This fresh eco-friendly kitchen remodel features responsibly sourced wood floors.

A fresh new kitchen is guaranteed to make any homeowner happy. But what if that kitchen also made a positive impact on the environment?

At Square Deal, we wholeheartedly believe in building with eco-friendliness in mind. Without sacrificing quality or style, you can build your dream green kitchen. To help you out, we’ll explain 7 of our top ideas to create an eco-friendly kitchen you’ll love:

  • Energy-Efficient Kitchen Lighting
  • Eco-Friendly Appliances
  • Low VOC Paint
  • Eco-Friendly Kitchen Flooring
  • Choose a Green Contractor
  • Donate Your Old Kitchen Materials
  • Plan for a Green Lifestyle

 

1. Energy-Efficient Kitchen Lighting

Proper lighting is crucial to a well-designed kitchen. It’s also one of the easiest ways to reduce how much energy your home consumes. Especially if you’re an avid entertainer, consider switching to LED lights.

If you’re planning on revamping your overhead lighting, opt for recessed lights that use LED housings. For simple fixtures, there are a plethora of LED bulbs on the market that can even change color or be activated with WIFI. And best of all: they’ll quickly pay themselves off with the savings on your energy bill. 

 

2. Eco-Friendly Appliances

A simple and effective way to reduce the ecological footprint of your kitchen is to opt for energy efficient appliances. Unlike their counterparts, energy efficient appliances are designed to use far less electricity while accomplishing the same functions.

Look for refrigerators, stoves, and dishwashers that carry the Energy Star designation. Browse the Energy Star website to learn more about the brands that make the most energy-efficient appliances on the market.

 

3. Low VOC Paint

Did you know that regular household paint contains up to 10,000 chemicals? Of those, VOCs (or volatile organic compounds) can be some of the most dangerous. These are released as the paint dries and fumes spread throughout the air –causing harm to both the environment and your body.

Thankfully, low VOC paint is now readily available at most large hardware stores. Brands such as Behr even produce paint with no VOC, and they work and look as fantastic as the rest.

 

4. Eco-Friendly Kitchen Flooring

There is no shortage of options for eco-friendly kitchen flooring these days. Both sustainable and durable, there’s certainly an option out there you’ll love.

Classic wood can be an eco-friendly option. Make sure to choose FSC-certified, which is only harvested responsibly, or reclaimed wood. A local species will also minimize the carbon footprint of transportation costs. Another earth-friendly is cork, which is sustainable to produce and provides more cushion for your feet. Concrete is another stunning choice, and linoleum provides countless options for colors and patterns.

 

5. Choose a Green Contractor

If you’re building a new kitchen or remodeling your existing one, you can make even the foundations eco-friendly.

Working with a green contractor like Square Deal ensures that as many sustainable or recycled resources as possible are being used to build your structure. Our kitchen designers are experts in green building techniques, which means you’ll never sacrifice quality or longevity while doing your part for the environment.

 

6. Donate Your Old Kitchen Materials

Green kitchen remodels can start even during demolition. By donating your old materials such as cabinets, doors, or appliances, you can limit the amount that goes to the landfill.

Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity accept used building supplies which they then provide to communities who need them most. Kitchen remodel contractors such as Square Deal will dismantle all salvageable goods carefully so that they can continue their lives in new homes.

 

7. Plan for a Green Lifestyle

When planning your kitchen remodel, consider how you might like to continue making a positive impact on the environment even after construction is finished.

Building a secluded spot for compost, for example, can help you tend your garden and reduce the amount of food that ends up landfills. Separate slide out drawers for trash and recycle will also make it easy to properly sort waste. Small design elements such as limiting the use of tile will reduce the amount of paper towels used for cleaning. Or better yet, you might even design a spot for reusable rags.

 

Make sure to click through our kitchen remodel portfolio for more inspiration. Also feel free to contact our expert contractors with any of your eco-friendly remodeling questions.