Eco-friendly design promotes sustainability and minimizes negative impacts on the environment. Environmentally conscious design can lower your home or building’s carbon footprint while improving aesthetics. So when it comes time to remodel or redesign your space, selecting sustainable options is one way you can incorporate more eco-friendly design selections. Not to mention, you can do so without breaking the bank. Here are a few affordable ways to add style and make your home more green:
1) Shop Local
Next time you go to buy a new piece of artwork or other home decor item, consider skipping a big-box retail store in favor of shopping local. Buying local uses less transportation, leading to less congestion, pollution, and loss of habitat. In addition, it’s good for the local economy. Supporting a local artist is a way to give back to your community, lower your impact on the environment, and improve your home’s style.
2) Add Greenery
An easy way to spruce up your space in an environmentally conscious way is by adding plants and greenery. Adding plants to your home also acts as a natural air purifier, eliminating dangerous toxins and other pollutants floating around. Not only do they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, but plants are also a great way to brighten up a room or add a pop of color to an otherwise plain space.
3) Repurpose & Recycle
You may already have old things lying around the house you can repurpose or recycle. Old picture frames, chalkboard paint, mirrors, books, and other household items can be turned into something beautiful for your home! With DIY all the rage during the pandemic, Pinterest and other home design sites have plenty of ideas on how to give once-loved items a new purpose.
Additionally, rather than replacing furniture and architectural elements like cabinets, doors, and pillars, a 3M Authorized Dealer can resurface them with 3M DI-NOC Architectural Finishes. This eco-friendly design option completely transforms existing materials, making them look like new without creating waste. DI-NOC mimics the appearance of costly woods, stones, metals, and more, but at a fraction of the cost.
4) Using Window Film as Eco-Friendly Design
Did you know that there’s an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint, save energy, and enhance the design of a space? Window film can not only improve the insulating properties of old windows and doors, but it can also bring new light into otherwise stale areas.
How Window Film Saves Energy
Window film can lower home cooling costs by as much as 30%, blocking nearly 80% of solar heat transferred through glass. Plus, while it’s reflecting heat to keep your space cooler, it’s also blocking 99% of dangerous UV rays. Specially designed products like Low-E window film can even improve insulation to easily maintain interior temperatures year-round.
Imitate Natural Patterns & Textiles
While you may think of window film as being clear or tinted, decorative window film comes in hundreds of styles, colors, and patterns. If you still want a natural, eco-friendly look, you can get window film that imitates natural patterns and textiles. Get the look of wood, bamboo, or cork for a fraction of the cost.
Why Wait to Upgrade Your Space?
Window film is incredibly versatile. You can use it to upgrade your home, conference room, lobby, storefront, or any other place you can imagine. With its energy-saving properties, window film is also an eco-friendly design solution that will improve aesthetics in addition to lowering utility bills. Reach out to one of our window film experts today for a free consultation!
General Solar Company remains one of the most highly regarded window film companies in the Washington DC area since 1969. In that time, we have built a reputation for professionalism, integrity, and exceptional service. We serve clients in Washington DC, Montgomery County, Rockville and Bethesda, Maryland, and surrounding areas. To schedule an appointment for a free estimate, give us a call today at 301-231-9500 or contact us using this form.