There is a major move afoot for each of us to leave less of a footprint on the environment these days. While for many people that just means trying to carpool or do all of their errands in one dash from the house, if you really want to do this right you will go well beyond this in your attempt to lessen your carbon footprint.

Recycling

Many people recycle a lot of the things that come into their home. From newspapers to plastic bottles and glass and metal items, there are many efforts underway to recycle the things that you use on a daily basis. While you are putting into the recycling system, you also have to think about what happens at the other end of the process.

Once all those bottles, cans and pieces of plastic are recycled, what happens to them? They are made into new items. That means people need to be buying those new items to keep the process going. If they aren’t, those who are making the recycled goods will have no sales and end up going out of business, putting a halt to the whole idea.

This is not just true for plastic and glass items, but also items made of recycled wood. There are plenty of wood items that are able to be made from wood that has already lived at least one life.

While many particleboard based console tables can be made this way, through chopped up recycled wood that is molded into something new, there is another option as well. Other furniture pieces are created from older pieces of wood that have enough life in them to be turned into something new.

Sustainable Wood

Sustainable wood is wood that is from a source that is easily replenished once some of it is used to create console tables and other pieces of furniture. Bamboo is a great example of this kind of wood. Bamboo grows quickly and once it is harvested to create a piece of furniture, the replacement bamboo sprouts quickly and grows to replace the pieces that were cut down.

Green Accents

Once you have chosen the console tables for your home, you will need to be able to accent them. Why mess up your track record now? You can accent them with items that are natural and as green as the console tables you have selected.

If you like candles, consider beeswax and soy candles instead of ones that burn dirtier.

You can also really accent the top of your console tables by using bamboo accent pieces. From lamps to decorative containers, many are made of the same bamboo that your console tables may be made out of and these pieces can be a perfect compliment to your selection.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops including that offer both items and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it is curio cabinets for your living room or bedroom furniture for you newly remodeled home, there are many tips you can use to make any spot both functional and beautiful. Click today and indulge your senses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Akre

Can enhance any room,

But best of all

If it’s all natural

It can make your health bloom.

More and more African American homeowners are discovering or re-discovering African decor. With so much mass-produced and over-priced home decor accessories on the market today, more African American homeowners are turning to African home decor more and more.

African decor includes everything from hand made picture frames, hand carved statues and mask to beads, baskets and bowls. Plus an abundance of other African hand-made pottery from woods, metals and natural elements from the African continent.

African decor includes items that have proven to be environmentally safe and natural, a benefit more and more consumers are demanding.

African decor, made from natural ingredients, doesn’t add to the growing problem of indoor air pollutants like so many mass-produced products. This is another reason more African Americans are re-discovering the benefits of using hand-made African decor.

For example, African decor made from wood reflects the natural beauty of the wood-grain. These woods made from natural dyes or simply hand polished – add a natural, environmental character to any room.

Environmentally Friendly Decor

African decor is environmentally friendly. The wood products generally come from woods that are fast-growing trees and readily renewable. For example, trees like bamboo, monkeywood, mango wood and coconut as well as others.

Benefits of African Decor

African decor is a fresh artsy style that doesn’t become dated or old after a few years of displaying in your home. The styles can range from bold and daring to tranquil and reflective and everything in between. African decor can act as a rooms vocal point or act as an accent piece. The versatility is endless and limited only by your imagination.

To add a sense of romance to a room add an African Love Sculpture hand-carved in Kenya. You can add a sense of courage and strength to the atmosphere of your home and attract good fortune by adding a hand carved elephant (with trunk raised) to your homes decor. Or add a hand-woven African Safari picture frame to a wall and add a sense of adventure to any room.

Yes, African decor can add a genuine flair and adventure to your home as well as a sense of warmth and culture. Whether your theme is contemporary or traditional, touches of African decor can add a touch of excitement to any room in your home.

How to Decorate with African Decor

First form a picture in your mind of the mood you want to create and then make everything that you buy fit into that picture. The mood can range from calm and tranquil to energetic and bold. The key is to make sure all your pieces flow together in harmony.

Pay special attention to colors, textures and shapes and try to make them work together as opposed to competing with each other. Experiment with what fits your lifestyle and comfort level.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve read how African decor can enhance your home, start with a small piece – perhaps a basket, bowl or even a candle holder.

As you start your shopping expedition something will jump out at you, something that will fit perfectly in a spot, wall or table in your home. Just make sure it’s a piece that makes you feel good, tranquil or adventuresome. And most of all have fun.

