The Sunday Mail
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY, green home decor creates an inviting home, designed around making your house green as well as a sanctuary.
Creating an environmentally-conscious living space is all about recognising and minimising the effect our choices have on our world. Choosing to fill your home with decorative items whose roots are from sustainable and renewable resources can be easy.
Following these simple home decorating tips, you can create the perfect green home refuge.
Want list Ask yourself if that item you have your eye on is a want or a need. If it is a need, look for products that are produced sustainably as well as ones that are recyclable and made from recycled materials. If your home decorating wish list has entire rooms highlighted, look for ways to refresh the space without redoing the entire room. There may be smaller home decorating projects that make more sense.
Focal wall
An easy home decorating tip to change a room is to create a focal wall: a little paint and you have a new look. Be sure to choose eco-friendly paints such as clay or milk-based paints. Another option is to select paints that are labelled “Low-VOC” or “zero-VOC”. VOCs (volatile organic compounds), are emitted as gases.
The use of water instead of petroleum-based solvents in Low-VOC paints makes harmful emissions from these paints much lower than those from regular paints. Low-VOC paints still have some heavy metals and formaldehyde, and emit an odour until dry.
VOC levels vary among Low-VOC products based on state and federal regulations.
Natural fibres
If redecorating your bedroom is on the list, purchase new bedding made from natural organic fibres such as cotton, linen or bamboo. Update your drapes or select chair and sofa covers made of natural fabrics.
Slipcovers instantly change the look of chairs and sofas and because of consumer demand, choices for organic cotton styles are readily available in prints that showcase an eco-design and a green lifestyle.
Eco-friendly products
Low-VOC paint, Zero-VOC paints and finishes transform tired furniture quickly and add a new look to the entire room.
Reuse creatively
Your green decor can be a showcase for finding a new purpose for your furnishings. For example, try saving interesting glass bottles and jars from the recycle bin and use them throughout the house as vases and collectibles. Try putting your collection of seashells to use in your bathroom and set the stage for your next creative idea.
Recycle materials
Recycling brings great rewards. Organisations like The ReUse People check discarded building materials for reusable parts to distribute to organisations like Habitat for Humanity.
Donate to charity
Consider donating home items you have replaced to non-profits and thrift stores. If you do, your green decorating will bring you more satisfaction.
Pre-owned furniture
Picking up green decor through garage sales, flea markets and web marketplaces can help you fill up empty spaces with gently used furnishings. Hosting your own garage sale or selling unwanted items online can help you recycle your old furnishings.
Swap with friends
One new trend is to contact your friends and let them know what furniture and accessories you are ready to change out and finding someone to swap with. Their couch may give your home decorating project a focal point that was missing and your couch may fit their space better.
Spread the word
Share your ideas with your friends and together you can share home decorating tips that create the look that you want while encouraging one another to keep your carbon footprint small. life. – gaiam.com
