Author Archive | Jennie Lyon

Bringing Natural Materials into Your Bedroom

Your bedroom ideally is a place of calm. It should be somewhere that you can relax and unwind after a long day. Or perhaps spend a few hours reading or meditating in the afternoon. While modern interiors have a lot to be desired, you might not want to purchase an entire room of mass-produced items. Perhaps you have the notion of bringing natural materials into your bedroom, and the rest of your home. Finding a balance between some of the amazing bedroom furniture for sale online, and natural touches is a slow and enjoyable project. 

The option to bring multiple items from nature into your home is something that many homeowners have enjoyed for years. In general, humans love blue ocean waters, jade green trees and forests, and even cold stones. And when placed well in a home, they can make it feel welcoming and safe. 

Here are a few ways that you can bring some natural eco elements into your home. 

Stone Walls

Many people like to have an exposed brick wall in their home, but you can take it a step further and have more of a natural finish using more natural stones. The texture and the coolness that it brings into space can be a nice change from having wallpapers or painted walls. 

You could opt for more modern brickwork, they have a slightly more industrial feel but can be painted to match the rest of your interior. 

Wooden Furniture

While you can buy beautiful wooden pieces from some of the more popular furniture stores, there are many designers that create beautiful wood pieces. Artisan crafted wooden furniture can give you one-off pieces of furniture that can be an eye-catching centerpiece. 

Wood can be finished in so many ways, from shabby chic, with a whitewashed sanded down appearance. Or slick dark mahogany that can give an edge to the bedroom. Many people opt for darker woods for bed bases and headboards, as they feel and look luxurious.

Amish furniture has long been beloved, due to its classic yet timeless appearance and natural elements that blend effortlessly into modern living environments. A visit to an Amish furniture store will provide unique pieces you will cherish for years; Amish craftspeople use traditional methods and tools in creating their pieces making each one truly one-of-a-kind pieces that become conversation pieces as you watch their fascinating process of furniture making unfold before your very eyes! 

Going Green

Some of us dream of having a room as green and lush as a greenhouse, others appreciate the little pops of green through the home. The bedroom is a great place to have plants. They bring color and have air cleaning properties too. Green as a color is great for productivity and relaxation too. 

For some people a modern look with a natural twist is really what they’re looking for. You can go for a range of beautiful sculpted plants like cactus or bonsai. Or plants that have three boxes plaited and grow to huge heights. If you want a softer theme, perhaps more romantic feel and flowering house plants like peace lilies, or kids, can look stunning. Of course, if you have animals, you might need to consider what kind of plant could be poisonous to them.

But in general, plants can make a room feel welcoming, luxurious, and improve your air quality, which will improve your sleep.

Underfoot

There is something quite luxurious about cold marble floors, but one of the most common floor features is laminate wood flooring. This can be easy to clean, which means your bedroom won’t take long to get back into proper order. But sometimes a rug makes a big difference too. Woven seagrass natural flooring or sisal is both beautiful and durable. They are great in the winter as an insulator, and comfortable to walk on with your bare feet.

Bring More of the Outdoors Inside

Even when you have plenty of plants in the room, being able to see more green and some blue skies is even better. Humans respond positively to both blue, which is why we love the ocean water so much; and green, which is why walking in the woods is so good for us.

If you are surrounded by grass, trees, and more natural scenes, then consider changing your window style. Giant windows not only let in more light, which will give you a nice boost, but it can blur the lines between inside and outside. 

If you have small windows, and the possibility to make them more substantial isn’t available, using your walls to decorate with grassy scenes, photos and artwork can make a huge difference. 

You can make your window more of a feature, think about dressing your window with more relaxing pale colors. And let the greenery outside do the talking. If you don’t have a great view, you can add potted plants along the windowsill, and perhaps even window boxes.

You can go one step further here by making sure that you plant either natural plants or herbs and flowers that will support nature’s pollinators. This is great for your local ecosystem and local wildlife.

