How to refresh and revitalize your family home?
Photo by Monstera
According to magazines like Architectural Digest, our homes are our sanctuaries – little corners of the globe where both we and our family feel at peace. However, achieving such design bliss is often easier said than done. While cover-page condos have the best interior designers in the palm of their hand, an everyday family home will often struggle with getting the eco-design just right.
Even so, a home renovation budget should never hinder the happiness and health of a family home – with that said, here are a few green touches for your family home that will give any magazine mansion a run for its money!
The power of natural lighting
Artificial lighting rarely trumps a genuine ray of sunshine. There’s just something about a naturally lit room that gets your creative juices flowing and gives you that much-needed burst of energy. Thus, wherever and whenever you can – opt for natural light. For a lucky few, this means installing French windows that span from the floor to the ceiling. However, not every home and more importantly not every room can make this design work.
So, it’s time to think a bit outside of the box. For one, consider installing skylights – they’re affordable and give even the smallest spaces some natural light. Another way to go about this problem is by looking into curtains. Instead of choosing heavy dark drapes, opt for light, see-through white ones that will let the daylight in even when spread across the window.
Create your plant paradise
Let’s move on to the oldest trick in the book – plants. Bringing in additional greenery is a must for just about any family home. Along with producing oxygen, plants have been shown to enhance our moods and overall mental health – it seems that there’s just something about nature that makes us feel at ease. By adding a potted cactus here and a miniature palm tree there, you’ll bring the ocean breeze right into the living room. Similarly, scented plants, like pine or mint, work wonders by covering the smell of cleaning products, cooking adventures, and the like.
Whichever plants you decide on, remember to look into the available plant delivery services in your area beforehand. While you are creating a plant paradise, your car still shouldn’t smell of manure for the next few weeks. Fortunately, biodiverse countries like Australia will deliver exotic plants right to your doorstep in most larger cities. Thus, make sure to check out services for plant delivery in Sydney, as most will bring the plants right into your living room and even give you a tip or two about how best to care for them.
Natural materials or the importance of throw pillows
Even the most incredible flower arrangement can go only so far in turning your family home into an eco-friendly paradise. Thus, if you’re serious about diving into green interior design, look at the materials around your house – everything from the living room throws pillows to the bedding linens you use at night. When choosing a textile, ensure you’re getting natural fibers, ones with antimicrobial properties.
In the last few years, wool pillows have taken over the natural fiber industry – along with being completely natural, they work wonders with moisture resistance, making them the perfect companion for a quick afternoon nap. However, wool is just one option, there is a whole world of natural textile out there – everything from natural latex and sisal to jute and cotton is free for grabs!
Giving furniture a second chance – recycle!
As a society, we’re often too hasty in throwing out old pieces of furniture to make room for this season’s new take on interior design. However, sometimes a piece of furniture simply isn’t ready to go. Thus, instead of kicking it to the curb, consider restoring it and giving it a new life. A wooden coffee table may just need a fresh coat of paint while all the couch needs is a different, possibly more fashionable color.
While recycling pieces will save you some time, it will save you some money as well and with some extra savings, you may be able to install that skylight from before! Of course, sometimes a piece of furniture simply doesn’t fit into your family home. However, instead of throwing it out, call up some friends or your local donation center and see if they might be on the hunt for it – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, after all.
Summing up
While these green design ideas work wonders on their own, the real magic begins when they come together inside one space. Of course, not all of them will work across the board. The important thing is to find those that will make your family home a healthy green sanctuary.
Written by Derek Lotts