They say home is where the heart is, but your heart is set on protecting the earth. You can have the best of both worlds, though: eco-friendly decor has become a popular niche in the world of interior design because of people like you.

“Want to know how to upgrade

your space in a mindful way?

Here are five eco-friendly options for

furnishing your home:”

Buy Secondhand Decor

One way to ensure you’re not wasting resources is to buy something that’s already been made, sold and used. Websites like eBay and Craigslist can connect you with sellers who want to get rid of the piece of furniture you’re looking for. You might be lucky enough to find the right piece at a yard sale or flea market, too.

The luckiest scenario will have you finding the perfect piece of furniture secondhand. However, you are more likely to find something with good bones that needs a bit of a sprucing up. If your purchased piece is wood, for example, it’s easy to brush on a fresh coat of paint and make it look new again. Get creative and you can save the earth’s resources at the same time.

Say “No” to Carpet

The classic, cushy carpet beneath your toes may seem harmless, but it’s likely that this floor covering comes packed with chemicals and pollutants left behind by production. If you’re considering replacing the flooring in your home, do your research: you’ll find that real wood is one of the eco-friendliest options out there.

Fast-growing durable bamboo is also a great sustainable resource because it grows quickly, though you’ll want to make sure your retailer doesn’t import from faraway places. A bamboo floor sent from Asia to your doorstep will require lots of packaging and fuel, thus expanding your carbon foot print.

Use Your Windows the Right Way

On those perfect, breezy spring, summer and fall days, do you crack your windows? If so, you’re on the road to becoming even more eco-friendly: turning off the thermostat saves resources, of course. And, if you just so happen to live in a climate where the weather’s nice year-round, you can save big and improve the overall feel of your home simply by opening your windows.

Just as nice as your windows can be on perfect days, though, they can be a literal drain on really cold or really hot ones, too. Thermal curtains are the solution in winter, keeping the heat inside and blocking any chilly gusts from sneaking through. You can get thermal linings to go behind your pre-existing curtains, or upgrade your plain windows to have fabric accents.

In the summer, blocking the shade with darker fabrics or blinds will help you keep things cool, too. And, if you must flip on the heat or air-conditioning, you’ll at least use less because you have temperature-regulating décor in place.

Don’t Forget the Outside of Your Home

To that end, you can use materials on the outside of your home that look great and make it more efficient. Wood shingles have many benefits, including temperature regulation indoors. That’s because they’re more insulating than traditional asphalt. On top of that, there are so many stains, designs and styles to choose from that you can make your house stand out with a wooden roof. With that being said, it is important to research ways to keep your roof protected from external situations, such as extreme weather and other hazards.

If you’re on the road to designing or building a custom home, you can use the natural landscape to improve the look and efficiency of your blueprints, too. By constructing a home amid the trees — rather than tearing them down — you’ll give your home an earthy, natural look, preserve nature and benefit from cooling shade from the trees in the summertime. In other words, it’s a win-win-win.

And Always Say “Yes” to Plants

Finally, an eco-friendly design would not be complete without plants. We already mentioned the importance of maintaining the natural landscape when building or renovating a home. But cultivating plants inside of your home can also be a boon to both the look and feel of your space.

That’s because houseplants have been proven to improve the quality of the air within your home. As usual, plants will remove carbon dioxide from the air and create fresh oxygen instead. They also breathe in any lingering toxins or pollutants and filter those out into clean air, too. Oh, and the plants able to perform such duties look great, too, and many of them are easy to maintain.

These aren’t the only five ways to make your home eco-friendlier, but they’re certainly a great place to start. So, grab a few plants, beef up your curtains and re-shingle your roof and you’ll be well on your way to a greener, more eye-catching space.   

How have you added eco-friendly furnishings to your home?

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