Most peoples kitchens are the focal point of their home but could yours be making you sick? Formaldehyde, chloroform and even asbestos could be in your home without you being aware of it, according to property experts. If your home is modern then there is less reason for concern, according to Dan Lee, Interior Design Instructor at The Art Institute. Today were designing houses that are green-friendly, he says. Materials today have fewer chemicals and less carcinogenic substances. However, if you live in an older property or carried out some renovations yourself, there could be substances in your home that are bad for you. Kathleen Wakefield, Interior Design and Design Technical Graphics program coordinator at The Art Institute, says Theres something called volatile organic compounds or VOCs. They are emitted from certain solids and liquids like paint. She warns that short-term exposure to VOCs can cause nausea and irritation to the eyes, while long-term exposure could even damage your kidneys and liver. VOCs are also released from carpet foam made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Wakefield advises that, if youre putting down carpet in your home, you stay elsewhere for a few weeks while the chemicals are being released and keep windows open to air the space more quickly. However, Lee advises avoiding carpet altogether. Go with wood or natural stone floors over carpets and make sure youre shopping for PVC-free floors, he says. When adding a little color to your kitchen, look for paints with low or no VOC emissions by checking labels carefully.