You waste entire afternoons lusting over the latest Instagram homeware trends, spend a fortune on home style magazines and regularly feel the need to excuse your dingy living room to guests.
All the signs are clear – you’re desperate to subject your house to an extreme makeover.
And finally, after years of moaning, you’ve got the budget in place to make all your interior decorating dreams come true.
It’s time to put all your Pinterest mood boards into practice and transform your drab house into a stylish new paradise.
While you’re at it, don’t forget about the environmental impacts of your design project.
Appearance might be your main concern right now, but as you renovate your home you’ve also got the perfect opportunity to embrace green living by creating an eco-friendly interior.
Here are a few top tips to help you get started.
Upcycle instead of buying
Let’s be honest, you’re probably still going to want a quick Ikea trip, if only to raid the café and stock up on tealights.
But instead of simply buying all new furniture, upcycle when you can as well – it’s a great way of repurposing items that would otherwise end up in landfill sites.
Trawl second-hand shops and local recycling centres to see what cheap, vintage beauties you can find. Then you can take them home, get crafty and transform them into beautiful, individual pieces to suit each room’s style.
Source sustainable materials
Whether you’re redoing the kitchen or giving the living room a facelift, make sure you source sustainable materials at every step of the way.
From non-toxic paints to natural fabrics for sofas and cushions, do your research to find the most ethical and eco-friendly options. Think green even when buying glue for those crafty projects – go for a high-quality spray adhesive from Tensor that only needs one quick application.
As well as lowering the environmental impact of the work you’re doing, such an approach can also add character to your home – using reclaimed wood as flooring, for example, will create a unique finish.
Invest in energy-efficiency
With bills rising all the time, you can’t afford to skimp on energy-efficiency measures. Take a look around your house and identify areas of improvement, like updating your heating and electrical systems to the highest green standard available.
But it’s not just about the behind-the-scenes tech – interior decorating has a part to play, especially when it comes to keeping your home cosy.
Paint walls in reds, oranges or deep green colours that retain warmth, and invest in blinds and lined window dressings to minimise heat loss.
Keep our top tips in mind as you start your interior decorating makeover and you’ll soon be able to welcome guests to your boast-worthy green home.
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