In today's world, being as sustainable as possible has become a necessity. As we continue to push for a cleaner planet across the board, one way that we can make a difference is by incorporating sustainable practices into our home design.
Sustainable interior design is about creating a living space that is both beautiful and eco-friendly. Naturally, using certain materials and techniques can give you a healthier, cleaner feeling space that's always relaxing to be in.
In this post, we'll cover some eco-friendly ideas you can implement into your space for ultimate sustainable living:
Incorporate Plants into Your Decor
Perhaps the best way to create the sense of eco-friendly living, incorporating plants will breath so much fresh air into your space.
There's many different ways to include plants due to the many different types of plants themselves.
Depending on your space, different styles of plants will complement your space more than others. With smaller spaces, vertical plants can add a sense of height to your room making it feel larger. If you want include more plants into a smaller space, consider a vertical garden to create the same effect.
With larger spaces, you have the freedom to choose the layout you feel would best fit your space. A great way to create visual interest is to mix and match the plants you in each space of your room, depending on the characteristics of said space.
Choose Sustainable Materials
The first key to creating an eco-friendly home is focusing on using sustainable materials wherever you can. The best part of using these materials is that there's opportunities to use them in every room in your home.
The most popular materials to use are bamboo, cork, recycled wood, and natural fabrics such as organic cotton, linen and hemp. Your main pieces of furniture will suit the wooden materials; pieces like your table, chairs, shelves and drawers fall into this.
When it comes to natural fabrics, you can easily find decor such as rugs, blanks and even bigger pieces such as your sofa that are built using these fabrics.
You can also create a softer feeling space through these materials, as they tend to be a lot calmer and lighter than alternatives.
Scanning your space and finding as many as you can implement sustainable materials can be a super effective way to move your space in an eco-friendly direction, whilst simultaneously adding visual interest into the same space.
Recycle and Repurpose
Moving into the DIY zone, recycling and repurpose gives you the fun of creating something yourself, and means you don't have to spend anywhere near as much.
Instead of throwing old furniture away, consider whether you can find a new, more practical eco-friendly use for it.
For more tips on what DIY projects you can dive into, check out this post!
No matter what piece you're think of throwing away, there's most likely a purpose for it. One of the easiest ways you can do this is by recycling materials such as glass and plastic, and incorporating it within your decor. You can create beautiful light fixtures, plant holders and more with old pieces you don't see a purpose for anymore.
On the more larger scale, you can even take things like old ladders, and turn them into a unique bookshelf. Or craft a rustic, appealing side table which would fit right in with the stripped back eco-friendly design aesthetic.
Opt for Energy-efficient Lighting
One of the things that uses up a lot of energy in our homes in the lighting. There's a few different routes you can take with this element, even some ways to be more efficient with your current lighting.
As new lighting can be fairly expensive, finding ways to minimise energy usage with your current lighting can go a long way in transitioning into an eco-friendly space.
Always keeping the lights on a dimmer setting than usual and making sure lights that aren't in use are off sound simple, but are often overlooked.
When looking for new lighting, opting for more sustainable lighting options such as LED and CFL bulbs use much less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. Paired with the right lampshade, you get the same effect in your space whilst using much less energy in your home. You'll also save a good chunk of money on your bills!
Use Low VOC Paints
Volatile organic compounds are chemicals that are released into the air as your paint dries, leading to harmful effects on human health and the environment. Luckily, low VOC paints are becoming increasingly popular, resulting in benefits across the board.
Low VOC paints lead to improved air quality due to the lack of chemicals, which also leads to the paint giving off less of an odour.
Some paints can give off super strong smells, so it would be nice to get rid of them. The lack of chemicals is also the key reason why these paints are so eco-friendly.
Don't worry about the quality of the paint not being as good as traditional paint, as the results come out just as good. They come in a wide range of colours and finishes, so you won't struggle to find a shade to amplify your space's visual appeal.
Maximise Natural Lighting
Not only does natural lighting mean you can save energy leading to reduced utility bills, it can create a more bright, warm, welcoming space wherever you maximise it.
The main way for any space to let natural light in is through simply keeping your windows clean. Sometimes looked over, having build ups of dirt on your windows can prevent natural light from coming in. Removing obstacles from these entry points can also allow the maximum amount of light in.
Sheer window treatments instead of heavier pieces can also do wonders for letting natural light in. Heavier curtains can also sometimes make your space feel cramped.
In general, maximising natural light can both lead to less energy usage through artificial lighting, whilst creating a calmer space overall for you to enjoy.
Overall, there are many different ways you can transform your home into a more eco-friendly, sustainable space for you to enjoy. No matter the shape or size of space you live, implementing any of the ideas in this post can help you achieve such a positive space.