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Tuesday, June 26th, 2018
The Tommy Bahama Home Living Room Hibiscus Round Accent Table 593-953 is made from bamboo, a sustainable material. Notice also the open, airy windows which let in natural light during the day, thus, eliminating the need to turn on lights during that time.
Your home is where sustainability should begin. From the furnishings to the finishes, choosing green products as well as practices can improve your home’s design. Deciding to live in a home with zero environmental impact is a good thing to do. Keep up with such good decisions and, now, let’s learn how to set up a sustainable interior design –
Minimalism Is Key
There are a few rules to learn if you’re a beginner minimalist. These can be summarized in seven easy steps –
First, learn to let go. This means looking for the dumpster and throwing all the things that you have not been using for six months or more.
Second, stop denying that you have a hoarding problem. No, you don’t have a space problem, you only have a stuff problem.
Third, if you have decided to live sustainably, then you should be willing to begin. Don’t wait for inspiration from someone else. Be able to motivate yourself to start.
Fourth, write down all the things that you want to finally get rid of including debt, stress at work, at many more. Once you write down these things, you’ll realize just how simple life really is.
Fifth, discard any duplicates. If you have boxes of magazines and DVDs, scour through them and keep only the ones that you are going to use in the next 30 days. For the rest of the boxes, have them thrown.
Sixth, declutter. Do this from the countertops to the kitchen islands, to your nightstand and even in that drawer in your bedroom. A clean, clear environment is as minimalist as you could ever get.
Seventh, have less of everything – less clothing, fewer shoes, fewer travel essentials, less eating out.
Orient Express Furniture Dining Room Loom Arm Chair
Use Only Eco-Friendly Materials
Gone were the days when eco-friendly materials were costly. Now, more and more manufacturers are able to meet the demands for green yet affordable products. If it’s possible, hire a sustainable interior designer so he or she could help you pick the right materials to use such as bamboo, rattan, etc.
Shop with Care
Be able to shop with confidence. Say no to plastic products and start saying yes to paper coffee cups or the usable ones, recycled toilet paper, biodegradable waste bags, organic clothing, solar power, green clothing, and furniture built with sustainable materials.
Learn to Save Energy
There are many different ways to save energy in your home ranging from the simplest to the most intense. You have to adjust your behaviors each day. Turn off appliances that are not in use (take baby steps first). You can also choose to do manual tasks such as drying your laundry the old-fashioned way or washing the dishes by hand.
Another energy-saving tip is to replace the light bulbs with LEDs or light-emitting diode bulbs. These may seem expensive at first but you will save about 25-80% electrical energy in the process. These bulbs also have a longer life=span compared to traditional light bulbs.
Apart from purchasing LED bulbs, you should also consider investing in energy-efficient appliances. These operate at 9-25% less energy compared to the traditional models. Look for the Energy Star label in all your appliances. This label guarantees that this appliance will consume less electricity.
Have a smart thermostat installed. This programmable thermostat can be automatically turned off to reduce cooling or heating during certain times of the day. The average thermostat can save you about $180 annually.
Have energy efficient windows installed. Did you know that your home loses about 10-25% of heat when you only have traditional windows? In order to prevent heat loss, replace the single panes with double-panes.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, sustainability, sustainable home design, sustainable interior design, sustainable materials
Posted in Green Living, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on What Is A Sustainable Interior Design?
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016
FFDM Summer Home Collection: Allowing natural light to stream in during the day can save you a lot of money on energy.
Do you believe that your house is a system? You can easily save money and even improve the performance of your home if you are willing to take cost-effective measures. These steps can significantly reduce building load, eventual appliance and furniture repairs, etc.
Target the Exteriors First
The most effective way of improving your home’s energy efficiency is to look at your walls, doors and windows. Make sure that the walls are well insulated. Only when these are already considered green should you begin looking at other systems such as lighting, heating, cooling and appliances.
Set Up Effective Insulation
Minus effective insulation, a home will have heat flowing profusely out of the walls. This is especially catastrophic during winter. See to it that you use the least amount of energy, though, in heating or cooling the house.
Houses without wall insulation or has wall cavities should have blown-in insulation. This will up the level of comfort and cost-efficiency so if you still have uninsulated walls, it’s best to look into having a professional installer do the job. For homes with damaged or old insulation, on the other hand, should undergo insulation upgrade.
