20 Sustainable Home Decor Ideas You’ll Love

The sustainability movement is growing stronger than ever, and is redefining how we decorate our homes!

More and more people are now finding eco-friendly and decor ideas that not only look gorgeous, but leave a minimal carbon footprint as well.

And if you think redecorating your home needs to be an expensive affair, then you would be amazed to know how easy and cost-efficient it could be to go for sustainable decor.

So here are 20 sustainable home decor ideas to spruce up your home while keeping mother earth happy

What is Sustainable Home Decor?

Sustainable living is a gift that keeps on giving - and the more you embrace it, the more rewarding it gets! Sustainable home decor is all about finding eco-friendly ways to spruce up your home - by using more natural, biodegradable materials to decorate your home.

In turn, this reduces your personal carbon footprint and also protects the environment from the effect of wastes, chemicals emission of harmful gases that may come with non-sustainable decor items.

5 Benefits of using Sustainable Home Decor

1. Saves energy and water: If you are considering home lighting solutions that are based on solar energy, kudos to you - you can say goodbye to massive electricity bills! Solar energy is purely acquired from the sun. It does not emit greenhouse gases, does not pollute the air, and does not pollute the water. Installing solar panels would also mean, increased value of your home. 

2. Pocket friendly alternative: Contrary to what a lot of people think, eco-friendly home decor is much more cost-effective than the conventional decor items. Purchasing furniture and various other items from a conventional store is far more expensive, because eco-friendly home decor items are primarily made from recyclable and natural materials, as opposed to highly processed materials.
   
   It's quite promising that companies are also looking to manufacture more eco-friendly products because the demand for them is increasing. Switching to environment friendly home designs, it's guaranteed that you’re going to start saving from Day 1!
   
   Related Article: Upcycling vs Recycling: Which is Better For Planet Earth?

3. Better fitness and health: Studies show that living in an environmentally friendly space, results in better fitness, physical and mental health. Eco-friendly products do not contain or emit harmful gases, toxins or chemicals, which protects you and your family’s well-being. Plus, the feeling of being around eco-friendly furniture, green plants, sustainable home decor and living spaces is incredibly calming - you realize that you’re contributing to the environment in a positive way. 

4. Low amount of wastes to deal with: The fundamental idea of eco friendly home decor is that most of it is made from recyclable, renewable and reusable materials. It also means you’re spending less on buying new stuff. Green homes and office space minimise environmental wastes and reduce their carbon footprint.

5. Aesthetically pleasing: If you’re on instagram, you must’ve seen how eco-friendly home decor is all the rage - among celebrities as well. Decor items made out of materials like bamboo, recyclable plastic, old wood etc look incredibly chic and pleasing to the eye, improving the aesthetic value of your home or office space - while also impressing any guests who come over to your space! 

20 Sustainable Home Decor Ideas for Your House

Before you take a call on how to decorate your home or office space, take a bit to learn about your design preferences.

Here are some cool tips on how you can enhance your space with eco-friendly options.

1. Decorate your walls with eco-friendly wallpapers

Eco-friendly wallpapers not only give your room a fresh, new look, but also help you avoid the harmful chemicals that come with synthetic adhesives and wallpapers.

Conventionally manufactured  wallpapers are high in VOC content (Volatile Organic Compound) - man made chemicals used in the manufacture of paints and pharmaceuticals. Breathing in these chemicals can cause irritation to your eyes, nose and throat and also causes nausea.

Alternatively, natural cork wallpapers are a great option, since they are made from the bark of cork oak. Switching to non toxic materials like grasscloth, or cotton fibre are not only good for yours and your loved ones health but also great for the environment.

2. Fill your house with indoor plants

Safe to say, this is the best and most cost-effective home decor idea for any home or office space! This option not only makes your house look good, but it purifies and improves the air quality inside your home which inturn improves your physical and mental health.

To add on, there are far too many benefits to having indoor plants which may surprise you. It sharpens your attention, increases your productivity, and lowers stress and anxiety. So go green!

3. Support local businesses and artisans

Lots of decor items like bamboo furniture, macrame wall art, jute bags and rugs and usually handmade by local artisans. It’s a great thing to support these small businesses, but it also fills your space with something truly unique!

4. Reuse your old furniture

Give that antique, wooden chair a nice polish to give it a whole new look! Instead of buying new furniture, how about repairing and giving your old cabinets a nice makeover? Let your imagination run free - using stencils, geometric patterns, or even painting it with a brand new colour of your choice. This will freshen up your old piece and give your place a fresh new look.

