5 Tips for your eco-friendly living (room)
A sustainable life starts at home in your living room. To start your sustainable journey does not have to be difficult or expensive. There are simple and inexpensive adjustments you can make in your everyday life that will not only help the planet but improve your health and well-being too.
More people are currently living in cities than anywhere else. And with winter approaching, we are not only spending more time in these urban landscapes but indoors too. It’s more important than ever to incorporate nature into our homes to bring us back to our roots and stay connected to the outdoors.
We’ve collected 5 tips for you to create a sustainable and cosy living room for this autumn-winter season:
Bring the outdoors, indoors
One harmonious way to get both excitement and tranquillity into your home is through biophilic design. Biophilic design incorporates nature within home design, using plants, natural timbers, and organic materials. This enhances productivity, improves mental health, freshens indoor air, lowers stress levels, and spurs creativity.
The combination of elements cultivates an organic feel and has been proven to increase productivity rates in offices by 8% and learning rates in schools by 25%, so imagine what it could do for you at home. Using plants and organic materials in home decor not only improves aesthetics but creates a healthier environment too!
Our lampshades are made from various plant materials and replicate the round, organic shapes of nature. These can contribute beautifully to your biophilic design living room, bringing nature in through materials and shapes.
Shop in eco-friendly furniture
Furniture is a vital element in any living room. Astonishingly, however, it’s one of the least recycled household items and ‘fast furniture’ is contributing to almost 11 million tons of landfill waste annually in Europe alone.
While it’s not feasible to live without furniture, we can make a difference by opting for second-hand furniture or purchasing from environmentally conscious furniture stores. Not only will this help to save money, but it also helps to reduce waste and green up the planet.
Looking for inspiration? Our benches, stools and tables are sustainably made from either plants or upcycled wood from old Indonesian houses, barns, boats and trucks. Every product is unique because of the use of waste wood while maintaining high quality and being eco-friendly.
Once you’re ready to part with your furniture, consider donating or selling it to a new home instead of discarding it.
Our tips:
- Invest in durable materials and timeless pieces
- Shop made from waste or natural materials
- Reuse, repair, re-home, recycle
Get cosy
with sustainable throws that clean up the planet
Snuggle up with a handwoven waste cotton throw to keep cosy. All originalhome products boast a special quality: they are designed solely with nature and people in mind. Not only are they crafted from upcycled, reclaimed, and sustainable materials, but they are also shaped and coloured to reflect the natural world. Our throws and cushions embody raw, earthy tones and textures that can be found in the most natural environments, all while being crafted from waste materials. Each throw cleans up nearly 1 kg of waste!
They are handmade by skilled craftspeople in special workshops in Bangladesh and Indonesia. These throws don’t just clean up the planet, but give back to rural communities and teach them life skills as well.
By incorporating these eco-friendly throws and cushions into your living room, you add a touch of nature-inspired cosiness to your home that cleans up the planet at the same time. It’s a small change that can make a big difference in reducing your carbon footprint and contributing to a better planet for all. Enjoy sustainable warmth that benefits the planet, the people, and yourself!
Save energy, Save money, Save the earth!
Cut down on costs and c02 by reducing power heating
Did you know space and water heating account for almost half of the global energy use in buildings and nearly two-thirds of heating energy sadly still uses fossil fuels? We understand you still want to feel your fingers through the winter so here are a few things you can do to limit the amount of heating you require, help the planet and even save you money!
- Check for draughts in your home, especially around doors and windows.
- Make sure your home is properly insulated. It saves over 600 times more energy than any energy-saving alternatives.
- Rearrange your furniture to warmer spots, such as next to internal walls and away from doorways.
- Try alternative methods to heat your home:
- Let the natural sunlight in during the day, but keep the curtains closed overnight
- Leave the oven open after cooking to use the excess heat
Save on lighting,
light a candle!
Energy usage is a major factor in the climate crisis, so cutting down on your energy consumption won’t just save you money – it’ll benefit the environment too. Consider using plant-based candles as a substitute for electric light. It also helps to create the perfect ambience for you to relax and wind down for the evening.
Looking to add a touch of personal flair to your lounge? Express your own unique style with candles of different sizes, colours and shapes. Originalhome candles will help you create a statement centrepiece in your living room and help you fully relax, knowing they are ethically sourced, plant-based and have a clean burn. They emit less CO2 than a ‘regular’ paraffin candle, because the harder wax has a higher burning point. This causes less smoke and thus less CO2 emissions. The originalhome candles are certified WFTO Fair Trade, hand-poured by women in rural East Java and offer a more sustainable alternative to create a cosy living room.
Eco-friendly made easy
Making eco-friendly choices at home is easier than you might think, but it does require a bit of research. To avoid falling for greenwashing, look for brands that clearly specify HOW they are sustainable or eco-friendly. Avoid products with vague or unclear language around their environmental impact. If you’re interested in taking things a step further, consider taking a deeper dive into companies that go above and beyond to help the planet. Look for brands, like originalhome, who proudly share their environmental efforts through their story, sourcing and production practices, and donations.
Eco-friendly living room decor pieces
Get Inspired
It’s time to create an original home. A place where you can relax, be creative, get inspired and most importantly be your 100% original you.