Shades of green: colour blocking the eco-friendly way

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green room
One of this season’s biggest trends, colour blocking is the coolest way to brighten up your home. Here’s how to do it the eco-friendly way
 

Colour blocking is great for giving your home extra vibrancy and if you hadn’t already noticed, it’s big news in the interiors world. The term colour blocking refers to a technique that involves using solid blocks of contrasting colour in a room’s fabrics, paints and upholstery. But what’s the carbon footprint of all this? Can you colour block your home without wrecking the environment in the process? That short answer is yes you can.

Whether you want a pop of colour or an entirely colour blocked room, there are some great eco-friendly ways to get involved. Biome offers fantastic cushions in a variety of colours that are made from silk, Baltic linen and cotton, all of which is sourced from companies that practise and promote fair labour and trade. They also offer brilliantly coloured bowls, vases, and dinner plates made in Spain from 100 percent post-consumer recycled glass. Designer and artist Jerry Kott has made a set of wonderfully decorative hanging lamps coloured in block green, white, and blue. Another way to get involved is with bed linen from Liv, all made from 100 percent organic cotton. Some of this is outsourced from India where manufacturers have developed a supply chain, which has allowed the small farmers they trade with, a 20 percent share in the business. Art and paints are now eco friendly as well. Oxfam offers provocative prints by artist Jamie Hewlett made from 100 percent recycled paper and are great for livening up any wall. Earthborn offers eco safe paints that are low odour and free of VOCs [Volatile Organic Compounds]. Available in over 70 colours, the company also offers bespoke tinting services if you’re after a particular shade. Farrow & Ball paints are now all water-based and low odour, as well as being free of VOCs.

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