How to decorate your home with planet in mind
The next time you decorate a room, it’s a great idea to consider the environment. It can save you money and the results will be just as stylish. Here are some ideas …
Choose non-toxic paints Try and avoid paints that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are chemical solvents.
The cause of the strong smell that lingers after you’ve finished painting, they release fumes for up to 30 days.
Scientific researchers have shown they exacerbate lung conditions, like asthma.
They’re also bad for the planet, as they contribute to the creation of greenhouse gases.
Seek out water-based paints, which tend to give off much less of these fumes.
Specialist eco paint brands to look out for include Lakeland Paints, Earthborn Paints and Coat Paints.
When it comes to more well- known brands, you could try Crown Breatheasy or Dulux Quick Dry water-based paints.
B&Q labels all its paints to show the VOC levels.
Use up leftover paint
You could save money and help the planet by asking friends and family if they have any leftover paint you could use for your project.
After all, nearly everyone has a part-used tin of paint sitting in their attic, shed or garage.
Of course, you may have to
compromise on your colour scheme.
Similarly, you could use sites like Facebook Marketplace,
Nextdoor and Freecycle to track down other people’s unused tins of paint.
You can find some real bargains.
If you’d rather just buy from a shop, then eco decorating brand Little Greene now offers a paint range called Re:mix, made by upcycling waste paints.
A good starting point for buying eco-friendly wallpapers is to look for the FSC logo.
It means the Forestry Stewardship Council has verified the paper’s made from sustainably managed trees.
You can do a search on the John Lewis website for FSC-certified wallpapers.
Graham & Brown uses wa
Look for eco wallpaper
ter-based inks in its wallpapers, while premium brand Farrow and Ball ensures its wallpapers don’t contain any vinyl, which is a kind of plastic.
Lay natural floors Natural wood (FSC certified) is one of the best flooring options.
Also look out for bamboo and even cork.
Made from harvesting the bark of cork trees, it’s ultra-sustainable and naturally insulating so it could help with your home’s energy efficiency too. If you buy second-hand furniture, you can often buy much higher quality pieces than modern flatpacks. It often also has more character and charm. Look in local charity shops or on eBay.