Have you ever heard of ecological interior design? It’s an overall approach to interior decoration aimed at reducing environmental impact, fostering occupants’ health and wellness and making sustainable choices. Beyond aesthetics, this concept creates a healthy interior that respects the planet.
Here are a few simple green home tips that can greatly improve the quality of your environment.
Choose healthy paints and finishes
Since we spend much of our time indoors, especially in the winter, it’s important to make sure we choose products free of pollutants during renovations and maintenance.
For example, non-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints reduce the risk of respiratory problems and headaches. However, these paints are not necessarily 100% ecological and may contain other substances that harm the environment. Instead, choose “natural” paints formulated to be biodegradable.
You can also choose natural oils and waxes, like linseed oil and beeswax, for restoring furniture. They have the further advantage of penetrating the materials well and showing off natural woodgrain.
You can also find non-VOC varnishes for floors, suitable for even the busiest parts of the house.
Choose sustainable materials
Wood is the perfect green material for floors or furniture. It’s warm and timeless, and it has a low environmental footprint because it lasts. To be greener still, you can use recycled or FSC certified (from responsibly managed forests) wood.
Bamboo is another green option. Its rapid growth makes this plant a very renewable material. It’s flexible and strong, making it suitable for floors, furniture and decorative accessories.
As for cork, its thermal and acoustic insulating properties improve indoor comfort. It is harvested without cutting down the tree, so it’s a renewable resource that respects the environment. Its flexibility makes it a favorite for floor coverings, decorative panels and even furniture.
Make plants part of your décor
There’s nothing like indoor plants to improve occupants’ wellness and create a warm atmosphere. Sansevieria (also called “snake plant”), aloes and golden pothos are a few examples of easy-care plants.
Plant walls are becoming an increasingly popular solution, and they produce a striking visual effect. A plant wall is a wall panel covered with plants to create a vertical ecosystem from a combination of climbing plants on supports and modular systems that use substrate.
Choose ecologically responsible furniture and decorations
Buying local and hand-crafted, used or restored furniture and adopting a minimalist décor are other ways to decorate your home in an ecologically responsible way. Using natural textiles such as linen, cotton or wool instead of synthetic fibres such as polyester limits the release of microparticles of plastic into the air.
One step at a time
Of course, you aren’t going to put all this advice into play all in one weekend. Instead, take it one step at a time and base your choices on your budget. You’ll soon feel the benefits!
