The sustainable field has developed greatly in recent years and has become fashionable in all fields, and of course has also reached the world of design. What exactly is sustainable design? Sustainable means the use of environmentally friendly materials, such as those that will leave resources for those who come after us and make proper use of what already exists including recycled or natural materials or renovation of old furniture so that they are reusable, instead of buying more new furniture and other consumer products. If you too are hooked on the idea, here are some tips on how to implement sustainable design in your home as well.
1. How to implement sustainable design and what are the principles?
In order to implement a sustainable design, one must first understand the fact that it is a design that is very environmentally friendly. This means using consumables, natural and as little processed as possible. For that matter, you can start by applying a new paint on the walls, and stick to water-based paints instead of oil-based ones. In solvent-based paints it is natural and not dangerous compared to oil paints that are usually enriched with a toxic chemical solvent.
Another design application in natural materials is to choose furniture from consumables for example - designs that rely on recycled wood or reeds or sugar which are a by-product of the sugar industry for example.
Another principle associated with sustainable design is the use of the natural features of the room. For example - if the room faces west and has a lot of air, the correct design will be design using tall furniture that allows air to penetrate the room and fill the whole easily. Your profit? Less electricity needed for ventilation and cooling of the room as well as saving money and polluting emissions into the air. Another advantage is that it is much easier to clean such a room as there is more access to large parts of the room floor.
2. Renovating wooden furniture and painting Formica - use what you have instead of buying new
Another principle for sustainable design is the use and recycling of the existing one as well. Howie says - if you have old furniture in the house, instead of throwing it away - repair it! Even Formica furniture that was very fashionable in the 80s can be renewed and refreshed through a process that is not complicated and expensive and with your own hands. In principle, to renew this type of furniture all you will need is a good cleaning of the furniture from dust and dirt, and after drying from the detergent, sand the furniture roughly (for wooden furniture) or gently (for Formica). After cleaning the sanding residue, the painting process itself can be accessed. In the case of renewing and painting Formica, first of all, apply a multi-purpose primer on the surface, suitable for this type of material, and wait until the material is completely absorbed and dried. The formica can then be painted using an opaque color in the desired shade to obtain the desired look. To get professional results it is recommended not to settle for just one layer. Wait for the first coat to dry and then apply a second coat to get full coverage and a uniform appearance.
In the case of wooden furniture - if there are no special defects and cracks, you can immediately after cleaning the dirt created by sanding the old furniture, apply the desired wood color. If the furniture has defects or cracks, it is recommended that you first work on them and repair them with a dedicated material. After drying the sealant and repair, a gentle sanding should be performed again, to ensure a good perception between the surface and the paint.
3. Design is also a matter of lighting
And what about the lighting in the room? No design is perfect without good lighting design, but in the case of sustainable design, the lighting relies heavily on natural light. Combine the design of large windows and glass to bring in as much light as possible into the room or house in a natural way and you will save a lot of money on lighting and electricity to operate all these lamps. For the evening hours, when there is probably no natural light anymore, use lighting means suitable for LED bulbs that are more economical and today they can also be obtained in warmer shades that give a more homely and warm feeling.