Sourcing items for your home that are both stylish and eco-friendly doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think. Ballito interior designer Dale Dennis shares a couple of quick ideas on how to keep sustainability in mind when decorating your home.
Sustainability. It’s a term we hear so often these days, and rightfully so. But how do you create a home that is beautiful, functional and good for the environment?
Ground Floor Interiors owner and designer Dale Dennis, who recently opened a sustainability-focused linen and towel store in Ballito called Infinite Living, strongly believes that sustainable interior design is not just about using organic or ‘green’ material in manufacturing products.
“Great design is sustainable by default. Classic, long-lasting design principles and great quality finishes and furnishings should equate to a sustainable interior,” he says.
Sustainability in interiors is about creating minimal harmful impact in general and, Dale says, while using locally-produced products certainly is a big part of it (due to the low carbon footprint and such), it’s also important to use high quality products (that may very well come from abroad), which last longer, preventing a ‘throw away’ mentality.
“For example, purchasing a sofa that is well made and classic in design, will have a sturdy, long-lasting internal framework that can be reupholstered many times over to give a fresh new look every few years. Of course, using an ethically-produced fabric (there are many on the market) and a local upholsterer would be first prize!” You can go even further, Dale says, when delving into the structure of the space. “Using Low-E glass (which has microscopically thin, transparent coating that reflects heat), means you’ll need less energy to cool the space, which in turn is better for the environment.
Lighting design layouts and specification also play a role, such as placing lights (LED) only where necessary and focussing on natural light wherever possible.
There are, of course, countless other ways to make sure your home is eco-friendly, while still being on trend and stylish. Pop into Ground Floor Interiors or Infinite Living and ask Dale and his friendly staff for some advice!
Details: Ground Floor Interiors, 5 Adam Park, Garlicke Drive, Ballito, www.groundfloorinteriors. co.za, [email protected]
