Savvy Sourcing For Sustainable Interiors

Can ‘trends’ be Sustainable in interior design? Yes, if you use materials, elements, furniture that are not harmful to you or the environment and consider their life cycle when designing. Here is our roundup of Sustainable Interior Design Trends for 2019. 

ImageSource@ Pantone.com

With the announcement from Colour authority Pantone, that the colour of 2019 is PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral, “An animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge”. Colour, as well as interior design elements for the home, echo ever more our connection to the environment that is under constant threat. Our decisions and choices in our built environment being a reflection of how we need to be responsible in our design choices. Furthermore, the conflict of nature and design should be one that is harmonious. Highlighting use of recycled plastics, sustainable wooden furniture, colours from nature, surface materials like terra-cotta and recycled floors like terrazzo that draw our consciousness to recycled elements and furthermore to our natural environment. In an industry that sees much waste and harm to the environment, here is our round up of sustainable interior design trends , illustrating that ‘trends’ can have longevity and a life cycle that is responsible and good for the environment and our well being.

OUR ROUND UP OF ECO PAINT COLOURS THAT ARE ON TREND FOR 2019

With Pantone Colour of 2019 being Coral – here is our environmentally friendly, eco colour matching for an on trend, but sustainable interior design scheme. Brave and boldly go with the  full Pantone Coral then a great environmentally friendly wall colour is ‘Fruit Salad’ by EarthBorn Paints  

Love this 1950s Italian original Coral Upholstered Sofa by Interior Originals Store Pamono.co.uk. Or on the spectrum of earthy warm tones then go for Terracotta, we like ‘Flower Pot’ by Earthborn Paints and Cinnabar by Reborn Award Winning Eco Paints. For quieter softer hues then pinks are the new grey and add a different dimension to bland whites- try Rosie Posie by Earthborn Paints and create a softer backdrop to team up jewel like brights, greens or terracottas and corals.

2019  INTERIOR DESIGN STYLES

Nature and foliage are big on the agenda of surface pattern. We like handmade wallpapers, furnishing fabrics and cushions by House of Hackney, for that  Maximalism look. If foliage and florals are not your bag, then go for bold shapes and colours of 1950’s Italian design, a new trend that has moved on from everything Scandi Mid Century. Think Gio Ponti. Accents of rugs, ceramics, cushions are an easy way to change a look with texture and pattern as well as colour. Layering texturing colour and pattern. With softer neutrals for the play it safers, introducing soft pinks to whites with a quieter balance of materials and less is more raw sustainable handmade pieces.

PLANTS

What a breath of fresh air that the wild element of plants in interiors is here to stay, they bring us in harmony with nature and are good for for our health after all.  Plants look good, but they are also good for your health by cleaning the air. How you display them has a multitude of ideas from upcycled objects, designer recycled containers or handmade planters that are a design feature by adding another textural or architectural element to a interior.

SUSTAINABLE FURNITURE

SUSTAINABLE WOOD FURNITURE

With so much throw away furniture, sustainable handmade wood furniture is very much a trend for 2019. Furniture pieces that have longevity, craftsmanship and use sustainable materials. Look for pieces by new UK sustainable furniture designers and makers like our member Tortie Hoare .

RECYCLED PLASTIC

There are some great designers & interior products using recycled plastic. With plastic pollution being in our daily lives and news,  it highlights the “plastic pollution issue”. Three of our members Pentatonic , Smile Plastics & Weaver Green illustrate how good design is responsible design with their use of recycled plastic from furniture, furnishings to surface materials that can be easily integrated into any interior design scheme.

UPCYCLED

With a comeback of Italian 1950s and 1960s furniture, finding that Gio Ponti original  is a responsible design choice. If your budget does not stretch to an original, then upcycling is a great way to achieve a look. Check out Upcyclers like those from the UpCollective as well as antique dealers and auctions.

KEY FURNITURE PIECES FOR 2019

The Drinks Cabinet:

Key pieces on trend for 2019 and making a comeback are the Drinks Cabinet. A  C21st statement on the dining and entertaining at home trend. Check out upcyclers like UpcycleHour who revamp old pieces to suit your style. With the Drinks Cabinet being a prominent furniture piece from the 1930s to 1970s, there are an eclectic mix to choose from as statement pieces, which can be found through antique dealers and upcyclers   and new designers. We rather like this Drinks Trolley Drinks cabinet alternative from Interior Design by Thor, combining recycled copper pipes and reclaimed scaffolding boards which looks rather chic for such humble materials.

The Statement Chair:

A statement chair can add to a room. Go for Bold Mid Century Italian designs which are collectable as well as being a responsible interior design feature, like this original velvet 1950’s armchair from a selection at  Pamono.co.uk.

