Sustainable home decor is becoming an increasingly popular way to style your space. Not only can you refresh your living space with a sustainable mindset, but you can also rest easy knowing that you’ve made a conscious decision to reuse, repurpose, and recycle. Here are some of our favourite tips to get you started on your earth-friendly interior design journey.
1. Start With a Clean Slate
Before rushing to renovate or style your space, take time to declutter and neutralize your environment. This means ditching the clutter, rearranging furniture, and taking time to clean every nook and cranny. This will make any further designing much more manageable, as a clear space means a clear mind. This is the time to get rid of any unwanted or unused items—try to donate them if possible, rather than sending them straight to the landfill.
2. Choose Classic, Timeless Pieces
Incorporating sustainably made furniture and decor is a great way to make your home more earth-friendly. Look for pieces that are timeless in style, taking inspiration from minimalist interior design. This way, you can enjoy them for many years while simultaneously avoiding the constant desire to redecorate and buy more. When selecting fabrics, choose natural, organic materials such as cotton, linen, and hemp over synthetic options, which tend to contain plastics and chemicals.
3. Bring the Outside, In
Sustainable home decor is all about embracing natural elements. This means adding houseplants to your space, which not only improve air quality but also provide a stylish touch. If you’re new to plant parenthood, start with easy-to-care-for varieties like snake plants, ZZ plants, or spider plants. Not a plant person? Work with natural materials such as rattan, jute, and wood for a cozy, nature-inspired ambiance.
neurological benefits. These items are perfect for sustainably transforming your space!
4. Repurpose and Upcycle
Are you itching to add some new pieces to your home but are on a budget? Why not upcycle old, worn-out furniture and turn it into something new and unique? There are so many possibilities for dressing up an old piece of furniture, like giving it a fresh coat of eco-friendly paint or using scrap fabric to reupholster it. Breathing new life into older pieces is an excellent way to practice sustainability while saving money and letting your creativity shine.
5. Complete the Look With Accents and Accessories
The finishing touches can truly bring a space together. Housewares such as eco-friendly cleaning products, recycled kitchen items, and even reusable cloth straws are both practical and help lessen the amount of waste we produce.
6. Let Natural Light In
Maximizing natural light is a brilliant way to decorate sustainably. Not only will you reduce your dependency on artificial lights but also the need for harsh lighting fixtures. If possible, position your furniture to face the window, creating a cozy reading nook or an inviting conversational area. This also helps you take advantage of the views and visually expand your space.
7. Think Local
Support local businesses and sustainability by purchasing locally made or grown products. Not only will you be helping to reduce the carbon footprint of overseas shipments, but you’ll also be promoting your community’s economic growth and fostering a sense of individuality within your home.
8. Create a Capsule Home Market
Similar to creating a capsule wardrobe, curating a capsule home market can improve sustainability. Choosing quality, versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched to create multiple different styles is a brilliant way to future-proof your purchases. When buying furniture, pick pieces that can multitask or be easily adapted to changing trends and your evolving tastes.
Sustainable home decor encourages us to think consciously about our environment, both internally and externally. By being mindful of our choices, we can transform our living spaces into eco-friendly, vibrant, and stylish habitats we adore and nurture.