HOME VIEWING
Recycle before kicking it to the curb
February 13, 2010
Jennifer Wilson-Speedy
YOURHOME.CA EDITOR
Worn sofas, cramped kitchens and a lack of storage space can make us all wish for a clean slate. But kicking it all to the curb is both an expensive and environmentally unfriendly option.
While the green design movement is certainly here to stay, designer Glen Peloso, from Take this House & Sell It and Restaurant Makeover, fears making eco-friendly choices has become akin to "that's what you should eat, but what we really want to eat is chocolate."
To get over this eco-aversion, Peloso, who will be speaking on this topic at the National Home Show (www.nationalhomeshow.com), says homeowners need to look at what they want and then find a way to "reverse engineer" a green component into it.
One of the easiest, and least expensive, ways to do this is by working with what you've got. A new slipcover could transform an ugly sofa or an entertainment armoire could become a gift-wrap station.
Instead of looking at the shortcomings in a space, Peloso says we should consider how to enhance them. For example, he says, don't lament over a bulkhead as a space stealer, think of it as "an architectural gift."
It's also important to think about why you dislike the piece as well as what it currently does and what you want it to do. This objective thinking could help you realize that it's not the item itself you hate, but the way it looks, its position in the room or a shortfall in the way it functions.
Once you've considered the shortcomings and what you'd like from the space, Peloso says it's time to examine whether any of these less-than-desirable items could be remade into something you do like.
And, this revamping can also result in a "deeply cool" custom piece without draining your wallet or the Earth's resources.
This method of refurbishing, repurposing and enhancing works for other people's castoffs too, whether it's the mid-century modern treasures stored away in your parent's basement or a chair Peloso rescued from the curb.
If the piece can't be salvaged for your own space, instead of throwing it out, Peloso recommends donating it to Habitat for Humanity or Goodwill so it can find a new home and not end up in a landfill.
When it does come time for new pieces, Peloso says a little thought goes a long way in reducing consumption.
"If you're consuming towards your own happiness, because you've done it with a plan as opposed to out of frustration or shopping therapy, you create a space that actually works for your life. Your life, as opposed to one you saw in a magazine," he explains.
And he adds, being eco-friendly doesn't mean you need to scrimp on style.
For example, instead of buying a super trendy sofa he suggests finding one with a line that maybe has a bit of a trend element, but in a relatively neutral fabric. Accent the sofa with trendy coloured throw cushions –which have a zipper and down insert so they can be recovered again when tastes change.
Take This House and Sell It airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on the W Network. For more on Peloso's appearance at the National Home Show, visit www.nationalhomeshow.com.
AIRING THIS WEEK
Sunday: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (8 p.m., ABC).
Monday: How Clean is Your House? (8:30 p.m., W Network), Marriage Under Construction (9 p.m., HGTV), Love it or List it (9 p.m., W Network), Yard Crashers (9 p.m., DIY), My First Place (9:30 p.m., HGTV), Take This House and Sell It (10 p.m., W Network).
Tuesday: Million Dollar Listing (8 p.m., HGTV), Bang for Your Buck (9 p.m., HGTV), Man Caves (9 p.m., DIY).
Wednesday: Agent vs. Agent (8 p.m., HGTV), Real Estate Intervention (8:30 p.m., HGTV), Property Virgins (9 p.m., HGTV), Renovation Realities (9 p.m., DIY), The Unsellables UK (9:30 p.m., HGTV).
Thursday: House of Bryan (9 p.m., HGTV), Colour Confidential (9 p.m., W Network), Cool Tools (9 p.m., DIY), Real Renos (9:30 p.m., HGTV), Divine Design (10 p.m., W Network), Love it or List it (11 p.m., W Network).
Friday: House Hunters International (8 p.m., HGTV), World's Greenest Homes (8:30 p.m., HGTV), Location, Location, Location (9 p.m., HGTV), BATHtastic (9 p.m., DIY), Kitchen Impossible (10 p.m., DIY).
Daily: Designed to Sell (3 p.m., HGTV), Wasted Spaces (4 p.m., DIY), Fresh Coat (4:30 p.m., DIY), From Junky to Funky (5 p.m., DIY), Carson Can (5 p.m., HGTV), Junk Brothers (6 p.m., DIY), Real Renos (6:30 p.m., DIY), House Hunters (7 and 10 p.m., HGTV), Sweat Equity (8 p.m., DIY), Desperate Landscapes (8:30 p.m., DIY).
Read more on the Home Show:
Ty Pennington offers his personalizing tips
Relaxed ruffles replace modern lines in bedroom
Diamond-shaped crystals inspire design
Kids' rooms just like to have fun
Get our 2-for-1 ticket promo code for Girls Night Out
Toronto Star