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10 sustainable décor tips

1.    Don’t throw things out, repurpose
Have an object that’s stopped working? Don’t throw it out! Consider reusing it, instead.

•    Give an old kitchen table a coat of paint and use it as a worktop in the kids’ playroom.
•    Sand an old stool and use it as a bedside table.

2.    Trade items you no longer want with friends

Set up an exchange with friends and neighbours when you’re in the mood to redecorate. Maybe you no longer want that flowered arm chair but maybe it will suit a friend just fine. Maybe your friend is willing to give you that lamp you’ve been coveting.

Exchanges are a wonderful way to indulge redecorating fantasies without doing damage to your wallet or the planet.

3.    Explore the less-is-more decorating aesthetic

Do we really need all the stuff we hoard in our homes? Take a page out of the Scandinavian and Japanese design books and pare down.

•    You don’t need a coffee table AND two end tables AND a console table.
•    You don’t need curtains and valances and swags.
•    You may not even need a bed. Rethink and defy convention.

4.    Shop secondhand
Why buy new when you can buy a one-of-a-kind vintage piece without adding new stuff to the world? Vintage is where it’s at.

5.    Be skeptical about green products

Green is good and sustainable is nice, but all too often, green is just another convenient sales tool that’s not doing much to protect the environment. Want to ‘go green’?

Consider creating your own goods or buying vintage.

6.    Stay put
Moving can have a big impact on the environment. First, there are all those boxes. Then, once you move, there’s the inevitable urge to redecorate. One way to avoid all that is to simply stay where you are. Nest and be happy.

7.    Buy quality
Here’s something most other cultures are already aware of...

Save up, buy something of quality that will last, and you may NEVER have to purchase a replacement.

8.    Buy multifunctional

Buying furniture with more than one purpose not only saves on space — it saves on the need to buy more too.

So by all means, go for the couch that becomes a bed, the coffee table that can become a dining table, the ottoman that can do double duty as extra seating.

9.    Buy energy-efficient lighting
These days, it’s become a whole lot easier to find stylish light fixtures that consumes less energy. It’s a great way to decorate and improve your carbon footprint at the same time.

10. Take your time
Rushing can be costly to the environment.

Being in a hurry often means splurging on short-lived trends, buying low quality goods or supporting furniture retailers that are not exactly environmentally-friendly. Instead of feeling that you must have a perfect home NOW, just relax… View decorating as work in progress, and enjoy the hunt.

If you take your time, you’ll choose quality things that you’ll love and treasure which will result in a timeless - not trendy - home.

For more information and articles like this, go to www.home-dzine.co.za
 
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