Interior design is all about aesthetics, aesthetics, aesthetics – after all, you want your home or office design to reflect your own tastes and look good to guests or clients. Sustainability usually comes second to appearance when it comes to decorating an interior space, but it doesn’t have to. There are plenty of ways to create beautifully designed interior that’s also environmentally friendly and sustainable. Here are some tips to achieve that style interior design in Chicago is famous for.
Change your lights
This might not come as a surprise, but overusing electricity is not great for the environment. You can reduce the amount of energy you use in your household not only by switching off lights and power points that aren’t being used, but also by changing the type of light bulb you use in your home.
Incandescent light globes are inefficient and produce much wasted heat, making them the worst kind of lights you could have in your home. Instead, replace them with more energy-efficient lighting, such as compact light-emitting diodes (LED) or compact fluorescent lamps. LED lighting is small, but powerful: it produces a fraction of heat than other lighting options, yet lasts much longer. LED lights can also add a sleek and modern look to any room, so you can be designer chic and ecologically friendly at the same time. If you’re running low on cash, consider financing your lights with a company like Energy Smart Finance.
Eco-friendly furniture
If you’re looking to get wooden furniture, make sure it’s made from timber that has been grown responsibly. Wood is a limited commodity, and is only renewable when more trees are planted for the ones used. Furniture that is made from unsustainable wood is a burden on the environment, and supporting this practice only makes it worse. Before purchasing any wooden furniture, you should always check that the timber it has been made from was grown responsibly.
If in doubt, opt for second-hand furniture instead. There’s a myriad of furniture to be found at thrift stores and antique shops. If you’re a bit strapped for cash, you can just go online to Freecycle or Gumtree, where people are often giving away unwanted furniture, or offering them up for an exchange. You could find some really funky one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture, if you look hard enough.
Go digital
Speaking of trees, paper wastage is also a huge environmental issue. If you find newspapers and magazines that only get read once pile up around your home, consider going digital. Many newspapers and magazines now have a digital component that you can subscribe to on your e-reader or tablet computer. This saves space in your home, as well as saving the environment.