4 Sustainable Home Design Trends

By Jamie Orr
Date 19/05/2021
4 sustainable home design trends

Sustainability is becoming more important and popular across the globe, with 32% of consumers now seeking a more sustainable lifestyle as of 2021. Inevitably, that shift has affected how we design our homes.

There are a number of design trends inspired by sustainability, which can make your home look and feel great as well as protecting the planet. Read on as we look at four sustainable home design trends.

1. Upcycling

With cheap furniture readily available, it’s no surprise that so many people buy and replace furniture on a regular basis. Unfortunately, this has become a big no-no in the eyes of sustainability with new furniture using up more resources and the old furniture adding to the growing landfill crisis.

A more sustainable solution is to upcycle existing furniture with new upholstery, a fresh lick of paint or even a new purpose entirely. Whether it’s a chair, table, sofa or bookshelf, upcycled furniture can create a focal piece for sustainable interiors.

2. Natural materials

Throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, plastic and uPVC became extremely popular because of their strength and long-lasting qualities. Today, we’ve become more aware of the emissions generated in uPVC production – not to mention the rise of plastic pollution across land and sea.

That’s exactly why people are turning to natural materials for their homes. This can include anything from metals (iron and copper) and stones (bricks, granite and marble) to natural wood (including oak, bamboo, rattan and wicker).

As you might expect, the main consideration is whether those materials are sustainably sourced. Cork is easily one of the best options in this respect, as there’s no need to fell trees to strip the cork-rich bark.

In fact, trees actually absorb carbon dioxide as the cork bark regrows over approximately 9 years. With cork forests absorbing over 180 million tonnes of Co2 annually, the material has a negative carbon footprint.

3. Indoor plants

Plants have consistently had their spot in the background of UK homes. But now, they’re coming further to the fore. As an alternative to manmade ornaments and trinkets, plants add a much-needed splash of colour to interiors.

There are a number of indoor plants which have the added benefit of cleaning the air inside your home. Even better, they provide a range of mental and physical health benefits, including the reduction of stress, blood pressure and fatigue.

4. Energy efficiency

Avoiding unnecessary use of resources is a cornerstone of sustainability. With that in mind, many homeowners are turning to energy-efficient improvements rather than their usual renovations and decoration.

Increasing your home’s energy efficiency is arguably the best way to improve its overall design for the long term. There are various ways to achieve this, from energy-efficient appliances to better home insulation.

Corksol’s innovative SprayCork render is one of the most eco-friendly ways to insulate your home. A thin coating on the inside or outside of your walls will reduce the amount of heat passing through, as well as adding sound insulation and water resistance.

Find out more about SprayCork

Whether you’re looking to use natural materials in your home, or you want to boost insulation to reduce energy use, SprayCork is a sustainable, versatile solution for any home’s design.

Harnessing cork’s natural properties, the sprayed coating is adhesive, insulative and highly durable, so you can rest assured it will stand the test of time.

To find out more, simply contact the Corksol team today.

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