 

With shocking statistics of what gets thrown away at Christmas time, we can all do our bit to have a Greener Christmas rather than a landfill Christmas. Waste Minister Dan Rogerson said:”This Christmas, Britain will generate millions of tonnes of rubbish and it doesn’t need to end up in landfill.” Louise Bowe, from WRAP’s recycling campaign, Recycle Now, added: It’s really quick and easy to check what can be recycled where you live – just pop your postcode into www.recyclenow.com or check on your local council website. “The materials we recycle have real value – take a look at the Recycle Now website to see how your rubbish gets turned into new things! It’s definitely worth checking at any time of year to make sure we are recycling everything we can.”  

TOP 12  CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FAVOURITES AT SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR DESIGN

1. For Art Collectors With A Conscious

A signed Artist print from £300 by Ephemera35 who use 100% recycled paper and donate to WaterAid and The WoodlandTrust. ephemera35.com

2. For Earthy Reflection Lovers   Rose Gold Mirror in various sizes from £55 by British Female Sustainable Furniture Designer & Maker Tortie Hoare . tortiehoare.com

3. For Man’s Best Friend   Stylish Luxury Dog Bed from a selection at Weaver Green starting at £185 made from 100% recycled plastic bottles that are stain-resistant and machine washable. weavergreen.com

4. For The Eco Minded Out To Lunch    Stylish Plastic Free Stainless Steel Lunch Box at £17.95 by Eco Gift & Homewares Store Home of Juniper. homeofjuniper.co.uk 

5. For Coffee Lovers & Tree Huggers This reusable insulated coffee cup By The Woodland Trust is made from recycled cups and you will be helping to Save Trees. Every year the UK throws away 2.5 billion coffee cups, almost all aren’t recyclable. Their rcup – made from recycled coffee cups at £11.99 shop.woodlandtrust.org

6. For Wine Lovers  Rustic Reclaimed Wood Wine Rack From The Unique Gift Company, who make furniture and gifts from reclaimed wood from £47.50 theuniquegiftco.co.uk 

7. Eco-Luxury Pampering Ultimate home pampering with this luxury organic cotton bathrobe, in a luxuriously thick 500 GSM. £69.99 Made from 100% organic cotton. In a soft, pure natural, our luxury organic cotton bathrobe is soft, fluffy and absorbent exclusively by Fou Furnishings ® who offer the highest quality organics linens for hotels and residential interiors. foufurnishings.com

8. For Budding Chefs  For those budding little MasterChefs of the future, we love this plastic-free wooden kitchen utensil set at £8.95 made from sustainable beech wood, sourced from European Forests, presented in ethically sourced gift boxes from Home of Juniper homeofjuniper.co.uk 

9. For Recycled Functional Cutting Edge Design We love the glassware accessories made from smartphone glass by Pentatonic , the range available from £55 at Selfridges.com

10. For Ethical Gift Discounts Shop Ethically and save money at Ethical Revolution a site that offers many savings on listed ethical brands. ethicalrevolution.co.uk

11. For Upcycle Lovers For a selection of upcycled gifts for the home from The Queen of Upcycling, Chris Billinghurst’s Members at  UpcycleHour.co.uk

12. For Eco Escapists For those that want to get away from the tinsel and mince pies, book an escape to one of these Sustainable Holiday experiences by Earth Changers. Our favourite this sustainable luxury eco-lodge retreat in Costa Rica. Enquire for prices. earth-changers.com

That’s A Wrap !

Have a Wonderful Christmas and Remember to Recycle and Reuse to reduce landfill in the UK.

When sustainability is at core, interiors usually reflect values as much as external projects and charity initiatives. At Earth Changers’ destinations, so much is always going on with community, conservation and culture, usually highlighting Earth Changer’s partners’ outside places, people & purpose and so don’t often look at what’s inside. So I teamed up with The Sustainable Tourism provider Earth Changers  to get to the heart centre of trips and offer a designer’s view of some of Earth Changer’s partners’ souls.

Campi ya Kanzi, Kenya

A boutique sustainable eco safari run by the local Maasai community, which redefines luxury for a true sense of the real Africa, whilst preserving the natural habitat of the wildlife and supporting local Maasai people.

There is a sense of stepping back in time to a romantic bygone age of the African explorer, rather like a like a scene from Out of Africa. The safari eco lodges are made entirely from local materials, which embrace style and luxury.

Campi ya Kanzi Tembo House loungeto warm wood and welcoming lounge fit for African explorers…

The large open windows and bare local wood construction give you a sense of being in a tree house. Ethical animals skins adorn the wooden floors and an expansive mural of the Masai landscape is a focal point, above wide four poster beds. The use of natural stone and wood blends effortlessly, with old safari camp gaslight style lanterns in the bathroom. The dining areas and lounge areas provide ever more luxury and comfort sympathetically designed using local materials and in an old worldly timeless style”.

