Sustainable Design: How To Make Your Home Eco-Friendly

By Ana Zuravliova

Trend Specialist at Blinds Direct

Thu 4 Feb 2021

Last updated Tue 28 Apr 2026

Awareness of sustainable living and design is growing, and to recognize this shift, days like Global Recycling Day in March and Earth Day in April have been created. These celebrations highlight the importance of taking action, both in our homes and globally, to reduce environmental impact and embrace more eco-conscious lifestyles.

Earth Day encourages us to bring natural materials and warming, earthy tones into our interiors—think wood, stone, and terracotta—to create spaces that are both relaxing and sustainable. Global Recycling Day reminds us to value resources and recycle whenever possible, showing that even small actions at home can contribute to a bigger positive impact on the planet.

Eco friendly ideas for your home

Today we’ll explore how your home can be a conduit for sustainability, combining eco-conscious practices with interior design. These changes won’t break the bank either, unlike installing solar panels or buying an electric car, making them an accessible starting point for your eco-friendly journey.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and maintain what you have

The philosophy of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle isn’t just environmental—it can guide your interior design too. Reduce waste by choosing high-quality, timeless pieces that last longer. Reuse and upcycle old furniture or repurpose leftover fabrics into cushions, patchwork throws, table runners, fabric wall art, or creative items like kitchen sink skirts, tote bags, bookmarks, and fabric-covered notebooks. Shopping second-hand or embracing vintage pieces is another great way to give materials a second life. 

Beyond choosing thoughtfully, taking proper care of your existing items like blinds, furniture, or other homewares ensures they last longer. Harder furnishings like Venetian blinds and shutters can be cleaned with a soft cloth, while soft blinds can be maintained using appropriate guides. Proper maintenance reduces waste and the need for replacements, making your sustainable choices even more effective.

Tips for creating an eco home

Maximise natural light

Sunlight, and the valuable vitamin D it provides, is very important for our health. Letting in as much natural light as possible keeps us healthy and reduces reliance on artificial lighting, which consumes energy and can have environmental costs. Venetian blinds, voile curtains, and day & night blinds are all excellent options for allowing sunlight in while maintaining privacy.

Heating in the home

According to the International Energy Agency, “heat is the largest energy end‑use. Providing heating for homes, industry and other applications accounts for around half of total energy consumption.” Furthermore, the equipment used in the creation of this energy remains dominated by fossil fuels.

To stop energy waste, you can look at draft excluders on your doors and specially designed thermal linings for your curtains and blinds. Thermal linings help spaces retain heat, meaning you use less energy to maintain the temperature. During the summer months, thermal linings also keep the heat out of the home, allowing you to keep the air conditioning off for longer.

Using ethically sourced and recycled materials for an eco-friendly lifestyle

You can also help the environment in your choice of materials. Real wood, for example, can be used for a range of items from floors to tables, windowsills to window blinds. Many suppliers now obtain their woods from sustainable sources with plans for maintaining the world’s forests. Soft fabrics made from cotton are sourced from suppliers who are members of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), ensuring ethical production that’s better for people and the environment.

Adding natural colours and materials to your decor

In addition to ethically sourced materials, incorporating natural colours like sandy tones, light browns, and terracotta can enhance interiors while keeping them sustainable. Wooden blinds, shutters, and other furnishings made from these materials not only reduce environmental impact but also create a warm, inviting atmosphere in the home.

Products for the home made with recycled material

At Blinds Direct, we’ve perfected the use of recycled plastics in our products. The polyester used in many of our Roman blinds, curtains, cushions, and lampshades comes from recycled plastic bottles, helping reduce landfill and ocean damage. Look out for our eco-friendly icon to identify products with recycled content. What’s more, there is no difference in quality or aesthetic—same beauty, less waste!

Recycled packaging

Making the most of recycled materials is a cornerstone of our sustainability efforts. Beyond using recycled materials in our products, we also use them in packaging. At least 80% of the materials in every package are recycled, helping limit the environmental impact of your purchases.

The bigger picture

Heating, insulation, recycled fabrics, ethically sourced wood, and creative reuse are all small steps that collectively make a huge difference. By incorporating these practices, you can reduce waste, conserve resources, and create a more sustainable home.

Durability

A final note: in today’s fast-consumption world, we focus on crafting products that last. All our items are designed for longevity, reducing waste and the need for replacements.

We all love our homes and want to keep them as nice as we possibly can. If we can expand that thinking beyond our walls to the rest of our little rock bobbing around space, we can make it an even better place for the generations yet to come through the use of sustainable design and materials. If you’re interested in adopting additional steps to reducing your impact on mother earth, the Huffington Post published a few more top tips here, and you can also have a read of a sustainability survey.

Shop our sustainably sourced products below: