Just because you care about the world around you, doesn’t mean that you have to give up your personal design aesthetic. Do the best for both worlds–yours and the natural world around you— by styling your own personal oasis with sustainable building materials. Regardless of your style, you can have a sustainable home that suits your tastes.
The whole concept behind going green is that of getting closer to nature. It’s about embracing the earth, letting the outdoors come in and blurring the lines between interiors and exteriors. There are a few green themes that are well and truly making their presence known and about two or three frontrunners that designers – both locally and internationally – seem to agree on. Whether your design tastes veer towards modern minimalism or rustic traditional —you can have a sustainable home that meets your personal design style. I’m all about what’s new, exciting and reimagined in the home decorating space, so I’ve picked out my favourite sustainable styles.
Exotic Botanic is the notion of reconnecting with nature and going back to our roots. The hypnotic colours and rich deep hues re-awaken the senses and revitalise even the smallest of spaces. A simple addition of a botanic accessory
could bring a sense of the eclectic and add a bit of drama.
2) Wooden accentsYou can have a sustainable home and still have it filled with the lovely grain of the wood—not all wood comes from destructive clear-cuts. There are numerous furniture manufacturers who are actually reclaiming wood from old
buildings that are about to be demolished, they take this old wood and re-finish it into fabulous new products. Talk
about recycling at its best— You get the beautiful time worn wooden furniture and save a ton of trees at the same time! Wood products such as Bamboo and Cork are also extremely sustainable and environmentally friendly, as they are fast growing products that can be sustainably harvested with little environmental damage.
3) Raw Finishes
Raw explores the notion of “less is more” – cutting out the clutter – and redefining what’s important. This theme shows a more neutral palette compared to those above – made up of muted, natural tones such as warm browns and creams, these colours have a calming effect and are perfect for any interior accessories and styling. This natural palette is very subdued, generating an ethereal atmosphere with warm brown and cream tones forming the perfect base for any interior styling.
4) Natural tones
The notion of re-connecting to our roots has seen a shift in not just eco-friendly choices but also literarily in colour
direction, as we move towards softer palettes and natural tones. This has also led to the exploration of natural materials and tones. Lush green colours also echo the diversity of nature and replenishment through a deep, rich palette that amplifies colour and pattern; from avocado and olive greens to Sage. If you’re not into embracing a green colour or plant infused story, there is an industrial spin you can put on the green look, which will allow you to play with some more rustic, upcycled or recycled surfaces.
By Bukola Bankole
