Sustainable Home Furnishing Tips for a More Eco-Conscious Living

Embracing a more sustainable lifestyle is certainly something all of us should consider. However, if you’ve already started your journey on this path and have already embraced a greener mindset, why not continue with the same principles when it comes to furnishing your living space?

Those who are lucky enough to build their homes from scratch have the opportunity to make their homes entirely sustainable by using the right materials and choosing to go with the appropriate building practices. But those who don’t get the same opportunity can at least bring in some dose of sustainability and choose to furnish and decorate their abodes with this practice in mind.

Know the space you’re working with

While this tip doesn’t necessarily scream sustainability right off the bat, it’s actually a key part in furnishing your home with sustainability in mind. If you don’t know the exact dimensions of the space you’re working with, chances are that you won’t be able to find the right furniture for it.

Other than that, you may end up buying more pieces than you can fit into your space or you may end up feeling disappointed with the final result. To prevent any of this from happening, make sure you get familiar with the space through and through before you decide to do anything else.

Start making lists and planning out the layout

Once you know the dimensions of the space you’re working with, it’s time to start planning the layout. Depending on the type of room you’re furnishing, as well as its intended purpose, there will be a few things you’ll need to keep in mind to avoid making some of the most common mistakes.

First off, make sure that the layout enables free movement throughout the space and make sure that the room doesn’t end up feeling too stuffy and overcrowded. Once you have a rough idea about the pieces you want to include, you should note all of them down. This will help you significantly once the time to start shopping comes around.

Go for different materials

Additionally, to make your interior décor more sustainable, you should consider implementing different materials. Here, we’re not just talking about types of materials but their age as well. For instance, you can choose to reuse your old wooden cabinet and give it new life. To make such an old piece shine once more, sand it down, apply a fresh coat of paint or lacquer and replace the old doors with new, glass ones. Not only will this entirely change the look of the said piece, but it will also turn it into a new statement piece of your interior.

Looks are important but functionality is where it’s at

On a similar note, sustainable home furnishing is not only about finding high-quality furniture pieces made of durable materials and making them a part of your design. Actually, aside from the looks of the items you choose and the quality of the materials, you should also focus on the functionality of the pieces. Some of the best pieces you should be trying to obtain are those that serve more than one purpose.

So, for instance, if you’re looking to add more style and functionality to your bedroom, try to find a quality wooden bed with drawers. Not only will such a piece instantly elevate the look of your bedroom, but it will add more purpose to the main furniture piece. These drawers can be used for anything – from storing bedding that’s currently not being used to providing more storage options in general.

Know what you want to achieve

Finally, it’s very important to know exactly what you’re trying to achieve with your design. This will enable you to choose décor and furniture pieces more carefully, reducing the chances of buying unnecessary things.

For instance, if you’re trying to implement a certain design style in your interior but you’re also trying to stay sustainable with your efforts, try focusing on the pieces that are essential for achieving such a look. Of course, when choosing such staples, your personal taste should be allowed its moment as well because you don’t want to end up with a beautiful space that just feels too impersonal.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking to spruce up your interior but you still want to stay eco-friendly with your efforts, keep these sustainable home furnishing tips in mind. And, as always, keep in mind that sometimes, less is more, so avoid overcrowding your space with unnecessary fast-fashion pieces.

Mike Johnston

Mike Johnston is an avid creative writer and blogger. He is a regular contributor to the Smooth Decorator blog. Mike’s Specialties are home improvement and interior design, but he also loves writing about small business, entrepreneurship, family life, green living and many other topics. Mike’s goal is to create interesting and compelling content that will help readers navigate through these vast and ever-changing fields.

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