How to Make a More Sustainable Kitchen

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When you think about it, the kitchen has more potential for waste than any other area in the home. It’s where the majority of your appliances run. It’s where you cook and generate food waste. And it’s where you run water almost constantly, between the faucet, the dishwasher and any icemakers. So if you want to have a more eco-friendly home, the place to start is in making a sustainable kitchen.

As far as costs go, you could be looking at hundreds to thousands of dollars if it’s time to get more sustainable appliances. Or simple measures like labeling food by date so it doesn’t go bad can be basically free. Planning and implementing more sustainable measures in your kitchen can also take as little as a weekend. So whether you’re ready for a complete appliance overhaul or looking for easier ways to be less wasteful, below are some tips for a sustainable kitchen.

It might be time to find more energy-efficient appliances. Image: Mirelle/Shutterstock

Invest in New Appliances

If you’re looking to cut the energy you use in the kitchen, you might want to replace any old appliances. The easiest way to do that is to look for ENERGY STAR appliances. Doing so could help you see a major reduction in your energy bill.

However, if your appliances are new, you may see less of an improvement. For instance, ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerators use at least 15 percent less energy than all other types, but they use an impressive 40 percent less energy than conventional models that were sold in 2001. So if you have older appliances, now may be the time to upgrade to something more efficient for a sustainable kitchen.

Compost your food waste. Image: Gary Perkin/Shutterstock

Get a Sustainable Kitchen by Rethinking Your Trash

Another part of the kitchen that affects the sustainability of the whole household is how much trash you’re throwing away. There are a few easy ways to reduce the amount of waste you produce in the kitchen:

• Try indoor composting. You can find special indoor bins or simply remember to throw scraps into an outdoor compost bin.
• Also, try to buy reusable or recyclable. Ditch the single-use paper plates and non-recyclable Keurig cups. (There are companies that make compostable or recyclable Keurig pods.)
• Don’t buy more perishables than you can finish. Watch purchases at big-box retailers, where everything comes in bulk and can easily go bad before you use it.

A basic salad spinner can prevent those premature sickly, slimy greens. Image: Devrim PINAR/Shutterstock

Get a System in Place So Food Won’t Go Bad

We all do it. We all have that leftover pasta we meant to eat, and then it started growing mold before we knew it. But developing a few habits can reduce the chance of food going to waste and make a more sustainable kitchen:

• Label food by date and keep older food near the front of the fridge.
• Seal food in air-tight storage bags.
• Keep the moisture out of foods like spinach by getting a salad spinner.
• Check for moldy items in your produce or baked goods early and often, before that one bad spot can contaminate the whole container.

Sustainable materials like reclaimed wood can add style just about anywhere in the kitchen, like on this island. Image: Artazum/Shutterstock

Remodel Using Sustainable Building Materials

Are you thinking of finally getting the kitchen of your dreams? Even remodeling for a new look can be an excuse for a more sustainable kitchen. For instance, try remodeling with sustainable or even reclaimed materials. A few ideas include:

• Sustainably sourced or reclaimed countertops
• Sustainable flooring materials, like bamboo
• Cabinets made of reclaimed wood
• Recycled glass tile backsplashes

Dripping faucets can waste a surprising amount of water. Image: Lipskiy/Shutterstock

Watch Your Water Use

You should also watch how much water you are using, as we use a large amount of water in the kitchen. For instance, we use about 8 to 27 gallons of water washing dishes by hand alone, depending on your faucet and how much you let the water run. So if you’re washing dishes by hand, try washing dishes in a basin rather than running the faucet continually.

Also, if the faucet drips, fix or replace it. A faucet that drips once per second wastes over five gallons of water per day for a whopping 2,082 gallons per year.

And remember, if you make conservation a habit, running a sustainable kitchen will eventually feel like no effort at all.

The post How to Make a More Sustainable Kitchen appeared first on Freshome.com.

source https://freshome.com/sustainable-kitchen/

Think Zen is All About Neutral Colors? Try These Colorful Zen Styles

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One hallmark of traditional zen spaces is that they tend to be dominated by neutral and earthy colors, especially beiges and browns. More contemporary zen styles may veer towards white and black color schemes. Since zen is all about relaxation, the soothing tones of neutral colors typically dominate. Zen also makes use of natural textures like rock gardens, stonework and natural bamboo, which all feature soothing neutral colors. But what if you like a relaxing zen sensibility and bold color? It turns out the two can fit together just fine. Take a look below to check out how to work with the colorful zen trend.

