Green Decorating with the ?Third R??

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse is the mantra for the sustainability movement that has taken hold of the decorating and building industries. Of the three R's, the third R, reuse, is one that is key, because it includes the other two R's, Reduce and Recycle. By reusing an item, it is being recycled and waste is being reduced. So focusing on the third R is the best way to embrace sustainable decorating.

Trash and Treasure

There are some things that are easier to reuse than others, and depending on the project some items will naturally work better than others. There is an old saying, “One man's trash is another man's treasure.” Never has this saying been more apropos than when reusing items to decorate a room. When one person is done with an item, like an old dresser, and they throw it away, it may be just what another person needs for their bathroom remodel. By cutting the legs off of the dresser and painting it with high gloss paint, the dresser can be reused as a bathroom vanity with a vintage mirror hung over it as practical yet decorative wall art.

Choosing Rehab Furnishings

Keep an open mind when looking at discarded items, because with a little imagination, just about anything can find a new life with a different purpose. Some items are easier to reuse than others, and just because something is free does not make it a good acquisition. For example, be very cautious when reusing upholstered furnishings, because they can be infested with bugs. The same thing holds true for carpeting and mattresses, which can be full of dust mites. When acquiring upholstered items it is a good idea to know their origin, and then make a decision accordingly.

However, there are other items that lend themselves to being reused. Old china can be repurposed into many different items. It can be shattered and used to make decorative tile. It can be displayed on the wall as a decorative mosaic. Use Gorilla Glue to attach a half of a teacup to a saucer to make a wall sconce that is a unique wall candle holder. Tiny decorative chips can be made into jewelry. Mount a favorite photo in the center of an old china plate and use it as a beautiful frame.

Wooden Furnishings Easy to Reuse

Old wooden furniture can be refinished and reused, or it can be redesigned and repurposed. Old chairs, bookcases and tables can be painted with high gloss paint and added to just about any room in the house. To make the new piece of furniture really stand out paint it a bold color. When reusing an old piece of furniture do not be afraid to make adjustments to its design, because by using a little imagination, the new piece of furniture will be interesting and unique, bringing a custom element to a room's design. Always make sure that any repurposed furniture is sturdy and safe, and other than that, the sky is the limit when it comes to design. Like making a set of beautiful wall candle holders from discarded china, by finding old furnishings that can be reused in a remodeling project, a homeowner is not only finding a budget friendly solution for their decorating needs, but they are also practicing the “third R”.

With signature design style, Jessica Ackerman, an online writer with WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, describes bold approaches to wine wall hangings and tree wall sculptures.

 

Photo by Steve Snodgrass

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

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