Here are some must have items for every eco-savvy home owner:

1. Paint

Rather than visiting the home store and grabbing the first gallon of paint that you see, look for eco-friendly options. Low VOC paints have fewer chemicals, are less toxic and don’t give off the noxious odor of traditional paints. You can find low VOC paints at any home improvement or paint store quite easily.

If you want to do a bit of furniture restoration, milk paint is a fabulous option that can easily be found online. Milk paint is completely non-toxic and gives a lovely antique look to any piece of furniture it is added to.

2. Furniture

Whether you are looking for a new bed or a new sofa, look for sustainable or organic options. When furniture is labeled organic, it means that it was finished in some manner with organic materials. Whether it is painted, stained or covered in material, organic furniture is less toxic and environmentally friendly.

Sustainable furniture is that which is made from sustainable wood or fibers. Bamboo is a fast growing grass that is as strong as wood and, when cut down, quickly grows back. When you choose furniture made from sustainable wood, you aren’t contributing to the deforestation of the planet.

3. Flooring

Rather than replacing your flooring with carpet, choose natural tiles, sustainable wood flooring or even flooring made of bamboo. All are greener options and will not leach chemicals like carpet does. In addition, carpet is often made stain resistant and easy to clean with chemicals that are harmful to our soil and water supplies. Natural tiles and bamboo flooring options are not only environmentally-friendly, but they are incredibly easy to clean if you have kids or pets.

4. Counter Tops

Look for counter tops and back splashes that are made of recycled glass. These counter tops are both beautiful and durable. You can find recycled glass materials in virtually any colour and design combination, making it very easy to match your current decor.

5. Re-purpose

One of the hottest trends in green design is using what you already have, or re-purposing. Look around your house and see what can be moved to another room and given new life. Nightstands can make great side tables, and vice versa, lamps can be moved from room to room and wall decor moved from one room to another can give a room a new look.

6. Reclaimed

If you’re looking for “new” furniture, visit your local flea market. You can find some great used pieces at flea markets and tag sales. Best of all, if you have an artistic streak, you can refinish these pieces to make them your own. Don’t worry if the pieces aren’t organic or sustainable, by the simple act of purchasing them, you are helping the environment by keeping them out of the landfill. Check out your local newspaper for a listing of estate sales; another great source for furniture and decor.

You don’t need to be a professional to decorate your home in an eco-friendly manner. As the green movement gains momentum, environmentally-friendly options are very easy to find in your local home improvement store. If you want to make your home a bit more green, follow the tips above and you’ll be well on your way to having an eco-friendly interior!

Author’s Bio

Lindsey Harris is an Eco-interior decorator and also blogs for paranormala.com where you can find the latest paranormal news stories. When she’s not blogging she enjoys browsing the internet for unique furniture finds!

Unless you have an architecture or construction design background you will need to hire somebody to design your new room. There are some contractors who include architectural design in their services but using an independent architect will give you better results. Architects supply blueprints, which are a must for builders and are a great way to show government agencies exactly what your building plans look like.

Since you are thinking of going to all the trouble of building an entirely new space attached to your home, you should try to consider every possible pro and con of the design and how the space might be used. You might want to go so far as to consider what furniture you would like to fit in the room. Is it going to be a play area for the children or the formal dining room you always wanted? It’s best to fill in all the pieces before construction begins.

Another option to throw on the table when considering a new room is green building construction. If you are a homeowner, it is worth considering the benefits of green building when you start thinking about plans to improve your home. This movement has a huge (and growing) public following and a number of construction companies are certified green builders. Taking this route means you will be worry free if the demand and price for resources like power and water continue to increase. For example, over time if solar panels are located in the right areas on your house/property, you can save hundreds of dollars on your electricity bill, thanks to this renewable resource.

Needless to say, looking into how you can make the newest addition to your home as environmentally friendly as possible is beneficial for you and the environment. You will have to weigh the cost/benefit ratio for yourself, your home, and your environment before coming to a decision. Although green technology is becoming more popular, it can be an expensive venture. Keep in mind though the benefit is it lowers long-term energy costs and in the end will save you money.

There are many options to consider when doing a remodel. Whichever way you decide to build your new addition to your home, make sure it works for you!

Author’s Bio

Erick D. Smith lives in Southern California and writes about home improvement and remodeling in San Diego. If you live in Southern California, before making any room additions in San Diego remember to consult with all the proper agencies, including your HOA (if you have one), so you receive all the necessary permits.

