*Collaborative Post

We all want to live in stylish and visually appealing homes, and, increasingly, more and more of us are also becoming conscious of our impact on the environment, and mindful of the need to be environmentally responsible.

It turns out, there are plenty of things that you can do to turn your home into your own personal paradise, according to your particular aesthetic preferences, while also being careful to have the lightest possible environmental footprint in the process.

Here are just a few suggestions of some environmentally friendly ways to style up your home.

1. Solar wall lights, and creative natural light features

Solar wall lights can now be bought easily and quickly online and can allow you to significantly reduce the amount of energy you spend on illuminating your garden.

Generally, the way these lights work is by charging their batteries via small solar panels on top of the unit and then modulating the amount of light they give off throughout the night, accordingly.

Of course, if you live in an area that doesn’t get much sunshine, you might need to look at other lighting options. But, there are plenty of creative light features that can serve as an alternative to intense electrical lighting these days, all the same.

Some creative interior designers have even come up with natural day-time lighting solutions that involve “tunnel windows” reaching through the ceiling and roof, with mirror fixtures inside, to focus and magnify the beams of light that come down.

In any case, one of the best ways to breathe new life into your home is to make it better illuminated.

2. Art and ornaments made by local artists

Art pieces and ornaments are, of course, the cornerstones of any efforts to style up and decorate a home.

The thing is, a lot of the types of art pieces and ornaments that are commonly used, are not necessarily environmentally friendly.

Art prints, for example, maybe energy-intensive to produce in large runs and can have various undesirable environmental side-effects due to the chemicals used in their production. Ornaments made and sold commercially, are also often made in poorly regulated areas of the world, using exploitative techniques. The further an item has been shipped from, the more of a negative environmental impact it will have, too.

By decorating your home with art and ornaments made by local artists, you not only support the local community, but you also reduce your carbon footprint.

3. A design ethos that emphasises craftsmanship over mass-produced goods

Generally speaking, goods that are handmade, by artisans rather than major companies, will be far more environmentally friendly – in no small part because they don’t rely on the same industrial infrastructure for their production.

Of course, you’ll pay more for furniture, ornaments, and all the rest, when they have been made carefully by artisans, and display a high degree of craftsmanship.

But, those items are likely to feel a lot more “personal” and will probably also last a good while longer, too.

Rather go for “less” but “better” than “more” but “more generic.”

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.

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