Roy Primm Founder and Publisher of BlackHomeOwnerNews.com the largest source of information for black homeowners & African Decor.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roy_Primm

Many people consider sea grass an odd fiber choice for area rugs but according to design experts this is actually a very sensible choice of material for the purpose. This fiber is very durable and resistant to staining. It also wears well and is resistant to many household hazards. The fibers for sea grass rugs come from China where many of these rugs are produced. This type of rugs looks excellent in an Asian inspired room or any natural room. The colors of sea grass rugs range from a soft green to brown.

Sisal is another natural style fiber for area rugs. The fibers for sisal rugs come from remote areas. They are found in the cactus plants of Africa and South America. They are extremely natural looking and are allergy free. No dust particles or other allergens are found in sisal area rugs. The fibers for sisal rugs come from very specific cactus plants. Only cacti that grow in arid areas will produce the needed types of fibers. This fiber is strong and very durable. It is said that it can withstand almost anything!

The popularity of sisal and sea grass rugs is skyrocketing with the trend toward natural and green design. These types of area rugs are environmentally friendly, non-synthetic, and non-allergenic. This is a big plus for many people.

Sisal and sea grass rugs work well indoors and out. They are both durable enough to stand up to the elements outside. They complement nature and are the perfect choice for a deck, a patio, or a children’s play area.

When buying a sea grass or sisal rug you will want to ask the clerk several questions. Ask where the rug was made and if it is 100 percent sisal or sea grass. Ask if they have different weaves or patterns available. Does the rug have a warranty? Also find out if the store has a return policy as you want to be able to return the rug if it does not work well in your space.

Before shopping for your new rug you will want to consider the following:

-Where will the rug be placed?

-What is the function of the rug?

-Will the rug be used indoors or outdoors?

-Will the rug be in a high traffic area?

-Will the rug be in a child’s room?

-How big of a rug do I need?

-Would several smaller rugs work better?

-What colors should I consider?

You must measure the space where the rug will be used before going shopping. You may decide that you want to cover the entire room in a sea grass or sisal rug or that you want to highlight a certain area. Sometimes placing one or more small area rugs around a room adds an element of surprise. When your guests enter they will find a treat for their senses with well-placed, natural fiber rugs.

Keep up to date with Interior Design trends and enhance your home with area rugs. This Dynamic Rugs Mystique Butter 2072-8014 Rug works well in any home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Crosset

Today, there is a big movement afoot to produce paints that impact our lives and health a lot less. In fact, we have been returning to the compounds that people historically used to paint their dwellings – limestone, clay, even milk. Recycling paint has become another method of reducing our demand on our environment’s natural resources.

One choice is limestone – good, old-fashioned whitewash. This paint can be tinted various colours and can be used indoors or out – as long as the surface being painted is porous, allowing the lime to sink into the material. Lime allows the material it covers to breathe, preventing the buildup of humidity and eventual damage to the dwelling.

Clay paint is available in many natural colours, plus a few more created with the addition of dyes to the natural color of the base. It imparts an earthy look to the home. It can also absorb some odors, making it a good choice for the kitchen and bathroom areas.

Milk paint is actually made from casein, a protein found in milk, lime, oil and other substances used to tint the mixture. This is a very time-oriented paint, as milk protein spoils just like milk does. Thus, it must be applied within a limited time of mixing it.

There are a number of concerns about “natural” paints. First, they can be expensive to buy and may have a limited time of viability before they become less efficacious when applied. Many cannot be washed or cleaned, necessitating repainting to remove the sight of dirt or marks. This can be circumvented by applying a sealer, but that also means more expense. These paints also tend to wear more quickly than standard paints, thus making the need for repainting more frequent.

There are now companies manufacturing recycled paint. In Canada, the only one is Boomerang Paint (boomerangpaint.com), based in Quebec. Recycled paint manufacturers take in unused paint and combines it to produce a new, stable paint. These paints can come in all sorts of types: latex, alkyd, etc. and are very low in VOCs.

Choosing an environmentally friendly paint will pay off, not only for your environment, but also for you and your family. More and more retailers are offering alternative, healthy paint choices for the home painter. Consider them the next time you need to paint something in your home or your home itself.

Complete Calgary home search: View all Coach Hill real estate, Calgary listings including Signature Park homes for sale. Access photos, virtual tours, neighbourhood info, maps and more at JustinHavre.