Handmade Accessories

Handmade accessories can be a great way to go green when it comes to decorating your home cheaply. Everything from rugs and vases to pillows, throws, and baskets can be handcrafted and made from eco-friendly materials. If you aren’t the hands-on type, you might have friends or family who are, and who would love to create such materials as gifts with which you can decorate your home.

Rotation

You might be surprised at how many of the items you already have inside your home could be positioned in new spaces or displayed in different ways in order to have a completely new affect upon the décor of your home. Not only will reusing accessories you already own keep your impact upon the environment to a minimum, but it can save you a lot of money as well.

Resale

Taking advantage of items through resale could be a great opportunity to reuse home furnishings that others no longer want and save money in the process. Either through garage sales, resale stores or consignment shops — even by picking up unwanted items that people have set out on the curb on trash day — there are numerous ways to take advantage of decorative items that others no longer desire but that could be perfect for your home’s style.

Floral Décor

Depending upon the region in which you live, you may have the ability to grow your own flowers and plants; they may even grow wild around your home. You could turn these gifts of nature into lovely floral arrangements used to brighten up the interior of your home or keep them outside to liven up its exterior. Utilizing nature’s own decorative items can be a cheap and eco-friendly way to decorate your home inside and out.

Lighting

You might be able to incorporate your home’s own natural lighting into your eco-friendly décor. You can utilize natural lighting from outside to warm and brighten rooms, shade it to create a snug and cozy atmosphere, or use its shadowing for effect upon painted walls, stained-glass windows or a variety of other options. The great part about using natural light is that not only is it eco-friendly, but it’s completely free!

Coming up with greener ways to decorate your home on a budget can be fun. Consider asking the advice of friends or family to discover how they choose to utilize environmentally-friendly décor in their homes to get more ideas.

Author’s Bio

Roger is a real estate broker that specializes in homes in West University. For more information on West University Place and other luxury neighbourhoods in Houston visit http://www.rogermartinproperties.com.

About Bamboo

Bamboo is actually a large breed of grass. You would never know this by the good looks and durability that this plant provides. There are hundreds of bamboo types that grow all over the world. Bamboo designs have been a benchmark in Asia for a long time. It is beginning to become very popular the world over. Bamboo has especially caught on because it is a renewable source that is friendly to the environment. This is a good choice for those of you that are interested in eco-friendly living.

Bamboo Furniture

Designers are getting very innovative in their use of bamboo. There are complete bamboo furniture creations or blended use designs. Many people begin using bamboo on patios as outdoor furniture because it holds up so well. Woven bamboo designs are particularly attractive and easily blend in with other furniture types.

Using bamboo furniture is a great way to add inject an Asian or pacific feel to nearly any room. Tables, chairs, and stools made from bamboo make a great addition by adding some contrast and interest to more traditionally styled rooms. A nice bamboo chair can break up the monotony of an otherwise traditional room.

You can also go all-out with bamboo and design an entire room with this beautiful furniture. For those who are especially concerned about the environment, choose renewable bamboo products to ensure that you are being eco-friendly with your furniture choices.

Going with bamboo will make any room an interesting and relaxing place to spend time. Be sure to get some nice cushions to soften up chairs and couches. Easy to maintain and clean while providing extremely attractive looks, bamboo is a great choice to add some flare to your home’s design.

And so, designs that use recycled materials or repurposed products are sizzling hot on the home furniture front as of now. If for some reason you do not like it, then the bad news is that it seems to be here to stay.

But why should you not take to green home décor? You may be behind the times if you think that this is still the ugly duckling it once was with few repetitive and boring options. Nothing can be further from reality. The truth is that if you want to be friendly to the environment you do not have to sacrifice style. Lots of interesting new options are available in the market today and you will be amazed the minute you decide to give this closer scrutiny.

To go with “the green” is a brand new big trend that seeks to save space as eagerly as the environment is being protected. This trend is for multi-purpose furniture. It is no longer good enough just to have beautiful home furniture and décor, you need to ask other questions like how functional it is. Does it save space? How much easier does it make life for you than by having space occupied by extravagant furniture? Style with utility seems to be the new catch phrase creeping in and it is amazing what can be done in great comfort and luxury in a very small space. That is if you have organized it well.