Go Green with Eco-Friendly Interior Decorating

Unless you have been hiding out in a cave the last several years you know the world is going green.  Environmental consciousness is at all time highs the world over and energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, and sustainable housing are the watchwords of the day.  Not to be outdone, the world of Interior Design and Decorating has gone green as well – in a big way.

If you’re a homeowner who’s up on the latest decorating trends you know that eco-friendly decorating has become quite the status symbol, as proud homeowners point out the eco-friendly aspects of their latest renovation project.  Just what does it mean to go green with your interior decorating?

There are actually two areas of application, and they are interrelated.  The first had to do with decorating products that actually pose environmental hazards; and the second has to do with using natural and easily renewable materials in the decorating components we choose.

Indoor air pollution is now recognized as a potential health hazard and the paint we apply to our walls can be a big contributor to the problem.   In the past, paints emitted volatile organic compounds – VOCs – which are potential carcinogenics.  The problem is at its height when the paint is wet but it could take years for the compounds to leach out of dried paint.

Today paint companies are producing low VOC paints so make sure you use them.  Manufactures are getting better and better at this so check with your local paint outlet for the most up-to-date information on which paint has the lowest levels.

There are synthetic fabrics that are also potentially harmful to your health so going natural when it comes to fabrics is good for you as well as for the environment.  Cotton is one of the most natural of all fabrics and it has the added benefit of being easily renewable.   Linen, wool, hemp, and silk are other examples of natural fabrics that are renewable.  To illustrate the differences in renewability of natural materials, let’s take a look at wood flooring.

Solid oak wood flooring was once all the rage but laminates are becoming more fashionable and oak laminate wood flooring is still a popular choice.  Even though oak is a natural material, it fails the renewability test by a mile!  It can take decades for an oak tree to reach maturity.

In contrast, consider the bamboo plant, which is actually a grass but its density makes it as hard as most woods.  Laminate flooring is now available, made from bamboo, and it looks great.  Bamboo is finding its way into a variety of decorating components since it takes as little as four years for a bamboo plant to reach maturity.

To help you through the maze of newly available Eco-Friendly decorating products, there are several labels used within the industry to designate true eco-friendly materials.  One such label is the FSC, or Forestry Stewardship Council.  This label tells you the wood has been harvested from sustainable forests or the product is made from recycled wood.

The Greenguard label tells you the product is made from materials with low toxicity levels.  Many are unaware that traditional furniture used a lot of highly toxic chemicals in the glues and lacquers that went into the production of the furniture.  If you’re buying furniture, look for the Greenguard label.