These days people are growing more and more concerned with sustainable purchasing decisions, but unfortunately the eco-friendly options we have available to us are not always accessible or realistic for the majority.
For example, in interior design the more heavily marketed sustainable options are using eco-friendly materials, energy efficient products, or renewable energy systems. The problem with this is that these options are often far more expensive or unrealistic in comparison to their less sustainable counterparts.
Unfortunately, this is often the case when it comes to sustainable purchasing power. I firmly believe that if sustainability was more easily accessible to the world, many more people would make those sustainable choices.
So today I want to talk about some of the interior design choices you can make that are not only more sustainable but will actually SAVE you money.
This is something that we do a lot of in my interior design business. By revamping instead of replacing, you can create an entirely new look in your kitchen at a fraction of the cost. At DFI we do this by repainting kitchen cupboards and adding new cupboard handles, then making any other adjustments or replacements that are needed. It’s faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly! A win-win.
If you have old, worn-out furniture, you could choose to throw it out and replace it… or you can save money and the environment by giving it a second life. Reupholstering your furniture means that you can save it from the tip as well as save yourself the cost of buying new.
Even if your furniture is perfectly fine and you simply don’t love the look of your room anymore, reupholstering can be the perfect solution. Fabric is such an important element when it comes to interiors and a small change like this can update the look of an entire room. And once again, it’s cheaper for your wallet and far better for the environment than buying new.
In a similar way, if your furniture doesn’t look as fresh as it once did, but is otherwise in good shape, you can choose to get it professionally cleaned. This is a great way to bring your furniture back to life if you still love it, whilst saving another item from landfill. Professional cleaning can make a huge difference and is far cheaper and easier than buying something new. This is something that works well for sofas, carpets and rugs.
Shopping your home is about making use of what you already own. If you want to change your living room, why not swap items around with other pieces from your home? By doing this you can change multiple rooms at once and give your home a new look without spending any money. Once you’re done, if you want to you can buy a few final items to complete the look, and feel great that overall this comes at a far reduced cost and environmental impact than replacing everything.
Yes, this one does have a higher upfront cost, but if you can afford it then it means that you can save yourself money over time by buying items that will stand the test of time and you’ll keep forever.
By making any of these simple choices you have the chance to design an interior that is not only beautiful, but sustainable and cost effective.