Interior Design Ideas That Are Environmentally Friendly

Sometimes it is easy to feel that a recently redecorated room has not quite hit the right mark and you would like to start over. However, constant changes and alterations to your home are not only expensive but environmentally costly. Even if you are starting a new project from scratch there are environmental considerations with nearly every step of a design process. Opting for interior design choices that are environmentally friendly is a solution that you will want to consider. Eco-chic is something many professional designers now positively promote within their work, so going environmentally friendly need not mean that you compromise on style.

Re-use and Recycle.

Kids room

Before embarking on a radical new design for your chosen room, look at what does work already. If you have cabinets that do a perfectly good job, there is no need to rip them out simply to put up something similar in their place. Remove them, refresh them with a coat or two of paint that compliments your new color scheme and reinstall them in a novel arrangement. Another good tip is to switch the drapes around in your home. If your drapes will no longer suit the new design you have in mind for a room, consider replacing them with others you already have rather than buying new ones. And if you don’t have anything suitable, why not swap with friends?

Eco-chic Flooring.

Kids room
Elegant family room with bamboo flooring and sesil rug

Choosing a floor covering that is made from a sustainable material is becoming increasingly popular. A hard wearing material will be more environmentally friendly simply because it will have a longer life span before it needs to be replaced. Consider bamboo flooring as a hard wearing option. Bamboo has a higher fiber rating than most hardwoods and is exceptionally strong. As it is fast growing it can be harvested more regularly than tropical hardwoods. It can feel great under foot and is a natural material that can be recycled at the end of its life. Interlocking eco floor tiles made from hard wearing recycled material look great in a kitchen or a bathroom and have the additional benefit of offering thermal insulation.

Recycled Glass.

Kids room
Beautiful recycled glass bath counter

There is an abundance of suppliers that have popped up in recent years with ideas for using recycled glass in your home. Offering a wide variety of interior design ideas, specialists have developed recycled glass as a source material for wall tiles. These tiles catch the light and reflect it in a sparkling and diffuse way, making it an ideal option for a bathroom. Recycled glass products are also used as kitchen counters, lighting panels and even table tops. If you are considering using granite or quartz in your design plan, think about replacing it with recycled glass instead for a smart and environmentally alternative.

Timber.

Kids room
Love the wood wall, the floor to ceiling windows, the concrete floors

Avoid furniture that has a high density hardwood used in its construction. Hardwoods are mostly sourced from the world’s tropical rain forests and there are plenty of more environmentally friendly options to choose from. If you are choosing a hard wood opt for one which has a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) mark. Durable eco-furniture made from reclaimed wood and saw dust can be a lot more stylish than you might think, so it is worth checking out.

Paint.

Kids room
Colorful kids room

Some paint product can contain harmful chemicals, known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Choose paint that is VOC free, particularly if you are decorating a child’s bedroom. Reusable paint trays, made from recycled cardboard, are just as good as regular ones. Another good tip is to select bamboo paint brushes rather than buying new ones with man made fibers. Wall paper adhesive, like paint, can contain VOCs so it is worth sourcing one that does not contain them if you are opting to paper a room rather than paint it.

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.