Tag Archives: green home

Green Living

Five Ways To Go Green On House Designs


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Each year, it seems that we all want to change a thing or two in the home. And then there are times when we want to change the entire design, especially of the home’s interior. But when considering some changes in the home’s designs, do you take going green into consideration?

As more and more people are aiming to have a part in saving the environment, green home designs are gaining in popularity. If you are looking for ways to go green on house designs, check out the tips below.

1. Green up with hardy house plants

Air Purifying House Plants

Setting up some greenery in the house is a sure-fire way to add a green element to your home’s design. There are a wide range of house plants to choose from, but be sure to choose those that are easy to maintain and the hardy types. You can choose spider plants, pothos, snake plants and philodendron. The plants should ideally be set on areas of the house where there is sufficient natural light so the plants can grow and survive. With a small patch of greenery in the home, your house will come to life and you’ll always wake up to a refreshing morning.

2. Decorate your home with local furniture

One of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to buy home furnishings that have been manufactured locally. That’s why the next time you shop for a piece of furniture, make a point of checking where it’s made. Ideally, the furniture you should buy is made in your own state, city or town. In fact, ask around if there are furniture manufacturers near your neighborhood. Or, you can look around for local antique stores to see if they have tables, sofas or chairs that you can refinish.

3. Use organic interior paint

Green Painting

Did you know that the home’s interior is three times more polluted than the exterior? That’s an amazing fact according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some of the hazardous pollutants to the home’s interiors are paints with extremely toxic finishes. That’s why it is highly recommended to use organic paint to minimize the toxic load. Organic paints such as those from BioShield and Ecos are free of poisonous toxins.

4. Consider environment-friendly flooring

If you are considering replacing the home’s flooring, go green instead of buying conventional materials. There are various options to choose from such as linoleum, bamboo, reclaimed wood and cork. These are naturally occurring materials and are highly sustainable.

5. Try the minimalistic approach

The less you buy unnecessary home decors, which actually significantly contribute to the growing environmental issues, the more you will be able to help in saving the environment. Only buy decors that are absolutely necessary to complement the home. Don’t clutter your home with too much furnishings and decors, because if you think about it, the more minimalist your approach is in decorating your home, the better it will look.

There are lots of other practical ways to make your home greener and more environment-friendly, but the above tops our list of practical tips for greening the home.

This  article is written by +Christine Cooney , the writer for www.DFDHousePlans.com an online home and floor plan website. She has written about everything from craftsman house plans, architectural home designs, floor plans, blueprints and small green home plans. Christine, a writer in this industry for many years takes pride in what she writes and pride in the company she writes for.

Green Living

Get On Board: Building A More Environmentally-Friendly Home


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You’ve spent quite a bit of time and money on your home since moving in, and now you feel it’s about time you got on the bandwagon and started taking steps towards helping out the environment. Today we are going to speak to you about a few ways you can go about reducing your home’s energy consumption.

Using Less Electricity

Electricity is one of the most expensive bills in any household. We tend to forget just how many lights we have on or electronics we have plugged in – some on a continual basis. If you’re on the lookout for a few ways to reduce the amount of electricity your family uses, then you may want to consider installing skylights for additional lighting throughout the day or turning towards solar energy. Solar energy may be a bit pricey to install, but over the long term, it definitely pays for itself by lowering expenses.

Have you ever considered swapping out your current light bulbs for ones that are more energy efficient? Not only do CFL bulbs last as much as 6 times as long as incandescent bulbs, but they also use about 75% less energy. Motion sensor lighting may also be something to think about. This way, you’ll only use light as you need it. There are many solutions that come with timers so you can set exact times you’d like certain bulbs to be on or off.

Renovating the Eco-Friendly Way

When making changes or updates to your current residence, consider locating reclaimed materials, such as wood or metal instead of purchasing brand-new. These options typically look just as nice and mean less waste. If planning to remove physical aspects of your home, such as walls or cabinets, see if you can’t find ways to use the left-over materials elsewhere. If not, donate them so underprivileged families may get the same use out of them.

ENERGY STAR Solutions

Find yourself looking for a new television, fridge or oven? Instead of shopping solely for price, take a little extra time to locate an option that is going to not only look fantastic in your living space, but will also save energy. ENERGY STAR approved products are extremely durable and are built with a reduced amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Doesn’t it feel great knowing you’re reducing your carbon footprint, simply by upgrading to a new product you already needed?

The Simple Things: Every Little Bit Counts

If you haven’t already guessed, every little step you take towards saving energy is beneficial. This means, unplugging those cell phone chargers when they aren’t in use, powering off your laptop at the end of each work day and shutting off bedroom lights, even if you are only going to be gone a few moments. It’s amazing how the simplest life changes can save you so much money. Swapping out a single bulb in your home can save you as much as $6 a year. Have 100 bulbs in your home? That would add up to a whopping $600 in a single year!

Today’s guest post is authored by Karen Moore. She is a regular blogger who gives interesting home improvement and DIY tips on her blog. She recommends the use of acoustic insulation.