Decorating your home in a sustainable, eco friendly approach is the need of the day. However, sustainable décor doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style. It just means you decorate in a way that ensures a lighter footprint on the planet and a healthier home. Here are some simple ways in which you can give sustainable décor a shot. We guarantee it’s not that difficult.
Choose organic, natural materials and shop local
When choosing towels and linens, always try to get items made with natural fibers, preferably organic as well. Some of the most eco-friendly fibers are bamboo or hemp. These may cost a bit more than other synthetic products, but they will also most likely last longer too. Also, choose items made of natural materials like wood or bamboo over plastics. You may also want to stay away from leather and choose some vegan, animal-friendly options. Nowadays, with increasing consciousness among consumers, these aren’t even that difficult to find around town.
Incorporate plants
Plants are an excellent way to keep things green in your space and liven it up a bit. Houseplants breathe in carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen. They also soak up a lot of harmful toxins and pollutants, purifying the air. So add a houseplant or two to every room in your home. And the best part is that you don’t even have to spend money on it. You can simply ask your friends or family members for clippings or cuttings of plants from their garden to grow your own plants affordably and use a variety of different containers as pots. Try using bowls, pans, and even old coffee pots as planters. Before throwing any container of any sort away, check to see if you could use it as a planter. Chances are that you almost always can.
Sustainable Decor
Reconsider your flooring options
If you want to be as environmentally friendly as possible while redecorating your home, avoid carpet. Full of chemicals and pollutants, it not only harms the planet when it’s manufactured, but also releases all kinds of toxins into your home during its lifespan. Plus, even the most hardwearing carpet only lasts around a decade before it needs to be replaced. When it comes to replacing your flooring, always opt for real wood if you want to be as eco-friendly as possible.
You can also use linoleum. It is created from a concoction of linseed oil, cork dust, tree resins, wood flour, pigments and ground limestone. It is fire retardant and water resistant. Linoleum is not new to the market. It just fell out of favor with the introduction of vinyl. Today, it has reemerged with a vast array of bright vibrant colors and a new sealer to protect it from stains. It has a long shelf life and will hold up to a lot of wear and tear.
Always reuse and recycle
Reusing and recycling will not only help you save money, but they will help you get the best vintage look you can possibly hope for. Classic and vintage designs never go out of style. Before you decide on buying new furniture, look through what you already have or raid your grandmother’s storeroom. You might find some older pieces that you can refurbish for a nominal cost. You can also move furniture around the house and use a piece you previously used in a particular room in another room and keep things fresh that way.
Another clever way to reuse items in your own home is to repurpose them. We are all guilty of stashing away too many glasses, cups and plates at the back of our kitchen cupboards that hardly ever see the light of day, so why not think of new ways to use them? Old tea cups can be repurposed as cacti holders and set along a shelf or in a bathroom window, a collection of cut glass tumblers can be styled up on a tray on a sideboard or in a glass cabinet along with some bottles of whisky and vodka and a few bar accessories for a trendy minibar. There’s a lot you can do if you start thinking creatively.
Apart from reusing and rearranging the things you already have at home, a large part of sustainable décor also means incorporating locally designed objects and furniture. This includes using vintage, second hand and up-cycled pieces in your home.
Add a few details
You can use all of these ideas above and still elevate the level of eco-friendliness in your home by adding green decorations all over your home, making it cozier and definitely more sustainable. But remember to keep it smart and simple and try not to overdo it – adding just a few small pieces here and there, letting fresh air in through open windows, using natural materials and opting for no-VOC paint that won’t harm you or your immediate surroundings when you are repainting your walls are little things that can go a long way in sustainable décor. Also, try to tackle one corner at a time. You don’t have to renovate your entire house but pick a small corner and work on making it green. Eco businesses are also flourishing these days and a lot of companies sell eco-friendly accessories that are made out of recycled materials. Invest in a few pieces to create an interesting coffee table display.
