Embracing Sustainability in Interior Design

Sustainable interior design is more than the décor trend of the moment; it’s a responsible choice that helps preserve our planet for future generations. It allows people to meet their needs today without diminishing the ability of future New Yorkers to do the same. If sustainability is important to you, here are a few sustainable interior design options you can choose from.

Embracing sustainable interior design doesn’t mean foregoing a love for an appealing aesthetic in favor of bean bags filled with biodegradable packing peanuts. Upscale décor and sustainability can coexist! Spend a Saturday refinishing the antique étagère passed down from your grandmother. Outfit oversized windows in your apartment with sheer shades to take advantage of natural light instead of turning on a lamp.

Better still are the creative designs that result from using existing materials. Sustainability goes beyond eco-consciousness. When you embrace sustainable interior design, you support environmental preservation, economic equality, and social justice.

So, what materials meet the criteria for sustainable design? You may think finding interior design items with sustainable characteristics is challenging, but anything that uses renewable resources and doesn’t deplete natural resources with a finite supply qualifies. We also suggest sourcing items regionally to support local businesses and decrease the greenhouse gasses that cargo ships and delivery trucks produce.

When you’re shopping for decorative elements, try to find ones that feature one or more of these materials:

• Grasses like bamboo, jute, and rattan
• Reclaimed wood
• Natural stone
• Recycled plastic or steel
• Glass
• Organic cotton, linen, or wool
• Paints and stains with low VOCs

One of the things we love most about sustainable interior design is that you can use elements in any home style. Consider woven wood shades and rattan area rugs if you like biophilic interiors. Do you favor mid-century modern design? If you enjoy thrift shops or antiquing, you can find pieces made from teak, rosewood, and oak that are easy to refinish. Cellular shades are perfect for New Yorkers who enjoy a contemporary aesthetic and want to reduce their energy consumption.

A sustainable interior is versatile. Neutral color palettes ensure walls and furniture can outlast changing trends. Sustainable interior design uses what is readily available, like original hardwood flooring and exposed brick walls, instead of laying new planks or putting up drywall. Seek out well-made pieces that can serve multiple purposes, such as a coffee table or ottoman with hidden storage space.

How will you introduce sustainable interior design to your home? Janovic is the city’s premier Hunter Douglas window treatments and Benjamin Moore paint dealer. Our designers are unwaveringly dedicated to embracing and turning your ideas into reality.

Visit one of our many stores across New York City, including Chelsea, Gramercy Park, Hell’s Kitchen, Long Island City, Soho, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Uptown West, Yorkville, and The Bronx, or Book a Consultation Online!