With energy prices spiralling and the planet’s resources dwindling, here’s our expert guide to creating a more sustainable and economical home
WALLS
Most mainstream paints contain plastic – microbeads for durability or acrylics for emulsifying – but neither are necessarily listed in the ingredients. Since the first ‘green’ paint was produced 40 years ago by Auro, we now have a wide choice of water-based natural coverings with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including Edward Bulmer, Earthborn, Coat, Paper & Paint Library and Ty Mawr Lime (which produces lime hemp plaster). Some brands even help improve air quality: Country Living paints at Homebase contain a unique ingredient that bonds with formaldehyde molecules on contact and transforms them into harmless vapour; Little Greene’s Re-mix Collection features 20 colours in a matt finish made from unwanted, leftover paint; and Graphenstone’s artisanal lime paints absorb CO2 as they cure. If you prefer wallpaper, choose brands with organic and recycled content, sourced from sustainably managed forests and using water-based inks and with low or no VOCs. Try Rapture & Wright (below), Little Greene and Farrow & Ball.
QUICK ECO TIPS
Skip the white spirit to clean brushes. Use eco paint and you’ll only need water to remove it
Synthetic paintbrushes take 450 years to decompose. Buy good-quality brushes with natural bristles and cork or bamboo handles instead (try plasticfreedom.co.uk)
FLOORING
The stone or wooden floors found in many older properties may be characterful but they can be cold underfoot and energy inefficient. Vintage rugs or kilims add warmth and texture. If you prefer fitted carpets, wool, jute, seagrass or coir are good natural options. Cork flooring works well in a kitchen as it is fire-resistant and warm underfoot. If undertaking major building works, underfloor heating is a sound investment. Combined with an air source or ground source heat pump, it can be up to 40 per cent more efficient than a traditional central heating system.
STOCKISTS carpetfoundation.com; crucialrugstore.co.uk; flooringbynature.c
