It’s so important for us to design things nowadays with the planet in mind.  We need to be as eco-conscious as possible to protect the environment and not cause any unnecessary waste or damage.  Luckily, many eco-friendly products and designs also save us money.  Some may cost more upfront, but they will be a more cost-effective solution long term.

If we can save money and help to save the planet, then what’s not to love?

Of course we also want our homes to look great too.  Whilst eco-friendly products like solar panels might be quite an eyesore on the outside of our properties, we may not want to bring such bulky design elements indoors, even if they will help the planet. 

So is it possible to be more eco-friendly inside our homes, but also stylish at the same time?

Absolutely!

The big mood in the design community at the moment, and rightly so, is eco-efficiency. Does style always have to be outlandish and void of practical function? The postmodern interior designers emphatically say ‘no’. But what kind of eco-efficient design choices do you have?

You have to begin from the bottom and go up. Everything can be made better and designed to help make your life comfortable and affordable at the same time whilst being eco-efficient.

The heat cycle

The largest surface areas of your home are the walls and ceiling. This is where the majority of your heat will go. The hot air coming from your radiators will be rebounding off the walls and gently rising up to bounce off the ceiling. You don’t want the walls and ceiling to eat up all your heat, causing you to raise the temperature and waste more money and energy!

Hydron protective paint includes energy saving coatings that provide the best efficiency for bare walls. With two or three coatings, it seals the walls from the hard surface. Heat won’t be allowed to pass through the paint and be absorbed by the brick or wood. This means, the heat will effectively be pushed back into the centre of the room, creating a heat circulation. Allowing you to turn the heating down, saving money and helping the planet.

Such paints are also known as thermal paints.  They create a barrier that reflects the heat back into the room rather than the walls absorbing it.  The products contain special resins that have the added benefit of reducing condensation problems too.

This paint does not change the aesthetics of your home design at all.  It’s a convenient way to make your home more sustainable and save you money without changing the look or function whatsoever.

Modern thermal design

The home should be stylish; it's where you should be able to reside in total comfort both physically and mentally. When you look around your home you should feel like you’re at home.  It should be a reflection of yourself and your personality.  Home should be a place you want to be.   But you need to consider sustainable living too, so you will be able to enjoy the living space for longer.

Use open floor plans and incorporate wall designs that use contemporary and traditional materials such as stone and metal. On top of this, they can show you brilliant decor ideas that can soak up heat and release it slowly.

Rugs, sofas, hardwood flooring, and many other techniques can be used to trap natural heat coming from sunshine. Allowing more sunshine into your home, they can design and build ceiling windows and large wall windows too.

If you need inspiration for how to create an eco-efficient space, especially if you are considering remodelling, then architects can be invaluable.  They may have the perfect solution to your own lifestyle needs that blend perfectly with those of the environment too.

Final word

Both alternative housing and modern home design should always incorporate eco-efficiency. Living sustainably, can and should be stylish.