Sustainability isn’t just another trendy topic that seemingly came out of nowhere just to slowly fade away in a year or two. Green, eco, and environmentally friendly solutions more often appear in some of the most popular interior design magazines, so sustainability and eco-friendliness are here to stay.
Sustainable interior design seeks to reduce the negative impacts consumption has on the planet. It also aims to create healthy and better functioning interiors through ideas such as choosing non-toxic materials and decorating with both functional and environmentally friendly items. Alternatively, you can opt for renovating what you already have instead of replacing it with something new and mass-produced.
The abundance of choices you can make when turning your house into a more sustainable place can seem overwhelming. The good news is that staying friendly to the planet is easier than you’d think when it comes to decorating and arranging your space. If that sounds like something you’re interested in, check out these four sustainable interior design ideas you can implement to turn your home into an eco-friendly space.
Choose Low-Impact Materials
Low-impact products are made from materials that are natural, renewable, and non-toxic. Try to pick responsibly sourced wood, cork, compressed earth, bamboo, or recycled metals for furniture and fixtures. Going for organic or recycled cotton, linen, wool, and hemp is a great choice when it comes to textiles.
For instance, if you like to decorate your rooms with pillows or blankets, you can look for ones made by eco-friendly brands. On top of that, instead of going for a fuzzy pillowcase that’s synthetic and therefore non-sustainable, you can look for ones made from cotton or hemp. The same applies to all kinds of blankets, including a weighted blanket. If you take your time and put in some effort, you’ll surely be able to find something that’s sustainable.
Use Natural Light
It’s a well-known fact that one of the best ways to save energy is to rely on natural light as much as possible instead of turning on the lights. By opening up your curtains and letting in as much sunshine as possible, you can reduce your home’s dependence on artificial lighting during the day hours.
Not only does this save you money, but it also has a positive effect on the environment since it reduces the need to turn on the lights during the day, which can consume more electricity than would be necessary.
If you need to keep your windows covered for privacy reasons, you can choose shades instead of covering them with curtains that block out natural light. For instance, day & night blinds can be light-filtering and blackout at the same time, making them one the most popular choices due to how versatile they are.
Roman blinds are more expensive. They are usually made out of cotton and can be raised or lowered with the help of a cord system and rings sewn on the back of the fabric. Additionally, there’s not much plastic involved in Roman blinds’ design.
Buy Sustainable Furniture
One of the most accessible sustainable interior design solutions is choosing sustainable furniture. What does it exactly mean? Sustainable furniture is based on the closed-loop cycle of recycling. It’s intended to be continually reused, disassembled, and then reused again. In the products you choose, you should look for qualities such as durability and non-toxicity. Sustainable furniture should also be made from renewable raw materials like bamboo and wood or cotton and linen (for upholstery).
The best sustainable furniture choices are created from recycled items like salvaged wood, recycled textiles, and reused materials like wood pallets. You can even find furniture made from recycled plastic bottles and other non-biodegradable waste products. If you don’t know where you should look for such furniture, try shops like Etsy, West Elm, or Sabai.
Choose Non-toxic Paint
Not only do non-toxic paints smell better after painting the room with them, but they are also safer to use when compared to toxic paints, which contain harmful chemicals. If you’re interested in eco-friendly interior design ideas, going for non-toxic paint might be one of the best things you can do for your home. Not only will it save you from having to deal with chemicals, but it will also make your home safer for your family members who spend more time inside than anyone else.
You can spot a non-toxic paint by checking if it contains low to none volatile organic compounds (VOC), has minimal or no odor, or is labeled as natural paint. Examples of brands of paint that are non-toxic are Clare Paint, ECOS Paints, and The Real Milk Paint Co.
Conclusion
There’s no need to feel overwhelmed when making your home eco-friendly. All you have to do is take a look around your house and see what you can change and improve to make it better for the environment.
And if you want to make your home a more sustainable place, you can start with the interior design ideas above. They are easy to implement, won’t break your budget, and even a beginner can easily pull them off. Give these ideas a shot, and in no time, you’ll have an eco-friendly home that will make all your friends envious of your beautiful interiors. Have fun!
