HABITUS

Sarah Shaulis

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HEALTH & FITNESS
UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

HABITUS is a wellness-based residential interior design standard that evaluates how homes support human health and quality of life through seven key factors: water, air, sound, illumination, temperature, and urban systems. It provides a framework for creating living environments that are healthier, more sustainable, and deeply connected to human well-being. intrepidinterior.substack.com

JAN 15

You Can Seal the Can. You Can’t Seal the Consequences.

In this episode we unbottle the truth about paint and why what we put on our walls matters more than we usually admit. Paint isn’t just color and finish — it’s one of the largest surfaces in our homes that continues to off-gas chemicals long after it dries, often elevating indoor air pollution well above outdoor levels. We break down the three major certification standards that help us separate meaningful safety from marketing fluff: GREENGUARD Gold, CDPH 01350, and the rigorous ingredient-focused GS-11. Only a small handful of paints actually meet the strict criteria that consider both ingredients and emissions, exposing how many products labeled “non-toxic” still hide chemical compromises. Then we stir up the three paint “cocktails” you need to know: • The Mineral Mule — paints rooted in traditional chemistry (lime, clay, silicate) that breathe and bond rather than off-gas, offering calmer sensory presence and ingredient transparency. • The Safe Coat Sipper — for chemically sensitive occupants where even low-VOC paints aren’t enough, prioritizing restraint over aesthetics and commercial convenience. We highlight how historic and mineral formulations bypass much of the modern paint industry’s reliance on petroleum chemistry, how many products meeting “safe” labels still fall short, and why true ingredient transparency remains rare. By the end of the episode you’ll realize this isn’t just about picking a color — it’s about rethinking what safety means inside our homes and stepping away from accepting “meets the minimum” as “safe enough.” Get full access to INTREPID at intrepidinterior.substack.com/subscribe

15 min
JAN 3

Choosing Non-Toxic Paint: What You Really Need to Know

Non-toxic paint sounds simple. It isn’t. In this episode, we pull the lid off the modern paint can to explore what non-toxic really means and where the label quietly falls apart. From misleading marketing terms to misunderstood certifications, we unpack how paint interacts with your walls, your air, and your body long after it dries. You’ll learn why “low-VOC” is only the beginning, how certain chemicals still sneak into otherwise well-intentioned products, and which standards actually matter when health is the priority. Through a research-based, human-centered lens, this episode offers a clear framework for choosing paint that supports long-term wellness rather than just a fresh coat of color. Whether you’re a homeowner, parent, designer, or builder, this is your starting point for making smarter, safer decisions about the surfaces that surround your everyday life. Because your walls aren’t passive — they’re participating. Get full access to INTREPID at intrepidinterior.substack.com/subscribe

16 min
11/27/2025

Paint Is Not Passive: The Truth About Your Walls

In today’s episode, we peel back the glossy surface of modern paint and uncover what’s really happening on your walls long after the color dries. Far from a simple aesthetic upgrade, paint is an active participant in your home’s chemical ecosystem — absorbing, re-releasing, trapping, and amplifying compounds from the materials around it. We dive into the hidden roles of formaldehyde, flame retardants, and pesticides: how they show up in paints unintentionally, how they migrate from adjacent materials, and how paints marketed as “safe,” “mold-proof,” or “odorless” can still impact your air quality. We explore the off-gassing myths most people get wrong, how dust chemistry forms, and why nurseries, older homes, and poorly ventilated spaces are particularly vulnerable. Then, we shift to solutions. You’ll learn which binders actually support healthier interiors, why mineral and clay paints are experiencing a renaissance, and the critical difference between zero-VOC bases and zero-VOC colorants. With practical steps you can take today — from ventilation to primer choices — you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of how to choose paints that protect both your home and your health. This is modern paint through the HABITUS lens: science-based, myth-busting, and empowering. Your walls are doing far more than making a statement — and once you understand the chemistry, you can make choices that truly support your wellbeing. Get full access to INTREPID at intrepidinterior.substack.com/subscribe

12 min
11/17/2025

Modern Paint, Modern Problems: Gallons of Misinformation

Join us on this episode of Intrepid Interior Insights as we explore the evolving world of modern paint finishes in interior design. From the tactile richness of satin to the sculptural impact of textured coatings, we’ll unpack how paint has become far more than a backdrop—it’s now a structural, spatial, and experiential component in contemporary interiors. In this conversation, we will: * Chart the rise of paint as a material of architecture and design, not just decoration. * Explore what “good” means today when it comes to finish quality, durability, and aesthetic nuance. * Discuss how paint intersects with wellness, durability, and the expectations of modern homes, in line with your HABITUS standard—focusing on air, illumination, acoustics and material health. * Offer practical take-aways for homeowners, designers, and builders: when to specify high-performance paint systems, what questions to ask, how to evaluate finish options. * Reflect on how paint choices support the idea of “Wildly Civilized” and “Polished and Primal” living—designs that feel sophisticated but grounded in elemental qualities. Whether you’re a design professional, a wellness-focused homeowner, or simply someone passionate about how environments shape us, this episode will give you a fresh lens on how something as seemingly simple as paint can define space, mood, and experience. Tune in to deepen your understanding of finish materials, refine your specification tools, and elevate how you think about colour, texture and surface in a meaningful way. Read the full article here. Get full access to INTREPID at intrepidinterior.substack.com/subscribe

