Eco-Friendly Home Decor: How to Buy Green Furniture

Eco-friendly home decor can be achieved when you buy "green" furniture. In addition to painting with eco-friendly interior paint brands, buying and decorating with green furniture is another step anyone can take towards helping the environment, and creating an eco-friendly home.

1. Recycled Materials

Furniture that is made with recycled materials is green furniture because it does not deplete already-dwindling natural resources. Also, since the furniture is made with recycled materials including wood or plastics, it is better for the environment, because it follows the use an re-use principal.

2. Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed wood is wood that was part of an old structure that is no longer being used. Reclaimed wood could include pieces of teak wood, wood from abandoned buildings or houses, un-used orchards, railways, and many other sources.

The reclaimed wood itself is typically considered "old growth hard and soft woods" (Revelstokewood). These pieces of wood are re-milled (TerraMai) and made into new house building materials for decks or even decorative mantles.

3. Buy Locally-Made Pieces

Locally-made furniture made by local carpenters and artisans may be produced with far fewer harmful manufacturing chemical processes than commercially produced furniture. Also, because the furniture is made locally it will not require the same amount of shipping and packaging materials, or transportation fuel that also have a negative impact on the environment.

4. Re-Vamp Used Furniture

An obvious way to go green is to re-upholster, re-finish, and re-decorate used furniture. The used furniture can be from a room in your house, from un-used furniture you may have in your attic or basement, or it can be bought.

Giving used or old furniture new life is one way to go green in your home decorating.

5. Buy Refurbished Pieces

If you don't have the time or talent to re-do used furniture, perhaps buying refurbished pieces from a local retailer is a more feasible option for your green home decor needs.

6. GreenGuard Certification