes and it's a misconception that for mold to be present it must be visible. Just like in the case of the home I purchased over a decade ago.
Mold can cause massive amounts of damage not only to your health but can be a huge financial burden on your home. Some studies estimate nearly 70% of homes have some level of water damage, with many of those going undetected.
Q: A lot of readers are now asking themselves… “aren't there standards for building and remodeling? Aren't contractors supposed to be responsible for making sure everything is done correctly?”
A: That’s right, most homeowners assume that the city or county inspector is looking for any red flags that could lead to water intrusion, although their job is to first ensure the work completed meets building code requirements. These code requirements are the minimum standards, and it will be up to the contractor to go above and beyond these standards to have a leak management protocol to safeguard your home against catastrophic leaks.
Unfortunately, the evidence shows that's not always the case as it’s estimated 70% of contractor litigation is related to water intrusion or leak issues.
Q: What are some non-mold things to consider?
A: To keep our home healthy it goes beyond just mold avoidance, we also want to be aware of our overall environment. Afterall mold is focusing on our indoor air quality, but there are so many other layers. When it comes to lighting we can ask ourselves, how is the lighting making us feel? Are we getting headaches, feeling overstimulated or distracted? The rapid flicker of traditional LED lighting can cause numerous symptoms. We should also be cognizant about the furniture and finish material we are bringing into our home as these often contain VOC’s, formaldehyde and other toxic compounds that negatively impact our indoor air quality.
Q: It’s great that you share so much behind the scenes and give free advice on your IG! But for those who are thinking about remodeling and building soon, what services do you offer, how can people find you, follow you or even work with you?
A: I’m most active on Instagram and can be found @holistichomes.bychristine for those looking to do a new build or renovation, I do offer group educational classes with ongoing support so we can dive into specific materials and questions about your project. In addition, I do offer 1:1 consulting on a limited basis as well for larger scope projects.
Please sign in first.
Sign in