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As a rapidly renewable product, live plants are a “no brainier” when selecting green accessories for your interior. This is especially true when you decide to use a live plant instead of a manufactured good, as the process of growing plants requires less energy than a product that was made in a factory. Additionally, the US Department of Agriculture has outlawed the importation of potted plants from overseas, requiring all rooted plants be grown domestically. When considering that the majority of furniture is imported from Asia, houseplants are practically a local product.

Here are 5 tips on how to decorate green with indoor plants.

#1. Use plants as a replacement for non-utilitarian décor items and furnishings. Foliage plants not only have a smaller environmental footprint than manufactured products, but will also produce the additional benefit of cleaning the air.

#2. Place plants according to available light. Plants are typically categorized by low, medium, and high light. If you are unsure of which plant will survive in your environment, consult an expert such as a local interior plantscape company.

#3. Select hearty plants that are easy to sustain and maintain, such as ZZ plants, pothos, and Draceana varieties. These plants can thrive in a home or office for decades.

#4. Don’t kill your plants. Replacing a dead plant with a new one carries an environmental impact. Make an effort to learn how to care for your plants or hire a professional plantscaper to do it for you.

#5. Use green products. New decorative planters are on the market made from recycled or renewable materials, such as recycled plastic, aluminum, or bamboo. Only use organic cleaning and fertilizing products on your plants.

Imagine the environmental benefit if each homeowner or interior designer choose just one green plant instead of an unnecessary piece of furniture or knickknack.

About the Author:

Shane Pliska is a Principal of Planterra Corp., a leading interior landscape firm serving North America. For information on how to care for indoor plants, visit the Houseplant Care Guide.

(c) Copyright – Shane Pliska. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shane_Pliska

Use what you have:

Many times when decorating your home, you already have many of the things you need! Look around to see what you already own and love could be repurposed. Repurposing items saves them from the landfills, cuts down on the need for things like lumber, volatile glues and paints, and recycles them as useful objects.

Craft smart:

Try to recycle materials when crafting for your home. One of my most popular projects on my website is the brown bag floor. Using recycled brown paper grocery bags, I have papered my floors to look like trendy stained concrete or stone. Visit our website for step by step directions and photos of the brown bag floor technique! Other ideas include using old used tissue and gift paper for decoupage, brightly colored magazine pages make terrific paper art holiday ornaments, and cardboard boxes can be covered with scrap fabric to make stylish storage.

Cut down on volatile chemicals:

It used to be that in order to use environmentally friendly paints or primers you had to spend big bucks. Not true anymore! Painting your home is one of the most popular and cost effective ways to decorate, and one of the first things The Budget Decorator recommends. There are new paints out now that are low, or no VOC. What this means is that these paints put off very low fumes and odors, and are safer to use in your home. Olympic Paint now makes zero VOC interior latex that has the lowest price point in the market. I love this paint! (My fav color so far? Butter!) And it comes with a 25 year warranty for almost half the price of what other paints with a similar warranty cost. Great news for budget decorators!

Be choosy about your large purchases:

Most of us at some point have to make larger purchases, such as with new flooring, window treatments or furniture.

When the time comes to make the huge investment of replacing your homes flooring, consider that carpeting not only produces formaldehyde gases, it has to be replaced on average every 7 years. However, using a renewable wood floor such as bamboo or cork may be more expensive in the beginning, but will save you money in the long run as you refinish, instead of replace over the years. If wood is totally out of your budget, using laminate flooring will last considerably longer than wall to wall carpet, and not hold in the dirt and pollutants that carpet and padding can.

Try to buy curtains made from natural fibers when possible, and use light colors to reflect the sun in the summer. Heavier curtains will help insulate form the cold in winter, and reduce your usage of energy. Vacuum your curtains often to reduce collection of indoor pollutants in your home.

When purchasing furniture, check out the consignment shops in your area. Many areas also have stores that sell furniture from model homes. You can get almost brand new furniture for a really good deal, and work on saving the environment at the same time.

Give:

That’s right, being giving can help our environment. The next time you replace furnishings or decorative items, donate your old pieces to a worthy charity, or put them up on a site such as Freecycle for someone who can really use them. Evan broken pieces might be useful to a furniture aficionado, or and appliance genius! Reduce waste in landfills, and help out others at the same time.

All of us can make small changes to go green with our home decorating. Being a budget decorator makes it a natural!

Want free home decorating ideas? Kathy Wilson is an author, home decorating columnist for LifetimeTv.com, and editor of several top home and garden websites. For hundreds of free do it yourself home and garden ideas, please visit her websites now at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com and http://www.TheBudgetChef.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathleen_Wilson