What Is Green Design and How You Can Bring It Into Your
Home...
Creative Home Expressions Gives You 6 Simple Solutions
to Do Your Part for the Environment
Seeing Green? No, not the green-eyed monster, but eco-friendly
decorating in your home. Also known as sustainable design or
environmentally friendly decorating, using these products can have a
healthy impact on people and the planet. Kathy Passarette of Long
Island, NY-based Creative Home Expressions offers six simple tips for
you to “go green”:
Kravet supports the beauty and health of our planet by offering fabrics
that are eco-friendly and environmentally conscious. This involves the
use of all-natural and sustainable yarns or recycled components. The
Kravet Green Collection is made of 100% recycled polyester. These
fabrics are woven and treated with no additional chemicals. Best of all,
after years of enjoyable use, these fabrics are recyclable. To view this
beautiful line of fabrics visit
www.kravetgreen.com
. You can use these fabrics to re-upholster furniture, make pillows or
for window treatments.
Window treatments, such as bamboo shades are a naturally renewable
resource that doesn’t require pesticides. Window treatments can also
work with your heating and cooling bills. Smith & Noble’s honeycomb
shades (also known as cellular shades) provide substantial insulation
with little weight, keeping rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
These shades have 5 out of 5 stars for energy efficiency. Also available
are solar shades, which provide UV protection to save your furnishings
from fading and minimize glare on tv and computer screens. In sun-facing
rooms they reduce heat transfer from outdoors, not only adding to your
comfort, but reducing your air conditioning bills. These solar shades
have 4 out of 5 stars for energy efficiency. Visit Smith and Noble at
www.smithandnoble.com .
Light bulbs such as those by Phillips, which offer higher-end
fluorescent bulbs, whether overhead lighting or task lighting that will
cast a pure white or buttery glow rather than the harsh light of
lower-end fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs can be screwed in just like
regular bulbs and they last 10 times longer. Another option would be
halogen bulbs; they produce more light and use less electricity. These
bulbs cost more, but each halogen bulb last approximately 2-3 years.
Flooring by FLOR not only has great designs to choose from, but it is a
functional and versatile product. In the last 12 years, FLOR has reduced
their manufacturing waste by 63% and greenhouse gas emissions by 56%
worldwide. They also have an R&R Program (Return-Recycle) where they
will arrange for your used carpet tiles to be picked up and shipped back
to their mill, where the old tiles will be recycled into new product.
You can view the many available options at
www.interfaceflor.com .
Use EnergyStar appliances, such as energy-efficient dishwashers and
refrigerators. EnergyStar qualified appliances incorporate advanced
technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models.
If just one in 10 homes used EnergyStar qualified appliances, the change
would be like planting 1.7 million new acres of trees.
Use “green” paint and other finishing materials that have low or zero
levels of VOC (volatile organic compounds), which means that the rate of
their emissions or dissipation.
Read another interior decorating article...
Spring Decorating Tips
Just when you’re ready to repeat the end-of-winter mantra “I’m so tired
of winter,” a faint warm wind brushes your cheek, blue skies peak from
behind a gray cloud, and the hue of green begins to color the hard brown
earth.
