Green initiatives are everywhere, making it impossible not to be a part of the ‘save the planet’ movement. Big corporates might be getting more involved in green initiatives on their consumers’ behalf, but we need still need to find ways to be more eco-friendly in our homes. By minimising your carbon footprint you’re not only doing the environment a favour, but also saving money in the process. Many high-end retailers have eco design furniture on offer, usually with an exorbitant price tag, so why not just do-it-yourself?
Recycle materials and turn them into something else without compromising the earth’s resources.
Wood is one of the most popular materials used in home furniture – from coach frames to doors, bedroom sets, cupboards and dining room tables. Deforesting is one of the biggest threats to our natural environment, destroying the natural habitat of animals and impacting entire eco systems. Finding green alternatives to create products from wood is becoming more of a necessity to help preserve natural resources for future generations. If you’re looking to create DIY eco design furniture, you need to look at the world with a different perspective – through a green lens. There are many items both inside and outside your home that can be converted into something useful and eco-friendly without you having to pay a cent or harming the environment.
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Something old can become something new through repurposing and some imagination.
Buying new furniture is not only expensive but also adds to the scarcity of natural resources. One of the simplest ways to create your own eco design furniture is by repurposing items you already have in your home. Renovating your kitchen or tired of that outdated wardrobe? Instead of discarding kitchen cupboards or going to the pawn shop with your unwanted furniture, turn them into something else: something new. A kitchen cupboard can be reborn as a neat storage chest, and an old wardrobe transformed into a bench – all you need are the right tools and imagination.
Don’t let anything go to waste – everyday materials can be repurposed.
The pallet furniture craze is nothing new, but is expected to be around for quite some time. The allure lies in the idea of taking something that has a single purpose and converting it into hundreds of different practical household items. Many companies have seen the light due to the high-demand for pallet-based products. But you can pop in to your nearest wholesale outlet and ask for a few pallets, and then just do-it-yourself. Create unique outdoor eco design furniture, headboards, coffee tables and other household items – all without fuelling deforestation.
Have some fun with items you have lying around your backyard.
The patriot of DIY, YouTube sensation Suzelle, has proven time and time again that ‘everybody can’. In one of her latest videos, the DIY queen used cinderblocks in her backyard to make a colourful outside bench and flower garden. Most people have a corner in the backyard that is home to offcuts or leftover building materials from previous projects. With some research and creativity you can kill two birds with one stone – get rid of the clutter by creating an eco design furniture piece. Here are some great ideas from home remodelling and design platform Houzz on how you can use leftover building materials.
Use more glass in your home to naturally illuminate spaces and save the environment
Glass is a recyclable and eco-friendly building material. The more glass you have in your home the more you optimise on natural light, while curbing both your electricity bill and carbon footprint. To fully unlock the power-saving capabilities of glass, you can use window frosting to insulate your home. Keep your living areas warm in winter, and protect and cool down the interior during the hot and sunny summer months. Window frosting can also be a part of the décor theme in your home.
Looking to embrace green living in your home? Give the Window Art team a call to help you bring the glass elements in your home to life, with custom-designed window frosting. For more inspiration, download our free Guide to Home Renovations.
Image Credit: http://www.iseecubed.com
