Your Guide to Earth Conscious and Sustainable Interior Design
We all want to feel good about the mark we leave on the world, and many of us these days are especially conscious of what mark we don't leave. In an industry like interior design where everything old gets upgraded and switched out for something new, it can be difficult to stay on the right side of eco-friendly. As a team that feels strongly about reducing our carbon footprints and is committed to sustainability, we have found ways to incorporate those important values into our design practice. It's definitely not the easy route in this industry, but when it comes to protecting our beautiful earth, taking the easy route just isn't an option for Surf Road.
Upcycling and Making Facebook Marketplace Your new BFF
Upcycling is a great earth conscious practice in interior design. Just because you’ve moved on from your green velvet couch phase doesn’t mean it isn’t the perfect piece for your neighbors home.
You can post your used furniture, art, curtains, rugs to facebook marketplace for purchase or for free, and of course opting for local pickup or delivery over shipping is always a good choice. You can also donate larger pieces, like cabinetry, appliances, countertops, etc to places like Maine's Restore. Restore works with habitat for humanity to provide families with home essentials and they are always stoked on home goods in good condition.
Free is Never Really Free, Especially When It Comes to Shipping
Buying local to avoid the environmental impacts of shipping is best practice. Yes, of course, there will always be something you want that you just can’t get locally and that’s okay, but instead of ordering your sheets and hooks off of amazon, head to a local store to grab what you can. For all of your smaller needs, Target will almost always have what you’re looking for, and to be quite honest, their home section is transforming into a little affordable west elm. Aubuchon and Maine Hardware are always my top choices for all things handy. Maine Hardware even does a monthly ladies night where you can trade tools and learn new skills.
For your inspiring and unique larger scale items like furniture, pillows and other decorative items, check out our local favorites: Home Remedies, Fiore Interiors, Home Goods, or Portland Flea for All. Even if you’re not doing any type of remodel or design work in your space you should truly check out Home Remedies, I could spend an entire day in there taking in all of the incredible treasures they have.
When Local Isn't An Option: Online Retailers Who Are Eco-Friendly
So, we’ve talked about what to do with your old “junk” and choosing a local alternative to the big brand convenient shipping methods. So what about those (let's be honest, frequent) times when you just need to purchase online. Lucky for us, there are lots of companies to buy from online that are committed to sustainability! Just check out their mission statements and find one that resonates with you. Some of my favorites are Pottery Barn, Buffy (hello, the Insta-Famous Cloud Comforter!), and Joybird.