So says world famous Muppet, Kermit the Frog. But in today’s environment, with so many products and design options available, being “green” can be a relatively easy and environmental beautiful design option.
From paint, lighting, accessories, fabrics, furniture and wall coverings, becoming eco-friendly has become an extremely high priority for many home furnishings manufacturers.
Let’s take a look at a few of these exciting options.
Furniture. Natural fibers, found in rattan and plantation grown woods (rather than depleting forest grown woods) give home owners a wide variety of styles, textures and designs. And how about materials such as bamboo, abaca and government certified hardwoods? If purchasing eco-friendly furniture for your home is a priority, you might check to see if your furniture manufacturer is a member of the Sustainable Furniture Council (SFC), which was established in 2007.
Lighting. Not only have halogen lamps been all the rage for the past few years, they are a boon to energy savings, as are the wide variety of energy saving light bulbs available in the marketplace. LED bulbs are even more energy conscious and increasingly a more available option.
Fabrics. Believe it or not, gorgeous decorative fabrics are being made from recycled plastic water bottles, recycled polyester and recycled paper. And often times these eco-friendly fabrics are treated and finished with only water based or environmentally approved dyes.
Wall finishes. Paints now feature low odors, faster drying times and stronger durability, all by maintaining environmental codes. If repainting is in your future, be sure to ask if the paint you’re considering has a low VOC (volatile organic compounds) rating, so that you can continue your environmental stewardship. Natural grass cloth wall covering is another way to add warmth, beauty and texture to your wall décor, while maintaining your green focus.
And let’s not forget the importance in design of the color green! Yes, it may not be easy being green, but this long-desired shade can be found in almost every design scheme. Whether you incorporate green in plant foliage displayed in you room’s design or you make this shade predominate, usually any green shade will add a bit of the splendor of the great outdoors to any décor.
Pamela Ryalls-Boyd is an interior decorator who lives in Morgan Hill. She is a Decorating Den Interiors business owner and enjoys working together with Janet Cunningham. Reach Pamela at (408) 776-1412, [email protected] or visit www.decdens.com/decdenmh.
