Notes

Interior Design Trends
When I believe about decorating trends today, several things one thinks of. I see more and more people staying in their homes longer and buying upgrading what they will have and to make their home adjust 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. Faux paint finishes on the walls are replacing wallpapers, especially in bathrooms.

Before 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 enjoy working with clients wanting to mix the best of most 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 creating green, eco friendly, sustainable design is everywhere you turn. T V programs, newspapers, magazines, books, conferences and expo centers are devoting time, energy and space to the theory: You can make a difference in how to live your everyday activity and how it impacts the earth your home is on. As you become more aware of the environment, look around your house, do you see areas that need attention? What will be the next remodeling project? How will you proceed, knowing that when you upgrade, it'll produce waste and things you no longer need? Where will the debris go? And the items you select to replace the worn out, no longer needed, where will they come from? How are they made? What resources are accustomed to produce the item? This is actually the first step to being green. That is: To become aware.

For instance: You have become tired of your dated 1970's kitchen. The hardware is pitted; you will find a build-up of scum or missing finish on the cabinets, a number of the drawers are don't close properly, the countertops are scratched and stained. Cabinets can easily be re-purposed. Meaning they could become extra storage in the basement, garage or craft room. Another option is 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 are doing your part to keep your cabinets out of the land fill, helping a non-profit and getting a tax write off for doing it!

Recycled content paper, glass or granite chips incorporated right into a concrete like binder, are popular options 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 US 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

Ask yourself: "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 products produced are from responsibly managed forests
Buy locally. How much fossil website can be used to have 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 (leds), 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 you should definitely in use. They are phantom energy eaters
Use earth friendly /non-toxic cleaning products
Bring fresh air into your home or business
Buy carbon offsets, contribute to groups that plant trees or spend money on renewable energy-a voluntary tax to make up for the fossil fuels we eat
Interior design trends today are easily incorporated into our daily living. Weather it is to re-purpose a preexisting piece of furniture or even to bring oxygen and natural light into your home. By becoming more eco-friendly, you are doing your part to reduce energy consumption and your carbon footprint. Therefore reduces global warming, conserves our finite natural resources and saves you money through the use of less energy. Whenever choosing to utilize 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 committed to understanding the environmental impact of most her home design projects. By incorporating "Green Building" practices.

Creating healthy, beautiful interiors
Here's my website: https://www.articlesubmited.com/best-culinary-schools-in-the-world-discover-the-secret-of-good-cooking/