Talking with Cheryl Terrace of Vital Design

We had a chance to bring Cheryl Terrace of Vital Design on to The Lazy Environmentalist earlier this afternoon. Here's much of the interview we did with her. You'll find she's a pretty extraordinary green interior designer.

1) Give us some easy tips that we can all use to create a healthier, more eco-friendly home environment.

The first thing that we need to understand is that HOME is an extension of self. Everything starts with awareness. If we truly start loving ourselves-loving our homes becomes an extension of that energy. It’s applying the principals of yoga for the home. OK, some tips:

How about something simple like BREATHING?
Deeply… HOW does your home smell?
We have a deeply emotional connection to scent. Think of some wonderful childhood smells. For me -I smell fresh mown grass, or chocolate chip cookies and I go back to being 12! Smell is often a sense that gets over looked in the home- but is VITAL to our sense of well-being.

-Open the windows for fresh air.
-Burn beeswax (which cleanses the air) or soy candles- they come in many delicious scents.
-I burn incense (nag champa- not sweet)
-Have plants! Ivy, prayer plants, spider plants are wonderful air purifiers.
-Flowers- I have stargazer lilies in my bedroom and even walking past that room I smell them- it is intoxicating.
-Use essential oils instead of perfumes.
-Switch to non-toxic cleaning products- who wants to smell a bleach blast? Method makes grapefruit mandarin bathroom cleaner that smells so fresh and clean.
We can do this awareness exercise with all of our senses- sight, sound, touch. But we don’t have enough time!

2) Tell us about some of your projects. What's your interior design philosophy? What have you done for your clients? What's the process like?
What's been the impact on their lives and the way they live?

My clients and projects vary from city spaces to country homes however all of my clients are fantastic! They understand the importance of creating a healthy home- for the body mind and soul. By VITALIZING THEIR HOMES THEY ARE VITALIZING THEIR LIVES. We all know when we are at our best full of energy and happy. We all also know when we are tired, lack luster and feel beaten up. VITAL DESIGN creates a home that serves you. Let your home be a sacred place that recharges you. So that you can be your absolute best every day. VITAL DESIGN LTD TRANSFORMS ORDINARY LIVING SPACE INTO EXTRAORDINARY LOVING SPACE.

The Process? Josh, when people work with me and engage VITAL DESIGN they embark on a fun, creative journey of transformation. I get their creative juices flowing- after all, it is THEIR space, not mine. I make it exciting and am with them every step of the way. I get testimonials all the time about how much their lives have improved and how much happier they are once they were VITALIZED.

3) You market yourself as the Green Goddess. You've been living and promoting these ideas for a long time. What do you see as your roll given
the increasing interest in all things green?

I definitely ‘walk the walk’. I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years and do yoga almost every day. I’ve been called a crunchy granola hippy chick years ago so ECO CHIC GREEN GODDESS is perhaps a more mature version. GODDESS ENERGY IS ABOUT NURTURING ENERGY AND I AM VERY NURTURING. I have been in the design business for over 15 years so I have the experience and knowledge that comes with this multi-dimensional industry. I know all of the sources- some secret design sources-along with the right people to make each space unique and beautiful…and do it a holistic way.

4) You've pulled together what you refer to as The Dream Team when it comes to implementing green interior and development solutions. Who’s on your team? How did you go about assembling the team? What's the value for the client? Do you see the team expanding and does this relate to your future plans?

THE GREEN DREAM TEAM! VITAL DESIGN LTD is dedicated to health, both for the client and for the planet. With this in mind I’ve assembled the leading experts in various disciplines so that VITAL DESIGN can fully manage all aspects of the design process- end to end- with the highest standards.

Robert Politzer is my contractor. He is LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and this week he’s getting The HEALTHY HOME certificate from the American Lung Association. He will be the only contractor in New York City with these credentials.

Wayne Tusa is the founder of Environmental Risk and loss Control. He has over 30 years of environmental experience and provides testing for various toxins in the home such as mold, asbestos, lead paint. He also does complete air and water assessments. He then provides remedial solutions.

Paul Novack owns Environmental Construction Outfitters the Green Home Depot! He has a store here in New York and has recently opened one in Austin Texas. He offers state of the art building products, services and technologies.

VITAL DESIGN LTD has the unique ability to bring together these INTEGRITY focused professionals and provide the very best principals in healthy design- from concept to completion.

I also work with a variety of craftspeople such as Amish cabinet-makers and individual artisans who are dedicated to their craft. This makes the house more than healthy- it sings! How’s health mixed with beauty for Value?

5) Clearly listeners interested in greening their interiors would be wise to contact you. What other resources are available for people in this area? Are there solutions to fit every budget?

There is a wealth of resources out there. Healthy design publications, web resources and books. Or just contact me at www.vitaldesignltd.com to start the VITALIZATION PROCESS!

-- Josh