Meet the Energy Auditor
You can begin your path towards green living by talking to an energy auditor. This green home professional has expertise in choosing the right insulation materials such as fiberglass, foam or cellulose. Such materials can help keep heat or coolness inside the walls of a home. The keywords that you need to remember are these – properly installed. This means the insulation was installed by a contractor using the right assessment and installation tools. The contractor, for example, uses infrared camera to check for void in walls.
Improve or Replace Windows
If the windows in your home are already old and leaky, then this may be the time to have them replaced with energy-efficient types. If you’re not willing to say goodbye to your windows just yet, then you could look into weather-stripping or having storm windows.
Window replacement may not be a cheap project but it definitely saves you money in the long run. This could also improve the level of comfort in your home.
Plant Trees and Shrubs
If you are living in an older house with obvious poor insulation and damaged windows, then know that having good landscaping can save a lot of energy while you’re still planning the huge architectural project. Deciduous trees that are planted on the west side of the house could help block infrared radiation. See also that the insulation is upgraded and your home meets Energy Star requirements.
Check the Old Furnace
Furnaces that were built before 1992 have a standing pilot that wastes about 35% of fuel. It is also possible that such furnaces are almost at the end of their service lives.
Invest in a condensing furnace as this offers an annual efficiency of no less than 90%. This kind wastes less than 10% of the natural gas and could help save 27% on your heating bill.
Furnaces that were installed beyond 1991 are probably annual fuel utilization efficient. If you’re in doubt, you can always ask the help of an energy auditor or a heating service technician.
Check the Hot Water System
To improve the hot water system’s efficiency, begin by turning down the temperature to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to insulate the hot water lines so that they won’t cool off too quickly. Lastly, use only low-flow fixtures for baths and showers.
Green living may be a lot more difficult to maintain but it has its perks. You save money and you become an ally of Mother Nature.
Tags: eco-friendly interior design, eco-friendly interiors, eco-friendly tips, energy efficient living, energy-efficiency, energy-efficient home, green home, green interior design, green living, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, sustainable design, sustainable home, sustainable home design, sustainable interior design, sustainable lifestyle, sustainable materials, tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Themes | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 18th, 2016
Artistica Living Room Quatrain Recycled Bamboo Buncher 314-380.
Over the last years, a species of grass has been used considerably to create affordable furniture. This is no less than the favored material among clothing manufacturers, landscape artists, athletic shoemakers, and interior designers. There are various reasons why bamboo is chosen to create different kinds of stuff. The green spirit that is now enveloping the globe is one huge reason.
Bamboo Means Sustainability
Manufacturers from all over the world are now responding to the call for environmental consumerism. Sustainable products are in and plastics are becoming less and less popular.
Bamboo clothing is made with breathable fabrics that are also eco-friendly. It doesn’t just look great, it also wears well. Bamboo fabric is exceptionally absorbent. Moisture tends to evaporate more quickly even in warmer temperatures.
Bamboo fabric is also hygienic. Scientists have proven that it comes with a unique anti-bacteria as well as an anti-fungal bio agent known as kun. This natural element is also a non-chemical deodorant that does not irritate the skin.
The bamboo trend does not end in clothing choices. Remember that there are more than a thousand species of bamboo all over the world. In landscaping, this is the perfect alternative to plastic. Bamboo is being used as an eco-friendly fence in a lot of homes. Some landscape architects even go as far as planting bamboo plants in gardens for a lush, fresher feel.
Tommy Bahama Home Living Room Hibiscus Round Accent Table 593-953
Bamboo and Your Interior Design
Hotels all over the nation are now signing up for different kinds of green programs. This is because business travelers now require eco-friendly accommodation. People also now believe that going green is not just environmentally-friendly but also a money saver of sorts.
Environmentalism is the hottest issue these days and you have to take part in it.
As more and more bamboo products are being sold in the market, it is now time to make your decision whether you would jump to the bandwagon or not. Bamboo can be a great substitute for hardwood floors, ceilings, even walls.
Bamboo furniture and accessories are not only green but can also be superior to other interior design materials. It is naturally resistant to wear and tear for as long as it is sheltered from the harsh elements. With sufficient maintenance, it should be able to resist staining, warping and cupping.
Bamboo comes in a wide spectrum of finishes which is why it is becoming a favorite among interior designers. It is also easy to maintain and clean while offering the versatility and natural beauty of hardwoods.
