The English Home

Sustainable WAYS TO DECORATE

Embracing a sustainable lifestyle with its enlightened approach to furnishing and decorating is quite a challenge. With so much to consider, it is heartening to discover how many companies serving the interior are already taking positive steps to reveal where their materials come from and even flagging up their biodegradable packaging.

Whether moving house or redesigning a tired room, consider whether pieces can be repurposed and if not, find an alternative to landfill. When sourcing new furnishings for an outdated room, the task is to make sure each piece will be an ethical buy. Upholstery without foam content and locally made furniture in wood from managed forests are useful starting points.

Antique and vintage furniture leaves no adverse footprint, which is why more of us are searching for such pieces. These can either be extremely costly or remarkably inexpensive. In particular, old chairs in classic styles and reasonable condition can be found to match every budget and readily transformed with a new slipcover – linen ticks the sustainable box for that.

KITCHEN RETHINK

When a kitchen needs an update, consider repurposing first. Painting cabinets will transform them

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