Category: eco-friendly

Welcome Tom! Tom McShane, professional blogger and lover of home renovations, is going to be a guest blogger today!

We’re all trying to clamp down on our spending, and the purse strings are tighter than ever. It’s always a great idea to save money where you can, particularly when it comes to redecorating or renovating rooms in your home; the costs can easily mount up. There’s plenty of ways you can save including choosing ornaments and artwork from charity shops and car boots, and utilising old or bought fabric to make curtains and matching cushions rather than buying new.

via Stylish Eve

But there are a number of areas which you should still be prepared to spend on – not out of snobbery or out of showing off brand-name products, but out for quality, longevity and a room you’ll be happy with for years. Here’s our top five;

 1. Solid Wood Furniture 

The allure of cheap flat-pack furniture or factory-made fittings can sometimes be too much to resist, but you have to ask yourself – when you last bought some, how long did it stand the test of time? The answer is usually that they don’t last very long; they’re not particularly sturdy and are easy to damage but difficult to repair. Buying quality made (usually to order) solid wood furniture may cost you quite a bit more compared with the cheaper counterparts, but you’re more likely to get a nicer looking product that’s sturdy enough and will last for decades. The last thing you want is a flimsy MDF wardrobe falling apart while it holds some of your precious belongings.

via Roses and Rust

2. Rugs and Carpets 

The same can be said for rugs, and even carpets – cheap usually means an inferior quality. Investing in a quality rug, for example, means it’s going to be a much better made product that’s likely to last for years ahead of its cheaper counterpart. Both rugs and carpets deal with a lot of heavy footfall, so while a handmade or designer rug might cost two or three times as much it’ll last you a lot longer – a cheaper option looks attractive, but the cost can rack up as you replace it every year. The more you spend on a rug the more scope you have for design, size, colour and quality; while opting for cheaper rugs can seem like an attractive way to cut down on your budget, it can end up costing you more money in the long run and throw off the room with a design that perhaps doesn’t look quite right.

  

via House and Home

3. Home Appliances 

 This applies to everything from cookers in the kitchen to televisions in the living room and it’s not brand snobbery to suggest that spending that bit extra and sticking to well-known makes and models is the better option. A 40” TV for £200 from a supermarket might look like a stunningly good deal, but it’s usually too good to be true – you get something that doesn’t perform as well, has a much cheaper look and feel, and won’t last as long either. There’s also a safety point of view – skimping on things like cookers, stereos and fires means you run the risk of a poor quality product causing damage to your home, or harm to yourself and your family. Getting a good deal is important, of course, but buying as cheap as possible could end in disaster.

via BHG

 4. Electrical Fittings (e.g. lights) 

 This kind of follows on from the safety aspect of choosing a good home appliance, but is just as important (if not more so) when it comes to wiring and electrical fittings. It can be quite tempting to choose cheaper light fittings, for example, but these have the potential to break easily, be unsafe and be unreliable, tripping your fuse box. Go for well-known makes or buy from reputable department or home improvement stores – you don’t have to spend a lot for the sake of it, but choosing cheap for cheap’s sake is going to cause a problem at some point.

via Interiors Porn

5. Contracting Work 

 Never has the phrase ‘you get what you pay for’ been truer than when it comes to contractors and professionals working on your home. Whether you’re hiring someone to fit your kitchen or re-do the wiring in your living room if you choose someone based on a cheap price, then you’re letting yourself in for a disaster as it’s often too good to be true. You could be left with a room that’s poorly fitted or designed and is potentially unsafe, too. Always use accredited contractors where possible (such as the NICEIC for electrical work) and always get references, ask about past work and check reviews online. There’s nothing worse than spending thousands on redecorating or renovating a room, only to have a sub-par contractor leave you with something you’re unhappy with. Never skimp on contracting work!

 This guest post was written by Tom McShane – lover of interior design, home renovations and professional blogger for Rug Centre Online. While he can’t help but grab a bargain, Tom prefers to strike the perfect balance between getting stuff cheap and getting quality.

this post sponsored by Rug Center Online

If your budget allows, a conservatory like the one above is like a little slice of heaven!  Warm and sunny, it a beautiful way to have an indoor garden.

…or you can start out small with a tabletop conservatory or terrarium.
via Gardenista

Terrariums are very popular now and there are tons of DIY instructions and pre-made options available.
via Urban Comfort

If you have even a few extra square feet, you can keep a small compost container, and drop off your scraps somewhere that accepts them.  Some Whole Foods accept compost, or ask at your local farmers market if any of the farmers would be willing to take it off your hands.  You can also check out FindAComposter.com to search for composters in your area.

via Apartment Therapy

If you have a little extra space, google indoor worm composting, and you’ll find a lot of great resources!

via Hooked on Houses

via Urban Eco Chic

Today we have more and more options for going green – and as the planet becomes more and more taxed with population growth and need for resources, sustainable living practices will become vital.

Below are some bathrooms that show that going green does not mean going unattractive – green styles are now just as gorgeous as traditional ones.

LOVE this shower!

There are many foundries that offer eco-friendly bath tile.  Just a few include Bedrock Industries, Aurora Glass, and Daltile.

2 images above via Apartment Therapy

Eco bathrooms can have a very “zen” feel by using a lot of natural materials and textures.
image via Home Furniture Mag

You can fine eco-friendly furnishings, such as a traditional or modern bathroom vanity, in FSC-Certified Wood, Ceasarstone, or Vetrazzo.

There are also a lot of options for eco-friendly bath fixtures, such as low flow faucets, shower heads, and toilets.

 If your budget doesn’t allow you to invest in bigger ticket items, such as new floors or tiles, you can take many small steps.  Use earth-friendly  toilet paper and bathroom cleaners.  Also, look into all natural body products.  Everything that you put down the drain makes it’s way back into the environment, so use care.

I like Seventh Generation cleaning products, as well as Trader Joe’s line of green cleaning products.

Here are some helpful resources for “greening” your bathroom:

Use LEED as a guide to green your bathroom

Top 10 Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products for the Green Home

Information about Eco-Friendly Bathroom Furniture and Fixtures

What do you do to make your bathroom and bathroom habits more sustainable and eco-friendly?

I also use a vinegar glass cleaning solution:
1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent (I use 7th Generation Natural Dishcleaning Liquid in Free & Clear), and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. It works great!

I also fill up a soda or seltzer bottle with water, and put it in the tank of my toilet. It tricks the toilet into thinking the tank is full faster, therefore using less water to refill the tank.

*disclosure: this post is sponsored by Modern Bathroom