Best for Remodeling and Redecorating

Enlarge Image Image Gallery FLOR Fedora 2 Rug Kit in charcoal Photo Courtesy FLOR

Shine on

Illuminate a room—and your spirits—with a beautiful lamp or chandelier made from natural or repurposed materials. For optimal energy savings, use a compact fluorescent or LED bulb.

Paint pick-me-up

Painting is one of the least expensive, easiest ways to update. Look for brands with low emissions of volatile organic compounds—“low-VOC” or “zero-VOC”—to keep the odor and air quality as fresh as your home’s new look. Some paints now also have low-VOC colorants.

New floor, squared

Flooring squares or tiles are convenient alternatives to vinyl or conventional carpet. Plus, you can easily replace stained or damaged sections with a single new tile (buy a couple extra, just in case). Choose styles made from recycled rubber, cork, recycled plastic (including bottles and carpet scraps) or renewable linseed. Some types are biodegradable; others can be recycled by the manufacturer.

Sit on it

Don’t have the dough for a new living room set? Splurge on one very cool chair—an unusual shape or pop of bright color will make the room. Seek Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood or recycled metal, low-VOC finishes and natural-fiber cushions.

Pull this off

Replacing dated hardware—drawer pulls, cabinet knobs, coat hooks or switchplates—can instantly change a room’s look. Look for recycled content such as glass or aluminum; natural materials such as stones, wood or shells; or reworked castoffs such as tin boxes.

Resources

Lighting

Fire & Water
lamps made from recycled glass, wood, metal

Greenlight Concepts
lamps made from traffic signal lenses

Organelle Design
chandelier styled from repurposed coat hangers

Vana and Reta Howell 
lamps made from discarded plastic

Worldly Décor
silk cocoon lamps made by Thai artisans

Paint

AFM Safecoat
zero- and low-VOC paints, primers, stains and finishes

Benjamin Moore Natura
zero-VOC colorants

BioShield
zero-VOC paints, stains and finishes

Farrow and Ball
low-VOC paints

The Freshaire Choice
zero-VOC colorants

Mythic Paint
zero-VOC paints