March 7th, 2024
“As consumers, we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy,” Actress and environmental activist Emma Watson’s powerful statement is not just true for fast fashion but across all aspects of our lives.
When we furnish our homes, we often overlook the hidden costs associated with conventional furniture production. While cheaper, short-lived furniture options come with harmful chemicals, high-range modern luxury furniture may leave a non-negligible carbon footprint during production. As people become more conscious of the environmental effects of industrial production, there has been a growing demand for eco-friendly, sustainable furniture options. It’s a smart and responsible choice we should make to do our bit for the environment.
What is Sustainable Furniture?
The primary goal of sustainable furniture is to minimise environmental impact throughout its lifecycle, from material sourcing to disposal. Eco-friendly modern luxury furniture may involve renewable or recycled materials like certified wood, bamboo, or even recycled plastics. This type of furniture is designed for durability and ease of repair to extend its lifespan and minimise its environmental footprint.
In addition, the manufacturing process should also prioritise minimal chemical use, reduced waste, and energy efficiency.
Why You Should Choose Sustainable Modern Luxury Furniture
1. Protecting Our Resources
Conventional modern luxury furniture production primarily relies on unsustainable practices like deforestation and the use of virgin materials. By choosing sustainable pieces, you’re helping to conserve natural resources and protect delicate ecosystems.
2. Creating a Healthier Home Environment
Did you know that conventional furniture can release harmful chemicals like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air? These pollutants can trigger allergies, migraines, and even asthma, especially in children. While creating sustainable furniture, interior designers avoid materials and finish with minimal or no VOCs to ensure a cleaner and healthier breathing environment within your home.
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3. Investing in Quality and Longevity
Interior designers create sustainable furniture using high-quality, responsibly sourced materials to make every piece long-lasting. This means your furniture pieces are less likely to become landfill fodder in a few years and more likely to be enjoyed by the next generations.
In addition, sustainable furniture is an integral part of modern organic interior design, which is one of the trending interior design concepts more people are incorporating into their interiors.
Discover More: Top 11 Interior Design Trends for 2024
4 Key Considerations While Shopping for Sustainable Modern Luxury Furniture
1. Choice of Material
- Particleboard: Made from compressed wood particles, this widely used material may seem affordable at first glance. However, if it gets wet, it can crumble, swell, and lose its structural integrity, making it a poor choice for long-term use. In addition, repairing particleboard furniture is impractical and costly due to its weak structure.
- Mixed Materials: Furniture made with mixed materials that expand and contract at different rates with temperature and humidity fluctuations is nothing but trouble. These types of furniture usually have visible cracks, warping, unsightly bubbling, and exposed seams within a short period of use, which can be difficult and expensive to fix.
- Cast Concrete: Often used in modern luxury furniture for its undeniable style, cast concrete furniture is extremely difficult to repair. Even minor chips and cracks are hard to restore, leading to the premature disposal of the piece.
2. Eco-friendly Finishes
When selecting finishes for sustainable furniture, prioritise water-based finishes that contain low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds are harmful chemicals that can contribute to indoor air pollution and environmental degradation. Therefore, if you are designing a multigenerational home or you have kids or elder family members at home, avoiding VOC-based finishes is probably the wisest decision.
Instead of VOC-based finishes, you can opt for furniture with natural oil finishes, such as linseed, walnut, tung, safflower oil, etc. These eco-friendly choices are obtained from renewable resources and biodegrade more easily than synthetic alternatives.
You can also consult your furniture service provider and consider any other finishes made from plant-based ingredients or natural waxes.
3. Upholstery Selection
The upholstery you choose for your modern luxury furniture can make a whole lot of difference for the environment. While choosing upholstery, prioritise materials that are both eco-friendly and durable. Fabrics made from natural fibres like organic cotton, hemp, or linen are some of the best options as they are renewable resources and biodegradable.
Alternatively, you can get upholstery options made from recycled materials such as recycled polyester or leather to reduce waste. You can also opt for plant-based leather, like cactus leather, as a sustainable option.
4. Maximum Functionality
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The Bottom Line
Prioritising sustainability in furniture design is not just a trend – it’s a way to cut down on waste, save resources, and make a positive impact on our planet. So the next time you’re looking to furnish your home, consider taking the sustainable route. It’s a win-win for your health and the environment. If you are looking for customised, sustainable furniture for your home, Lakkadworks has your back! We are one of the top interior design companies and furniture service providers in India, known for our high-end interior solutions. From designing sustainable modern luxury furniture to installing or assembling it in your home – our expert interior designers provide end-to-end interior solutions tailored to your preferences. We have in-house workshops and manufacturing facilities
to build sustainable furniture with eco-friendly materials, finishes, and upholstery – all under one roof. Visit our website or contact us at +91-9999381022 to schedule your first consultation for free!
