Builders are now commonly using recycled and environmentally conscious materials to construct and remodel Connecticut homes more regularly. Recycled glass counter tops are being requested by environmentally conscious clients. Instead of opting for prefabricated shutters, contractors might use antique shutters from an old home to add character and depth. Many homeowners aren’t satisfied with using recycled materials to build their homes; they end up following the same theme when it comes to home furnishings, too. Whether you want your home’s interior to look rustic and earthy or have a more modern edge, here is how you can achieve the look you want with environmentally conscious, recycled materials.
Using Recycled Objects to Create Art
Sometimes it is easiest to come up with creative ideas for the home by starting with the wall art and sculptures you will be displaying. Almost anything that you would find sitting out on the curb can be recreated and transformed into art. An old broken pair of headphones can be glued onto a plywood board and turned into a piece of 3D art. The components of a non-working microwave can be twisted and soldered to create a freestanding sculpture. Realize that you are using found objects and recycled pieces to create art specifically for your home, so there is no such thing as making mistakes. Use this art to inspire you when you begin looking at various ways to acquire and create re-purposed furnishings.
Buy Your Furniture Used
If you have an overwhelming desire to use recycled materials to furnish your home, look no further than all of your used furniture options. A considerable amount of energy is used to manufacture furniture. To craft wood furniture, trees have to be cut down. The fabrics used to make upholstered items are woven on machines that use fossil fuels and non-renewable energy. There is already a lot of furniture on earth that will end up being thrown into a landfill if it cannot be recycled in some way. What’s more is that a lot of older furnishings are of a higher quality than a lot of furniture being made today. Walk into a used furniture store to find how well preserved each piece is. Seeing that the brass knobs on an antique dresser have been slightly worn down isn’t a sign of depreciation but rather outlines the piece’s proud history. Look to buying used furniture to obtain furnishings that will last a lifetime.
Keeping Materials in Their Natural State
Some people buy unfinished wood furniture because they genuinely like the look of materials in their natural, unprocessed state. While you absolutely have the option of painting or staining an unfinished pine picnic table for use in your backyard, unfinished wood also has its own subtle appeal. Homeowners that prefer reclaimed wood furniture really appreciate how the wood looks as it ages, warps, buckles, and takes on a life all its own. Reclaimed wood is frequently used in rustic-style homes for rustic beams, benches, and columns. An antique wrought iron desk might look lovely in your home. Consider keeping used furniture in its natural state to capture its essence and undeniably raw beauty.
Using Uncommon Materials In Home Decorating
Some types of materials have been used in home furnishings and decorations for a long time. They are known to hold up well to general wear and tear. Granite and marble, for example, have been considered premiere kitchen counter surfaces. Convenient for homeowners who don’t want to have their counters replaced every single decade. Other less expensive materials, many of them recycled, simply don’t compare because they don’t offer the same level of durability. One material that is both nice to look at and long lasting is recycled glass. Homeowners can purchase recycled glass counters in any color or specification. It is less expensive than marble or granite in the majority of cases, but it also lasts a lot of time. This recycled material is plentiful, so replacement and repair isn’t an issue in the long run for homeowners.
Seeking Sustainable Furnishings
There’s recycled furniture you can get from a thrift shop or a good friend. In addition, there are sustainable furniture options that open a totally different door. In short, sustainable furniture comes from materials made with recycled or renewable materials. Additionally, sustainable furniture is manufactured responsibly. That might mean that the environmentally conscious company producing said furniture, gets its energy from windmills or turbines. These types of furnishings are not made in big, billowing factories whose, thousands of tons of fresh cut lumber, is processed into furniture. A sustainable furniture company might avoid using anything other than reclaimed wood. You will find out a lot more about the furniture manufacturing process from a sustainable company than a standard furniture maker. Consider if you want furniture in your home that is biodegradable? Perhaps you are just happy to have recycled furniture, instead of being thrown into a dump.
Create environmentally responsible home decor. Such as framing a postcard instead of throwing it out. Think of how you can recreate and reuse the things in your home before buying items that you don’t need. Re-create your own lamps by painting the base and buying a new lampshade. This will make your home’s interior unique and interesting. Paint your dining room table instead of getting rid of it. Cut the legs down on bar stools and you can make a set of cute stepping stools or plant stands.
Few things need to be purchased and even fewer objects cannot be recycled. Try to be imaginative when you look at the familiar objects in your home. There is nothing you have inside of your home that can’t be redesigned, retooled, and remade into a piece that is functional as well as interesting to look at.
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