Natural textures can have some bold colorings, as you can see in the Bartram Coral Sculpture. Image courtesy of Wayfair.

Colorful natural textures

As mentioned above, zen is all about natural textures, meaning the color scheme will tend to veer into neutral shades. However, the photo above shows that you can work with natural textures and keep a shot of bold color. Blue coral is an example of a natural texture that features saturated color. You might pair it with bold pink flowers or other traditional Zen elements in a bolder shade.

And when you incorporate colorful items like this into your space, you can use those colors in the rest of the space as accents. For example, the blue in the coral could be reflected in some blue throw pillows.

Keep things looking natural with green walls. Image: yampi/Shutterstock

Green walls for a colorful zen style

Since zen has a very natural feel to it, that means there’s one easy way to get color into your space: incorporate natural shades of green. You can see how the colorful bathroom in the photo above used a bright, spring green on the walls. That green keeps a natural feel to the room and fits with the textured wood and large plant.

Adding wall hangings that depict natural zen items, like rocks and sand photos, would also keep things natural and zen. Meanwhile, a vessel sink could give a feeling of being in a relaxing zen spa.

Muted shades can add some color but still be a grounding element in the space. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Accents of subtle colors

Another way to work color into a zen space is to use accents of subtle color. This allows you to add some color to the space but, because the colors are subtle, they act as a more muted element against the neutral colors of the rest of the space.

You can see in the photo above how the principle was used in a colorful zen bedroom. The white walls and wood textures combine to create a neutral color scheme. However, the muted and darker yellow throw blanket adds some deep color saturation to the space. Still, this item doesn’t overpower the space and make it look too stimulating. The room is still very relaxing with a more muted feel.

Deep accent colors can work well in neutral zen spaces. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Small pieces with accent colors

This isn’t to say you have to avoid bold accent colors altogether. You can use the same accent color idea but veer towards brighter shades. The example in the photo above shows how a small, bright red throw blanket adds a very subtle hint of color to a bright, neutral zen space.

The red also gives the space some depth and dimension. Lighter neutral spaces like the one in the photo above run the risk of looking flat. But just a little bit of color livens them up.

This photo also shows how natural and classic elements create a relaxing zen vibe. The moon painting has a natural texture and relaxing feeling, while the lantern makes the space look more classic.

This industrial and zen space just works. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Combine room styles

Another idea for creating a colorful zen space is to combine two types of room styles together. The bedroom in the photo above combines zen elements with an industrial style. Zen pieces like the stark painting keep the space looking natural and relaxing, but the painting also does a good job of incorporating the reddish shades of the industrial brick into the zen style.

Zen elements can actually work with just about any type of style. For instance, you might have a boho style with artistic representations of the Buddha around. This idea allows you to play with and combine styles until you have a look that’s uniquely you.

The post Think Zen is All About Neutral Colors? Try These Colorful Zen Styles appeared first on Freshome.com.

source https://freshome.com/colorful-zen-styles/

Satisfy Your Summer Wanderlust with the New H&M Summer Stories Line

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H&M took our love of boho chic next-level for summer with their latest summer home collection. Called H&M Summer Stories, the campaign was shot in a riad in Marrakech, Morocco. The pieces are the perfect mix of tropical patterns, modern yet exotic textures and vibrant, on-trend colors.

Here are some of the H&M Summer Stories pieces so you can shop the look:

Layers of florals accented with vibrant pinks and crisp whites will freshen up your bedroom for summer. All images courtesy of H&M.

Create a cozy summer nook by adding a seat cushion and throw pillows to a bench. Low-maintenance potted plants like succulents and cacti, displayed in textured pots, add to the bohemian chic feel.

Layers of tropical prints in turquoise and fuchsia with gold accents create an elegant al fresco dining setting.

Spice up a neutral space by adding texture, pattern and one or two high-contrast and vibrant colors.

The post Satisfy Your Summer Wanderlust with the New H&M Summer Stories Line appeared first on Freshome.com.

source https://freshome.com/hm-summer-stories/