Interview with Anna Schmidt: Sustainable living – the future of interior design is green!
by
Anna Schmidt
Living greener, living more sustainably. This is one of the most important wishes that consumers have today for furniture and interior design. But how do you actually achieve sustainable living through sustainable furniture? And how do you choose environmentally friendly furnishings when it’s not just about individual accessories, but a complete sustainable interior design? Planetmoebel spoke to Anna Schmidt about exactly this and got the furniture expert to share the most important tips for sustainable living ideas.
Planetmoebel Blog: Anna, sustainable living is becoming more popular. Why are so many people interested in environmentally friendly furniture?
Anna Schmidt: This has to do with the fact that consumer awareness has changed. Environmental and climate protection has become enormously important. People don’t just rely on environmentally friendly companies. They reduce their own energy consumption in their private lives. They consume more consciously. They value environmentally friendly furnishings and sustainable interior design. Sustainability has become a part of everyday life. In a 2023 survey conducted by the Federal Statistical Office, 42 percent of respondents said that their daily behavior helps to address environmental problems. And 50 percent agreed that sustainability should not be a luxury.
Sustainability is expected - and linked to different demands
Planetmoebel Blog: So sustainability has developed into a quality that is simply assumed...
Anna Schmidt: Exactly. Marketing research would say that sustainability is not a striking, surprising feature. It is a basic feature. Something that modern consumers basically expect from a product. At the same time, we can observe that sustainability is a broad term. And sustainability is now linked to a variety of different expectations. The area of sustainable living and environmentally friendly furnishings shows this wonderfully. Sustainable furniture is not just characterized by the fact that it is made from environmentally friendly materials….
Planetmoebel Blog: What other special expectations do customers have of sustainable living ideas?
Anna Schmidt: An environmentally friendly furnishing for sustainable living should also be durable, easy to repair and recyclable. Only then does a sustainable interior design emerge. In this way, environmentally friendly furnishings serve a new way of life through sustainable living ideas. Something that many people are guided by today: That is the maxim of buying less but paying more attention to quality. You don’t want to overcrowd your apartment, but only bring things into the rooms that make life happier. When it comes to sustainable living ideas, this is a quality feature that should definitely not be forgotten.
Planetmoebel Blog: When expectations are varied, consumers and manufacturers have to pay attention to a lot of things. What kind of materials can be used when it comes to environmentally friendly furnishings?
Anna Schmidt: There are many in furniture manufacturing these days. When we talk about sustainable interior design and sustainable living, FSC-certified wood is of course a factor. FSC is the abbreviation for “Forest Stewardship Council”. This is an internationally recognized certificate for sustainable forestry. A second option is recycled materials. Sustainable furniture can be made from recycled wood and plastic stocks, for example. This reduces waste. This also creates sustainable interior design.
Thirdly, there are natural materials. Materials such as linen, hemp and organic cotton can be produced without environmentally harmful chemicals. They can be used to implement many beautiful sustainable living ideas. Fourthly, the sustainable furniture industry has developed innovative alternatives that many consumers are not yet aware of. They are incorporated into sustainable interior design at the highest level. These include materials based on mushrooms or things like seaweed. Their advantage: they are biodegradable and often also look beautiful. The seaweed planters that are so popular today and that many people use for houseplants are an example of this. They enable conscious furnishing with natural materials that look beautiful. Materials that promise a great feel. You want to touch them immediately.
Sustainability certificates, but also functionality are crucial
Planetmoebel Blog: And how can customers recognize such materials and sustainable furniture when buying?
Anna Schmidt: Sustainability certificates, but also functionality, are crucial when it comes to environmentally friendly furnishing of rooms and sustainable living. You should look out for relevant seals if you are putting together a sustainable interior design. In addition to the FSC seal for sustainable forestry mentioned above, there is the well-known Blue Angel. Then there is the reference to “Cradle-to-Cradle”. Such products were designed for a complete circular economy. Another quality aspect is changeability. Modular systems do not have to be replaced so quickly because they can be easily expanded, adapted and converted. I would also pay attention to that.
Planetmoebel Blog: Many people fear that environmentally friendly furnishings made with sustainable furniture are more expensive. Is that true?
