Whether you are doing it as a result of general boredom, an accident that ruined some of your apartment’s furniture, or just a need for change, updating the décor in your apartment or loft is a great thing to do. As an investment of money and time, redecorating your home pays off well. The results are usually long lasting and if you spend a lot of time in your home, then you by changing your décor for the better, you are changing your life for the better as well. However, one problem with changing the décor in your home is that it can have negative repercussions on the environment. After all, when you get rid of something, whether an old lamp or a large refrigerator, it is very likely that that object will end up in a landfill. But the good news is that there are a lot of creative and unique ways that you can change the décor in your apartment or loft without harming the environment. Below are some ideas to get you started, but you should of course feel free to improvise and come up with your own!
GREEN DÉCOR IDEA #1 – Update your old stuff instead of getting rid of it.
Are you tired of waking up in the morning to the same old bedside table that you have had since your childhood? Are you dreaming of replacing it with something updated and modern? Well instead of tossing the old one and buying a new one, why not make the old one new? Any wooden furniture that you have can be easily painted and made to look like new. Just head to the hardware store, get some primer, some paint, and some brushes. And no need to stick to just one color – paint it however you like!
GREEN DÉCOR IDEA #2 – Donate what you can’t update.
Okay, so there are some things you can paint and make like new, but there are also some that are simply old and ugly and basically unsalvageable for another reason. Instead of dumping your old furniture at the landfill, find a local Salvation Army or Goodwill or other thrift store to donate it to. This not only saves the furniture from landing in the landfill (just yet anyway), it also provides a low cost furniture option for low-income residents of your area.
GREEN DÉCOR IDEA #3 – Decorate your floor with the season in mind.
Sure when the weather is cold in the winter, and you want a warm, cozy apartment, you want a warm, plush rug on the floor. The rug also acts like an insulator, keeping your apartment extra toasty. But in the summer, when it’s hot out and you want to cool your apartment or loft, use smaller area rugs and leave more of your tile floor exposed. This will keep the room cool! Consider making your new area rugs with some materials you already have, like old sheets, or buying used ones.
GREEN DÉCOR IDEA #4 – Paint your walls a new color.
It is truly stunning how much a new coat of paint in an entirely different hue can really change your entire room’s look. And because your apartment is smaller than a house, painting a room or two is easier and takes less time. You can do it yourself or you can hire a professional, but make sure you buy eco-friendly paint at the hardware store. This environmentally friendly paint is free of the toxins and chemicals that are found in conventional paints. And since you are putting it on the walls of your home, where you live and breathe, it is a worthwhile investment.
GREEN DÉCOR IDEA #5 – Reupholster your dining (or other) chairs.
Are you sick of the chairs sitting around your dining room table? Or maybe it’s the chair at your desk that you are tired of looking at all the time? Consider reupholstering it and making it look brand new! Reupholstering furniture is easier than you would think. Buy some eco-friendly fabric – or better yet, use something you already have like an old sheet – and put a new cover on the chairs. They will look like totally different chairs!
About the author:
Mark Russell writes and blog about apartment living and green décor. Mark writes for Apartment Guys in Chicago.
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