1. SHOP SMALL
If you want a more sustainable future, one way is to shop with small businesses rather than large companies.
Everyone has heard that if you want to be more environmentally friendly you should shop locally, but have you considered that local can still mean mass produced? Take for instance your local supermarket. It is still getting items distributed from all over the world on a large scale.
What may be local to you, is not always environmentally friendly.
Finding a retailer or small business that creates products using reclaimed or recycled materials, like Cygnet Studio, not only ensures that your items will not be seen in everyone's homes, but you will also be decreasing the burden of products going to landfill, not to mention the fact that small businesses are less likely to also contribute to unethical practices such as sweat shops.
2. LOOK FOR SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
When shopping for your next home décor statement piece, shop with sustainability in mind.
Sustainable materials include anything found naturally and able to be easily recycled or broken down.
Look for home décor products containing wood, ceramic and glass.
When considering soft furnishings, take into consideration not only natural materials, but also the toll of growing those materials. Cotton for instance is natural, however it is very water intensive and not suited to growing in Australia for example, where cotton growing has been depleting the water sources of local towns, thereby causing harm to native species of flora and fauna.
Photography by Minh Pham
3. CREATE A NEUTRAL PALETTE
There is a reason that interior designers and home decorators favour neutral colours.
Beige, white, grey, cream, black. Neutral colours create a beautiful backdrop to your statement pieces. In this way, your home will look ultra chic year round.
This is also a great way to show off your personal style. Your treasures are sure to "pop" against a neutral backdrop.
4. INVEST IN QUALITY HOME DECOR
It has long been known that we as consumers are conned into thinking we need the latest trends.
We find ourselves believing that the candle holder we purchased last year is no longer suitable for our home because the seasonal colour has changed from Cerulean Blue to Burgundy.
This in itself is a recipe for planetary disaster!
The good news is, however, there's a simple solution!
When we find ourselves perusing the latest big store catalogue, thinking we should update our blue candle holder, stop and think- what is my personal style?
This is actually quite an empowering activity. Instead of being sold to, you are now making calculated choices. You become a creator rather than a consumer. You may even realise that what you thought was a bargain, is actually plastic junk that will be lucky to last a season.
The truth is, we have all been caught in the trap of purchasing cheap and cheerful home décor, only to be disappointed when it falls apart or looks shabby next season and needs replacing anyway - a disaster for the environment, and in the long run, your wallet!
Once you create your own personal style sheet, shop for your home décor according to it, not according to what the big stores catalogues sell you.
Paying a little extra for quality products made with sustainable materials ensures that your home will not only look chic, but will be evergreen for years to come.
These are some simple tips to creating a sustainable chic home. If there are any sustainable home décor tips you would like to share with us, leave them in the comments section!
If you are shopping for unique and sustainable home décor products for your home or for gifts, visit our products collection page here