Lapa Rios, Costa Rica

As a guest here, you have a real connection to the surrounding environment of the rainforest and the Pacific Ocean, sympathetically designed using natural, local materials enhanced to blend with the natural setting.

There is a sense of being at one with nature without foregoing any comfort.

All the senses have been considered to maximize the experience of each guest. Large open locally sourced wooden walled screens allow for panoramic views of the ocean and the canopy of exotic trees, to be experienced with all the senses and allow for natural ventilation.

Lapa Rios Costa RicaThe internal bathroom materials of granite, green walls and wood remind you that you are always at one with nature here.

The beautiful locally sourced and crafted wooden floors and the full height wooden beamed ceilings enhance a sense of space to each eco bungalow at Lapa Rios. The feature handmade four poster wooden beds are sheer luxury, with airy sensual sheer white muslin canopies. Luxurious organic cotton bedding and locally made textiles, the colours and textures blending with the surrounding landscape. All of the handmade locally sourced wooden furniture, has simplistic organic shapes that are about appreciating the materials used. Guests step out onto a wide wooden private deck to experience the breathtaking views, sights and sounds of the ocean, rain forest and birds. Each is complete with its own lounge furniture all made from locally sourced materials. What could be better than an open air outdoor shower, with planting, designed for complete privacy, in lush lime green surrounded by rainforest? An amazing experience in itself. The internal bathroom materials of granite, green and mesh walls and wood remind you that you are always at one with nature here, with all energy harnessed from the elements in this enviable position: solar water heating and wind from the ocean to pump and produce power. Lighting is simplistic and creates a wonderful ambiance at night with the shimmering moonlight sky from the panoramic ocean sky.

Click here for more information and to enquire about Lapa Rios > 

Jicaro Island, Nicaragua

What could be more idyllic than escaping to a totally sustainable tropical island getaway, in your very own two storey eco lodge? “Built using local materials, each casita blends effortlessly into the surrounding landscape of exotic trees at the edge of the lake.

There is a true sense of experiencing nature from each of the architecturally well-designed eco lodges, raised high above the ground to encompass the elements in full natural glory, and like being in a spacious treehouse.

Jicaro Island EcolodgeYour private deck area is high in the trees providing natural shade, glorious views and connection to nature and the lake from your own hammock.

The interiors have a sense of space and design. Fascinatingly, the interior of each eco lodge has furniture made from the salvaged wood from Hurricane Felix in 2007. The locally-sourced FSC alliance certified tropical hardwoods used in the construction are aesthetically pleasing utilizing natural light, space and materials in harmony with each other, and the simple furnishings of white and green compliment the colours of the natural surroundings. The private deck area of each lodge is high up in the trees providing natural shade, with glorious views and connection to nature and the lake from your own hammock. The ambient dining experience, has furniture beautifully and simplistically constructed from locally sourced wood for comfort. Outdoor dining is enhanced by the glorious views”.

Click here for more information and to enquire about Jicaro Island Ecolodge >

Chumbe Island Coral Park

The go-to destination for lovers of the ocean, Chumbe Island is the world’s first private Marine Protected Area and coral Park. Each beach bungalow is designed with surreal organic shapes that reflect the local boat building tradition and soar above the sky, connecting you to the ocean.

There is a sense of being a real life Robinson Crusoe here in your own handmade constructed boat-shaped beach bungalow.

Chumbe Island Coral ParkLet down the front of the Banda bungalow for your ocean views!

The blues and yellows used for the interiors reflect the surrounding colours of the ocean and beach, with local folk art creating a sense of place with the local culture and traditions here. The blue screeded floors give a sense of floating in a boat on an azure ocean, with driftwood furniture, with its naturally forming shapes to create interest. The open outdoor bathrooms in organic shapes allow light and nature to be fully experienced, with modern white sanitaryware and natural grey tones that complement the driftwood used. Views are architecturally framed from the semi upturned boat-shaped dining area which connects you to the ocean, ambiently lit with candlelight.

Click here for more information and to enquire about Chumbe Island Coral Park >

Checkout Earth changers fabulous destinations and travel experiences  www.earth-changers.com

How to Make Your Garden Greener

Ethical and conscious living is becoming increasingly important. However, it is not always easy to know how or where to start. And it can be overwhelming, especially if you try and implement ethical living into all aspects of your life. So we have come up with a few simple ideas on how to make your garden more eco-friendly and sustainable:

Recycled Plastic Moon Cycle from www.homeofjuniper.co.uk

Plastic:

Plastic has been a major topic for 2018. It is used in all aspects of our lives. But with the research into the detrimental affect of plastic, we are now looking for ways to decrease our usage.