The West has fallen in love with everything that’s Asian so it’s no surprise that interior design has incorporated a lot of eastern elements these days.
There are real and faux bamboo furniture pieces but it pays to have the real deal. At times, oak, pine or maple is used to resemble the beauty of bamboo while keeping a sturdier piece of furniture. This isn’t a new technique since the Chinese have been manufacturing faux bamboo since the 1300s.
There are so many ways to fuse bamboo into your interior design. You could paint a bamboo headboard with black especially when you are pairing it with a Japanese style chest of drawers. Bamboo can easily mix with any kind of design, you will surely notice this soon enough. A duvet in paisley plus a modern lamp will also mix well with bamboo.
Bamboo is also very much at home when used as a bed material. It can work well with many English antiques. It is a beautiful way to have an Eastern pull into an otherwise Western setup.
Accessorizing with bamboo is a good way to mirror the eastern look throughout your home. Find bamboo accent chairs, accent tables or knickknacks.
So, would you dare to go green?
Tags: bamboo, bamboo furniture, bamboo interiors, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, sustainable design, sustainable materials
Posted in Accents, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 5th, 2016
Huntington House Living Room Loveseat 2053-40 is the best seating unit for smaller spaces.
One of the in things to do these days, the hottest bandwagon so to speak, is to live in an energy-efficient home. Founders of companies, couples, women, even college kids are now purchasing building plans for their new green homes. Some of these homes can be as small as 120 square feet (or even less).
There are challenges in living in a small space – this is certain. But there can also be benefits should you know what to do with the tiny space that you have.
Advantages of Small Home Living
The U.S. Census reported in 2010 that the average size of homes is about 2,400 square feet. Despite this large home dominance, many homeowners still recognize the advantages of living in a small place.
One of these advantages is energy efficiency. With a smaller place to cool or heat, this spells lower carbon footprint.
Flexsteel Home Office Bookcase W1201-701: Small space living means looking for effective ways to store stuff in your home.
Another advantage is not having to clean a large space. Fewer rooms means less maintenance or cleaning time. This can be a perk to your family since it would mean more time spent outdoors, doing all the stuff that the family loves.
A smaller home also means you have a cozier and more intimate space. These are the very things that bigger homes lack.
Smaller homes are also less expensive and less pricey to live in. You get smaller utility bills with your smaller place – that is also guaranteed. Small homes can spend as little as $180 in energy as compared to hundreds and thousands that large home dwellers need to pay for.
Flexsteel Home Office Bookcase W1201-701: Small space living means looking for effective ways to store stuff in your home.
Freedom in a Small Space
So how can you achieve freedom in a much smaller space?
Begin developing your cute green home at the main room. This can be a living room and an office space in one. You can install a tiny fireplace, two comfortable chairs, a desk, and some hidden storage.
You can then go to the sleeping space which can be just a tiny nook right upstairs. Your cute home must have good insulation to keep you and your family warm during the wintry months and cool during the summer season.
The front door can open to two rooms at the same time. This can be the dining area and your kitchen space. Install a sink, portable electric range, small refrigerator, and a prep surface for your kitchen/dining area. The dishes and other kitchen tools can be stored in smaller cabinets or shelves.
Accept also the fact that you will have a smaller bathroom. Install a small yet full bath containing the toilet, sink, shower and tub within 10 square feet. Water can be gathered from neighboring spigot. You could cook up something more elaborate but you will have to deal with local building codes if you do so.
Smaller homes are not just energy efficient, they are also sturdier. This means that you won’t have to worry as much when a quake suddenly ensues. This is because shorter distances spell a more expedient escape. Remember that the smaller the surface area, the smaller chances that the house would topple because of an earthquake.
Smaller homes have also been proven to be safer from fires.
The secret to achieving freedom in the midst of coziness is to use every inch efficiently. You may feel uneasy during the first few months. You could even spend time figuring out what works and what doesn’t.
Everything is also depending upon your perspective, the beauty of your home being the topmost priority. Whatever makes sense for you and your family’s needs is what should be built, invested upon or installed.
This tiny yet liveable green home is yours to own – be sure you’re ready to embrace simple living.
Tags: designing a small apartment, designing a small space, energy-efficiency, energy-efficient home, green home, green living, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, sustainable design, sustainable home, sustainable home design, sustainable interior design, sustainable lifestyle, sustainable materials
Posted in Green Living, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Themes, Tiny Homes | No Comments »
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