Flooring – Think about the long-run
Perhaps the most imperative quality of any green interior material is durability. After all, the longer a product lasts, the less sourcing, extracting and transportation efforts (and all the harmful byproducts that often come with these practices) of further materials are required.
Tiles that look stylish both indoors and outdoors are not only a versatile flooring option for home renovations, but are also a great solution for the eco-interior designer. Natural, high-quality stone tiles from sustainable quarries are arguably the most environmentally-friendly choice, as they will last for several years with little maintenance – meaning that your home will be sustainable for generations.
In fact, even imitation tiles such as wood-effect and slate-effect tiles can contribute to resource preservation by reducing the need to extract these materials from the wider environment, especially if they’re made from recycled material or are ‘ultra thin’ to make the material go further.
Walls – Be wary of chemicals
With your flooring decided, it’s time to consider your walling options.
A lick of paint might be the quickest and easiest way to freshen up tired walls, but its environmental impact is often overlooked. Perhaps surprisingly to some, a significant quantity of conventional paint products contain harmful and toxic chemicals. Such chemicals play a significant role in environmental damage, so much so that the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) actually classifies paint as one of its top five most hazardous substances.
Luckily, there are plenty of more environmentally-friendly alternatives. There is now a vast array of eco-friendly paints available on the market (check out Earth Born paints) that are made from raw, organic materials and subsequently do not produce the harmful off-gassing from toxic chemicals and pollutants.