Decorating Green Style

People around the world are very conscious of our environment and the desire to go green has made big steps in home decorating. Going green does not mean paint everything green; however, one of the factions of green means styles and designs should work to improve the ambiance of our Earth.

How can you bring nature into your home? You can do this by using colors and textures that speak to nature. Flooring choices such as recycled wood planks or natural bamboo are great choices and will create warmth in an otherwise cold room. If coolness is what you are hoping to achieve, you can use elements that are natural to nature such as granite, stone or marble. I am very partial to tiles that are made of recycled glass products. These tiles can be expensive, but if you plan to buy a large amount, many tile distributors will offer special pricing. Any time you have the option of using recycled materials, do so. The more things we can recycles, the cleaner we keep our Earth.

Many people prefer the clean, cool feeling that stainless steel and chrome bring to a room. Like metals, but want them a little more subdued? Go for a brushed metal such as copper, bronze or nickel. Many ethnic designs incorporate hammered metals.

Most of the current designs contain elements of nature, bringing the outside in. You can merge the inside of your home with the outside with your color choices.

Before you decide on your colors, spend some time outdoors. Choose your three favorite colors. For the best effect, choose colors that can be seen from the windows of your home.

The most earthy neutral color is green itself. The most common color found in nature, it well with most colors. When choosing a green, stay in the natural shades such as fern, bean colors and sages. Other neutral earth colors are, of course, the family of tans and warm browns that are commonly found in nature. Any of these colors will help you create a nice, earthy feel.

If we look close, we will see that nature contains a wide spectrum of colors. There is the dark, moody purple of a ripe eggplant which would create a sensual, elegant environment. Combined with silver deep purples can be quite striking. On the other end of the purple spectrum, the lovely lavender of a lilac in full bloom will help create a light, soft atmosphere. The same can be said of the blues you will find in nature.

Colors, such as warm yellows and bright oranges, or the deep reds and bold browns can be seen in nature as fall settles in. Any of these colors will bring a warm feel to a room and are great when grouped with natural woods. Never be afraid to add those pops of color such as a rich turquoise. Color surprises will add energy to your space and if used correctly can actually make your room feel larger.

When dressing your room, remember to incorporate items that are earth friendly, such as material that has not been dyed, as well as natural woods, sand and stones. These things are all together in nature and will blend very well with your warmer colors.

The color tones of a room will change throughout the day as the sun passes over. You may want to take this into consideration when choosing colors or placing furniture in the room. The sunlight can affect the mood of a room just as the colors can. There are many great colors in the sun itself. Think of a summer sunset or springtime sunrise. The sky is full of glorious shades of pinks and oranges. Any of these colors will be accented by the setting or rising of the sun.

If your room overlooks the water or is high on a mountain top, consider bringing those colors into the room; turquoise, aqua and light watery blues reflect not only the water, but the sky as well.

When decorating a room, remember that it is important to recycle as much as possible and use as many recycled products as possible. Turn that old bookcase into shelving or an end table. Don't throw away that old piece of furniture, repurpose it.