Are you planning to go green with home décor? Good choice! Eco-friendly home décor project not only contributes to a better tomorrow, but also saves you from toxic chemicals and improves your indoor air quality. So what are you waiting for? Get the creativity flowing with our tips for decorating your home the green way!
Look around you for inspiration
Though people commonly believe that going green means that you will have to spend a whole lot of money on expensive, ugly-looking pieces, it is so far from true. You can easily decorate your home in a beautiful, cost-effective manner that reflects your sense of style and does not harm the environment.
If you are lacking in inspiration, stop a minute and look around you.The seashells you collected during your last beach vacation can be used to make an attractive piece of artwork. Use the colorful fall leaves to create some amazing wreaths and swags. The Lushome website also has some great interior decorating ideas using natural, readily available materials such as tree branches, pebbles, pine cones, coral and so on.
Say hello to recycled materials
When it comes to eco friendly living, recycling cannot be far behind. Bring green into your living room by choosing recycled materials to decorate it.This keeps those materials out of landfills and also conserves valuable resources that would have otherwise been used to manufacture new products.
Thinking of redoing your carpeting? What about going for recycled carpet tiles that are made from recycled materials and do not contain toxic chemicals or dyes found in conventional carpets? What’s more, its modularity means that you don’t have to replace the entire carpet if a particular section gets damaged.
Want a new wine rack? How about fashioning one out of reclaimed wood? All you need are an old pallet, a few hardwood fence palings, saw, hammer, nails, a tape measure, a pencil, a paintbrush and some varnish.
Innovation is the name of the game
Have fun taking your old furniture and décor items and reinventing them in new, exciting ways. For instance, the old trunk lying unused in the attic can be given a new life as a coffee table. Save your favorite pair of rain boots from the trash by converting them into chic containers for your plants. Your old stepladder can be used as a cute bookshelf.
The Twisted Sifter website has a whole lot of ideas on reusing and repurposing old stuff. I particularly loved the medicine cabinet made out of an old suitcase. Don’t forget to check it out!
Keep it simple and green
Keep your home simple and uniquely you. Don’t clutter your home with useless stuff that you don’t need. Accessorize your rooms with healthy indoor plants that boost the quality of the indoor air. Use lighting and appliances that are energy efficient. If you need to throw out some materials after your home décor project is over, send it to some organization like the Reuse People who will go through it for reusable parts. Happy decorating!
Kurt Jacobson is a writer and vacation rental manager. Knowing what it takes to maintain pristine appearances for customers, he thrives on sharing what he’s learned from his experience. When he’s not managing a property, he writes about home cleaning in Plymouth MN for Professional Home Cleaning Inc.
