Greene Credentials - Eco-Friendly Interiors
With decorating products available that have both your home and the wider environment at their heart, there is no need to compromise on aesthetics or limit your design choices to achieve sustainable interior design.
Eco-friendly interior design pairs products that are kind to the environment with beautiful schemes that will stand the test of time. From sustainable, high-quality materials to timeless aesthetics, discover how to look after your home and the environment simultaneously.
How can you decorate sustainably with paint?
The term ‘environmentally friendly’ has long been attributed to a wide variety of products– but in terms of paint, what does this actually mean?
When buying paint, first look for the VOC content, this stands for Volatile Organic Compounds. These are harmful chemicals that vaporise at room temperature and can continue to be emitted up to 5 years after painting a wall.
Little Greene’s water-based paints carry the industry’s lowest eco-rating, with VOC content now almost zero. As well as supporting sustainable interior design, low-VOC paints are virtually odourless. Our range of Intelligent Paints are washable, hardwearing and carry the child-safe certification (EN 71-3:2019), making them the perfect choice for children’s rooms.
Little Greene’s oil-based paints have been reformulated using sustainable vegetable oils.
As one of the first UK paint companies to be awarded the European environmental standard BS EN ISO 14001 in 2004, Little Greene paints are entirely free from animal-derived products and we do not support animal testing.
Two of our paint finishes are particularly unique in their eco credentials, as they have roots in historical paint making. If you own a historic home and want to allow your walls to breathe, use Distemper for interior walls. Limewash can be used on exterior walls for a traditional finish that is completely free from harmful chemicals.
Using Wallpaper in a sustainable design
For a beautiful wallpaper design with a low environmental impact, look for wallpapers that are printed on responsibly sourced paper from sustainable forests. When we create our wallpaper, for every tree used, another four are planted. Our wallpapers are also printed with completely non-toxic pigments.
Even the Little Greene wallpaper paste is solvent free.
Reduce your impact on the environment
A simple way to be sustainable in your decorating is by reducing waste.
Follow your instincts on colours and patterns that you are drawn to instead of being led by trends. Spend some time pondering your personal style before ordering paint and wallpaper samples that you can consider in situ.
A great way to avoid unnecessary redecorating is by selecting colours and schemes that will stand the test of time. High-quality, neutral paints and wallpapers are timeless and easy to live with, making them an ideal choice for longevity. Neutrals provide an enduring backdrop that is not dependent on furniture, accessories or artwork, and can easily be restyled to suit your evolving tastes.
If you’re looking to refresh your scheme, adding a paint colour or wallpaper to just one wall or alcove will give a tired room a new lease of life. Painting woodwork, refreshing a piece of furniture or using panels of wallpaper edged in painted frames are simple ways of updating a space.
Inside Frame: Gustav – Trophy
Frame: Grey Moss 234
Wall: Linen Wash 33
Trim and Fireplace: Loft White 222
All in the details: sustainable home decorating choices
Beyond opting for sustainable paint and wallpaper products, there are many imaginative ways that we can use our decorating choices to consider the environment.
Consider energy efficient flooring choices, sustainable materials and fabrics, even the foam in your sofa. These small steps can make a huge impact together.
Once you have decorated, think carefully what you could do with any surplus paint or wallpaper. Perhaps you could donate leftovers to charity or use paint on smaller projects.
Try to be as accurate as possible when ordering paint and wallpaper to reduce waste. Use the paint calculator tool on each of our product pages for guidance.
Re:mix: environmentally sustainable paint
As part of our constant advances to minimise our ecological impact, Little Greene is launching a new range of products called ‘Re:mix’.
Formulated through a desire to reduce waste and act sustainably, ‘Re:mix’ uses innovative blending techniques to upcycle unwanted or discarded paints. Rather than going to waste, these recycled materials become a beautiful interior finish for walls and ceilings.
‘Re:mix’ will prevent up to 60,000 litres of premium materials going to waste every year. A limited collection will be available on our website, offering a hand-picked selection of Little Greene shades.
Read our Re:mix Recycled Paint FAQs to find out more.
Learn more about our eco-friendly paint and wallpaper and sustainability credentials. Or explore our inspiration gallery for timeless designs that will last.
For the ultimate eco-friendly interior, discover ‘Re:mix’ recycled paint.
