'Sustainability begins at home'.
They say it’s what’s inside that counts. In terms of your home, when said interior consists of sustainable options, all the better. When it comes to home interiors, sustainability generally denotes eco-friendly decoration and design, using materials that focus on improved air quality and reduced environmental impact.
Below is a list of sustainable strategies to make your home’s interior eco-friendly.
Go minimalist
The practice of simplifying, organizing and decluttering, offers a perspective shift from storing stuff to selecting home possessions mindfully. Moving towards a minimalism also reflects the simple, clean look that modern design aspires towards.
Choose the right color
To save you money and energy spent on lighting, reconsider your approach to your main colour scheme as paler hues will reflect more light, while darker walls and décor need more artificial lighting. To help you skip out on toxic chemicals and fumes that are in most paints, there’s also a variety of paint companies now creating less abrasive options that are better for the environment and your home.
Let the light in
Think of energy efficiency. Align the large windows that allow more light breeze and pure. The light turns on inside and let the atmosphere brighter appearance and welcoming. The right lighting can make all the difference in space.
If possible, arrange rooms so that bedrooms and bathrooms face north (with less sun) and kitchens and living rooms face the sunnier south.
Avoid plastic inside
Say goodbye to synthetic materials such as plastic or PVC. Instead, use natural materials such as wood, stone and bamboo that make the interior a warm and cozy look.
Source Eco-Friendly Furnishings
Seek out companies committed to sustainable interior design with the use of eco-friendly materials and ethical production practices.
Forget chairs and tables made from plastic moulding. To make your home’s interior eco-friendly, you need furniture made from natural wood and other organic or sustainable materials.
Additionally, keep in mind that particleboard and medium-density fibreboard (which is made from compressed shaving and sawdust) are bonded together with synthetic glues and resins that often contain formaldehyde, which is a potential allergen to humans and carcinogenic to animals.
Get crafty
One way to refresh a design often is by taking a creative approach to existing pieces. Why dump a perfectly functional foot stool or chair when it has good bones? Give it a transformation by reupholstering it with new fabric or re-staining it.
Be energy intelligent
Smart technology in our homes has made energy efficiency easier to do often from the touch of your phone. Intelligent thermostats like Nest automatically adapt temperature based on scheduling and built- in sensors. The sleek, modern designs are also nice to look at !
Use plants as decorations
Plants provide oxygen, and filter out harmful chemicals from the air. Plus, they offer a natural beauty, ambience and freshness, bringing a little of the outside into your home.
Install Efficient Shower Heads + Faucets
Save water and energy by updating your faucets and shower heads with more efficient models as today’s options boast up to 70% less water use. As you can see, most often, sustainable interior design updates don’t really require unlimited funds, just a thoughtful, well-studied approach.
Bring In Carpet
Though we tend to often forget and think of them as purely décorative, rugs and carpets do double-duty as thermal insulators while retaining up to 10 % of a room’s heat.
They also work as brilliant sound insulators and can reduce noise by soaking in sound vibrations and believe it or not, they also work to improve air quality by trapping in dust from the air until vacuumed.
“Sustainable design is a necessary part of our future.” Bringing awareness to what is considered disposable is key. “We need to think about how things are made and whether they are easily recyclable.”
Credits : https://www.decorilla.com/online-decorating/7-top-sustainable-interior-designer-tips/
https://www.ofdesign.net/interior-design/10-useful-tips-to-create-a-sustainable-interior-design-1608
https://eluxemagazine.com/homestech/how-to-give-your-home-an-eco-friendly-interior-design-makeover/
https://www.decoraid.com/blog/sustainable-interior-design/