Guest post- Three resourceful ideas for renovating your home!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle are the esteemed three R’s that homeowners are attempting to follow. “Home design is all over that trend, and has its own 3R’s— Recycle, Repurpose, Reclaim”, says interior design blogger Jennifer Noonan. Over the past few years, we have become accustomed to recycling our own items and we often see this as throwing the correct materials into the appropriate bins.

Have you thought about being on the receiving end of these recycled goods? Recycling and repurposing your own possessions as well as reclaiming materials is a fab way to remain environmentally friendly and have a big of fun with design.

Recycle Your Furniture

From beautiful bookcase to garden benches, wooden furniture is a timeless household item. However, not only does it become costly to decorate your house using wooden furniture, it is damaging our environment. If you are looking to renovate your home, why not have a look at using reclaimed wood? An eco-friendly method and perfect for the shabby chic trend.

Reclaimed wood is basically wood that has been salvaged from its previous use employment and reused, originating primarily from factories, old barns and industrial sites. Not our usual haunt for design accessories, but definitely places worth checking out to find unique pieces of wood. The charming imperfections found in reclaimed wood offer a unique quality whilst suggesting a historical element; perfect for those of us seeking a vintage style in our homes.

Recycling our furniture is not just about multiple trips to the local tip or the nearest warehouse for reclaimed wood; some treasures can be found in our own homes as well as others. If your furniture is a little run down, perhaps it is time for a lick of paint or a reupholstering rather than a shopping spree.

Reclaimed Stone

Using stone in your home, both interior and exterior, is picturesque and durable. However, it can also be extremely expensive and this can put most home owners off. A great alternative is to use reclaimed stone which is effective, unique and adds charm to your property. When you are buying new stone, you can spend endless amounts of time checking each individual tile for discrepancies. The great thing about reclaimed stone is that you do not worry about uniformity.

Resourcing reclaimed stone for yourself can be a tricky business, especially with regards to buying quality material and how much of it to purchase. It is always best to stick with professionals such as Cawarden who specialize in reclaimed York stone- you can view their range here. You can rest assured that not only will reclaimed stone look an authentic and unique addition to your home, the durability ensures a hardwearing stone that will stand the test of time.

Repurpose Your Glass

Trendy glass mason jars and bottles are spreading like wildfire throughout the high-street. They have a beautiful vintage appeal and they can store anything from fairy lights to baking ingredients. However, as they are flying off the shelves, our recycling bins are filled to the brim with glass bottles and jars from our everyday living.

You might be hesitant to stick an old mayonnaise jar or fizzy drink bottle on your shelves and call it art, but there are plenty of interesting a quirky ideas to repurpose your glass. Mason jars are attractive, suitable for storage and require minimal repurposing. Fill them with flowers or smaller personal items such as your sewing kit and let the beauty speak for itself.

This post was written by Brittany Reid in association with UK-based Cawarden Reclaim, who specialise in the reclamation and re-sale of reclaimed building materials.