Wood Cladding

If you don’t like the idea of the exposed brick wall or natural stone walls, then perhaps wood cladding would be ideal. It will turn the sleeping space into almost one of those beautiful wooded cabins that often so coveted during the summer months. The wood will give a natural smell to the room for quite some time, and you can paint it or decorate it in any way you like later on. Although simple exposed timber and simply letting all the natural grain show can be beautiful too. 

Faux 

Not everyone has the budget to buy everything, or will have wood panels and expose brickwork. But the quality of the faux options is very high nowadays. This means you can benefit from those beautiful green flowers without the price tag and the maintenance. They last forever; you’re not going to need to water them, and they still have the feeling of freshness. 

You can also do this with exposed brick walls in the form of wallpaper, and artwork instead of expanding windows.

Wood, again

There are so many new ways to use natural wood in your bedroom and home in general. Wooden flooring, wood cladding, and even beautiful beach wreck wood can make a bold statement. However, some people have found a lot of joy in creating branches as decorations. They won’t die, and they need no maintenance. 

You can hang them on the ceiling, use them in an unused fireplace, or create your own mini thicket. 

Of course, it will depend on how much room you have, and you should always clean and well before you turn them into artwork. They can even be used to frame photos.

Woven Baskets

Woven baskets in a similar material as your floor can help tie your bedroom together. Not only are they handy, but they can also be used as plant pot and storage, they look great and don’t require much maintenance and cleaning. If you tend to have a lot of bits and bobs around your bedroom, woven baskets can provide the quickest storage possible. Ratten, bamboo, and we can all look great and hard-wearing. Which makes them an excellent investment. 

Base

To let all of these natural materials shine through, it’s best to have a clean base. White, pale grey, mossy grey greens are all perfect for keeping your space cool and calm.

Reclaim and Reuse

There are more online tutorials than ever before for recycling, using reclaimed materials and upcycling. You can turn doors into tabletops, and even replace door handles. Finding some old French window shutter and attaching them in your bedroom can be a real talking point. 

This is just as much about being eco-friendly as it is about being green. Giving things a completely new purpose means that they don’t go into a landfill, and you don’t have to purchase flatpack or factory-made furniture. It also means that each and every single piece that you create is entirely unique to your home.

Natural Fabrics

Rugs, throws, and pillows are a great way to add some natural fibers and fabrics. Of course, the bedroom has always been a place of comfort, but you can take that to the next level. Soften your natural theme with a range of fake sheepskin, soft cottons, and even wools. You can often source wool and other natural materials from artisans, and they can often come with a guarantee that no animals were harmed in the making of them.

In the end, your bedroom is meant to be somewhere that makes you feel safe and calm. You can let go of the day that you’ve just had, and slowly recharge to relax and rest getting ready for the day ahead. Bedrooms should be luxurious and personal spaces. But they can also be a great starting point for creating a natural and eco-friendly feeling throughout your entire home. 

Getting experimental with natural materials like sackcloth, bamboo, and even adding cactuses can see a room become comfortable and almost glamorous, but without all the extra effort. And Pinterest is brimming with incredible ideas on how you can make your bedroom feel more natural and a range of ways to use organic materials in your bedroom decor.

3 Ways To Green Your Personal Care Items

Earlier in the week, I shared with you, ingredients to avoid when purchasing personal care products. There are also many things you can do to green your personal care regimen. Green Chic touches on many areas, I want to share my favorites with you. I thought these were the simpler things that you can do and the reasons why you should.

1.  Green your Toothbrush + Floss 

50 million pounds of toothbrushes are thrown away annually. Minimize your impact by using a toothbrush that’s not made from virgin plastic. Choose either a toothbrush that is made from 100% recycled #5 plastic-like Recycline’s Preserve Toothbrush or throw less away by using a toothbrush that has a permanent handle and replaceable head, like Eco-Dent. Also, try to choose floss that comes in a recyclable package or compostable flossers. (Which are my son’s favorite, fun to use, and even more fun to put in our composter.)

