REBECCA L. RHOADES
Interior designers of today are redefining what it means to live wonderfully and properly. Instead of sticking to the current trends, they are creating spaces that both benefit the health and comfort of those who live there as well as reducing their negative effects on the environment. Interior designers do more than just make rooms look great, incorporating eco-friendly materials and removing unwanted waste. They also choose healthier, low-emission finishes and reducing a home’s carbon footprint.
In this article, we honor three of Arizona’s most accomplished designers who are purpose-driven. They will show you how to transform your home into a space that is both functional, aesthetically pleasing, and has a positive impact on both you and the outside world, whether you’re redesigning a single room, building new, or just curious about green living.
A Joyful, Healthy Home
For more than 20 years, Tanya Shively has been at the forefront of efficient design in Arizona. In fact, her name appears on lists of the best, not just in the state but throughout the nation, if you Google” green internal designers.”
Shively, the owner of Scottsdale-based Sesshu Design Associates, thinks that style and luxury design should also be environmentally conscious. She has just gone beyond just being environmentally conscious to creating spaces that enhance the lives of the homeowners.
We have a” Well Designed” philosophy that emphasizes wellness, well-being, eco-conscious choices, and luxury living, she says. Being eco-conscious is also a significant component of what we do. We’re constantly searching for non-toxic materials, including clean, recycled, sustainable woods, natural fibers, and other such things. However, we’re even looking into ways that these products and materials can improve your overall well-being.
Employing biophilic principles into Shively’s designs is a key component of her approach. The integration of organic materials and elements into built environments, which combines architecture and the outdoor world, is known as biophilic design.
” Biophilic design simply means taking inspiration from nature,” Shively asserts. Often that means making use of natural light and views of the inside, creating architecture that encourages air movement, or using patterns and textures that are healthy or recreate nature. Biophilic design can be very complex or it can be merely attractive.
She continues,” It really does affect your mental and psychological well-being.” That interaction with nature can improve sleep, boost productivity, lessen stress, and improve your focus.
Shively’s designs have received several awards for their innovative design style, and their work has been recognized all over the country. In Green Living’s annual Best of Arizona awards in 2022, she was awarded the title of Best Sustainable Designer, an honor she repeated in 2023.
Best 3 House Building Strategies by Tanya Shively
1. Use natural fibers:” Avoid man-made materials, mainly petroleum-based nylons and polyesters, when purchasing textiles, such as sheets, carpets, upholstery, or draperies. Look for cotton, linen, wool, silk, or both.
2. Bring nature indoors:” Use things that remind you of their true origins, whether it’s a live-edge wood table that gives you a hint of the tree from which it came or a natural stone wall.”
3. Maximize the use of organic light:” Healthy daylight affects our body’s circadian rhythm, letting us know when to be active and when to slow down. Your home and the outdoors are connected by large windows and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors.
Full Person Design
There are many different ways to look at a space when it comes to interior design. These ideas not only enhance aesthetics but also infuse healing energy into a home, from Wabi-Sabi, which celebrates healthy flaws, to Feng Shui, which promotes energy flow.
Neurodesign, which combines neuroscience, psychology, and internal design, is one of the fastest-growing fields. And it forms the foundation of Shannon Harris ‘ design philosophy.
The founder of HomeSelf ( previously known as Fuse Living ), Phoenix-based Harris, says,” Neurodesign is a topic that I’m very passionate about.” Every aspect of our experience of the world and the environment is done through our senses. So the neuroscience of who we are and how we act is directly related to the types of environments we are in.
She continues,” When it comes to designing spaces and homes, it’s really about what kind of visual experience are we providing, and how we can design it to support us in our normal functions, our present phase of life, and our mental load.”
To some people, in Harris ‘ opinion, build their homes based on what other people like or what they believe they should do in accordance with current trends. They don’t really care because they don’t want other people to accept what they think is very different or it won’t be accepted. I try to break that barrier by using scientifically proven information,” she says.
Harris conducts a home analysis for each client that considers everything from temperature, normal lighting, and noise control to colors, patterns, and even geographical flow. You learn to read domestic cues like,” I always thought I would love this color, but I feel really uncomfortable in this room,” she says.
She claims that “home design is very subtle.” You can start looking for ways to make your home feel better once you understand how those cues are truly affecting you.
The Top 3 Tips for Creating a Sustainable Home by Shannon Harris
1. Start with the bedding:” A second of our time is spent in bed, but our sheets and mattresses are very important to what chemicals we breathe in.” Use organic linens that are made without harsh colors or softeners.
2. Pay attention to lighting because, according to Wikipedia, “lighting connects the dots in many ways. It includes topics such as mood improvement, people biology, and home biology. Pay attention to healthy lighting patterns that depict daily rhythms.
3. Develop a sense of permanence:” There is something to be said about the psychology of permanence. You’re going to feel more grounded and lean into your space if it feels like it’s it rather than looking or feeling temporary.
Function over form
When Stephanie Ebner second tours a client’s home, she searches for ways to use and repurpose what is already there.
She says,” I try not to say, Well, we’ve got to take everything out and start fresh.” I truly make an effort to meet people where they are and see what I can keep that they currently have.
In fact, one of the biggest problems that Ebner sees with homes is that we all have very little stuff. We purchase things because we like the way they look, but again we return, we realize they don’t fit in our home or don’t fit our needs or lifestyle.
She claims that the piece we loved so much finally doesn’t work in our home. So I like to start with,” How does space work for you?” I want to make sure that the things I’m suggesting and picking are going to make sense of what you require.
Ebner, a relative newcomer to Arizona, moved around from Philadelphia in 2023 to expand Down2Earth Interior Design to the West, and she brought with her the firm’s solid commitment to sustainability, which includes utilizing client assets and reducing unnecessary landfill waste. She emphasizes longevity when innovative products are required or desired. She states,” I don’t want you to have to replace things constantly because they don’t hold up over time.” Any home improvement investment should last a very long time.
In 2025, Ebner was named Green Living’s Best Green Interior Home Designer for this strategy.
Best 3 House Building Advice from Stephanie Ebner
1. Have a plan:” Having a plan is one of the most financially viable things you can do because it prevents you from purchasing things that you don’t love or don’t need.” Finding pieces that work with your space is ascertained by creating mood boards, getting the right measurements, and knowing your storage needs.
2. Look at what you previously have:” You can just repurpose or give what you currently have new life.” Move a piece of furniture to a different room, change the frame on a piece of art, paint your cabinetry as opposed to replacing it, or switch out the hardware for a new look.
3. Recognize greenwashing:” A company that talks about sustainability and being eco-friendly but doesn’t give specifics is definitely not that green. Look at how vendors produce their goods, what their procedures are, and what kinds of materials are being used. The more specific, the more likely they are to be really green.
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