Real Estate & Home Staging FYI

DECORATING GREEN

So you've got a green building, or maybe you want to make some green lifestyle changes.  Consider redecorating to incorporate environmentally-friendly products into your home. 

Start with:

• The paint on your walls
• The carpet under your feet

Then move into:

• Well-crafted furniture
• Decorative touches like curtains and pillows
• Accessories that really make the space your own

Redecorating with a focus on green will not only give your home a new, environmentally-friendly look, but it may also improve the air around you and your quality of life.

Walls: Paper and Paint
Vinyl wallpaper and conventional paints that are on your walls now may be off-gassing potentially harmful toxins into your home's air. To fix this, only purchase paint with low volatile compounds (VOCs).  You can also purchase green wallpaper that is made out of non-vinyl products, like bamboo pulp or grasses. 

Floors: Rugs, Wood Floors, and Alternatives
Want area rugs?  You can look for rugs with fibers made of recycled products or natural materials like wool, jute, sisal, sea grass or coir (coconut husks).  These types of floor coverings are widely available, and are generally long-lasting.  Check for labels indicating that the product is actually green.

There are other kinds of flooring options, of course, including wood.  When looking to install hardwood floors, buy only products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).  This means that utmost care was taken to harvest wood using sustainable methods.  Also, look for woods that have been reclaimed.  Other natural floor coverings include cork, bamboo, linoleum and concrete. 

Furniture: New, Used-All Green
When buying new furniture for your home, buy green.  Look for labels that mark certified sustainable wood, low-VOCs, and recycled materials.  Plenty of furniture makers now have lines for the green consumer.  Whenever you are buying furniture, make sure it is durable, and doesn't have to travel far to reach you.  You can reduce your furniture's carbon footprint simply by buying local.   

However, one of the best ways to get green furniture is to recycle it by buying vintage or antique pieces.  Not only were many of these pieces exceptionally well-crafted, you are helping the environment by keeping these items from filling up a landfill, and you are avoiding contributing to furniture manufacturing.  If you don't like the looks of the vintage or antique furniture, you can refinish it with low-VOC paints or stains, and you can also have it reupholstered with natural fabrics. 

Fabrics: Upholstery, Curtains, Pillows
Furniture upholstery, curtains, and pillows are all dependent on one thing for their beauty-the right fabric.  There's a bevy of fabric options that are durable, beautiful, and natural.  One great option is bamboo fabric.  Bamboo is a great grass that grows fast, and doesn't require a lot of chemical pesticides and fertilizer.  You can also purchase organic wool and cotton.  When you are buying fabrics, make sure they are untreated by chemical stain-repellents, which have a higher toxicity.  If dyed, look for solution dyed fabrics. 

Accessories and Plants
A great way to find accessories for your home is to buy used or go natural.  Check out antique and vintage shops or second-hand stores for pieces that you like. Or look for accessories that are made of recycled materials, or pieces of art made from found objects.

For a green décor that is truly green, consider adding plants to your room.  Houseplants can help clear the air, removing toxins like ammonia, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, benzene, xylene and trichloroethytene.  Some of the healthiest houseplants are the philodendron, ivy, spider plants, palms, ferns, and peace lilies. 

Whenever you are buying any green products, always buy from reputable suppliers and stores to make sure that you are purchasing the "real thing."  

Contact Pearle Staging & Design for all your Home Staging and Interior Redesign needs. 

www.pearlestaginganddesign.com

877-721-9987