2. Green your Razor

2 billion, yes that’s billion, disposable razors are thrown away annually. Choose a razor with a reusable handle and changeable heads and if possible choose one with a recyclable handle like Preserve’s Triple Razor. It’s package doubles as a reusable travel case and can be returned for recycling using their postage-paid label.
 
3. Green your Tampons

Typical tampons are made from non-organic cotton and rayon, which is derived from wood pulp in an energy-intensive process that wastes about 2/3 of the wood’s material. The tampons are then bleached with chlorine that releases dioxins. (This is not healthy for us or the environment.) Not to mention many have plastic applicators that are not recyclable. There are companies making organic cotton tampons with recyclable applicators like Natracare or an applicator free product like Seventh Generation. If you are adventurous, you can try reusable products or a Diva Cup.
 
What other ways do you green your personal care products?
 

How to Make Natural Organic Kid’s Glue

This is a great natural and non-toxic glue that is perfect for your children’s art projects. It works well and there is no need to worry if they decide to try a taste or two. Read on to get started:

Ingredients:
1 cup of organic flour
1/3 cup organic sugar
1 1/2 cup water
1 tsp. organic vinegar
Natural colorants

Directions:
Warm all ingredients together over a warm stovetop until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool. It will keep for weeks in an air type container in your refrigerator.

24 Cosmetic And Personal Care Ingredients To Avoid

The personal and beauty care market is completely unregulated by the FDA. There are many chemicals that are put into the products that you may use every day on your face, hair, nails, and body that have the potential to cause frightening health consequences.

I have put together a list of the most common chemicals that are found in everyday conventional products that you probably use. This way you can take the health of your body into your own hands.

1. Bismuth Oxychloride
Reason for Concern: causes itching, breakouts, and general irritation as it is a heavy metal.
Found in: products with a pearlescent finish.

2. Ethyl Acetate
Reason for Concern: Irritant to the eyes, skin, and lungs. Vapors may cause dizziness and drowsiness and it is highly flammable.
Found in: mascara, perfumes, nail products, and tooth whiteners.

3. Hydroquinone
Reason for Concern: respiratory intoxicant, suspected to cause a skin disease called ochronosis, and may cause cancer.
Found in: skin lightening products.

4. P-Phenylenediamine
Reason for Concern: may cause cancer, neurological and endocrine damage, asthma, and is a respiratory irritant.
Found in: shampoo, hair dyes, and hair sprays.

5. Toluene
Reason for Concern: liver and kidney damage, can be toxic to infants and children and potentially may cause cancer.
Found in: nail products and hair dyes.

6. Sodium/Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (LSL)
Reason for Concern: skin irritant and alters skin structure allowing chemicals to deeply penetrate the skin.
Found in: toothpaste, sunscreen, perfumes, shampoo, conditioner, whiteners, and moisturizers.

7. Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Reason for Concern: causes neurotoxicity, eye, and skin irritation.
Found in: lipsticks, fragrances, moisturizers, lotions, shampoo, conditioner, foundations, and acne treatments.

8. Parabens
Reason for Concern: skin irritation, rash, dermatitis, or allergic skin reactions.
Found in: shampoo, conditioner, whiteners, lotions, insect repellents, and liquid skin and hair products.

9. Diazolidinyl Urea
Reasons for Concern: linked to cancer and endocrine system disruption.
Found in: fragrances, shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, foundations, eye make-up, lipsticks, and liquid hand soaps.

10. Diethanolamine (DEA)
Reason for Concern: toxic to the immune system, irritant to skin, and may form carcinogenic nitrosamines.
Found in: shampoo, body wash, cleansers, bath oils, bar soaps, moisturizers, deodorants, body scrubs, and hair sprays.

11. Formaldehyde
Reason for Concern: known human carcinogen, potentially toxic to human immune, respiratory, reproductive, and cardiovascular systems.
Found in: nail products, hair dyes, deodorants, shampoo, soaps, shaving creams, and gels.

