THINKING GREEN: INTERIOR DESIGN

A lot of people think that being green or environmentally friendly means you have to have sacrifice beauty for something rustic looking, but that isn’t the case anymore. With the eco movement gaining steam around the country many high-end lines offer greener solutions, and many new companies who cater to the green scene have sprouted up all over. Buying new from companies like these is always an option, but re-using old pieces is where you can make just as much of an impact. One of my favorite hobbies is to re-purpose old furniture and accessories that I find at thrift stores, antique shops, and flea markets. Most thrift store finds will need new upholstery, paint, or hardware. Whereas antiques and flea market finds are usually in the condition you want, and don’t require any restoring or repairing.

Antique Chair via 1stdibs

If thrifting interests you there are many great sources these days to find antiques online. 1stdibs is an online antique shop with inventory that is always changing. And ebay has many great buys. If you are looking for a specific piece Google searches can sometimes be fruitful, but all of these options will most likely need to be shipped to your home which results in packing material and fuel. I recommend looking local first, you will be supporting your local infrastructure, as well as negating the need for shipping altogether. Local options beyond thrift stores, and antique shops include, Craigslist, or the classifieds section of your local newspaper. I have found some great deals on local furniture that I have re-purposed.

#1 I found this chair for $8 dollars at a local thrift store, I painted it white and purchased the green bamboo print at the same shop a few weeks earlier for $.50. It adds charm to a chair that was rather bland before. What a deal!

#2 This chair came from a very small thrift store a few blocks from my home, it was brown and had chipping paint. I painted it to match chair #1 so I could use them in my dining room.

#3 This option came from the same shop as chair #1 and was neon orange when I spotted it. It has been painted blue and green and I have used it as an outdoor chair. I got it for a steal which makes it even sweeter!

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