4 Sustainable Interior Choices That Are Worth Making
Right now sustainability feels like an “on trend” topic and it feels like a lot of businesses are scrambling to shout about how they are “doing good” above the rest. I don’t know about you but I began to feel the pressure as a consumer to be doing better which only resulted in very little action. When I decide to take action it needs to come from a place of understanding and passion rather than guilt and pressure. So after reading a few articles and following a few accounts on social media I began to make my own sustainable lifestyle changes. This lead me to think about sustainable choices I could be making in my own home and business. I started to look into a number of topics surrounding sustainability in the home. This post shares a few sustainable factors that I think about when it comes to furnishing my own home as well as client projects. So grab a cup of coffee and give it a quick read, some of the statistics might shock you.
1. Low VOCs paint
Did you know that on average the air inside your home is 10 times more polluted than outside air. This pollution comes from VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which are emitted as gases from paints, varnishes, waxes and many cleaning products. VOCs are harmful to health, the environment and contribute to global warming. In terms of medical health they have been known to cause headaches, dizziness, allergies and some can even lead to the development of cancer. VOCs emissions are absorbed by soft furnishing that can last up to 10 years and everyday we breath in roughly 11,000 litres of air. This is why it’s important to choose paints that have a low VOCs rating to lessen your exposure to chemicals and improve the environment.
Low VOCs paint options:
Rust- oleum Chalky Finish Wall Paint (ultra-low VOC with just 2 g/l)
Little Greene - Intelligent paints (certified as Child Safe under BS EN 71-3: 2013)
Credit: Rust-Oleum
2. Purifying plants
So now we know there are toxins inside our home, but what do we do to improve the air quality? Well, certain plants naturally remove toxins from the air through their photosynthesis process. Meaning that you can drastically limit your exposure simply by adding some foliage to your home. Heres a list of a few of the best indoor plants that clean the air:
Golden pothos (devil’s ivy) - filters toluene, formaldehyde and benzene.
Areca Palm - filters formaldehyde, toluene and xylene. Also acts as a natural humidifier.
Rubber plant - filters formaldehyde, produces lots of oxygen and effectively removes mold and bacteria from the air.
Peace Lily - filters benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde
I personally love the texture and greenery that plants add to a room but learning about the physical benefits they provide makes them a home decor essential in my mind. Plants are known to improve mental health, reduce blood pressure, increase productivity and act as a natural humidifier. Plants also effectively remove mould and bacteria from the air in order to protect their soil. Some studies have found that up to 60% of mould and bacteria is suppressed when houseplants are present. In conclusion adding plants to your space adds a number of positive benefits to your health and is good for the environment.
3. Sustainable wood
When buying new wooden furniture it’s a good idea to look for FSC certified products which means the wood have come from sustainably managed forests or it uses reclaimed materials. Sustainably managed forests are controlled in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers. Why is it important to look for this? Well it is estimated that 15 - 30% of all timber is illegally logged with many endangered hardwoods being included in our furniture. Sourcing responsibly will make a big impact on how the timber trade is run. Alternatively there are now many other types of wood to chose from, you could consider bamboo or coconut plantation timber which is harvested from coconut and sugar plantations that have passed their fruit growing years.
Photo Credit: Jakob Owens Unsplash
4. Buying second hand furniture
There has been a big rise for “fast furniture” in recent years due to the growing popularity of before and after photos being shared on social media. We are looking to create homes that are trendy and up to date. Now I can hold my hands up here, when my ex partner and I furnished our flat together we brought all of our furniture brand new. To explain my thinking here I wanted to buy well made furniture that would last years. Now in theory this was a sensible idea, but I forgot one key thing that your taste and style evolves over time. For me I discovered that I love Danish design and calming home decor, but the flat I lived in didn’t reflect my change in style. This created feelings of frustration and disconnection, the place I wanted to relax in was no longer making me happy. I then saw the error in my ways, spending a lot of money on new furniture only to find I disliked it in a years time is simply not sustainable for me. So when it came to furnishing my living room this year I started looking at second hand options. I picked up this second hand Habitat sofa from Facebook Marketplace and it couldn’t have turned out better. The colour matches with my existing soft furnishings, its comfortable and perfectly fits into the space.
These four topics are all easy to action and will make a great impact on the sustainability of your home as-well as lifestyle benefits. I am still very much at the beginning of this journey but I found some of the information fascinating to learn about and hope you did to. Small actions make a big impact so I encourage you to take the pressure off yourself and think about how you can help make your first positive step towards a more sustainable lifestyle.