Notes

Interior Design Trends
When I think about decorating trends today, a number of things one thinks of. I see more and more people residing in their homes longer and buying upgrading what they will have and to make their home adapt to their changing lifestyle. Clients are replacing windows, trim, baseboards and adding cove moldings to the ceiling. They are removing carpet and exposing or installing hardwood floors. check here finishes on the walls are replacing wallpapers, especially in bathrooms.

In the past most clients were decidedly traditional: Queen Ann, cherry wood, polished and purposeful or very contemporary: modern, clean lines, austere or country collectible: cluttered, cutesy and charming. Now I love working with clients attempting to mix the best of all these styles. Antiques, collectables and mid-century modern working together and creating an eclectic look can be enjoyed in a timeless and less trendy way.

Today's biggest trend is more then a passing fad. The buzz of building green, friendly to the environment, sustainable design is everywhere you turn. T V programs, newspapers, magazines, books, conferences and expo centers are devoting time, energy and space to the idea: You can make a difference in how exactly to live your everyday activity and how it impacts the earth you live on. As you become more aware of the surroundings, look around your home, do you see areas that require attention? Exactly what will be your next remodeling project? How do you want to proceed, knowing that once you upgrade, it'll produce waste and things you no longer require? Where will the debris go? And the items you select to displace the worn out, no more needed, w here will they result from? How are they made? What resources are accustomed to produce the item? This can be the first step to being green. That's: To become aware.

For instance: You have grown sick and tired of your dated 1970's kitchen. The hardware is pitted; there is a build-up of scum or missing finish on the cabinets, a few of the drawers are don't close properly, the counter tops are scratched and stained. Cabinets can easily be re-purposed. Meaning they might become extra storage in the basement, garage or craft room. Another option would be to add wood veneers to existing "boxes" along with new doors, drawers, and hardware to generate an updated choose a fraction of the expense of new cabinets. Local non-profits, such as Building Hope, will take your unwanted, but salvageable cabinets (and other building materials). You do your part to keep your cabinets from the land fill, helping a non-profit and getting a tax write off for carrying it out!

Recycled content paper, glass or granite chips incorporated right into a concrete like binder, are popular choices for countertops. Use low or no VOC (volatile organic compounds-bad for the health) paints and finishes. Renewable or sustainable flooring: cork, bamboo, or linoleum are becoming more available and priced competitively with traditional vinyl options. Replace inefficient appliances with Energy Star Appliances, standards set by the united states Department of Energy. "If just one in 10 homes used Energy Star qualified appliances, the change will be like planting 1.7 million new acres of trees". WOW!

REMEMBER TO: REUSE, REDUCE AND RECYCLE

Consider: "Could another person need this or uses this?" Before you throw it away
Purchase quality, long lasting, durable products and appliances
Search for recycled or sustainable content products: flooring, countertops, fabrics, wallpaper
Request FSC-Forest Stewardship Council wood and paper products, This is the nonprofit organization that certifies the merchandise produced are from responsibly managed forests
Buy locally. How much fossil fuel can be used to obtain the product to you?
Consider adaptive reuse - Antiques, re-upholster furniture, repurposed items
Use lighting and day light better. Turn lights off once you aren't using them. Use compact fluorescent bulbs, LED (light emitting diodes), dimmer switches on incandescent bulbs or install light tubes
Use low or no VOC paints and finishes
Switch off and/or unplug appliances and computers when not in use. They're phantom energy eaters
Use earth friendly /non-toxic cleaning products
Bring fresh air into your house or business
Buy carbon offsets, donate to groups that plant trees or spend money on renewable energy-a voluntary tax to create up for the fossil fuels we eat
Interior design trends today are easily incorporated into our everyday living. Weather it is to re-purpose an existing piece of furniture or even to bring fresh air and natural light into your home. By becoming more eco-friendly, you do your part to reduce energy consumption as well as your carbon footprint. Therefore reduces global warming, conserves our finite natural resources and saves you money through the use of less energy. When choosing to work with Erin O'Brien and Erin Designs, LLC, together it is possible to create beautiful, healthier, greener places to call home and work.

By Erin O'Brien
Allied Member - American Society of HOME DESIGN

Erin O'Brien, Allied Person in ASID-American Society of Interior Designers and owner of Erin Designs LLC, is focused on understanding the environmental impact of all her home design projects. By incorporating "Green Building" practices.

Creating healthy, beautiful interiors
Homepage: https://myspace.com/ohthomas3