Reduce, reuse and redecorate

If like me, you care about your footprint on this planet, we know that we have to make sustainable choices in every aspect of our lives.  That includes how we choose to decorate and furnish our homes, or business premises.

We’ve all heard the phrase “Reduce, reuse and recycle”.  I think we have become used to applying this mantra to certain areas of our lives, like packaging for example, but it can be a powerful phrase to keep in mind whenever we feel the urge or need to consume, buy, create, or redecorate!

I absolutely understand the desire to make our surroundings beautiful and comfortable.  We can express ourselves, our tastes, our personalities in our interiors.  We can create different moods from one room to another.  But tastes change, circumstances change, even the way in which we need parts of our homes to function can change.  And lets face it, your walls and furnishings could do with a little facelift now and then.

So, how can we redecorate in a way that treads lightly on our planet?  You can start by asking yourself some questions.  Let’s break it down by considering each of these words in the context of what you would like to do with your decor…

REDUCE:

• Do I need a new sofa/light fitting/rug?

• Can I fix the old thing to give it a new lease of life?

• Can I find what I need second-hand instead of buying new?

REUSE:

• Can I reuse the coffee table/curtains/thing?

• Could the curtain fabric be used to make cushions or lampshades?

• If I paint the coffee table, will it look better/be the right colour?

RECYCLE:

• I’ve fallen out of love and I just want to see the back of this old chair/mirror/chest of drawers!

• Do you know someone else who might appreciate it?

• Gift/donate/sell the thing.

• As a last resort, how can I dispose of this thing responsibly?

Often it only takes a bit of imagination to revamp your old furnishings.  There are so many positives to this approach:

• It’s kinder to the planet

• It has less impact on your wallet

• It provides self satisfaction

Why I Nearly Didn't Start My Business

I have always had a passion for great design. All the colour, pattern, texture and form.  Oh! the possibilities - it excites me!  I want to spend my days creating and to share my passion with others.  But something isn’t right.  Something doesn’t sit right with me. How can I advocate bringing more new ‘stuff’ into the world?  How can I ask clients to buy new furniture and furnishings, while discarding their ‘outdated’ things?  But to make a business, to make a living doing what I love - designing beautiful spaces and furnishings means doing just that - doesn’t it?

I’ve grappled over this for months, if not years.  Frozen into inaction with the ‘weight of the world’ on my mind.  Better to do nothing at all rather than make matters worse.

But I was left dissatisfied and frustrated.  I knew I wanted to do something for myself that scratched my creative itch, that could be a viable business, and that could do some good in the world.  Perhaps I could lead by example.  Show others that there is another way.  That we can be true to ourselves without being selfish.  We can respect the planet and create inspiring places in which to live and work.  It doesn’t have to be a trade off.

The Earth reflected in a convex mirror on a living room wall

So, to explain what I do in it’s simplest form… I create spaces in homes and businesses that not only meet the needs of my clients, but also bring joy and comfort.  Working with my clients, we evaluate what works and what doesn’t with what they already have.  What can be reimagined and what needs replacing.  I consider each element carefully and when it comes to procurement, I only specify ‘new’ pieces if I feel it’s really necessary and most importantly, if its eco credentials align with my own values.  But most of the time, I like to source special ‘not-new’ pieces.  Not only for their sustainability factor, but because I love that unique time-worn aesthetic.

So, that is what I am doing now.  That is my happy solution.  I can share my creativity with the world in a sustainable way and encourage others to follow suit.  Just imagine what a difference it would make if everyone who wants to update their decor, used this principal… If it became the norm to reduce, reuse and recycle our interiors.  Hmmm… ‘Reduce, Reuse and Redecorate’ - that sounds like a good title for my next blog post…