Green Home Remodel Part Four: What’s So Green About it Anyway?
September 29, 2009 Written by Candice Dickens-Russell
Candice is writing a green home remodel series for YDT as she fixes up her first home. Read part three of her quest: “Ditching the Dumpster.”
What does green really mean when it comes to home design and décor? Is it only in the ways things are made or also what they’re made of? Is the table made of sustainable bamboo greener than the bookshelf rescued from the landfill and restored with eco-friendly wood stain? What about the stuff you didn’t buy? Can a lack of clutter make a room greener?
My husband, Scott, and I ask ourselves these questions all the time as we strive to keep our green promises and create eco-friendly home décor. We’ve decided that for us, an item is green as long as we’ve made a commitment to protecting the environment in choosing it. It’s all about consciousness. If each piece is chosen with the environment in mind then, in the end, we will have a green room.
Our sustainably-designed, harvested and manufactured items are green because of their natural materials and companies’ commitment to environmental protection. Our locally-crafted items purchased for their proximity are green because we save shipping emissions. Things we’ve refurbished or reused are also green because we’ve kept them out of the landfill.
That said, here is a first look at our green home interior starting with the living room. Enjoy!
- 100% bamboo window shades.
- Solid wood furniture purchased at an estate sale.
- Energy Star florescent lamps from Southern California Edison’s lamp exchange.
- Energy Star rated LG TV.
- VOC-free Harmony brand primer & paint base from Sherwin Williams.
- Linoleum tile–a natural product made from linseed oil.
- 100% jute rug.
- Ikea coffee table & TV stand made in part with FSC certified hardwoods & Ikea’s strict requirements for wood suppliers
Eco-design questions for Candice? Leave them in the comments.
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