Interior Decorating: Think Reclaimed, Recycled, Repurposed, and Renewable

We live in a very crowded world. Our towns and cities continue to grow. With the growth comes traffic, more people, shopping, and congestion. It is important to remember the impact all of these things have to our environment. We are responsible to tame the pollution so that the future will be a beautiful place to inhabit.

With the new building and renovating, it is important to think eco-friendly when decorating the abode. Sustainable, green, items contribute to healthy indoor air quality. Using your imagination to decorate being earth friendly can be fun and rewarding.

There are many materials that can be found when considering “green” interior design.

• Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint is now very common. The chemicals evaporate at room temp and release significantly fewer polluting toxins with no strong fumes

• Heavier curtains on your windows will block out sunlight in the summer, allowing you to run less air conditioning.

• Linoleum has always been eco-friendly and affordable. It is named for linseed oil being it’s major component. Linoleum also contains wood flour and limestone dust.

• Wood is made out of responsibly forested materials

• 100% formaldehyde-free products that contain no toxic glues

• 15 percent of all soil-contaminating insecticides go into growing cotton in the United States. Hemp, an organic plant that’s hearty enough to be grown without pesticides, is an excellent alternative to cotton.

• Wool is a natural and renewable fiber made of keratin, a tough insoluble protein with a unique structure that gives it natural resistance to sunlight, water, acids, rot and mildew. At the end of its life, wool will biodegrade in soil, releasing valuable nutrients.

Many items will help us to play our part towards the greening of our planet.

RECLAIMED: This usually refers to wood since you will be saving the life of a tree. Reclaimed means the wood has not been taken from a tree that is still living. Instead the wood from an existing source is used; think old buildings, doors, windows, furniture, railroads, or trees that were already fallen and dead.

• Use an old door as a desk top. Use 2 file cabinets as pedestals.

• Hang old windows on the wall for art.

  

• Use old wall molding to build a picture frame.

• Use an old picket fence as a headboard.

RECYCLED: Anything that has been created from an existing product is recycled. This is a great way to use your imagination.

• Make a planter out of an old boot or tire.

  

• Create a pillow using old sweaters and scarves.

• You can make wine corks into a cork board.

• Use the fabric from old clothes for window treatments and pillows.

• Reupholster and paint old furniture to make new again.

  

REPURPOSED: This is similar to reclaimed and recycled.  A repurposed item is anything used for something other than its original job, saving it from becoming landfill.

• A window frame can be fitted with mirrors and repurposed as wall art.

• Old plates can be hung on the wall.

• Newspaper, pages from magazines and books, can be used for wall covering.

• An old chest can be used as a vanity in the bathroom for a sink.

  

RENEWABLE: This refers to materials made from plants that are quick-growing and easily replaceable.

• Bamboo is a truly sustainable harvested grass that regenerates at least 8 times faster than hardwood. It is fastest growing wood like substance on the planet. No replanting is necessary, as bamboo is regenerated through its rhizomes.

• Cork is a completely renewable resource harvested as bark from living cork trees, never harmed by the harvest.

• Hemp, which is grown without pesticides and is the strongest fiber known to man, can be found in draperies, roman blinds, bedding, pillows and table linens.

We must take responsibility for the future of our planet. Start with each new decorating project by using an eco-friendly material or resource. Let us work towards the goal a sustainable earth starting with making our abode more environmentally friendly. Never be afraid to dance!

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