Eat your greens

By Justine Olivier

If, for you, remodelling or redoing an interior space is as easy as breathing, then why not go green and create eco-friendly living spaces. The kitchen is a great place to start as the majority of time is spent in this room, whether you are eating, cooking, creating or even socialising.

Philip Richards, of blu_line, says that the first thing you can do, as a home owner, to transform your kitchen into a more eco-friendly environment is to adjust your bin system so that you will be able to recycle. With more people becoming aware of the environment and the consequences of their actions, recycling has increased in popularity.

“Putting in a triple dustbin for recycling has almost become second nature for some,” says Sergio Polita, of Snaidero Cucine, “as has the use of a gas water heating system to heat water”.

Keep in mind that your kitchen can look stylish, and yet be eco-friendly at the same time. With the green trend on the increase more and more products, finishes and styles are becoming available to ensure a green yet aesthetically attractive kitchen is indeed possible.

“Home owners can look at ways of saving energy and working in a more efficient manner,” explains Philip. “A functional design will ensure that less energy is used by ensuring that the space is designed in a way where the necessary tasks needed to be performed in a kitchen are catered for and that the items needed are on hand, preventing the wastage of water and electricity.”

In terms of lighting, replace all bulbs with energy-efficient lighting such as LED lighting. Wendy Grater, of Alpine German Kitchens, says that this type of lighting incorporated into the cabinetry is not only useful for reducing your carbon footprint, but is also a great way to introduce ambience in this space.

In terms of purchasing appliances, those that have an energy-efficiency rating, including items that run on gas, would be a wise investment. These newer appliances will not only save you financially due to less energy output but they also have an extended working life as opposed to their older, less energy-efficient counterparts. “Green appliances are great additions to your kitchen remodelling project,” says Isabel Russell, of Global Pact Distributors, “not only when it comes to keeping things trendy but they also ensure efficient functionality in the kitchen as well”.

Going green doesn’t mean that your interior spaces have to look drab, dull and boring. Quite the contrary in fact. You don’t want to be left behind when the green train leaves the station – it’s best to jump on board, full steam ahead. After all, at the end of the day you are doing your part in protecting the environment.