When it comes to home design, our choices reflect not only our tastes but also our values, lifestyle, and goals for the future. This philosophy drives Amber Roy of Amber Dawn Interiors to design authentic spaces for her clients, and decorating with an eye toward environmental considerations is a growing part of the conversation.
Amber recently collaborated with Astek Home and Monadnock Paper Mills—both sustainability-minded organizations—to help her client transform a purely functional laundry room into a beautiful space she felt good about. After choosing fresh countertops, tall cabinets, and crown molding to add character to the room, she knew that a unique wallpaper would be the detail that tied the whole project together.
“The spaces we live in are such a big part of our identities, so it’s really important to feel good about your choices,” says Amber. “There are so many ways to insert personality into a room – my favorite way right now is through wallpaper. Between customizable designs and a suite of eco-friendly substrates, wallpaper’s emerging as a versatile storyteller.”
Not Your Grandma’s Wallpaper
Wallpaper technology has advanced significantly in the last few decades, and the gamut of offerings now includes pre-pasted options for DIYers. Vinyl is still popular, but according to Amber, the shift is trending toward mindful material choices and alternative substrates that offer the same vibrant color quality and performance without all the chemicals and messy adhesives.
Amber believes in designing spaces as joyful as they are functional, so it was to her absolute delight that her client chose Astek Home’s Drunk Monkeys pattern for the laundry room. “The design made us both laugh – personality and humor are a big part of my approach,” she says. “Playful patterns like Drunk Monkeys are perfect for smaller spaces, and the texture of it rounds out the story.”
Where Design and Sustainability Connect
The Drunk Monkeys pattern proves that sustainability and beautiful design can coexist harmoniously. “Historically, sustainability hasn’t been a top concern for most clients I work with,” Amber reveals. “However, it’s interesting that most times, even those who might not identify as eco-conscious are drawn to choices that are sustainable, organic, or made in the U.S. These small steps eventually make a big difference in the big picture of sustainability in design.”
The monkeys were printed on Monadnock’s Envi Wallgraphics paper, which is made with 10% post-consumer waste (PCW) fiber, is FSC-certified, and uses 100 percent renewable Green-e certified wind-powered electricity (RECs) under a third-party certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS). Prepasted for easy installation and fully strippable for easy removal, Monadnock papers for wallcovering deliver beautiful photographic reproduction on Latex or UV inkjet printers.
Astek Home adds, “Our printing process is more eco-friendly than most other printing methods. With no harsh solvents and the ability to print exactly what you need, UV digital printing is healthier to work with and incurs less waste.” Astek Home Astek digitally prints many of its patterns on PVC-free materials using VOC-free inks in response to the growing market desire for environmentally kind wallcoverings. Now, customers can satisfy their sustainability preferences with Astek Home’s Paper, Eco Peel and Stick, or any patterns in the Printed Naturals collection. The printing process is also carbon neutral, with emissions offset through Verified Emission Reductions under the GHG Clean Projects Protocol, which harnesses renewable electricity.
Beyond its eco-conscious attributes, digital print design offers many customization options. Astek Home is already known for its extensive library of thoughtfully designed wallpapers that suit any mood and style. Now, customers can collaborate with Astek Home’s in-house design team to personalize any existing pattern, fostering creativity and ownership in the design process.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Sustainable Design
As consumers increasingly incorporate sustainable decor into their homes, Astek Home and Monadnock are well-positioned to meet the trend. “We know that consumers are conscious of sustainability and transparency when purchasing,” says Astek Home. “Going forward, wallpaper manufacturers and distributors must be clear about their sustainability efforts, what their wallpapers are made of, and where they come from.”
Collaborating with like-minded partners passionate about high-quality design and environmental stewardship can enhance the overall project experience for interior designers and their clients. “Working with Monadnock and Astek Home has been truly inspiring,” Amber says. “Our shared love for quality design and a respect for nature helped elevate this project. Plus, connecting with a local neighbor like Monadnock offered the personalized touch that’s so important in my business.”
The collaboration between Amber Dawn Interiors, Astek Home, and Monadnock Paper Mills reminds us that sustainability doesn’t have to come at the expense of creativity or quality. Instead, it can enhance the design process, leading to spaces as thoughtful and environmentally respectful as they are beautiful.
