| Over the past 30 years we've made changes to our | | | | oversized furniture in slipcovers. A Contemporary |
| homes that have made them more comfortable, but | | | | decor has clean, sharp lines, metallic surfaces and a |
| also have increased our exposure to indoor allergens | | | | minimalist setting, but can be made warm through |
| such as dust, mold, fungi and insects. Also, people in | | | | color choices. |
| industrialized nations spend more than 90 percent of | | | | The first step in all three styles is to remove any |
| our time indoors. The good news is that creating a | | | | wall-to-wall or fitted carpeting. Replace this with |
| hypoallergenic home doesn't mean sacrificing either | | | | attractive flooring in any style appropriate to your |
| comfort or style in its decor. | | | | theme and use area rugs give rooms a focal point. |
| Home construction and decor elements that can | | | | Choose a low-pile version such as an Oriental or |
| contribute to high indoor allergens include such things | | | | D'Abuisson for a Traditional decor; any of dozens of |
| as fitted or wall-to-wall carpets, central heating and | | | | vividly colored, sharply patterned Contemporary rugs |
| insulation. Home features such as central heating and | | | | for a bold decor; or a Transitional rug or even a |
| insulation bring comfort and cut back on energy use. | | | | Flokati (Greek sheepskin) for a Casual decor. In |
| However, these factors also help maintain warm | | | | addition, runners and smaller area rugs are important |
| temperatures and high humidity and reduce air | | | | accents for these decors, especially when they're |
| ventilation, all of which contribute to the growth of | | | | made to be moved and easily cleaned. |
| dust mites, cockroaches and mold. In addition many | | | | This ease of cleanliness also is a factor for furnishings. |
| families have dogs and cats as pets, and their dander | | | | For a hypoallergenic home, choose fabrics that have |
| or fur contributes more irritants to the home | | | | little nap to them and can be cleaned easily. Denim, |
| environment. | | | | duck cloth and many synthetic slipcovers today work |
| One way to deal with this issue is to reduce the | | | | nicely. It isn't necessary to sacrifice patterns for |
| relative humidity within a home to below 50 percent | | | | cleanliness, either. Even the floral designs inherent to |
| for at least half the year. This condition will kill dust | | | | Traditional decor will work fine as long as their fabric |
| mites and discourage the growth of mold and | | | | can be easily cleaned. |
| cockroaches. However, this tactic may not be | | | | Next, design the decor in such a way as to eliminate |
| feasible in every home. | | | | "dustcatchers." It's great to have collectibles or |
| Instead, a more complete way to foster a | | | | artwork on display. Just show them in ways that |
| hypoallergenic home is to design a decor that favors | | | | separate them from the room, such as in a china |
| clean, simple lines, uses hypoallergenic fabrics and | | | | closet or curio cabinet in Traditional style, or by |
| reduces or eliminates the kinds of furnishings that | | | | themselves on a wall, as in Contemporary style. |
| pests can burrow into to hibernate against | | | | For bedrooms, especially for children, choose bedding |
| unfavorable conditions. | | | | that has been tested to be "hypoallergenic." Once |
| Fortunately, there are three home decor styles that | | | | again, no product will totally remove allergens, but |
| promote a hypoallergenic home: Traditional, Casual | | | | can reduce them significantly. Wash bedding |
| and Contemporary. A Traditional home is among the | | | | frequently to reduce the likelihood of dust mites. |
| most common, in which furnishings are classic and | | | | These types of decor make it easier for |
| their placement is orderly. A Casual decor gives an | | | | homeowners to reduce allergens in the home. |
| inviting feeling of homey comfort, with soft, | | | | |