One key aspect of Green Interior Design is choosing the best materials for your home in order to save energy, create a healthy environment with clean air, reduce C02 emissions and of course to make your house look stylish.

In terms of furniture the key health issue is to avoid new furniture that has been put together with glues containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde. Many modern furniture makers are now turning to low VOC and VOC free adhesives. The safest option is to buy antique furniture because all the VOCs have long ago off-gased making the furniture completely safe. If you buy new piece of furniture check with the supplier before making a purchase. Another key point when buying furniture is to consider the material used. Antique oak and mahogany is fine because it is effectively 'recycled' furniture. New mahogany cannot make this environmentally friendly claim. If you must use hardwood furniture then make sure the supplier has FSC (forestry stewardship council) accreditation so you know the wood has been taken from a sustained and managed forest. Alternatives to hardwoods include bamboo, rattan and water hyacinth. Designers are increasingly turning to these rapidly renewable materials to make striking new pieces of furniture. To browse through various pieces of rattan, bamboo or water hyacinth furniture click on the links here or down the left hand side.

For soft drapes, covers and bed linen natural is much better than synthetic. Synthetic materials are made with petro-chemical compounds and industrial processes that are bad for the environment. Cotton, silk and natural bamboo fabrics are much better for the environement and for indoor air quality.

Curtains and blinds should also be made of natural materials free of petro-chemicals. One modern green interior design solution is to use bamboo blinds.

For flooring you must watch out for synthetic carpets which contain VOCs that off-gas and lower air quality. For more on green interior design flooring materials visit the flooring page of this site.

If you are considering painting either the inside or outside of your house then make sure to buy paint that has a water based solvent. Traditional paints have a high VOC (volatile organic compound) content that off-gases easily and leads to pollution of ground water, smog creation and health problems for humans and pets. For more on paints visit the paints guide.