5. Consider buying pre-owned products

If you are someone who loves splurging on new items, the switch to purchasing pre-used might be a little difficult. But it’s not as bad as you think. This reduces the wastes in our environment and also you have timeless designs in your house.

P.S. Renting out can be a great option too!

6. Use lighting that is energy efficient

It’s time to say goodbye to the energy-draining bulbs, and say hello to warm LED lights - not only do they spruce up the ambiance of your home, but also cut down on electricity usage.  They are softer, consume way less power, and are long lasting.

If you are running on a lighting design from 10 years ago, you might just be consuming a lot of energy!

7. Opt for non-toxic wall paints

As we saw earlier, paints are made of VOC’s, which can be harmful. Eco-friendly paints are made out of more natural alternatives like plant extracts. Wall paints with beeswax and seed oils as a base are a few of the options that you can consider. 

8. Pick sustainable materials to decorate your space

Say no to synthetic materials, instead opting for items made out of natural materials like bamboo, jute, wool, organic cotton etc. Whether it’s your sofa’s upholstery, curtains, rugs or table runners!

Cotton cheesecloth table runners are a great alternative to plastic table covers. Such natural materials not only use far lesser resources to grow, but they also lend your home an earthy, boho-chic look.

9. Say yes to natural fragrances

There are so many ways to make your space smell amazing without using your usual air fresheners. They are harmful, they also contain over 100 chemicals, and also VOC’s.

DIY air fresheners are becoming a thing now, it's not too difficult to make your own fragrances using essential oils and other easily sourced ingredients. Palm wax candles, Soy wax candles are superb alternatives too!

10. Pick solar lighting

The most renewable energy source, solar panels, are being widely found in homes these days. Not only does it considerably reduce your bills, but you’re contributing to the environment in a huge way by switching to solar energy. 

11. Choose reusable items

Wall hangings, showpieces, table decor are all stuff you can make out of recycled plastic, old wood, etc

12. Go with jute

Materials like jute gives your room texture, and adds an unique vibe. Rugs made out of jute, swings made out of jute, etc are all great options. Jute is a material that can also be used on your furniture and upholstery to give it a striking contrast. 

13. Eco friendly pots

Plastic pots are being replaced by biodegradable pots, made out of wood, stone, terracotta etc. To add on, you can also find pots made from recycled plastics, which helps you to keep it out of the landfill.

Related Article: 25 Locally & Organic Things to Buy at Farmers Market

14. Bamboo Partitions

You just cannot go wrong with this one. They make your room look natural, and give you a calming effect. They are graceful, and minimalistic. They are practical and durable, and incredibly simple to maintain too! Fresh, tall bamboo fitted from floor to ceiling can be used as a great partition between rooms.

15. Use eco-friendly rugs

Rugs are a simple and fuss-free way to spice up your home’s vibe - be it your living room, terrace or bedroomy! Go for eco-friendly rugs made out of materials like jute, seagrass, or even recycled plastics.

16. Green or Upcycled Lamps

Eco friendly lamps are made out of sustainable materials like, natural rope, pinewood, bark, bamboo and recycled plastics, paired with LED lights. These can be a great addition to your living room space.

17. Go DIY: Make your own Decor

These days it has become very simple to look around your house for unused stuff and make something out of it, to design your space. All of us have a creative mind, and if we really get to it, there’s always something we can make out of nothing!

18. Natural roofing and flooring

Interior designers are moving towards natural materials like bamboo, cotton, cork, reclaimed hardwood, for roofing, eliminating harsh chemicals. The cool part about them is, these materials fit in with any color scheme or paints, and are also long lasting. The rugs made from 100% cotton monks cloth are a great sustainable alternative to nylon backed rugs.

19. Organic Cotton Waffle Throw Blanket

Throw blankets are a quick and easy way to add a fresh pop of color to your home - and it’s even better if it’s eco-friendly! Organic cotton throws for the couch and organic cotton blankets are not only softer and more breathable, but are also sustainably made with a minimal CO2 footprint.

A wide range of cotton waffle weave blankets are available in our collection. You can choose the one perfect for you.

Related Article: What are cotton thermal blankets?

20. Organic Cotton Bed Sheets Set

Bedsheets are a powerful style statement - and what’s more, you can change them as frequently as you wish! We recommend going for natural organic cotton bed sheets sets, since they are not only more sustainably made, but also incredibly soft and comfortable to sleep on.

Organic Cotton Mart offers a wide range of items from the finest 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton including our organic percale sheets.

Final thoughts

Climate change is real, and our lifestyle choices can make a real impact in building a cleaner, greener world for all.

We hope our 20 sustainable home decor ideas help you spruce up your home in a way that makes both you and the planet smile with joy!