Unless you’ve been living without any contact with the rest of society for the past decade, you know that being earth-friendly and going green are all the rage. It’s great to have a movement gain so much popularity while still having good intentions and being healthy for all living things. The concept of going green seems to have its place in practically every aspect of daily life. Nowadays, being earth-friendly is catching on even in home decorating and interior design. Now even your home can be designed and decorated sustainably and earth-consciously. Here are some tips and tricks for using natural materials in your home.
Walls
When painting your walls, make sure to use low-VOC paints. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound, and these are found in many paints and wallpaper adhesives. With the recent push to go green, though, you will be able to easily find out if your paint has a low VOC content. You can determine this based on the paint’s packaging, or by asking the staff at the place where you buy the paint. Practically all home improvement professionals nowadays have been trained on earth-friendly practices, so they will be able to answer any questions you may have about the safety of your paint and/or wallpaper choice.
Floors
You have a lot of options when it comes to eco-friendly flooring for your home. Bamboo flooring is becoming more and more popular, because it is a sustainable (yet still durable) alternative to traditional hardwood. Cork flooring is also a great, earth-friendly choice. It is also sustainable and very resilient.
If you’re looking for something a little softer underfoot, though, there is also the option of recycled carpet. Recycled carpet can come on a roll, as carpet tiles, or as an area rug. This “green” carpet not only looks just as nice as carpet that hasn’t been recycled; it also can be recycled again after its use in your home. Plus, you’re likely to get a tax break for participating in carpet recycling, or even for simply using sustainable flooring materials in your home! Ask your local flooring professional – such as Floor Coverings International – if they can give you a rundown of the ins and outs of eco-friendly flooring and how it can benefit your home and your wallet.
Furniture
You can also use sustainable materials for your home’s furniture. In addition to bamboo, look for furniture made from teak or wicker. Both of these woods are also sustainable. You can also find lots of recycled upholstery, bedding, and linens. Some options for eco-friendly fabrics include bamboo (yes, it’s can even be woven into fabric!), organic cotton, or burlap. Before you turn up your nose at the idea of burlap home furnishings, keep this in mind: if there’s a demand for a product, the supply will follow. Since going green is so popular and since burlap makes little to no environmental impact, retailers have been creating chic dyed and patterned burlap fabrics for the stylish and the earth-friendly.
Keep in mind all of these green materials the next time you decide to renovate your re-decorate your home. The market for eco-friendly home products and furnishings just keeps expanding, so as time goes on we will have even more options for designing a sustainable, low-impact home.
Lenny Cravits writes about home renovation, interior design, & interior decorating. He enjoys writing about all things home improvement, from classic styles to the latest trends.