12. Petroleum and Petroleum By-Products
Reason for Concern: may cause allergic reactions, contains impurities that cause cancer and liver toxicity.
Found in: creams, lotions, styling gels, eyebrow pencils, mascara, lip products, and liquid powders.

13. Phthalates (Dibutyl Phthalate, (DBP) Diethyl Phthalate
Reason for Concern: damage to liver, kidney, and lungs.
Found in: fragrances, hair sprays, nail polishes, deodorants, hair gels, lotions, and moose.

14. Talc
Reason for Concern: respiratory irritant
Found in: baby powder, blush, eye shadows, face powders, deodorants, and soaps.

15. Prophylene Glycol
Reason for Concern: alters skin structure and allows toxic ingredients to penetrate the bloodstream, skin irritant, and may cause allergic reactions.
Found in: shampoo, conditioner, body washes, toothpaste, moisturizers, colognes, deodorants, nail polishes, and eye shadows.

16. Triethanolamine
Reason for Concern: may form carcinogenic compounds and it is one of the most potent cancer-causing agents.
Found in: shampoo, lotions, creams, and soaps.

17. Butylated Acetate
Reason for Concern: causes skin dryness and cracking.
Found in: nail polish and treatments.

18. Triclosan
Reason for Concern: may cause cancer and reproductive toxicity.
Found in: liquid hand soaps, body wash, toothpaste, and lipsticks.

19. Synthetic Fragrance
Reason for Concern: neurotoxicity, allergies, and immunotoxicity.
Found in: moisturizers, shampoo, conditioner, cleansers, body washes, hair dyes, deodorants, styling gels, and facial treatments.

20. Methacrylate Monomers (MMA)
Reason for Concern: causes skin, eye, and respiratory irritation, with the potential to cause neurological damage ranging from headaches and dizziness to memory loss.
Found in: most artificial nails.

21. Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, AHA (Alpha hydroxy acid), BHA (Beta hydroxy acid)
Reason for Concern: developmental and reproductive toxicity.
Found in: anti-aging, moisturizers, and acne treatment products.

22. Padimate-O, PABA
Reason for Concern: irritation of the eyes, rashes, and allergic reactions.
Found in: sunscreens and hair dyes.

23. Cocomide DEA/Lauramide DEA
Reason for Concern: may form carcinogenic nitrosamines
Found in: shampoo, body wash, cleansers, bath oils, liquid soaps, bar soaps, and moisturizers.

24. Coal-Tar Colors (FD and C or D and C)
Reason for Concern: known human respiratory toxin and possible cancer risk.
Found in: shampoo, psoriasis relief liquid.

Check out Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database from The Environmental Working Group. It is a searchable database of toxic ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products.

5 Green Tips For Eco-Friendly Drinking & Dining

There are many ways to make your dining and drinking experiences more eco-friendly. Here are a few from Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style, read on, and then leave your own tips!

1. Eat Local Foods:
Knowing where your food comes from is great for conversation and also good for your local farmers, economy, and the earth.

2. Ditch Processed Foods:
Choose whole recognizable foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, instead of refined foods.

3. Buy Organic and Biodynamic Wines:
Organic grapes are grown without chemical fertilizers or chemicals. This means that the fertilizers and chemicals won’t get into the air, water, soil, or your body! 

4. Support your Local Micro-Brewery:
Cold ones are made from barley, hops, and sometimes wheat – conventionally these ingredients are grown using herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. Choose a local organic or biodynamic brewery to support instead.

5. Fair Trade/Shade Grown Coffee:
Only drink coffee that is shade-grown, Fair Trade Certified, and Organic. It is really easy to find in your local markets these days. It is important because it helps to prevent the deforestation of the rain forest. Several decades ago farmers found that if you cleared the lovely canopy of the rain forest to grow coffee in the sun, it would grow faster. However cutting down the rain forest to do this, is a horrible idea.

How do you make your dining and drinking experiences greener?