Green Decorating - Sharing More Ideas!

I found a great article on a new favorite website - Style at Home - about environmentally friendly decorating ideas - many of which I have actively supported in my own life and in this blog.  See site and full article -  http://www.styleathome.com/decorating-and-design/green-living/25-environmentally-friendly-decorating-ideas/a/38713

Martha Uniacke Breen penned this article that I am reproducing in segments with comments: 

1 Habitat for Humanity, Home Depot, and some other sources accept used building materials in good condition and resell them at a tiny fraction of what they’d cost new. Everything from windows, to counters, to flooring, to appliances and fixtures like bathtubs and toilets can be found here, often in perfectly good condition. 



2 Craigslist, eBay and other auction sites are great bargain sources for fashion and home decor, both new and used. Remember: Your brilliant decorating ideas don't have to cost you a fortune; consider pre-loved items and be more environmentally friendly in your choices. 



I have written extensively about using both craigslist and ebay to find (and sell) great furniture.   Here are several links to my prior discussions - link to blog about my own craigslist purchases and craigslist buying and research recommendations.  Just this week, I picked up a pair of Baker Fine Furniture (great manufacturer) wingback chairs in need of reupholstering for $150 - a fabulous deal!

Craigslist Purchase - Refurbished - Brandywine Chair and Ottoman 

Craigslist Purchase - Refurbished - Country French Chair in Taupe Linen

Craigslist Purchase - Reburbished - Wingback Chairs (sold) 

3 Many local municipal garbage/recycling depots have free paint exchange programs. Drop off your leftover paint, or pick some up for free – great for small projects, especially if you’re willing to be flexible on colour (though there’s usually plenty of white!). 



4 Artfully displayed on bookshelves or in bowls on a coffee table, natural collections make timeless accessories. Think: pine cones, stones, seashells, coral, driftwood. 



I have found Pinterest to be a great source of inspiration here - below is just one simple example that would make a great Christmas centerpiece!

Simple Centerpiece Featuring Cones

5 Old sheets in good condition can find new life as café curtains, pillow shams, or to line glass-front doors; if they’re not so new, use them as cleaning cloths, pet bedding, or sew them into cloth gift bags. 
  

6 Save glass jars of jams, pasta sauce, soup or fruit, paint the lids a pretty colour (if desired), and use them to store rice, pasta – or to make and store your own jam/pasta sauce/soup/fruit preserves. 


7 Reupholster rather than replace sofas and chairs. Depending on the fabric you choose, it may cost less than buying new, and unless the piece is very worn or of poor quality, most upholsterers recondition the frame and replace or repair cushions and sagging springs as part of the job. 


This is, of course, my passion and purpose in most of these blogs.  I have found that fine quality reupholstered pieces are much better values than newly manufactured furniture.  Looking for the qualities that make a piece worth redoing is important - I have written extensively about that in several blogs - http://wydevendesigns.blogspot.com/2011/08/refurbishing-upholstered-furniture.html.  This latter blog suggests ways to ensure you are making a good investment in redoing the piece!   

8 Think about how you might rejuvenate old wood furniture, rather than simply discarding it. You can often give a piece a new life by refinishing it (professionally or do-it-yourself), repainting or simply repurposing. This is a low-cost, environmentally friendly decorating idea.

Detail - Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Refurbishing

Detail - Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Refurbishing

Detail - Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Refurbishing

I have recently become enamored with Annie Sloan Chalk Paints and have been redoing the woodwork to create great pieces - here are few more (by the way, just check all my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for how to's, ideas, examples, etc.).