Discover Australian, sustainable design & building in action
Green living
Interested in sustainable living? Examples of green interiors and green products from around the country – and overseas? Simple tips on living green?
Weekly the Green Living blog explores it all. From green renovations, green kichens and green bathrooms to eco sofas, organic textiles and wallpaper with a green edge, each week we have a new take on sustainable living.
Plus, we regularly interview sustainable designers from Australia and beyond about their favourite green products as well as the latest colour and design trends.
Simply use the RSS button to subscribe to updates as they come through or dip into the archives to discover ideas and inspiration for sustainable living.
MOST RECENT POSTS
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China plans for world tallest prefabMove over Burj Khalifa, a Chinese construction company has plans to build a skyscraper 10 meters higher than the famous Dubai tower, making it the tallest building in the world…and they plan to pull it off in just 90 days. |
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Designers upcycling for charityA group of local designers are using their creativity for charity, upcycling worn timber furniture items into unique designer pieces to be sold at auction with all proceeds donated to Salvo Stores. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – Design Addicts PlatformInteriors, architecture, fashion and furniture: you name it, this blog covers it. The aptly named Design Addicts Platform is the go-to blog for the insatiable design fanatic. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – The Vogue Living BlogVogue Living Magazine is one of the world's leading authorities on the finer things in life - from architecture and design to art, culture and photography - and its blog is no exception. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – YellowtracePublish great design from clever people: that’s the mantra of Dana Tomic Hughes, a self diagnosed “design tragic” and founder of an Australian blog boasting a reported 250,000 followers. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – Share Design Inspiration“Design should never say, ‘Look at me.’ It should always say, ‘Look at this.’” |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – Desire to InspireTwo sides of the planet, two self-professed “design junkies”, and one fabulous design blog. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog: Interiors AddictLooking for some interior inspiration? Then you can’t go past the Interiors Addict – a blog authored by a former journalist and self-professed design fanatic that is dedicated to envelope-pushing interior design. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – The Cool HunterJaw-dropping architecture, urban green spaces and sustainable design that's ahead of the trends: this is The Cool Hunter. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – The Design FilesWhen you combine amazing interior designs with eye-catching images and interviews with some of Australia’s highest profile architects, designers and creatives – you get just a taste of what The Design Files has to offer. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – State Of GreenAn up-cycled wedding dress, timber lego and a short film on the fundamentals of sustainable design: just some of the gems to be found in the State Of Green design blog. |
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Light Home Hot Design Blog – DesignhunterThis post begins a Light Home countdown of ten of the hottest design blogs out there. At number 10 we give it up for one “recovering lawyer” who covers nothing but beautiful architecture, and green home design. |
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Easiest bathroom makeover ever!Tired of your bathroom and need a quick makeover. Rather than grabbing the paintbrush, try buying one of these quirky ideas instead. |
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The ultimate eco kitchen“Kitchens sell homes.” So goes the old real estate mantra and, if you’re planning on selling at some stage, having an eco-friendly kitchen is one of the smartest moves you can make. |
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Colour my kitchen – in red!It goes with white, it goes with steel, it goes with wood. It’s the colour red, the perfect little instant brightener to the everyday kitchen. |
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1 thing to improve any roomOne colourful thing: that’s all it can take to turn an ordinary room into a memorable one. |
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Back to the future – in orange!Kate Middleton caused a storm with it. Global catwalks are adoring it. And some have called it the new pink. It’s official: welcome back orange! |
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Red objects to adoreStart the year with a bang by investing in just one bold and beautiful piece of furniture – in look-at-me fire-engine red. |
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Real or fake: Which Xmas trees are greener?Every December, it’s the ultimate green question: Is it more eco-friendly to buy a new Christmas tree each year or just buy one plastic tree and reuse it? |
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Eco Xmas eco gifts under $50!In part 2 of our 12 days of eco Christmas giving, we take a look at six great gift ideas for under $50. |
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Eco Xmas eco gifts under $50!Can you really get a decent Christmas present for under two dollars? You can! We detail the 12 days of eco gift giving. Who says you can’t have a sustainable lifestyle during the holidays? |
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Why green roofs rockWe all know about the rise of green roofs on large new sustainable building developments, but can the grassy rooftop be introduced to the ordinary Aussie home? |
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Aussie brands take note: new upcycling websiteA new upcycling website has launched this week, claiming to be Australia’s first online retailer dedicated to upcycling fashion. |
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7 things to do with bambooSustainable and super multi-functional, here are seven things you can do with bamboo in your home. |
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Is your lamp brewing coffee?A Spanish designer has turned leftover coffee grounds into a series of everyday furniture pieces, including lights that actually smell like fresh coffee. |
