The Air Inside: Creating a Healthier Home Environment

James Nestor, author of Breath, also challenged us to think more carefully about the environments in which we breathe. He highlighted indoor pollution as part of what he called a “perfect storm” for respiratory health, pointing to the effects that poor indoor air and elevated CO2 levels can have on how we feel and function.

It raises a question worth considering: if our homes are where we spend so much of our time, what are we actually breathing in there?

We spoke to Edward Bulmer of Edward Bulmer Natural Paint and Charlotte Figg of Purdy & Figg about the less visible factors that can shape our indoor environment, from the materials we decorate with to the products we use to clean our homes.

What are we breathing at home?

“Food and shelter are fundamental to our survival,” says Edward Bulmer. “Today we don’t really question their availability, but nor do we question their suitability.”

For Edward, that question of suitability is particularly important when it comes to the home. He believes a house should do more than simply provide shelter. “It needs to provide an interior that promotes good health.”

Indoor air quality is influenced both by how we live and by the furnishings and finishes we introduce when decorating. Edward points out that many traditional building materials were designed to interact with their environment, exchanging moisture vapour with the air rather than trapping it.

“Like the air we breathe outside, particularly in towns, the air that we breathe in our own homes can be just as detrimental,” he says.

The hidden chemistry of the home

Paint is one of the most widely used products in our homes, yet its potential impact on indoor air quality is rarely part of the decorating conversation.

Edward argues that since the “petrol age”, many natural materials have been replaced by petrochemical alternatives. While this has brought greater colour choice and usability, he believes it has also introduced a more complex mix of chemicals into the indoor environment.

“Upholstery materials are drenched in strong chemicals to make them ‘fireproof’, adhesives employ synthetic siccatives to dry quickly, all sorts of things that are ‘washable’ coatings rely on PFAs and microbeads,” he says. “Effectively when we live indoors we breathe ‘poly-air’ now.”

Paint can form part of that cocktail. Edward points to the volatile chemicals used in some formulations, which can be released through a process known as off-gassing. “Many paints are now known to ‘off-gas’ releasing the more volatile chemicals used in their formulations,” he says, noting that this can continue beyond the short drying period we allow before moving into a newly decorated room.

His argument is that paint should not simply cover and colour a surface. It should work with the building itself, allowing moisture to move through materials rather than becoming trapped.

It's not just what we breathe, but what we live with

Cleaning products are another everyday consideration.

“Everyday household environments influence our health primarily through airborne particles which we inhale,” says Charlotte Figg. She is particularly concerned about exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in some cleaning products, as well as the harsh chemicals found in products such as toilet and oven cleaners, which can irritate the airways and impact lung function, particularly with frequent exposure.

This is also where the conversation starts to connect back to one of the central themes of the Health Summit: the systems within our bodies are not operating independently.

Charlotte highlights emerging interest in the relationship between endocrine disrupting chemicals and the gut microbiome, describing the relationship as bidirectional. The chemicals can reshape the gut microbiome, while the microbiome can in turn influence how those chemicals behave in the body.

At the Summit, Stephanie Moore, Goodwood's Clinical Gut Health Lead, expressed the broader principle simply: “Nothing in the body works in isolation. This is all interlinked.”

It is a useful way to think about our homes too. The air we breathe, the materials that surround us and the substances we use every day are all part of the environment our bodies interact with.

The role of moisture and mould

Indoor air quality isn't only about chemicals.

For Edward, the way a building manages moisture is equally important. Traditional materials were rarely completely inert. They exchanged moisture vapour with the air, while traditional coatings such as renders, plasters, paints and oils were designed to allow that movement to continue.

When moisture becomes trapped, however, the consequences can extend beyond damage to the building.

“If a paint is not sufficiently microporous it can form a dew point,” Edward explains. When water vapour cannot migrate through a surface, it can contribute to damp and create conditions that encourage mould growth.

For those choosing materials for their home, Edward recommends considering breathability alongside appearance. “A lime plaster with a breathable paint is far less likely to encourage mould growth,” he says, and suggests asking manufacturers for information about the breathability of their products.

So what can we change?

The conversation isn't about creating a perfectly controlled home or becoming anxious about every product we use. Instead, the message is one of awareness and small, considered changes.

Edward's advice is straightforward: “Try to find out what is being used by workmen in your home and be mindful about what you introduce.” He also recommends looking for greater transparency from manufacturers, particularly when choosing paints.

Charlotte suggests starting with some of the products we use most frequently.

“We think a practical place to start is to substitute any harsh, poor quality cleaning products either with a good quality eco-version or even to make them yourself, if you have time.”

She recommends paying particular attention to products that are sprayed into the air or come into direct contact with bare skin, including surface sprays, washing-up liquid and floor cleaner. She also suggests using an eco-friendly toilet cleaner and tackling limescale with citric acid rather than bleach.

For Purdy & Figg, this thinking is reflected in its own formulations, which contain no PFAS or phthalates and instead use plant-based surfactants and fragrances derived from renewable starting materials.

Edward's advice is similarly rooted in making considered choices where we have the agency to do so. “Above all, consider value before cost and ask whether there is anything that has greater value than your well-being.”

A healthier home starts with awareness.

Our homes are where we rest, recover, eat, sleep and breathe. Perhaps it is time to give the environment inside them the same consideration we increasingly give to the environment outside.

Continue the conversation

The Goodwood Health Summit is part of our wider commitment to exploring the science of natural health, here at Goodwood, bringing together leading experts to explore the connections between our bodies, our environments and the choices we make every day.

Take the conversation further at one of our upcoming wellness retreats at Goodwood, where expert guidance, nature, movement and nutrition come together to help you understand your health from the inside out.

Explore our upcoming wellness retreats.