The green room

THE

ROOM

Creating beautiful interiors shouldn’t cost the Earth as there are plenty of ways to decorate your spaces sustainably. We’ve explored how to create a beautiful home with environmental buys that mean you can enjoy guilt-free style

Pandora wallpaper in Fuschia, Jade and Lime, £45 per roll, Lust Home

Feature Thomas Poad Perfectly pure prints

Devote as much of your time researching the materials and manufacturing processes as your pattern when choosing wallpaper. Printed in the UK on FSC-certified paper, Lust Home’s eye-catching, stylish prints offer a long-lasting talking point in your home.

PURCHASE FOR LIFE

‘Buy well and buy once’ will ensure your larger furniture items stand the test of time. This fabric is made from recycled plastic and a durable water repellent that’s free from harmful chemicals, plus the neutral shade is a versatile base for colourful cushions or throws to switch up the look over the years.

Pre-loved gem

Printed onto fabric that’s been made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, this abstract floral cushion will sing against a rattan chair or plush sofa.

From plastic to fabric

Samba cushion, from £12, furn

Baggu Forest Happy reusable bag, £12, Keep + Kind

HAPPY SHOPPER

It’s easy to turn the weekly food-shop frown upside down with this cheerful reusable bag that’s been sewn from repurposed nylon. Smothered in smiley faces, this bag is capable of holding up to 22kg of produce so it’s as strong as it is joyful!

Style water filter jug, £31, Brita Soothe your conscience as you sip your freshly pressed cappuccino with the EcoPress, which cleans and prepares your aluminium pods to be recycled at the kerbside. Compatible with most aluminium pods, it can hold up to 10 pods’ worth of coffee grounds and it’s dishwasher-safe, too.

Enjoycoff ee with a clear conscience

EcoPress aluminium capsule pod recycler, £9.99, Dualit Matt emulsion paint in Passionate Yellow, Passionate Pink and Passionate Teal, all £21 per 1L, YesColours

Autoseal Chill bottle in Rose Quartz, £27.76, Contigo

Paint the future

Reduce waste and save cash by buying the exact amount of paint you need with YesColours’ mood-boosting range of shades, which come in 1L pouches that you can recycle once emptied.

GREEN SHEEN

Swap bottles of cleaners for plastic-free sachets that you dilute in a spray bottle for a greener clean in your home.

Lots of bottle

Make spilt drinks ruining your rucksack a thing of the past with this leakproof reusable bottle that keeps water, squash or cold-brew tea refreshingly chilled for up to 28 hours.

Kitchen degreaser, £1.50, Ocean Saver

Water cure

Stay hydrated while preventing bottles of filtered water going to landfill with this jug that filters tap water for a fresher taste. It’s dishwasher-safe, slots into a fridge door for chilled water on tap and reduces limescale in your appliances to make them last longer.

KEEPSAKE

Brighten a reading corner with this tasselled throw crafted from recycled cotton – it’s available in a range of other shades to match your colour scheme.

Walton & Co throw in Terracotta, £17, Trouva

Choose your shade

Available in three sizes (from 9.5 x 18 x 25cm – H x W x L) and a wide range of colours, these stacking crates are made with 60 per cent recycled plastic from the cosmetics industry. A fitting way to store make-up.

Weston large storage boxes in Rose and Dusty Mint, £27 each, Liewood

Not hingf eelsbetterthanorganic cotton Tufted Leaf bedding in Olive, from £50, Dunelm

Sleep in peace

Dial up the texture in your bedroom with fringed bedding stitched from 100 per organic cotton, which is free from pesticides that can harm wildlife.

PURE ABLUTIONS

Refresh your shower routine with a curtain in a serene pattern. This option is made from recycled polyester – pull the curtain straight after use to prevent mould growing in the folds for a longer lifespan.

Ginkgo Floral shower curtain, £15, John Lewis & Partners

A floral curtain made from recycled materials

Place brightly coloured pots with herbs on a balcony or fence. Crafted from recycled plastic using wind energy, you can recycle these pots too, completing the circle.

Ceramic push top jar in Dusty Pink, £13, Kilner

Happy colour

Transform your kitchen units, bathroom cabinets or skirting boards with a lick of paint for a whole new look. Thorndown Paints’ water-based formula contains no harmful compounds and there’s a wide array of shades to give your furniture or upcycled projects a colourful updo.

A step ahead

Balance practicality and style with this rug’s dense pile that’s comfortable underfoot and easy to clean. The backing is made from repurposed plastic destined for landfill, so you can make a positive step in the eco direction as you kit out your bedroom, hallway or living room floor.

Ridley PVB twist carpet in Parchment, £27.99 per sq m, Carpetright

Recycled glass vases and jugs, from £7.50, Sass & Belle

Time to shape up

Display dried blooms or refresh visitors in style with recycled glassware. The greenish hue and bubbles captured in the surface will add colour and a sense of movement to your tablescape.

TOP JOB

Make cereals and pasta last longer with glass and ceramic jars. A push-top lid prevents air ruining food. Sterilise glass jars for a similar effect that’s free.

Good wood

Packed with strong sisal bristles, this bamboo brush makes light work of cleaning pots and pans. Once finished with, it will naturally biodegrade.

Keep this eco mantra and our helpful hacks in mind when you’re scrolling or shopping for your next style update Lots of companies are making ‘green’ claims but how authentic are they? Knowing whether your purchases are sustainable can be tricky, so follow these tips to buying eco-friendly treasures and avoiding green-washing fakes.

Check the stockist’s

credentials. Co-founder of low to zero carbon store, The Home of Sustainable Things, Petko Tashev, says: ‘Seek retailers you can trust with finding and stocking sustainable items; they’re the most likely to scrutinise new products and suppliers, plus they will give you reliable information.’

What’s it made from? Check the materials used to make the item. Recycled or repurposed materials are often best, as are climate-positive items that reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere as they’re produced. Consider what will become of the item once you’re finished with it. Research what happens to products in their afterlife once they’ve been discarded: can they be repurposed, recycled or disposed in the food waste? Ask for this information if you’re unsure,’ adds Petko.

Make do and mend. A recent study for Antiques are Green found that the environmental impact of an antique piece is six times lower than that of new furniture. Repair, varnish or repaint an existing item or Facebook Marketplace find to give it a fresh lease of life.

Do you need it? Home furnishings play their part in using up precious resources and impulse buys can clutter a well-planned scheme. Consider what your space is lacking and see if it can be fixed with an item from elsewhere in your home for a free makeover.