Notes

Interior Design Trends
When I believe 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 have and to make their house 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. Faux paint finishes on the walls are replacing wallpapers, especially in bathrooms.

During 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 enjoy working with clients wanting 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 may make a difference in how exactly to live your everyday activity and how it impacts the planet you live on. As you become more aware of the environment, look around your home, can you see areas that need attention? What will be your next remodeling project? How do you want to proceed, knowing that when you upgrade, it will produce waste and things you no longer need? Where will the debris go? And the things you select to replace the worn out, no more needed, where will they result from? How are they made? What resources are used to produce the item? Here is the first step to being green. That's: To become aware.

For instance: You have become 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 countertops are scratched and stained. Cabinets can simply 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" alongside new doors, drawers, and hardware to generate an updated search for a fraction of the expense of new cabinets. Local non-profits, such as for example Building Hope, will need your unwanted, but salvageable cabinets (along with other building materials). get more info do your part to help keep your cabinets out of the land fill, helping a non-profit and obtaining a tax write off for doing it!

Recycled content paper, glass or granite chips incorporated into a concrete like binder, are popular options for counter tops. Use low or no VOC (volatile organic compounds-bad for your 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 single in 10 homes used Energy Star qualified appliances, the change would be like planting 1.7 million new acres of trees". WOW!

BE SURE YOU: 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
Look for recycled or sustainable content products: flooring, countertops, fabrics, wallpaper
Request FSC-Forest Stewardship Council wood and paper products, This is a nonprofit organization that certifies the products produced are from responsibly managed forests
Buy locally. How much fossil fuel can be used to have the product to you?
Consider adaptive reuse - Antiques, re-upholster furniture, repurposed items
Use lighting and day light more efficiently. Turn lights off once you aren't with 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 are phantom energy eaters
Use earth friendly /non-toxic cleaning products
Bring oxygen into your home or business
Buy carbon offsets, donate to groups that plant trees or invest in renewable energy-a voluntary tax to make up for the fossil fuels we consume
Interior design trends today are often incorporated into our everyday living. Weather it really is to re-purpose an existing piece of furniture or to bring oxygen and natural light into your house. By becoming more eco-friendly, you are doing your part to lessen energy consumption as well as your carbon footprint. This in turn reduces global warming, conserves our finite natural resources and saves your money by using less energy. When choosing to work with Erin O'Brien and Erin Designs, LLC, together you can create beautiful, healthier, greener places to live and work.

By Erin O'Brien
Allied Member - American Society of Interior Design

Erin O'Brien, Allied Member of ASID-American Society of Interior Designers and owner of Erin Designs LLC, is focused on understanding environmentally friendly impact of most her home design projects. By incorporating "Green Building" practices.

Creating healthy, beautiful interiors
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