Creating an eco-home

Small is in. If you have a small house and you are whining about the lack of space, count your blessings instead. It takes less energy to cool and to run a smaller home than it takes to for a larger one. Focus on space planning and organisation to get the most from your space. Very often we don’t need to go bigger. As we grow older and the children leave we are frequently left with more house than we need. It means that we have to maintain and run a larger space than we require on our retirement income - when we can least afford it. So it may be wise to be conservative with size from the outset. Just a thought.

 

Live outside. Not talking Tarzan and Jane here. I have often written about incorporating our outdoor spaces into our living areas. What is more ‘green’ or eco-friendly than an outdoor room: cooled and lit by mother-nature. Re-examine our porches, verandas and patios. What better place to relax and entertain? Decorate and plan to use these spaces as extension to your indoor spaces or as a separate private oasis.

 

Repurpose, Recycle and Reclaim.  Old living room furniture can be rejuvenated and reused in the den, TV room or bedrooms, for instance. Old cooking utensils can be used in the garden as plant pots. I have used antique marble top wash stands as console or entry tables. If you are renovating see what you can salvage and reuse to reduce cost when renovating. Shred old newspapers and use as mulch in the garden. Compost kitchen waste. I have up-cycled concrete or clay pots and made very attractive bases for centre tables. Just use a piece of glass or wood for the table top: very contemporary or modern looking. Old sheets and tablecloths can find new forms as throws and pillows. Make your table cloths, bed spreads and coverlets, throws and pillows 

reversible eliminating the need for a second set. Pay one 

fabrication cost, just pay a bit more in decorator fabric. 

 

Paint it. Don’t throw it out. Try re-finishing it. Give one of our many talented local artisans the opportunity to renovate and re-juvenate those pieces that look battered and bruised. If a room looks tired and outdated, consider re-painting and rearranging the furniture and accessories before thinking of a total redecorating project. While you are thinking of painting and re-finishing, consider paint that is low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Many of the paint brands available here, imported and local, have eco-friendly paint options. Better yet – embrace the aged and distressed look.

 

Natural light. Reduce your electricity bill by illuminating your interior spaces with natural light. Use traversing drapery or shades and open and close them to maximise natural light. Consider skylights. Properly installed lined window treatments can reduce your air conditioning bill. North facing windows will give even natural light with little glare. The sun rises in the East, so east windows will give good light in the morning.  West windows would have better light in the evening as the sun moves into the setting position. Also consider tinting or glazing your windows and using awnings to shade the windows. 

 

2012 is my ‘green’ year. I will include a ‘green’ tip in my articles moving forward. Here is wishing us all an eco-friendly home for 2012.