Why sustainability matters

There are few ways to look at sustainability in interior design. One is the most obvious, in choosing materials that are sustainably derived and manufactured with minimal environmental impact. Another is by considering the longevity of your pieces, or ideally, the two hand in hand.

We have a 1950s suite of two teak chairs and a day bed inherited from grandparents that is still modern and current in our home, thanks to updated upholstery and a new lease on life. In fact in our interior design business we recycle a lot of things ourselves. If you buy quality pieces of furniture they will easily last 30 years and your children will want to inherit them. There’s a running joke in our business that if you come in once you won’t need to come back again, because you’re getting it right the first time.

People in the 1940s and 50s expected their furniture pieces to last a lifetime. These days, the availability of cheap furniture means it’s easy to update continually, but there is also a noticeable move toward a conscious effort to live sustainably. “Sustainable”, “cheap” and “new” can rarely be used in the same sentence when referring to furniture.

A recent Nielsen report titled Doing Well by Doing Good revealed an average of 55 per cent of respondents claimed they would be willing to pay extra for products and services committed to positive social and environmental impact. The generation of 21-34 year-olds are also realising that buying cheap doesn’t necessarily mean spending on throw-away furniture, but can include sourcing second-hand pieces through garage sales, council cleanups and online.

There is also evidence to show sustainable design can improve productivity in a commercial work environment. Air quality can be improved with better quality furniture and fabrications being used in the office, due to less harmful emissions used in processing.

As always, visit Beadles any time with any queries and questions.

Cheers,

Beadles

Toowoomba’s only second generation interior design firm.