One obvious use of plastic in the garden is plant pots. And the most obvious way to help is by re-using the plastic pots you have (a good way to save money too). Sometimes as the pots mount up or get broken there is no longer a use for them. Thankfully they can still be reused and used in your garden in a different fashion: A wonderful factory in Cornwall are recycling plastic plant pots and making simple, elegant garden accessories with them. Available at www.homeofjuniper.co.uk  , the range includes plant markers, moon phase clocks, thermometers. A wonderful way to reuse plant pots and add something a little different to the garden.Garden Furniture and Accessories:

People use gardens in different ways. Whether you want to entertain, or just sit and relax, there is a variety of sustainable and eco-friendly options for any style. Our main tip is to look for sustainable wood or recycled plastic. There is a wide range of furniture available at Sustainable Furniture. (pictured below) They supply and are trusted by the Environmental Agency, RSPB and others.When choosing larger planters, it is also a great idea to buy wood or upcycled. There is a beautiful range of sustainable wood planters available, if there aren’t any at your local garden centre there are many online, for example from www.sustainable-furniture.co.uk

( Table from www.sustainable-furniture.co.uk )Soft-Furnishings for the garden can also be a great way to add your own style. Blankets and cushions give the garden a more ‘living-space’ feel, perfect if you like to entertain outside. There is a wonderful range of blankets and cushions made from recycled plastic bottles by Weaver Green www.weavergreen.co.uk  (pictured below)  Blankets made from recycled bottles are machine washable and water-resistant, they last better in the garden than other materials and help by having a new use for plastic.  

( Recycled Plastic Bottle Garden Accessories by www.weavergreen.co.uk )

(Bird Feeder made from recycled plant pots from homeofjuniper.co.uk )Using Less Chemicals:

Another way to be greener in your garden is to use less chemicals. Whether it is fertilisers, weedkiller or pest control there are plenty of other options. Our main method of bug control is chickens and ducks… but if you are not keen on having feathered friends running around your garden, there are other methods.

Fertiliser: Maybe not the nicest, but chicken and horse manure has been used for years and is a natural way to give plants extra nutrients. Available from most garden centres. Pest Control: There are many natural methods of pest/bug control. The most natural one is using animals and insect which feed on the pests you want to get rid of. For example, nematodes have been used in agriculture for years and are now available in many garden centres. For those who don’t know – nematodes are microscopic ‘worms’ which feed on slugs and other pests. You can, also, encourage other natural pest controllers or even buy some in but make sure it is from a reputable company.

Seeds for Bees & Butterflies from www.homeofjuniper.co.uk )

Encouraging Wildlife:

The fewer chemicals you use, the more pests and weeds there will be. But you will also give nature a chance and natural pest control will (hopefully) start arriving, especially if you make space for them. By having nesting, feeding and sleeping areas for hedgehogs, bees, butterflies etc you can encourage a wonderful mini ecosystem in your garden and help these wonderful creatures. You can buy homes or nests online or at garden centres. Or you can make your own.

Wildlife Friendly flowers are another great way to add food for nature, and they look pretty. Bees are important and we are losing them. So using less chemicals and planting bee friendly flowers are both great ways to make your garden greener. Bee friendly flowers encourage bees into your garden and make your garden even prettier. For other ways to save the bees check out BBCT website.

We hope we have given you a few useful ideas on how to make your garden greener. There are many more ways to improve how eco-friendly and sustainable your garden is. And we would love to hear about which methods you use.

About – Established in 2002, Ecodek have been manufacturing composite decking since 2004. As the UK’s market leader in Wood Polymer Composite decking materials, the firm manufactured over 1 million linear metres of decking in 2017, consuming 3200 tonnes of recycled wood and plastic.

As suppliers to the Construction Sector, delivering a supply solution is the firm’s aim. Their USPs include bespoke lengths, a quick response to customer demand and solid technical advice. With a dedicated resource on site, the R&D team excel in creating sustainable answers for the lifestyle challenges of today and the future.

Ecodek have achieved “carbon negative” status for the production of its composite decking system. A life-cycle assessment programme, undertaken by the BioComposites Centre of Bangor University, considered production of the decking on a cradle to factory gate basis, accounting for all significant materials, transport, energy use and packaging inputs. Results showed that production of ecodek® actually had a net effect of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere rather than adding to it – hence carbon negative – a huge achievement in modern manufacturing and one that clearly illustrates the company’s environmental credentials.

Products – Ecodek manufacture a range of products from a specifically developed innovative, 95% recycled high quality wood polymer composite material. Boards can be supplied in bespoke lengths to minimise waste, will not warp, splinter or rot and are an extremely low maintenance material that is 100% recyclable.

(Image credits c/o Ecodek.co.uk -Image 1- Old Bailey (R) Neil Kenyon @ Arki Magazine.Image 2 – 21 Wapping Lane. 
Image 3 -SunburyOnThames(R) Neil Kenyon @ Arki Magazine)

Ecodek

www.ecodek.co.uk