May 2022
Your house is your home, and there is no place like home. A house is made a home by adding personal touches and making memories, satisfying security, survival and well-being. The Earth is also our home, and there is no place like our Earth. It is therefore very important we take care of our Earth and our home through sustainable practices by choosing durable and sustainable pieces to dress our home with.
Being sustainable in your interior doesn’t only mean using things as they are, but items that give something back to the planet, your home and your health. In this entry, we will walk you through everything you need to know about sustainable interiors - whether it is shopping for sustainable interior items, using and disposing of them, and much more!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR?
When we want to address the topic of sustainable interior, let us first look at the broader meaning of Sustainability→. To be sustainable means to proactively have little to no lasting damage to the environment. The basic objective is to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources that are harmful to the environment. In terms of interior, this means utilising resources that reduce waste, pollution and our carbon footprint.
Interior decorates the home, making it more aesthetically pleasing for those living there. It includes soft furnishings, walls, floor coverings and lighting. Traditionally, interior design is concerned with aesthetics, with its sole focus on how things look, not considering their effect on the environment. However, in more recent years, there has been a shift and attention has turned to sustainable interior design. As people are becoming more interested and understand the need to be invested in sustainability, demand for sustainable interior and interior design has increased.
When we refer to a sustainable interior, we refer to how it is made, where materials are sourced from, how they are transported and the impact it has on people and the environment. What makes sustainable interior different is that it is not only better for the environment, but for people as well.
WHERE DO I START?
Sustainable interior can sound daunting and may make you query “where should I start?” Becoming more sustainable can seem challenging, overwhelming and costly. It is important to remember that it is small changes and lifestyle adaptations that we continue making over time that make the biggest impact.
The beauty of interior design is its flexibility. You are free to make as many changes to your current interior as you wish, and even with some very simple and easy steps, you can give your home a fresh update that does not require lots of money and spent resources.
Checklist: Tips on Making Your Interior More Sustainable
Most of these are compatible and interchangeable with one another, meaning you can make a big impact in a few, simple steps. To learn more, keep reading.
Consider the 6 R’s
Recycle, Reduce, Repurpose, Repair, Reuse and Rot
Recycle your unwanted or damaged furniture - learn more about Sustainable Replacing & Disposing of Interior Items→.
Reduce your consumption and overbuying of furniture, instead, Look After Your Sustainable Interior Items→ or alternatively,
Repurpose→, repair, and reuse.
Last but not least, Rot - learning to compost! Great way to live a more sustainable life, great for the planet and helps cut waste, mainly food waste, way down. For more information, take a look at our manual entry on Soil→.
Choose colours of nature
When decorating, consider natural colours such as soft greens, light blue, lemon yellow, shades of brown, pink and cream.
Colours and psychology go hand in hand - we all associate colours with certain moods and feelings. For example, red is a passionate colour, associated with love or blood. Blue is calming and intellectual. When we think about sustainability, many of us will think of green. It is a natural colour that we associate with grass and trees. Not only this - the colour green has been shown to positively impact our physical and mental health, relieving stress and anxiety. Some researchers believe this is hard-wired from our evolution, humans have long associated green with shelter, food and water.
Choose fitting paint
Using sun reflective and lightly coloured paint will open up a room, making it feel more spacious; for example using light colours such as white, or light green. This will reflect light better allowing it to flood through the room. Using Colours of Nature→ as a template for what colours to paint your room is a great place to start when choosing what colour to paint your room. Light and natural colours have been shown to significantly improve mood.
Another factor to consider is the ingredients in the paint, opting for non-toxic and those manufactured ethically are more environmentally friendly. Paint-based clay is a great option - it is durable and with its creamy consistency, it covers the wall really well. It is also a great friend to older properties as it is more breathable. The moisture-absorbing qualities of clay paint can also reduce condensation in the room, making the air quality healthier. Brands such as ECOS Paints and Real Milk Paint are great options to consider.
Avoid using paints with VOC (volatile organic compounds) as they can affect the air quality in your home and your overall health. When looking for good eco-friendly paint, check the label. Some ingredients claim to be natural, for example, natural oils. Despite the seeming goodness of this ingredient, you need to use white wine vinegar to rinse it off the brush rather than water. Sustainability goes hand in hand with durability, so painting less regularly will also positively impact the environment.
