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How to Sustainably Furnish a Luxury Home

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#furniture #interiordesign #homedecor #luxury
Published
11/23/2021

In light of climate change, millions of people around the world are approaching life with a different mindset. Consumers and corporations alike are less inclined to take resources for granted, which has brought new considerations to light for various manufacturing processes. This new way of thinking has inspired many to reimagine how they get around, what they eat, and even how they decorate their living spaces.

In this post, we’ll go over some of the most sustainable materials being used in home furnishings and how they can be used to create rich, plush indoor spaces that you and your guests will adore.

Popular Eco-Friendly Materials and How to Use Them

So-called “eco-consumerism” has progressed significantly over recent years, and has given rise to numerous timber and fabric alternatives. With the right balance of considerations, any home can be both luxurious and guilt-free. Below are some sustainable materials that can easily be incorporated into a gorgeously lavish home:

Sustainably Sourced Pine Wood

Pine is a sustainable resource that has been used for centuries. During its rapid growth process, it captures large quantities of carbon and stores it in long-lasting pine end products like furniture. Because pine trees are distributed widely in the US and Europe, transportation of pine wood has a relatively lower carbon footprint than more exotic, imported woods.

Adding a small decorative table with a pine surface near your entryway provides you with a nice surface to showcase your favorite vase or art piece. Pine is a gorgeous hardwood with lovely patterning that can be accentuated with a wide range of stains to match your decor, making it a popular tabletop & armoire choice.

Bamboo

Bamboo is an easily sustainable grass that requires no fertilizer, and regenerates from its roots so it doesn’t need replanting. It’s one of the most versatile plants in the world, since it can be used whole or evenly split into sections that are easily woven. Bamboo is lightweight and incredibly strong — more than twice as strong as oak wood per volume.

Bamboo furniture has always been eye-catching, lending a natural and eco-friendly wow factor to both indoor and outdoor arrangements. Incorporating a piece or two allows you to give a nod to oriental stylings without being overly direct.

Classic films make good examples of how bamboo can accentuate a room. In Bond movies and iconic noirs alike, it’s not unusual to see lamps with bamboo stands and elaborate shades — or lovely watercolor panel screens made of rice paper with bamboo frames adding enchantment or mystique to a luxurious apartment or hotel room.

Vegan Leather

Vegan leather is made without any animal byproducts. It mimics the texture and feel of leather, but has a smaller and more sustainable footprint. The creative director of Paris Fashion Week’s Nanushka, Sandra Sandor, says the vegan leathers they use have a “buttery touch” and are often mistaken for the real thing.

Apple Skin by Frumat is an example of italian-made, high-quality vegan leather. It’s made of apple waste and has already been showcased in a luxury furniture line by the French designer, Philippe Starck. Whether you prefer extra plush sofas or a sleek modernist feel, vegan leathers are a responsible way to achieve the look you want.

Common Furniture Materials You Should Avoid

Some of the most common materials luxury furnishings are made of are not sustainably produced, and often entail manufacturing processes that involve strong or toxic chemicals. Here are three of the most commonly used furnishing materials that are best avoided when possible:

  • Metal requires a significant amount of energy to produce, and cannot be recycled without chemicals or extreme heat. It’s a favorite in high end furniture because of how easily it’s shaped, but it’s best to opt for sustainably sourced hardwoods or recycled plastic instead.
  • Glass is widely used among furniture designers and for centerpieces because of its versatility and elegance, but it’s far from eco-friendly. According to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, glass takes approximately 1million years to decompose.
  • Foam is one of the most popular materials used for filling seat cushions, pillows and couches. Unfortunately, it’s also a material that requires very strong chemicals to produce. It's also plastic-based, making it a fuel byproduct that is not biodegradable.

The materials used to make luxury goods are equally as important as the craftsmanship involved in their manufacture; the quality of these materials can actually affect the way one feels when interacting with a product. Since more consumers are striving to do their fair share to slow down climate change, we can expect more luxury tier eco-friendly furnishings to come.

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