'Sustainability' has recently become somewhat of a dirty word, and we feel this from our perspective as humans, social media users, customers and even brands. There is a lot of greenwashing out there and a lot of 'sustainable', 'eco' and 'organic' products and companies that don't necessarily practice what they preach.
Guess what - we're not perfect either. But we're actively working towards a (truly) more sustainable approach not only to our planet and environment but also to our day-to-day lives and surroundings, including interior design, home decor and home furnishings. This is why, as part of our collaboration with houseof. and Plants By There, we've gathered some tips and tricks that would hopefully inspire you to decorate more sustainably and make an educated choice when it comes to the items in your own home.
But first, let's start with a little introduction.
Sustainable paints by YesColours.
The foundation of any home decor project is the paint on your walls. We specialise in sustainable, vegan, cruelty-free, child- and pet-safe paint, in 100%-recyclable packaging, exclusively made in the UK. What sets us apart from other paint brands on the market isn't just our exquisite colour range but also our unwavering commitment to sustainability by using 100%-recyclable pouches for our paints, instead of tins.
YesColours' sustainability initiatives:
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Eco-Friendly Packaging: We use flexible packaging designed to reduce environmental impact. Compared to traditional packaging, it uses 16% less fossil fuel, 26% less water, and generates 21% less greenhouse gas emissions during production.
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Recyclability: Our packaging is easily recyclable through local supermarket recycling points or at home where accepted, further reducing carbon emissions.
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Efficient Transportation: YesColours' packaging is up to 52 times more space and weight efficient for transportation and storage. This minimises the resources needed for transport, contributing to lower emissions.
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Extended Paint Life: Our airtight packaging protects paint from moisture, mould, and dust, keeping it fresher for longer. This reduces the need for frequent replacements and minimises waste. Plus, no more tens (or hundreds!) rusty paint tins stored in your shed or garage.
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Quality Assurance: YesColours' packaging is thoroughly tested for strength and compatibility, ensuring high-quality standards while remaining eco-friendly.
A not-so-fun fact is that only 2% of the paint tins in the UK end up getting recycled. The rest - a scary 98%, goes straight into landfill. This is another reason why we spent months creating our paint packaging as we truly believe we human beings we carry a responsibility to make our planet better than we've found it. By choosing YesColours, you're not just adding some feelgood colours to your walls; you're making an environmentally conscious choice.
Blue stripes print lampshade by houseof., Serene Blue paint colour in Matt Emulsion by YesColours and Parlour Palm plant by Plants by There. Photography: Peter Guenzel.
Illuminate your space responsibly with houseof.
Lighting is more than just functionality; it sets the ambiance of your home. Our friends from houseof. offer a range of stylish and sustainable lighting solutions, including their brand-new range of lampshades, all designed and manufactured locally, here in the UK.
For our Sustainable Living giveaway (psst: check out our Instagram!) houseof. are offering their striped drum shade, a classic striped shade with a houseof. twist - in which the stripes are slightly wobbly in shape. These striped drums are available in sand, blue and pink colours.
houseof.'s new collection of locally made lamp shades are a great way to introduce sustainability into your home. They are a brilliant way to elevate your existing lighting without the hassle of a major overhaul - think upcycled lamp base with a brand new striped shade! Or fancy a change? Switch up your table lampshade with your ceiling lampshade.
houseof.'s sustainability initiatives:
- Climate Neutral People: houseof. is a climate neutral company. They are carbon neutral and offset all employee emissions by tree planting with their partner ecologi.
- Climate Neutral Lights: They are drastically reducing their production emissions but any that are unavoidable, they offset into carbon reductions projects around the world through their partner South Pole. houseof. also offset your usage emissions for 10 years. Pretty cool lights, don't you think?
- Ultra Efficient Lights: As sustainable brands, it is really important to reduce our footprint, so that we produce the smallest amount of emissions and ultimately offset less. houseof. are committed to producing ultra efficient, low energy lighting keeping our footprint tiny.