12 min
10/24/2025

Industrial Revolution Clue: It was Heavy Metals in the Drawing Room, with the Wallpaper

Episode Summary: “Industrial Revolution Clue: It Was Heavy Metals in the Drawing Room.” In this episode, we uncover one of the most overlooked turning points in interior design history — the moment when the Industrial Revolution brought color to the masses… and poison into their homes. We trace the fascinating evolution from ancient, hand-ground pigments to the explosive rise of factory-made colors in the 18th and 19th centuries. What began as progress — cheaper paint, brighter hues, faster production — quickly spiraled into a public-health disaster. From arsenic-laced wallpapers to lead-soaked nurseries, we’ll explore how toxic pigments moved from artists’ studios into the everyday living rooms of the middle class. You’ll hear the story of a Victorian homeowner whose coveted emerald wallpaper quietly sickens her family — one of the earliest examples of what we now call sick building syndrome. We’ll examine the Industrial Palette: Prussian blue, chrome yellow, Paris green, mauveine, and the petrochemical revolution that reshaped interiors. We’ll look at factories that churned out toxic pigments, the polluted urban air they created, and the way these chemicals seeped into toys, clothing, and everyday walls. Finally, we’ll ask: What does this chapter of design history reveal about our homes today? And how can we apply lessons from the past to understand the modern dangers still hiding in paint? This is an episode for design lovers, wellness seekers, history readers, and anyone who’s ever wondered: If color became “progress”… what was the price? Read the full article here. Get full access to INTREPID at intrepidinterior.substack.com/subscribe

14 min
10/01/2025

Saints, Paints, and Poisons

In this episode, we delve into the rich tapestry of how sacred spaces, material traditions, and early industrial pigments intersected in the story of interior surfaces. We begin by revisiting how in ancient and medieval times, pigments and paints were not mere decoration but deeply symbolic — tied to sacred rituals, spiritual spaces and the interplay of light and material. Then we transition into how the rise of industrial chemistry and mass‐production transformed that symbolic world, turning ornate pigment methods into something commodified — and hazardous. You’ll follow the journey from cathedral frescoes and sacred iconography, into wallpapered parlours and factories churning out pigments with heavy metals. We’ll ask: How did the reverence once given to paint become undermined by exposure and toxicity? How does that history help us understand the surfaces in our own homes — what they mean, what they contain, and what they cost? For designers, wellness-minded homeowners, and architecture-history buffs, this episode reveals: * The spiritual and cultural foundations of paint and pigment in sacred architecture. * How the transition to mass-produced finishes changed not just cost and accessibility, but health and experience. * The hidden “poisons” behind the beauty — when status symbols became health hazards. * What lessons this legacy holds for specifying healthy, meaningful finishes today. Tune in and uncover the layered story of saints, paints, and poisons — because the surfaces in your space carry more than colour; they carry history. Read the full article here. Get full access to INTREPID at intrepidinterior.substack.com/subscribe

15 min
09/18/2025

From Cave to Castle to Condo: The Purpose of Paint Through Time

This podcast explores the historical and instinctual human drive to create and use paint, tracing its origins from prehistoric cave art to ancient civilizations. It highlights how paint initially served practical purposes such as protection and medicine, evolving to encompass social identity, ritual, and aesthetic expression. The author discusses the gradual introduction of toxic materials into paint formulations over time, from relatively safe natural pigments to more hazardous lead and mercury-based compounds, and ponders the modern implications of these toxins for health. The overarching theme is an examination of paint's multifaceted significance throughout human history, juxtaposing its ancient, often beneficial roles with the contemporary understanding of its potential health risks, while also hinting at a future exploration of non-toxic alternatives. Get full access to INTREPID at intrepidinterior.substack.com/subscribe

13 min
09/05/2025

Introduction to HABITUS

This collection of sources centers on Habitus, a proposed residential wellness interior design standard developed by Sarah Anne Shields, aiming to enhance occupant health through thoughtful interior environments. The text explores the negative health consequences of urbanization, highlighting issues related to air, water, sound, illumination, and temperature. It reviews existing building certifications like LEED, WELL, and Fitwel, comparing their approaches to wellness, and introduces Habitus as a new standard with specific criteria for these environmental factors. Ultimately, the sources detail the application of the Habitus standard to a multi-family residential project, demonstrating design solutions for public and private spaces that prioritize occupant well-being. Get full access to INTREPID at intrepidinterior.substack.com/subscribe

24 min

8 Episodes

HABITUS is a wellness-based residential interior design standard that evaluates how homes support human health and quality of life through seven key factors: water, air, sound, illumination, temperature, and urban systems. It provides a framework for creating living environments that are healthier, more sustainable, and deeply connected to human well-being. intrepidinterior.substack.com

Creator

Sarah Shaulis
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

8
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Sarah Shaulis
Show Website

HABITUS