No one likes to waste material, and one way to avoid throwing useful furnishings away unnecessarily is to put them to good use in the home again. This could be as simple as finding old cloth to use in newer custom curtains and drapes, or using a completely unexpected substance to create memorable additions to the decor scheme. Designers have been creative in coming up with inventive uses for things we don't normally associate with home furniture and decor.
Here are some examples of unusual and sustainable material being used to create sustainable home furnishings. These creations can serve as inspiration for the approach you may want to take when decorating your own home in order to attract attention and be more environmentally-friendly:
Designers have been creative in coming up with inventive uses for things we don't normally associate with home furniture and decor.
- Seaweed: An article for Mother Nature Network refers to an ambitious initiative by Danish art school graduates called the Terroir Project, which intends to use a mixture of seaweed and recycled paper to create a chair and lamps. The creators behind this project, Jonas Edvard and Nikolaj Steenfatt, chose this seaweed both because it is easy to find and can be surprisingly hard and stable when treated correctly. Photos of the furnishings show pieces that are both solid and distinctive.
- Trash: Wall Street Daily looked at the program in La Paz, Bolivia, that uses different kinds of compacted and heated trash to create a material called "plastiwood," which can make different pieces of school furniture using the 500 tons of garbage generated by this one city. The source notes that city wants to completely eliminate its waste output within 25 years.
- Reclaimed wood: Many furniture designers use wood from other sources to try and make unique pieces with a sense of history behind them. This can apply to furniture as much as other special artifacts intended to commemorate something. The West Fargo Pioneer gave an example of the kinds of furniture that can be made from older wood, pointing to the way bleachers at North Dakota State University were cut up to make themed wall hangings and coffee tables, among other things.
- Cardboard: Fast Company reported on the several-years-old trend of using cardboard to make interesting furniture pieces. The Spanish company Cardboard has desks, tables, divider products and even recliners made out of this material. Although the source notes that this might not have the longevity of other furniture, it would still allow homeowners to integrate more recyclable units into their common living and work spaces.
You can learn more about the best way to set up a memorable design for you by working with professional home design consultants. Contact Metropolitan Window Fashions for a free at-home design consultation and to find out which materials are ideal for keeping a stylish and sustainable home.