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Where will all the books go?A recent report by Fairfax detailed that, from next year, all Year 7 to Year 10 students at a private school in Sydney will need an iPad to access their text books online. |
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Eco beer: The best green options aroundIf it’s brown, bubbly and good for the environment, it’s what might be called an eco beer. We drill into four options for turning your amber nectar green. |
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Green design: water, art and sustainabilityWater has long been touted as the ‘key to sustainability’ and, in an often arid climate like Australia this all too precious resource is said to be a key determinant of future social and environmental wellbeing. In short, it’s essential to be responsible with water … and with that being said, it’s also fun to be creative with it! |
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Green design: living jewelleryWe’ve seen the humble plant move from ground to roof, wall and even furniture. Now sustainable designers believe we should pop living greenery right onto ourselves – as jewellery. |
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Green furniture that grows – literallyPlants breed happiness. Sitting down feels good. And great design is good for the soul. In a sustainable home, can the three ever be combined? |
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Australian invents world's smartest light bulbIt lasts for 25 years, can be turned on by a mobile phone and is up to 80% more energy efficient than ordinary light bulbs. Meet LIFX, the light bulb with smarts. |
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World’s first cardboard bicycleThe inventor of the world’s first cardboard bicycle believes his sustainable, super-strong and super-cheap design could change the developing world. |
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Can a dustpan and brush ever be art?It’s in the laundry, under the sink or hidden somewhere out the back. The modest dustpan and its associated brush is all too often the poor cousin of the Australian home – but clever designers are turning this Cinderella object into an object d'art. |
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Sustainable kitchen: green benchtopsIn many Australian homes the kitchen is an early target for renovation and a source of inexhaustible pride for homeowners. But what is the sustainability potential for this space’s centerpiece…the kitchen benchtop? |
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Ready to meet Kevin McCloud?The long awaited Grand Designs Live Exhibition draws near. |
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Grand Designs: Bringing industry experts togetherIn the coming weeks Light Home's Dear Design Expert blog will focus on providing you with tips to ensure your designer, architect, builder and other contractors are as green as possible. |
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Eco living: Green laundry solutionsLaundry: it’s surely everyone’s bugbear? Never-ending mountains of dirty washing that just never seem to be conquered, no matter how organised you are. |
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Eco-friendly home: Clean, green bathroomsDid you know our bathrooms account for almost half the water used in Australian homes? |
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DECORATION + DESIGN: Light Home give awayA high-profile line up of speakers will descend on Melbourne this month for the co-located FURNITEX and DECORATION + DESIGN. |
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Eco living: Keeping it green in the kitchenIf you enjoy cooking up a storm at home, why not go eco in the kitchen and cook with a clear conscience that you’re not impacting on the environment? |
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Eco living: Can computers really be green?You might think there is very little that can be ‘eco’ about computers: they’re made of plastic and metal and they suck up electricity. But it is possible to go eco when it comes to your computer. |
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Eco living: Arty solutionsSustainable living goes right down to the finer details. Whilst there are the big things like your home’s design, water recycling, solar panels and not wasting electricity, there are also the smaller things to consider – such as art. |
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Eco living: Wallpaper with a green edgeEco wallpaper sounds simple: recycled paper, right? Correct, but there’s more to it that that – the ink printed on the paper comes into play, as does the paste used to stick it to the wall. |
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Eco living: Vintage is back in fashionVintage may be old – but it’s definitely not out of fashion. |
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Want a happy home? Invest in designCast aside practicality, function and pragmatism – and think happy. The secret of great design in the 21st century is its ability to make the consumer happy |
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Hot trend: Bring the outside in!Extending the inside to the outdoors and vice versa is one of the big design trends of 2012, and clever designers are reinventing the way we look at internal and external space. |
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Eco interiors: A green home officeWe’re in the process of tackling all sorts of options for ‘greening up’ your home – next up is your home office. |
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Green interiors: Green paint of all shadesOverwhelming paint fumes can be enough to put you off painting that second coat. And that’s without beginning to worry about what it’s doing to the environment. Green paint is the way to go if you want to get away from the toxic fumes that can be bad for you, and for the environment. There’s plenty of choice and advice on the eco market. |
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Green interiors: Finding an eco-friendly mattressChemical-free, organic wool, soy-based foam and even green latex – the future of the humble bedroom mattress is eco-friendly indeed. |
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Green Interiors: Finding sustainable chairsFancy sitting on a pile of tennis balls? Probably not – until you see the designs of some of the most sustainable chairs around. |
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Green interiors: Finding that perfect sustainable chair – for babies and kidsWe’re on a green furniture trip at the moment but we’ve also a new baby in our midst here at the Light Home office. So following last week’s post on finding the perfect sustainable sofa we thought we’d do a quick round up of something not far removed: how to find that perfect sustainable chair for your baby or child. |
