Home décor can be true art. Even though it seems easy, it actually goes a lot of thought into decorating your home. You’re supposed to pick items that will blend in together and make an inviting atmosphere. At the same time, you’re supposed to avoid blending it too much in order not to create a boring atmosphere. However, the whole home décor thing can get a bit more complex if you want to go for sustainable options. Luckily, there are a lot of ideas that are both gorgeous and eco-friendly and it’s up to you just to pick them for your home.
Environmental design
One of the first and most obvious things to do to make your home more eco-friendly is to go for the so-called environmental design. This type of design is also called sustainable, environmentally sustainable, and environmentally conscious design. The main purpose of this kind of design is to build objects and provide services that in no way go against social, economic, and ecological sustainability.
When deciding to have your home environmentally designed, you actually decide on using renewable sources, connecting with nature, and bringing the impact on the environment to the minimum. Architecture and interior design are some of the features you could have sustainably designed. For instance, thinking about water use or heating and cooling options are some of the ways to think and act sustainably.
Use eco-friendly products and renewable resources
Once you fully understand what eco-friendly means, you’ll be able to practice this kind of lifestyle more. What eco-friendly means is not doing anything that harms the environment in any possible way. This means that you could purchase eco-friendly products for your home. These are great because they lessen contributions to water, land, and air pollution.
Renewable sources are the ones that are replenished naturally as time passes. The amazing thing with these resources is that they can be used, but they can also be replaced. One such resource is timber. Pine and Australian hardwood, for instance, are timbers that are replanted, while, on the other hand, rainforest timbers are not.
Upcycling and going vintage
Upcycling is a great way to reuse your old items. If you have anything in your home you no longer use, make sure to check whether you should throw it out or not. Most of the things we believe are ready to go to the garbage can are actually pretty good if you just find a way to get them a new purpose. For example, you could reuse the make a table out of your old doors! Make sure to involve the whole family in this DIY project and get creative while having tons of fun and saving the planet!
Vintage is simply adorable and that’s not the best thing about it. Namely, vintage is also pretty easy and it can help you save the planet. You can find some pretty cool vintage items in shops or second-hand stores. You could both save cash this way and reduce waste by choosing the things that already exist. A garage sale or a local fair could also be the places where you may find some interesting vintage pieces.
Change your flooring
The best way of introducing sustainable products is by starting from the ground. Even though flooring is a serious investment, it is totally worth it, especially if you’re going for an eco-friendly option in your next remodelling. There are plenty of ideas you can pick and some of the most popular ones are cork and bamboo.
Since it doesn’t require trees down, cork has become pretty popular over recent years. It is also anti-microbial and fire-resistant, which means that it really is the best option. Bamboo, due to its quick regrowth is also becoming more and more loved among environmentalists. You can add some eco mats as well and wool carpet if you’re looking for some. That way, you’ll ensure that your floors are completely eco-friendly.
Use recycled paint
Sustainable living is all about recycling. Whenever you get a chance to do it, you should do it. Most people don’t even think about painting and recycling together, but luckily, these two things can go together. Unfortunately, the common practice was to simply add the unused paint to the waste stream.
Fortunately, though, this has been changing lately. Thanks to environmentally conscious companies, more and more of the unused paints are being recycled. You could also pick the paints with soybean or sunflower oil. Even vegetable matter and chalk have been used in paint.
Get sustainable furniture
After you’ve changed the floor and wall paint, you could also look for some new pieces of furniture. Pieces of furniture are the largest decorations in your rooms and that must be the reason why you should think twice before making the purchase. Luckily, you can choose from a sea of sustainable furniture ideas.
Bamboo or similar natural woods would be the obvious choices for the material, but you could also think of some other ideas. For instance, there are some furniture pieces made out of recycled materials. Again, you can buy already owned items and make sure that you’re doing the best for the planet. If buying new, make sure to check the company’s sustainability practices before making a purchase.
Introduce some plants
Is there a better way to make your home more environmentally friendly than by incorporating some houseplants into it? Plants are amazing additions for any room – be it a living room, bathroom, or kitchen. Depending on the room you’re getting plants for, you can pick the right plant. Apart from looking flawless, plants will also make your life much healthier.
Plants will make the ambience in a room much calmer and they will ensure that you’re breathing in the fresh air. They are amazing for removing carbon dioxide and they will quite literally bring life into your home. Whether you get the plants hanging from a hook on a ceiling or sit on a window sill, you’ll find them very amusing and they’ll bring the best of you and your room.
Look for eco-friendly lighting options
When it comes to sustainable living, it’s very relevant how much energy you’re using and how much energy you’re wasting. Unfortunately, most people don’t realise that they can waste a lot of energy if they just have the wrong lighting options. Not only do they harm the environment that way, but they also waste money.
Namely, your bills don’t have to be that high. The bulb you use is a pretty important feature. For instance, LED bulbs have a lot of benefits that make them the perfect sustainable option. They are efficient, they last long, and they will definitely cut on your energy expenses, and help you waste less energy than ever before.
Invest your money wisely
Finally, in order to live a more sustainable life, make sure to think well before doing anything. This is especially important when it comes to the home décor. For instance, it’s much wiser to invest more in a timeless design than to go for cheaper options and change them up frequently. The main reason why there is so much waste related to home décor is that a lot of materials are wasted due to the ever-changing trends.
If you pick a couch today just because it is trending, the chances are that you’ll get bored of it as soon as the next season begins. On the other hand, if you go for a timeless piece, you won’t have to worry about wasting materials at all. Make sure to be inspired by trends, instead of blindly following them.
Conclusion
Practising sustainability doesn’t have to be a complex thing to do at all. The key thing is to understand why it is important. Once you get the gist, you’ll easily remember which materials are yes and which habits are desirable. After that, you’ll have no issue living in your perfectly sustainable home!