Guest Post by Amanda from Jeromes Furniture about Green Design.
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Whether you are redecorating your entire home office in San Diego, or purchasing just a leather couch, San Diego has many eco-friendly decorative options available. From Oceanside to National City, furniture is not the only green option. Retailers worldwide are offering more and more eco-friendly alternatives that still hold images of quality. Here is a list of ways to incorporate green décor into any space:
- 1. Paint
- Flooring
- Linens
- Furniture
Aside from being better for the environment, eco-friendly paints are actually better for the people who will be living in the space too. Airborne chemicals, which the EPA calls Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), are emitted during the entire painting process, which includes the painting, drying and paint removal process. The EPA affirms that VOC continue to be released long after the paint has dried, even years later these fumes have been detected. Paint companies have developed paint with less or no VOC which have labels indicating “low VOC” or “zero-VOC”. There are even natural interior paints with no heavy metals and release no VOC.
Although flooring seems like the last place to find eco-friendly options, there are sustainable options here too. These include recycled glass tile, and reclaimed and sustainable wood flooring. Reclaimed wood adds character to any home or office as it can date from as early as the 1900s. This wood has been taken out of factories, barns and other wood structures and has been milled. Sustainable wood flooring is wood from sustainably harvested forests, thereby reducing the environmental impact felt from other wood flooring lumber operation.
From bed sheets to decorative throw pillows, eco-friendly fabrics are everywhere. Look for fabrics made with non-toxic dyes or natural fibers such as certain silks. There are various luxury organic linen companies to choose from and these materials can even be purchased for use in custom furniture making.
A great green alternative that adds character to a room is retro furniture. From interesting vintage desks to antique sofas, period pieces can add creative flair or give a room a classical feeling. What better way to recycle than to purchase used furniture? Used furniture can be reupholstered with eco-friendly fabrics or refinished with eco-friendly varnish and stains to match any room’s décor.
Interior design today is far more developed than most people realize; it is the creation of an ambiance and separates a house from a home. Regardless of design aesthetic, there is always a green alternative; it just requires some research and the right questions. Interior designers are ready for the eco-challenge, are you?