Use eco-friendly lighting
To maximise light, small changes can sometimes be the most effective. Use what you have - utilising windows to allow more light in will open up your space, open your blinds, windows or curtains to let the sunshine. To optimise this even further, hang mirrors facing the light, to magnify and reflect light throughout the whole room. Similarly to colour, light increases mood and productivity. Artificial light can become quite harsh, stopping melatonin production which is vital for your sleep-wake cycle.
However, we are not always blessed with constant light, so when choosing bulbs to light your home, one of the most eco-friendly light bulbs is an LED. They last significantly longer and are more energy-efficient. Solar lights are perfect for outside lighting, as they provide light to your garden but use solar energy. This is a great green alternative and has an aesthetic, plus makes your garden look great! Not only this, you are sure to see a decrease in your energy cost.
Another alternative is using movement sensors. By only having lights on when you are in the room, you can save up to 30% on energy. Make sure to visit our Energy→ entry for more information!
Add house plants
Not only do house plants provide greenery, they also have many other benefits. House plants increase our mood and productivity and as they release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, they also improve the air quality in your home and even absorb toxins! NASA has found this can be up to 87% in 24 hours. As previously discussed, natural colours such as green relieve stress, increase mood and brighten overall wellbeing. Some of the perfect plants for your house are Pothos, Peace lily, Boston Fern, Spider Plant, English Ivy, a String of hearts, Banana tree, Rubber tree and Fig tree Philodendron. To bring life back into your house, add plants. For further information, make sure to visit our manual entry on Flowers & House Plants → !
Repurposing
Repurposing interior items is when you alter or give a makeover to the item. You can give your pieces a new look by using new materials, paint, adding extra pieces or taking it all apart and starting again! Many turn to Pinterest for whacky, wonderful and beautiful inspiration. Rather than going out and purchasing new pieces, use what you already have and fall in love with it all over again.
UPCYCLING
Add a dash of paint, and new fabric or add some accessories - this will leave you with a unique piece! Upcycle unwanted pieces to give them a new lease of life or alternatively to a new home. Express your creative side and DIY = you can find lots of inspiration from Pinterest and YouTube! You can create candles from drink cans, broken glass into a photo frame, old LPs into clocks – the list is endless! In conjunction with this, if you do have any unwanted pieces, rather than throwing them in the bin, recycle them!
Please see below some examples of websites and YouTube channels that provide great inspiration for upcycling:
Websites
UpcycleThat.com
Joanne Condon - upcycling enthusiast’s personal blog
UpcycleMyStuff.com
Browse the web for a variety of other blogs and magazines!
Why sustainable interior?
The two main reasons to choose a sustainable interior are to decrease your carbon footprint and to provide a healthier environment in your home. To make any piece of furniture, numerous resources, workers and transportation is involved. The fairer the work and more sustainable the approach, the better this is for us and our planet.
Having a sustainable interior reduces the negative impact on the environment whilst utilising the space, light and individuality of your home. It has been shown to increase our mood, health, creativity and productivity. Going sustainable with your interior can be more cost-effective, creative and beneficial to local businesses. With growing environmental awareness of sustainability worldwide, initiatives are multiplying to promote sustainable development and the protection of the environment. Businesses and individuals are making a huge effort to change their approach and reduce their environmental impact.
eeb.org, 2019
Environmental & Ethical Impact of the Interior Design Industry
As a lot of our time and money is spent on our homes for continuous upkeep where we are regularly making purchases, to then later replace these time and time again, it is vitally important we choose sustainable alternatives that will last for a long time. This not only helps us save money but also minimises the environmental impact of interior design consumption. The interior design industry has large environmental and ethical impacts.
On another note, opting for sustainable or remanufactured furniture opens up the opportunity for economic and job growth. Not only this, but opting for sustainable, or ‘green’ furniture will also mean workers will be paid and treated fairly. Not to mention the sustainable practices of the manufacturing process and materials used. Noticing the environmental, social and economic benefits can allow more sustainable practices to occur.
