Going Green: Ecological Ways to Renovate Your Kitchen

If you are building or remodeling your kitchen, now is the perfect opportunity to increase the sustainability of your entire home and your energy use every single day. The right kitchen remodel decisions can reduce both the carbon footprint of your home improvement project and the ecological impact of your kitchen practices for years in the reinvented space. At Edesia, we are thrilled to help clients build sustainable kitchens through both green practices and efficient design. 

Let's dive into some of our favorite ecological kitchen decisions you can make with your next renovation.

Locally Sourced or Reclaimed Materials

Shopping for local materials and locally-sourced goods is not just a hot trend, it's also extremely sustainable! Reduce the fuel needed to transport your kitchen supplies and decor. Decorate with local artists, renovate with local woods. The less distance your materials must travel, the less fuel is inherently connected to your remodel.

We especially love reclaimed materials like floorboards or glass tiles rescued from an old building. These materials come with their own history because they have been rescued from tear-downs and remodeling. The old woods are then restored and finished into new materials like wood floors and wall paneling that is both stunning and comes with a great story.

An Efficient Use of Space and Storage

The more efficiently you use your space, the fewer disposable items you will need. You can make your renovation and your kitchen lifestyle more efficient with clever cabinetry design. Work with our designer builders to craft the perfect set of kitchen cabinetry to allow for efficient home storage plans.

Use hanging storage alongside cabinets, and plenty of room for canisters of bulk goods like flour, rice, and even breakfast cereal.  Use turning corner shelves to optimize space and even pull-down shelves to add disability accommodation to your kitchen's lovely features.

Let The Light In, Take the Heat Out

Save on electricity by designing your kitchen to stay well-lit and comfortable on its own. Use large windows, skylights, and even mirrors to enhance the natural light in your kitchen during the day - and efficient lighting for evening recipes. Work with your build designers to determine where you can add or expnd a window in the kitchen,. At the same time, put thought into exactly where you would like the light fixtures to provide optimum lighting for your entire kitchen.

Choose Rapidly Renewable Woods

If you are going to have furniture or new cabinets built for your kitchen, choose rapidly renewable woods like Bamboo or Lyptus. These trees grow so quickly that no clear-cutting is necessary. Builders can instead rely on a constant cycle of replanting without displacing any wildlife or damaging precious forest ecosystems throughout the country and the world.

Aerated and Filtered Faucets

Last but not least, your kitchen can easily reduce your water and energy use with a thoughtful selection of fixtures It's easy to update your faucet with an aerating filter. An aerator "spreads out" the water so that you get a full handwash or vegetable rinse while using fewer overall gallons. An aerated faucet makes the water feel bigger, but actually uses less.

Discover Eco-friendly kitchen remodels with Edesia Kitchen & Bath STtdio.

Are you looking for simple ways to make your kitchen more sustainable? Edesia can help from the first board to the last drop of paint. We love sustainable building projects and to help you create a kitchen that will make a difference every day in the future. \

Contact us today for more sustainable kitchen design tips. Contact us today to explore the sustainable methods and designs you can discover with your kitchen renovation.