Creating a custom design for your home can be a great way to infuse more of your personality and creativity into a space you occupy most of the day. The great thing about taking on a home renovation project is that you’re in full control over the features you put in and the overall value you’re able to extract from your efforts.
However, when taking on a new interior design project, it’s important to think about both the short- and long-term gains you’ll receive from the work you put in. This is especially important when considering sustainability.
The great thing is that there are a variety of different inclusions you can make when designing a space that prioritizes more eco-friendly practices. Here are some ideas you can consider:
Sustainable Design Materials
There are countless design materials you can use when building or redesigning your home. However, some materials are much more sustainable than others.
Whenever possible, think about incorporating more natural materials made from renewable resources like bamboo or reclaimed wood. Bamboo is a great option because of its strength and wide range of use cases around the home. Bamboo grows significantly faster than other wood materials and is a perfect option for flooring and decor.
Reclaimed wood is a great option for injecting a bit more character into spaces and significantly reduces the environmental impact of producing new lumber materials.
Energy-Efficient Lighting
Your lighting choices are another significant factor in your home’s energy consumption rate. But even just making a few minor changes to lighting fixtures or bulb choices can make a major impact on both the environment and your wallet.
Switching from incandescent light bulbs to LED bulbs is a simple and effective way to start saving considerably on your energy bills. LED lighting solutions are known to last 25 times longer while using 90% less energy than traditional bulbs and give you more control over the brightness and temperature of the lighting in your home.
Longer-Lasting Furniture
One of the most common additions in home renovation projects is installing new furniture. While this can be a great way to add new character to various rooms in your home, it’s also important to think about ways you can lower your carbon footprint when making new purchases.
Instead of looking for the most modern design elements, regardless of how they’re constructed, consider making furniture purchases that prioritize quality and durability. This approach is valuable in several ways. First, older-style furniture typically lasts much longer than newly manufactured items. Second, using more “vintage” furniture options can be a great design choice while helping to reduce environmental impact.
Low-VOC Paints and Finishes
It’s important to carefully consider the type of construction products used in your interior design projects. For example, many painting products or sealants use harmful chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
When used in large quantities, VOCs can release harmful chemicals that not only damage the environment but can also create respiratory problems in individuals living in the home. Before you start your projects, make sure you’re looking for low-VOC or VOC-free construction products. This will ensure you’re achieving the look you want for your home while avoiding the potential health hazards that can come with it.
Water-Saving Features
Water consumption is another major consideration when adding modifications to your home. Depending on the size of the property, residential homes can use huge amounts of water every day, just from everyday use in kitchen spaces, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. However, there are many improvements you can make to significantly reduce your total water consumption each year.
One way to reduce your water usage is to replace outdated water features with newer ones that prioritize water efficiency. These could include sinks, showers, toilets, and large-scale appliances. When making these changes across the entire home, the water savings each year can add up considerably, saving you money and helping the environment at the same time.
Making More Use of Natural Elements
Sustainable design choices are all about looking for ways to live in harmony with nature – not against it. There are many ways of doing this, especially when bringing elements of the outdoors into the home.
This isn’t just beneficial when trying to incorporate more modern aesthetics. Adding more indoor plants and natural lighting into various rooms of your home can actually help to purify the air and even reduce stress levels.
Smarter Textile Choices
Choosing more sustainable furniture options isn’t the only way to incorporate eco-friendly decision-making into your design process. The type of fabrics you use in the home – from rugs and curtains to blankets and towels – can all have their own impact on the environment.
Many people are unaware that conventional textile production often uses a combination of harsh chemicals and high energy consumption. Instead of using manufactured materials, choosing more natural fibers like organic cotton or linen can be a much better option. These materials are classified as “renewable” and are also much more comfortable to use in most situations.
Leveraging Multifunctional Spaces
Outside of the elements you’ll be adding to your home, your overall design layouts can also have an impact on your sustainability efforts. Instead of choosing layouts that make use of individual spaces, designing more flexible layouts can be a good way to limit construction and material needs.
For example, doubling a guest room or dining area as a workspace is a good way to get more use out of the same square footage. You can also consider having convertible furniture such as sofa beds or foldable and expandable tables to use in a variety of different use cases. The more versatility you allow in your designs, the less demand you’ll have for adding new furniture, flooring, or other materials.
Make Smarter Decisions for Your Design Space
Making smart interior design choices is the right thing to do for yourself and the environment. By choosing more eco-friendly materials, prioritizing energy efficiency, and considering resource consumption rates when redesigning your spaces, you can create a home that looks great and has a reduced carbon footprint.
Written by Rebecca Davis