ECODESIGN

Interior decorators struggle on a daily basis in the fight between fads versus trends. It may not carry the immediacy, gravitas and excitement as, say, Ali versus Foreman, but in design culture, it is an arduous struggle that can determine the fate of a decorator. Be early on a trend and you can produce an illustrious career; be stubborn on a fad and your relevance in the market can and will plateau. This is why many decorators can be hesitant to engage in new, hot concepts. Rest assured though, ecodesign is not a fad. How could it be? It dates all the way back to Picasso for heaven's sake! And with more and more consumers being frightened by alarmingly high temperatures during this past winter and other cataclysmic environmental happenings, going "green" does not come with the negative stigma it once did. The green movement is no longer just for hippies who wandered off that little farm in Woodstock some forty years ago. Concern for the air that our children will be breathing decades from now is a sentiment that can be shared by all individuals. So now that there is a higher demand for eco-friendly design, how can designers who may be in the dark about the environmental sciences be sure they are at once creating aesthetically pleasing and environmentally conscious? One of the most common phrases that emanates from the environmental movement is “reducing our carbon footprint.” America, it seems, has something akin to a size 723 shoe (still a couple shoe sizes shy of Shaquille O’Neal’s). But there are tools that can be used to shrink your shoe size. LED lighting is one of the prominent ways to stay eco-friendly. Most of these lights have been ascribed with an energy star by the Environmental Protection Agency, indicating that these lights are energy efficient. The initial cost of buying LED lights is certainly higher than that of a regular 60 watt bulb, but they last much longer and the ratio in which they burn energy is far favorable to your average bulb. On average, a household that uses LED lights will emit roughly two tons less in greenhouse gas emissions per year than other households. And whereas average bulbs contain hazardous components such as mercury and lead, LED bulbs are completely free of these, and they are recyclable as well. LED lamps were introduced in 1939, but just because the technology is old doesn’t mean that there haven’t been startling innovations. Recently, some designers have been toying with the concept of wallpaper with built in LED lights. These walls may not be able to talk just yet, but they can blink at you. Since one of the biggest talking points in the environmental movement is recycle, recycle, recycle, interior decorators have been dreaming up new ways to use recyclable materials in the home, like LED lights. This is why some decorators have been looking towards wood in their designs. Recycled oak and bamboo are starting to make more of an appearance than ever in the portfolios of designers. Not only is the material recyclable, but from a design approach, wood fixtures are perfect for the client who isn’t afraid to be a little vintage. Obviously wood is not the only recyclable item that can be used in a client’s home. Many decorators are relying on antiques as of late. Maybe it’s due to our troubled times, but nostalgia seems to be in right now. Shows like “Mad Men” have jumpstarted an interested of the aesthetics of decades past. Decorators have jumped on this notion and have been using everything from antique desks to antique light fixtures to appeal to clients who possess a little bit of longing for previous generations. While humans are struggling to adapt to the volatility of global temperatures, the interior design industry has not had similar trouble in adapting to the burgeoning trend of ecodesign. New technologies and new approaches will continue to shine their way through. You can make your design ideas come to life with custom wallpaper and custom printed wallpaper.