How to Achieve a Stylish Eco-Friendly Kitchen Design

Ensuring your kitchen is environmentally friendly does not mean you have to sacrifice its stylishness. There is a widely held misconception that one cannot have both an elegant, chic and modern kitchen as well as embracing eco-friendliness. However, these things are not mutually exclusive. Eco-friendly products can not only protect the environment and save money around the household; they can also improve your home by giving it a fresh, unique aesthetic.

Investing in stainless steel

Homeowners looking to invest in some new products to renovate their kitchen should keep stainless steel in mind. Cabinets, shelving, worktops, sinks – most of the main items one might need for their kitchen can be purchased in stainless steel. They are made from up to 70% recycled material and therefore are a great choice for those keen to reduce their carbon footprint. Equally important, however, is that fact that a stainless steel kitchen is incredibly stylish. It can create an industrial chic aesthetic that is trendy in contemporary homes.

Salvaging recycled products

While stainless steel requires some financial investment, some of the finest eco-friendly products for your kitchen are far more affordable – even to the point that they barely cost anything at all. Many homes have managed to successfully attain a stylish look by using items salvaged from scrap yards.

From using truck springs as bar stools to repurposing discarded wood planks as cabinets, many people have used these items to create a vintage kitchen that is both cheap and eco-friendly. 

Related: 5 Steps to Healthy Interior Design

Choosing the right kind of flooring

With careful research, it is easy to ensure your home has sufficient eco-friendly flooring. For instance, vinyl flooring is often made from up to 75% recycled material and, when you want to replace it, is 100% recyclable after use. The soft, warm style of vinyl flooring, furthermore, ensures that you do not have to lose any of your kitchen’s comfort or quality.

Other eco-friendly types of flooring include linoleum and cork. However, these are considerably less fashionable.

Low-energy lighting

LED lighting, some of the most eco-friendly lighting one can find with its ability to save up to 90% of energy compared to conventional bulbs, might not necessarily be stylish in itself. There are, however, lots of creative ways that you can use LED lighting around a kitchen. Perhaps the simplest yet most attractive way is to install them under cabinets to achieve a post-modern atmosphere even in the most traditional of kitchens.

Eco-friendly painting

Many paints can be hazardous to the environment as they contain solvents and Volatile Organic Compounds. However, to complete your eco-friendly kitchen, you should look into using paints made from natural ingredients. Water-based paint is possibly the most popular but all-natural milk paint is also available, as are those made from minerals such as chalk and linseed oil deriving from plants.

There is little noticeable difference between using eco-friendly paints compared to traditional paint. A variety of colours and hues are available for whatever style your kitchen requires.

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