5 Ways to Design an Eco-Friendly Home

For most homeowners, the major consideration when remodeling a home is the aesthetic aspect and the chance to express one’s creativity and unique style. However, in the time of alarming global climate changes and raising awareness of the importance of environmental conservation, the implementation of energy-efficient designs has become equally important. The following tips will show that it’s realistically possible to implement and design an eco-friendly home without sacrificing the style.

5 Ways to Design an Eco-Friendly Home

Add plants and grow your own food

Nothing speaks an eco-friendly home better than nature itself. So you should bring it in as much as you can. Various plants add liveliness to space, improve indoor air quality and act as excellent focal points.

In addition to decorative plants, make your own DIY indoor herbal and vegetable garden. Go with potted plants of baby lemons and cherry tomatoes on your kitchen window sill. Or make a unique green wall of essential herbs such as rosemary, basil, lemongrass, and thyme.

Upgrade your home insulation

The most common first step towards an energy-efficient home remodel is improving the insulation. This is a critical factor in improving the energy efficiency of your home, both in winter and summer. As windows are usually the weakest spot in the energy-efficiency scheme, instead of a costly replacement, small tweaks in the form of various window treatments can minimize the effects of energy loss or gain.

During the winter, on sunny days, you should keep your sun-facing windows unblocked. This will let in as much sunlight as possible. When it’s cloudy, use thicker curtains to reduce energy loss. On the other hand, during hot summers, with the temperatures like the ones in Australia, putting up window shutters is a practical and elegant solution to block the effect of the relentless sun. For instance, opting for stylish plantation shutters in Sydney is what many of its residents have done lately. The benefits are undeniable. From the aesthetic point of view, the shutters give your home a unique charm and appeal. From an energy standpoint, the amount of heat, light, and noise entering the home is significantly reduced while the energy efficiency is increased.

Lighten up your space

Lighting can be a powerful design tool if used correctly. But it can also be quite energy depleting. The solution is switching to LED light bulbs. You will still be able to illuminate your home in the way you desire. But at a far lesser cost in the long run. These bulbs do cost more initially. But as they use up about 25-80% less energy. You’ll be able to save up to 80’% on your power bill, without compromising on the quality of lighting. This is a great way of achieving an eco-friendly home.

Choice your paint carefully

Home remodeling projects rarely go without DIY painting. Make sure you read the labels carefully. Pick paints that are designed for an eco-friendly home and have a low VOC.

Also, use the color spectrum cleverly. As you can’t really compromise on the basic need of light in your home, with the right choice of color, you can light up the interior. Lighter paint shades can make the interior seem brighter. But it doesn’t mean that your entire home must be painted white. It’s all about perception. A splash of yellow, orange or light green can make the space warmer. Blue shades can make it appear cooler. Moreover, depending on your preference and mood, you can easily change the paint anytime you desire.

Revamp your floors

When it comes to the surface beneath your feet, it’s also possible to go with eco-friendly choices. The more expensive options such as marble, stone, hardwood, and concrete are also the most durable natural materials. They will pay off in the long run and add more value to your home.

If you’re looking for a more affordable option, there’s a wide variety of sustainable floors to choose from. These include cork, bamboo, reclaimed hardwood, linoleum, and recycled rubber tiles. All of these materials are renewable. And they come in a great variety of colors and designs. In addition to being durable, non-toxic and eco-friendly. They give you the opportunity to be creative and original in your eco-friendly home design.

By combining your home redesigning project ideas with eco-friendly products and practices listed here, you’ll have a home that is not only stylish and comfortable but also environmentally friendly.