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Green interiors: Finding a sustainable sofaIf you’re about to turf your old, sagging sofa, what will you replace it with? Here are a couple of the sexiest sustainable sofas around – and a 9-point shopping checklist. |
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Bathroom interior design trends and makeover ideasBigger bathrooms, premium shower heads and high tech gadgets are steaming up bathroom interiors in 2012. |
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Interior Design: Kitchen design trends for 2012Things are heating up in the kitchen with new open plan designs, modern finishes and stylish new doors. |
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Get soaking and start glowingAs with any great design, the best solutions often come in the simplest packages. It’s the same with beauty products like Epsom Salts. Who knew this oldie-but-goodie could bring relief to aching muscles, aging skin and the common cold? |
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Green healthy eating to-goIs healthy eating high on your to-do list? Dress it up with these lovely, eco-friendly containers from To-Go Ware and make it less of a chore using these simple tips. |
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Top interior design trends for 2012Lisa Ferguson shares trends (and her magic design formula) |
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Green GiftsEco-friendly made eco-charming |
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101 holiday handmade how-to’sEven if you’re not the most crafty, you’re bound to find gift-giving, holiday decorating inspiration within these 101 Handmade Tutorials from Everything Etsy. I hope these crafty bloggers will inspire your own thoughtful, made-with-love projects. |
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Spending the holidays with stylist, Jason GrantMr. Jason Grant humbly describes himself as a stylist, writer, blogger and happy shopper. Yet, his expertise has graced the pages of Australian and international magazines such as Real Living, House and Garden and one of my faves, Elle Decoration UK. |
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Transforming trash to treasureThe Picker Sisters |
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Shopping trolleys with street-styleRolser makes us want to walk |
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Green Interior Design: better world artethical gifts, sharing culture |
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Green Interior Design: Words to live byAnd the art that captures them |
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Green Interior Design: From nurse to designerDesigning a home (and life) that feels great |
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Green interior Design: Preserving inspirationSimplifying the process with Houzz, Modenus and Pinterest |
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Green Interior Design: Browsing bespoke with BalatroDiscovering Balatro - a Surry Hills Fine Arts Gallery in NSW |
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Green interior design: Running the wrong way.There's much more to this Sydney store then must-have goods and gorgeous gifts. |
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Green interior design: Cycling with style.Treadlie takes it to the streets. |
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Green interior design: Design tips from Sibella CourtCreating a home you love |
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Green interior design: Claiming ELLE's green-nessELLE DÉCOR seems pretty green to me |
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Green interior design: Insider insight from a sofa-selling veteranLeather isn’t bullet (or kid) proof |
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Green interior design: Delicious, by designYulli’s goes beyond great food |
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Green Interior Design: Buy cheap, toss tomorrow?Young designer resists the temptation. |
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Green interior design: Green furniture guidanceWhen it comes to buying furniture, designers suggest putting your biggest dollars into the big three - the sofa, dining room table and bed. |
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Green interior design: Designer whitesFinding the right white paint. |
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Green Interior Design: Bring your palette to lifeEco-friendly paint |
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Green interior design: Green shoppingWhat you find, when you ask |
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Green Interior Design: Colour meMaking the "right" colour choices |
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Green Interior Design: Boost BoxesEnergy saving made easy |
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Drift into gorgeous interior designHere’s another beautiful way to stay on the trend toward “pretty, crafty, artsy, anything expressing individuality” . Designer and artist, Kerri Shipp of Driftwood Interiors has a new series of watercolors called “Interior Portraits” that celebrate gorgeous interiors. Some are based on rooms designed by today's most talented interior designers, while others were born from her imagination. |
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Green Interior Design: Tips for a happy homeGreen design certainly has its serious, technical side. However, once the smart, clean lines have been established, it’s up to you to put some soul in the space. This can be intimidating... and wasteful if you’re not in tune with your style or understand what you really need. |
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Green Interior Design: Green glamourWelcome to Light Home's Design Everyday blog where we’ll explore how good design makes us feel. I’m excited to share green interior design concepts, products, style, and chat with designers along the way. |
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Green Interior Design: 6 design trendsDesign trends often signify the mood of the moment. According to ELLE Decoration (UK), we’re feeling “pretty, blue, crafty and natural” and we’re going to stay that way in the coming months. |
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Green interiors: Finding a sustainable dining tableIt’s just a table, right? How green can it really get? Very, very, green, as Light Home found out when we went looking for dining tables with a sustainable edge. |