Having an environmentally friendly home might seem unnecessary to many homeowners as it might mean sacrificing the beauty of their interior design, or simply cheapening their homes with recycled materials. This is a misconception but a forgivable one. Green or eco-friendly interior designs can look fabulous too, especially if an interior designer knows how to create beauty as well as to respect the environment. Interior design projects use up quite a fair bit of products like furniture, paint and fixtures. The production of these home products is detrimental to the environment although there are manufacturers which are finding ways to reduce the impact. This has led to the availability of green home improvement products and alternative options.
Alternatives to Wood
Excessive logging in the rainforests today has led to the shrinking of habitats for wildlife while reducing the chances of finding plants that could potentially cure diseases. These very wood will find their way to our homes in the form of furniture. Alternatives include using recycled wood furniture, bamboo or furniture that is made of metal.
Non-toxic Paint
For the colors of your interior design, buy paint that does not contain solvents or other harmful toxins. Such paint is biodegradable and is in no way less effective as the regular ones. Most of the sales staff at the paint store might not know much about this so you can do your part by finding more information on the website of the manufacturer, or drop them a call or email to confirm.
Lightings and Home Appliances
LED light fixtures are the rage nowadays, being used in a number of applications like lighting solutions, televisions and automobiles. You can replace the fluorescent lights at home with LED light fixtures. LED lightings are brighter than typical bulbs, and they are capable in giving an aesthetic look to the interior design while consuming less energy too. For home appliances like your air conditioner, washing machine and refrigerator, look out for labels that give mention to energy saving technology. These electricity efficient products will allow you to cut back on your electricity bill and save the environment at the same time.
Recyclable Materials
Metal and glass are great recyclable materials as the core material maintains its original quality despite multiple recycling. There are a few furniture stores in Singapore selling furniture made from recycled materials like Melandas and Galanga Living. With the right blend of colors and decorative accessories, such environmentally friendly furniture can certainly blend well into your interior design.
To clarify, there is no such thing as a 100% recycled home furniture or home product considering the other materials like adhesive required in the completion and finishing. However, it is important to remember that the whole idea is to reduce the impact on the environment and slow down the inevitable destruction. It is our responsibility to create sustainability which ensures that future generations do not suffer the repercussions of our selfish actions.
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