Go Green! – Make A Difference Through Your Home Decors
The thought of creating an environmentally friendly home immediately brings up all the criticisms of “going green:
- An eco-friendly home is duh! – boring, bland and plain – Eco-friendly home decorations are overpriced and over-hyped – Why go green? It’s only a fad anyway.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. True for those who know nothing about eco friendly products, eco-friendly homes and great style. Designers, manufacturers and companies are going the environment-way. This then leads to better homes, products and styles.
The idea behind the sustainable living movement is making choices that are “less,” that is, using less water, less energy and fewer non-renewable resources while still create a home that’s comfortable and beautiful.
For instance, not all “green” home decor is expensive. In fact, the decorating style known as Shabby Chic actually centers on re-using quality furnishings that have fallen on hard times. The key is to develop an eye for quality that can see past the inevitable nicks, dents and scratches of a lifetime of use. Stores such as those operated by The Salvation Army, Goodwill and many other charities often carry this items. Some designers recommend giving recycled furniture and accessories a fresh look by painting them white, one of Shabby Chic’s basic colors.
Say for instance you need a new dining room table. Rather than simply buying one from a furniture store, consider other options, such as a purchase from a secondhand store that can be reconditioned, or even building your own using a table base kit and recycled lumber from a junkyard.
Another way to ensure your home decor is eco-friendly is to check the materials that make up any furnishing, flooring or accessory. For instance, did you know that some kinds of new carpet emit formaldehyde vapors? Or that certain kinds of dyes can actually be toxic to humans? If we can read nutrition labels to determine what’s in our food, certainly we can find out what’s in the materials we use to decorate our homes.
Area rugs for instance, are also available in an eco-friendly variety. There are rugs made of natural resources like wool, bamboo, sisal and silk. Some are also made from recycled materials. This is not to say they are not nice. In fact, they also come in different colors and designs. You are beautifying your home without compromising the environment in using such decorations.
As you go about redecorating and finding some things you no longer need, don’t just throw them away. Segregate and apply proper waste disposal. Better yet, sort them and donate them to charities and organizations like The Reuse People who will check your stuff and take care of disposing them the proper way. For those things in good condition, earn extra bucks by selling them to thrift stores or on online auction sites.
Finally, if you do purchase some new items for your “green” decor, don’t have to fret that you’re not really being green. Underwriters Laboratories – yes, the folks who set the standards for light bulbs, toasters, coffee makers, etc. — has just launched a new UL Environmental. Its purpose is to work with manufacturers to validate, test and certify environmentally sustainable projects and to help consumers make sense of products’ “green” claims.
Going green is a breeze. You won’t only be doing the planet a favor, but your home and health as well.
Keep up to date with Natural Interior Design trends and enhance your home with natural bamboo area rugs.