- Low Waste: Just like us, the houseof. team hates waste and so making sure their lights last matters. All of their lights come with a 2 year quality guarantee and free spare parts for life. And, on top of that, their packaging is 100% recyclable (and, we can confirm - a delight to any design lover!).
houseof.’s vision is a world lit with absolute climate neutrality and therefore their mission is to create sustainable lighting without compromise. Their 3 values are: Planet, Product and People, and they break down barriers to mass market sustainability by being green for their customers without ever compromising on the design, aesthetic, quality or value of the products they sell.
Their new collection of locally made lamp shades in a variety of shapes and patterns are a great way to introduce sustainability into your home. Their shades have been made locally in Torquay, Devon. Both their factory and warehouse are both based in Devon, keeping the company's carbon footprint small. They are a brilliant way to elevate your existing lighting without the hassle of a major overhaul.
Sand stripes print lampshade by houseof., Loving Neutral paint colour in Matt Emulsion by YesColours and Variegated Weeping Fig plant by Plants by There. Photography: Peter Guenzel.
Bring the outdoors in with Plants By There.
No sustainable home decor is complete without a touch of nature. Plants not only enhance your home's aesthetics but also purify the air and promote well-being. What's impressive is that Plants by There goes the extra mile to ensure their houseplant collection aligns with their commitment to sustainability.
Plants By There upholds three rules when it comes to houseplants....right plant, right pot, right place! A happy houseplant should be able to thrive in your home, rather than just survive - a frequently overlooked ethos in what first appears to be a ‘green’ industry. As a sustainability focussed plant brand, Plants By There only offers houseplants that have been lovingly nurtured in recycled peat-free soil in an energy and space efficient glasshouse right here in the U.K. No importing from overseas for them! At Plants By There you'll discover a carefully curated range of houseplants that includes some well known retro favourites, as well as some more unusual varieties that are easy to grow at home or work and make beautiful gifts.
Also, at the core of Plants By There is the notion that creativity shouldn’t ever be compromised by the choice to be sustainable; being planet friendly doesn’t equate to ‘beigeness’! Their range of indoor gardening essentials are design focussed, high quality, innovative and, most importantly, vibrant and fun. It’s the best road to achieving your own #LUSHPLANTLIFE.
Plants by There's sustainability initiatives:
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Peat-Free Soil: Their plants are grown in 97% peat-free soil, contributing to the preservation of delicate ecosystems and reducing carbon emissions.
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Soil Recycling: Soil is steam cleaned and recycled, reducing waste and minimising the environmental impact of their growing process.
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Optimised Pot Sizes: To further reduce waste and maximise space efficiency in their glasshouse, they exclusively grow plants in two pot sizes.
Choosing Plants by There for your indoor greenery not only adds life to your space but also supports a brand that prioritises sustainability every step of the way.
Pink stripes print lampshade by houseof., Mellow Orange paint colour in Matt Emulsion by YesColours and Philodendron plant by Plants By There. Photography: Peter Guenzel.
How to decorate more sustainably?
If you'd like to decorate your home more sustainably while still enjoying an interior scheme and home decor items that are made to last, consider these sustainable decorating ideas:
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Upcycled Furniture: Give old furniture a new life by refurbishing or repurposing it. See our 5 DIY tips for upcycling furniture here.
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Vintage and Thrift Shopping: Explore thrift stores and vintage markets for unique decor pieces with character.
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Natural Materials: Choose decor items made from sustainable materials like bamboo, cork, or reclaimed wood.
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DIY Projects: Get creative and make your own decor items using recyclable materials or repurposed objects.
Enter Our Sustainable Living Giveaway.
Now, here's the best part! You have the chance to win a sustainable home makeover featuring products from Yes Colours, houseof. and Plants by There. Head over to our Instagram page to enter.
One lucky winner will receive:
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Enough paint to decorate a whole room in a colour of their choice from YesColours
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A brand new stripy lampshade in either sand, pink or blue from houseof.
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£100 worth of plants from Plants by There.
The giveaway ends on the 2nd October, so be sure to enter before then. Good luck and don't forget to always look around for sustainable brands that invest in good design, good quality production and love for the planet and environment.