Whether you've just moved into a new home and are lacking furniture/decor, or you simple love to update your abode, there's no denying that decorating can be a world of fun. And while the majority of us love the idea of having a beautifully appointed home, it's hard to ignore the environmental impact of mass production. 

If you would love to buy something for your home, it's well worth focusing on purchasing from companies that are transparent about their production methods and standards and opting for products made from natural, regenerative materials such as linen, bamboo, or cork.

If you'd love to decorate your home but are serious about making more conscious design choices that have less of an impact on the planet, consider the below ideas that are just that bit more sustainable.

6 Sustainable Decor Ideas for a More Eco-Friendly Home

1. Find secondhand furniture

Whether sourced from a vintage/antiques store, Facebook marketplace, or picked up kerbside, secondhand furniture is one of the most significant ways to be more eco-friendly when decorating your home. 

While it may require some patience to find exactly what you want, you can also be exposed to some real gems. Items from vintage or antique stores are also often of a higher quality and have genuine character so you will likely be able to hold onto these pieces for some time. 

2. Opt for natural, regenerative materials

When it comes to your furniture choices, selecting pieces that have been made with natural materials is a great way to go. Think rattan, fast-growing wood, linen, stone. These require less harmful finishes and can be replenished and harvested more sustainably than any other timber/materials.

Not only is linen one of these most luxurious and stylish fabrics, it's also one of the most eco-friendly. Made from flax plant fibres, this strong material is resilient and can grow in poor soil, using significantly less water during production than cotton or polyester.

The entire linen crop is utilised and it is a renewable, biodegradable and recyclable resource (when made with eco-friendly dyes like the ones we use at Bed Threads), meaning it won't rot in landfill. Bed Threads also operates 100% carbon neutral and utilises plastic-free packaging, so you can feel good about your choice every time your head hits the pillow.

Additionally, because we have been officially certified by OEKO-TEX, you can be confident that every single thread, button and fibre in our 100% French Flax Linen and 100% Mongolian Cashmere has been tested for over 100 harmful chemicals and substances.

3. Swathe your home in eco-friendly paints

Many paints contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are carbon-containing solvents that vaporise into the air as paint dries. If your home is in need of a fresh lick of paint, reach for more eco-friendly VOC-free options, or at the very least paints with lower levels of VOCs. It's worth look into Ecolour paints as they are premium quality water based paints that are 100 per cent free of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) or Volvox clay paints made from natural clay in an ecologically sustainable manner.

4. Create an indoor jungle

Indoor plants are the most eco-friendly decoration and they will enliven your home. They're décor, they're wellness, they're kind of everything. Propagate the plants you already have and create your own little indoor oasis.

5. Invest in well-made, timeless design

If, like many of us, you love buying new things for the home but you feel morally conflicted about being wasteful, it's worth having a more serious think about what you're buying. You definitely do not need to deprive yourself of new things, but being more conscious about purchasing timeless, high quality pieces that will stand the test of time is a great place to start.

If something is made cheaply and quality has been compromised as a result, you'll likely find that you will have to keep replacing it and inevitably end up spending more money over the years and create more waste. If you opt for items that have been well-made and that you spent that extra bit of money on, you'll have it for years to come and appreciate the craftsmanship.

6. Support carbon-neutral businesses

Buying from businesses that are certified in being carbon neutral is another more conscious decision you can make when decorating your home in a more eco-friendly manner. Bed Threads is proud to be 100% carbon neutral, which is one of the simplest things we can do to help save our planet. This means, we will measure, reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions where possible, doing our bit to protect and conserve Australia’s biodiversity.

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