The delectable Oliver Heath

After last month’s Top 10 Green Gods article, we received a tip off about the delectable Oliver Heath, eco design expert and star of TV’s Changing Rooms. He really should have made it to the list.

To make it up to him, we have dedicated this whole page to Oliver (like we need an excuse?). Read on for some fabulous tips on buying vintage, creating a low-energy festive ambience and making your man green and gorgeous.

Hello Oliver. What route did you take to become the green god that you are today?

Growing up in Brighton I was a fanatical windsurfer and scuba diver (yes the English Channel was dark, murky and cold – but fascinating!). I was a windsurfing instructor for six years during my university summer holidays which was great fun – being on the beach every day, driving rescue boats and telling people how to read the wind, and waves to get the most from them and survive in them.

This deep love of the sea and nature combined with my training as I studied architecture for six years. So when I was asked to become a designer on BBC Changing Rooms it made sense for me to take my inspiration from nature as I felt that was what most people were missing from their homes.

My love of eco design and its growing culture led me to set up EcoCentric in 2005, an online eco store that specialised in beautifully deigned sustainable products for the home. The experience I had from setting up EcoCentric and running my sustainable design practice led me to write my latest book – Urban Eco Chic which came out in September 08.

What’s the next big thing for interiors and how can we interpret it for a green home?

In my new book I try to make it easy for people to bring stylish sustainable design into their homes. The style is about achieving a balance between the use of three ideas – technology, nature and vintage.

• Technology -to cut resource use and carbon emissions through a rated appliances, and make the most of cutting edge eco materials of which there is an amazing array.
• Nature – allows us to chooses sustainable materials which have a grounding quality to our lives and help us to cut toxins.
• Vintage – allows us to reuse objects that add character and individuality to our homes without the need for new products to be made.

Being eco at home is about all of these things – just putting the recycling out or buying a vintage chair doesn’t let you off the hook! Urban Eco Chic is about good design and how to create beautiful spaces to live in, that will save you money and reduce your homes impact on the environment.

We saw your brilliant ideas for a beautiful eco dining room in your book. Any tips to help us create the perfect green Christmas dining interior this year?

What if everyone turned off their lights for one hour and lit their Christmas meal with natural candles (soy or palm oil candles also don’t produce toxins when burnt) – it would save money across the whole country and create a wonderful atmospheric meals! And…

• Shop at farmers markets and not supermarkets – it will make your Christmas shopping a pleasure and not a chore.
• Wrap presents in recyclable paper (not the shiny stuff) and add a sprig of wild berries or evergreen leaves to decorate them.
• Make your own Christmas wreath – much more satisfying and festive.
• Use low energy fairy lights or even solar powered lights on your Christmas tree.
• I hate traditional Christmas tree decorations. I find them tacky and deeply unappealing! So we collect vintage (60′s and 70′s) diamante jewellery from markets – brooches, chains, watch faces and old chandelier droplets to give our Christmas tree a real sparkle and magic. It’s simple but very sweet.

We are huge fans of vintage at Daisy Green and we’ve noticed that you are as well. What do you think are the key things to look out for on the interiors front for the vintage shopper?

Vintage items take the harder edges off contemporary design. It makes our homes feel as comfortable and warm as a favourite old jumper and also make your home feel less precious.

I love collecting old chairs and think a collection of vintage chairs round an old timber table makes a dining room feel more relaxed and adds character.
Also, look out for certain materials which age well. Wooden tables, leather chairs, crystal glassware and enamel objects all just get better and better.

Another great way of incorporating vintage into your home is to buy or be inspired by designers who are creating amazing products like the patchwork shirt and tie cushions by Barley Massey.

You look like a person who cares for his appearance. Daisy likes that in a man! What’s your morning routine and do you have any suggestions for our men on how to look greenly groomed?

I’m very aware of all the toxins that we’ve allowed into our homes an lives so I try to only use natural products and avoid parabens, aluminium deodorants and weird ‘parfum’ type products! I also try to avoid the horrible inadequacy fuelled by razor companies to get men to buy ever more ridiculous looking products on a yearly basis – I mean how many blades does a man really need?

I’ve got two little girls now (two and two months) – so breakfast is a lovely time for us to sit and have a little calm time together. We’ve really got into making our own cereal from oats, seeds, raisins and honey – making stuff at home, no matter how simple, really does improve a quality of life!

I also like to wear recycled and vintage clothes – so most come from markets or are adjusted by my favourite eco designers – Junky Styling – the coolest of girls and well worth checking out -www.junkystyling.co.uk

We’ve just named our top ten green gods and we were reminded that you most definitely should have been on the list. We agree. Who are your favourite green goddesses?

Dame Anita Roddick was a great inspiration – I remember her first shop in Brighton’s North Laines when I was growing up- it was full of great smells and colours. I was lucky enough to meet her a few years ago – a lovely woman and sadly missed.

What next for Oliver? Will we see you on TV again soon?

I’ve currently got a series on Discovery Real Time called Dream Homes (on Thursdays at 9pm) and I’m working on a second series for them. But ideally I’m hoping to get a series about the best in eco homes, interiors and the exciting growing culture of sustainable design going soon – watch this space!

We have a signed copy of Oliver Heath’s home book to give away to one Daisy Green reader. Click on the link below to enter.

For more about Oliver, go to www.oliverheathdesign.com or visit his store at www.ecocentric.co.uk