Being green in your outdoor space is just as important as indoors! Check out the best places to find sustainable outdoor furniture and decor.
Ah… spring. Time to throw open the doors, get out the patio furniture and bask in the loveliness of blooming flowers and happily chirping birds. Or, if you live where I do, continue to hide indoors as it snows day after day. Which pretty accurately describes the months of March and April here… and sometimes May.
But the great thing about living in near-perpetual winter is that it means you really learn to appreciate warm weather. And the way we get through these everlasting winters is by dreaming up the perfect outdoor living space. Since outdoor living is all about basking in nature’s beauty, let’s make sure to help protect the planet by creating our outdoor spaces using sustainable furniture and decor.
Here are four places to find eco friendly outdoor furniture and five spots to look for patio and porch ideas on a budget. Sigh… can’t you just feel the sunshine?
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Start by Searching for Secondhand Outdoor Furniture
As I always (always!) say, shop secondhand first. Where you live is going to dictate what is available to you, but most likely your town or city will have an online local buy and sell. There of course are also garage sales, buying pre-loved items off of friends and family members and estate sales.
But if you want to go straight to the good stuff, I recommend checking out Chairish as all the items listed on the site have been curated by interior design experts. You can filter your search and browse thousands of pre-owned outdoor furniture. Since many of their items are rare antiques and vintage pieces the prices can be really high, but you can also filter your search so only items within your budget show up.
Check Out Eco Friendly Outdoor Furniture Brands
If you can’t find any secondhand options you like, or you prefer to buy new, consider investing in high quality, thoughtfully made outdoor furniture from sustainable brands.
Masaya Co create handmade outdoor furniture from sustainably harvested wood. Meanwhile, Yardbird turns ocean-bound plastic into wicker furniture – and diverted an impressive 430,000 lbs of plastic from the ocean in 2022 alone.
Need help choosing eco-conscious furniture and decor for your home? That’s what I’m here for!
Find Sustainable Patio Furniture on Online Green Marketplaces
Another great way to find sustainable outdoor furniture is to check out online marketplaces, where you can find hundreds of ethical, handmade furniture (and decor) for your outdoor space.
On Made Trade, they’ve already done the curating for you so you can buy from one of the many brands they carry knowing you’re shopping sustainably. For Etsy you need to do a little additional sleuthing to make sure the pieces you come across are made from green materials, but sometimes the search is part of the fun! Or, you could buy plans to create your own DIY outdoor furniture and then use reclaimed lumber to build it.
Look for Outdoor Furniture that’s Eco Friendly at Large Retailers
While I try to avoid buying items from large retailers, there are a few companies out there that are making good strides towards sustainability. Buying ONLY eco-conscious products from big name brands sends a message that nothing less than green will do.
For example, 60% of West Elm’s product sales support at least one of their sustainability initiatives and 52% of their wood furniture is sustainably sourced. So if you’re going to buy outdoor furniture from them – make sure it’s one of the sustainable pieces! Another big home retailer to check out is Crate and Barrel as about half of their furniture is FSC-certified and they’ve pledged to continue their journey toward becoming a greener company.
5 Green Patio Decor Ideas on a Budget
And because I can’t resist sharing a few decor ideas to make your sustainable outdoor space feel more homey, here are five outdoor decorating ideas on a budget. Some of the bigger outdoor furniture pieces can be a big investment, so balancing the expense out with affordable, yet well-made, decor is a must.
Recycled plastic outdoor rug
Handmade linen throw pillows
Basket made from recycled tires
Spruce-scented beeswax candle
Handmade terracotta planters
Did this post get you all excited about getting outdoors this spring and summer and all inspired with ideas for decorating a patio on a budget? It sure got me amped up! Whether you have a big yard or a tiny balcony, if you need help creating a sustainable outdoor space please check out my e-design services!
Leave a comment below about your patio decor plans or let me know what your favourite thing is about spring and summer!
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Reposted on March 10, 2023 (Originally Posted on May 3, 2017)
Need help choosing eco-conscious furniture and decor for your home? That’s what I’m here for!
Former architectural technologist. Current treehugger.
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All spectacular ideas! And may I say we are well versed in recycled wood. Up to our literal necks in it as a matter of fact. And did you need anything built from that wood for your treed piece of heaven? Just a thought. Bright article once again. I do love me a good blog.
I always need things built from recycled wood – even when I actually don’t, if you know what I mean. Thanks for the offer and I will let you know once I’ve brainstormed a little more… And thanks as always for the comment! You are my commenting-ninja 🙂
Love my solar post caps! They like to fly away during wind storms because I keep forgetting to screw them down 😉 Hammocks are the best too!
Haha! Yes I could see that happening. Good thing they do come with screws. And I am totally getting a hammock when we move to the land. You guys have lots of space at your place – you should hammock it up and then invite me over to hang in it 😉
I don’t think I’ve ever commented on your blog before, but I’ve been silently reading along!
I love the idea of a reclaimed wooden ladder to use as a trellis! Now to find some reclaimed wood, and also someone handy enough to build that haha.
We were actually discussing our backyard over the past few days, and we will be finishing it this summer, so I think I’ll also need to pick up some of those solar-powered light caps…and maybe a plastic rug…I’m also trying to figure out where I could put a hammock…
Hmm, now you’ve got me thinking…
Thanks for the comment Fallon! We don’t have room for a hammock in our backyard either, but we have plenty of room out on the land so one day it’s going to happen. The funny thing is I’m not really a lounging around in a hammock kind of person – I’m more of a putter around the yard and pull weeds kind of person, but there’s a certain someone in my family who would totally nap hammock-style!
I’m always impressed by the variety of luxurious furniture options available. There’s something for every style and taste, and it’s a great way to add a touch of elegance to any room.
Searching for secondhand outdoor furniture led me to Chairish, and it’s been a game-changer. The user-friendly interface made it a breeze to filter through a wide array of options, ensuring I found pieces that matched my style and budget. The quality of the items exceeded my expectations, and I appreciate the attention to detail by the experts who curated them. Chairish has turned my outdoor decor dreams into a reality!
Yes! Chairish is an amazing option for secondhand finds!