Tips for Sustainable Home Decorating

Posted on Nov 11, 2012 in Sustainable Living & Sustainable Lifestyle by Contributing Writer 0 Comments

If the time has come to redecorate a room in your home, you have a lot of decisions to make. You’ll be busy exploring new colors, designs and styles, looking through interior decorating magazines, and shopping for new home décor. At the same time, this is an opportunity for you to make your home more environmentally-friendly. As you begin to consider the possibilities, the following tips can help you learn about options for a more sustainable home environment.

Eco-Friendly Flooring Options

Since flooring covers so much of your home’s surface area, this is an opportunity to be especially environmentally-friendly in your selection of materials. If you opt for wood flooring, look for a kind that is made with less harvested wood, or install wood floors that come from recycled wood fibers. Also look into alternative flooring materials such as bamboo and cork, which are rapidly renewable.

Carpeting

If you need to replace your old carpet, buy it from a company with a recycling program. The company will remove your old carpet and take care of recycling it for you, which is one less thing on your plate. When choosing the carpet itself, find one that can be recycled back into carpet fiber so the material will eventually be reused.

Painting

Low-VOC or zero-VOC are terms you should look for on the paint can. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, which are some of the most harmful chemicals in paint. They can cause air pollution and health problems, so make sure to find paints that contain very few of them.

Windows

When it comes to your windows, take advantage of materials that will manage heat loss and gain, reducing your usage of utilities. Look for low-e glass, which reflects and absorbs heat energy to help keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer. Double-paned windows have the same effect and reduce energy usage year-round.

Furniture

Reclaimed wood is great when on the hunt for furniture. This simply refers to old lumber used in new projects. Not only is this a way of recycling materials, but many people choose reclaimed wood for its style and character.

Choosing Fair Trade Décor

When shopping for home décor, look for those marked with the Fair Trade certified label. The Fair Trade label ensures that those goods are sustainable. Fair Trade protects natural resources, bans the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and requires proper waste management during the process of producing goods. Moreover, Fair Trade ensures that the people who make the products are justly compensated. Buying these items is a way to be more socially and environmentally-responsible.

Environmentally-Responsible Brands

Certain brands make the effort to ensure their products are as environmentally-friendly as possible. They might work with partners that also use sustainable methods. Look for a brand that implements a green mindset in every asset of its business when shopping for your home.

Keep these tips in mind as you redecorate. Not only will you save energy and natural resources, but you will create a healthier, happier space for you and your family.

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This guest article was brought to you by Empire Today. Empire Carpet specializes in carpeting, laminate and hardwood flooring, window treatments and more. Visit our site to learn more about Empire Flooring and sustainable ideas for your home.