Anna Schmidt: Sustainable furniture may seem more expensive at first glance than cheap mass-produced furniture. However, once you take into account the long-term usability, it is often the cheaper choice. It is not so cheap after all if the furniture breaks the first time you move or has to be replaced every few years. The strong demand for sustainable living has also led to sustainable interior design being available in different price ranges and for various sustainable living ideas. There are also quite affordable options for environmentally friendly furnishings today. Almost anyone can use them to implement sustainable living ideas.
It is better to buy fewer things and then those that really bring joy
Planetmoebel Blog: Sustainable interior design sounds promising. But do you have any tips on how to bring sustainable furniture into your home without having to buy everything new?
Anna Schmidt: Definitely! There are a few simple options. Among other things, it’s about recycling & upcycling in interior design. The first option is upcycling. This means that old furniture is given a new shape with a bit of creativity, new paint and new fabrics. Sustainable living ideas like these offer a lot of scope for creativity. And the result is a piece of furniture that is unique. Option two is second-hand buying. This is also an environmentally friendly furnishing. After all, sustainable furniture of this type reduces waste and new purchases. What many customers appreciate about it: vintage furniture has character and can be of high quality. For sustainable living ideas, I recommend looking at online classifieds and private sales. My third tip is to generally consume more consciously. So it’s better to buy fewer things and then those that really bring joy and are high-quality sustainable furniture. This approach also promotes sustainable living.
Planetmoebel Blog: Followers of the Japanese tidying consultant Marie Kondo would undoubtedly agree with the third tip. What sustainable furniture trends can we expect in the coming years?
Anna Schmidt: I’ve noticed that modular furniture is becoming increasingly popular when it comes to sustainable living. It offers multifunctional furnishings that can be flexibly adapted to people and their circumstances. It is sustainable furniture that can be adapted to phases of life. Sustainable living ideas that support sustainably functional and environmentally friendly furnishings. I see another trend for sustainable living in the area of zero-waste furnishings. This means furniture that can be 100 percent recycled. The cradle-to-cradle principle naturally promises the highest level of long-lasting living trends here. Thirdly, interest in regional product offerings is increasing on the furniture market. Where sustainable furniture is purchased from the region, transport routes are reduced and local craftsmanship is promoted. Customers who want to buy environmentally friendly furnishings or create a sustainable interior design also appreciate this.
Planetmoebel Blog: What is the best step to start planning a sustainable interior design?
Anna Schmidt: Basically, sustainable living ideas and environmentally conscious living should always be thought of from the perspective of the person and their personality. Ultimately, sustainable interior design is only sustainable if you feel comfortable with it. Sustainable living ideas should meet your personal taste and style. And sustainable interior design should offer practical everyday benefits. I have always seen this as a double requirement: on the one hand, sustainable living ideas should be implemented in such a way that they save time. On the other hand, sustainable interior design should make the existing life more beautiful through sustainable living ideas.
Sustainable living with Planetmoebel: stylish and functional
Planetmoebel Blog: How important is sustainable living for Planetmoebel? And how does Planetmoebel implement environmentally friendly furnishings through sustainable furniture?
Anna Schmidt: At Planetmoebel, we attach great importance to sustainable materials for furniture, responsible and environmentally friendly production. As far as the material is concerned, many sustainable wooden furniture items are made from FSC-certified wood. Or sustainable furniture is made from recycled materials. Planetmoebel also thinks beyond its own company area. We work with manufacturers who produce in an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way. Climate-friendly furniture manufacturing and resource-friendly furniture production are extremely important to us and we examine this…
Planetmoebel Blog: That concerns the production side.
Anna Schmidt: Yes, then on the other hand there is the area of functionality. Here we pay attention to a stylish and functional design. Our goal for sustainable living and sustainable furniture: We want to provide customers with environmentally friendly furnishings. Ecological furniture that is stylish and functional. It’s about sustainable interior design that is fun for more than just a moment. It’s about sustainable living ideas that can be adapted to personal living circumstances. To achieve this, sustainable interior design must be flexible. Sustainable living through environmentally friendly furnishings with a long-term perspective is the goal. Consumers notice this. And they often give us new ideas with comments. In this respect, we are happy about every comment.
Sources used for images:
- Photo by T. Schneider on Shutterstock.com
- Photo by fxquadro on Freepik
- Photo by mrsiraphol on Freepik
- Photo by lookstudio on Freepik
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