5 Reasons Why Traditional Style is the Most Sustainable Way to Decorate

I’ve always believed that traditional style is the most sustainable way to decorate a home. Here are five reasons why this is the decor style I’ll always choose.

When we think of sustainable home design, we usually think of really modern spaces with neutral colors, natural materials, and some kind of “green” certification process. Designers, architects, engineers, and home builders have put a lot of effort and creativity into making residential and commercial design practices better for the environment, safer for us to live with, and more durable so costly, wasteful renovations won’t need to be done so often. And that’s great. The thing that I find interesting, though, is that we already have an existing way of living and decorating sustainably, with very little waste, greatly reduced need for manufacturing, and enduring style that just seems to work, no matter what era you’re living in. Here’s why I think that traditional style is truly the most sustainable way to decorate your home.

Traditional Style is Permanent Style

Traditional details bring a sense of permanence to a room. Somehow, we instinctively know that pieces in this style can and should remain and therefore they never feel wrong. The impulse to replace everything and start fresh over and over again disappears when you start decorating your spaces in a traditional style. A feeling of connection with the past and a sense of readiness for the future seems to take over.

Pictured Above: Faucets | Cordless Lamp | Market Basket |

I chose traditional elements in a style that works with the age of our home for our bathroom renovation over a decade ago and this space still feels just right. Traditional style has a way of making spaces feel fresh and inventive, but also nostalgic and cozy at the same time, and it’s a feeling that rises above passing trends and fads.

More home decoration ideas for your room makeover: 6 Ways to Steal My Traditional Farmhouse Style

Traditional Pieces Can Be Endlessly Reimagined

Pictured Above: Lamp | Similar Wallpaper | Affordable Horse Print

Timeless, classic pieces lend themselves well to creative updates and reinvention. Just because they stay, doesn’t mean they always stay the same. Paint and hardware changes are always an option, but good quality antique and even new, traditional style pieces work so well when they’re used in inventive ways around your home. Maybe a dresser that used to be in a child’s bedroom suddenly becomes an entryway table with ample storage for all your little everyday things, or an old dining table becomes an oversized desk with enough space to spread out and get the job done in style.

If you’re in the mood for a more modern decor style, traditional pieces add tension and interest when paired with modern art, patterns, and textiles, and they work with muted or bold colors. This is true for furnishings, textiles, millwork, cabinetry, and so many other home design elements.

Traditional Style is Affordable Style

Traditional style costs so much less in the long run. You may pay more at first for quality pieces, but when you only need to buy it once, you save so much money in the long run. When you consider how easily traditional pieces like furnishings, light fixtures, lamps, and decorative items can be passed down through the generations, you start to realize just how much value these pieces really hold.

Pictured Above: Lamp | Similar Wallpaper | Affordable Horse Print | Chandelier | Market Basket | White Jars | Similar Bell Jar Hall Light

I believe my dining room set was first purchased by my great-grandparents, although it may actually have been bought a generation earlier. While this table, buffet, and set of chairs may have initially been a serious investment, these pieces have served our family well for many generations now, without requiring any notable monetary contributions beyond moving expenses.

Read next: 7 Things Every Traditional Home Needs to Feel Complete

Traditional Pieces Grow With You

Traditional style always feels elevated, even when a certain piece was inexpensive. You never feel the need to upgrade a traditional piece like you do when you start out with cheap big box store furniture. You don’t get that same urge to replace pieces that feels too young or make you feel like you’re not where you want to be in life. You grow into traditional pieces rather than growing out of them.

Cheap big box store furniture is usually purchased with the thought that “this piece is just for now, until we can afford something better,” but secondhand traditional pieces allow you to afford the good stuff now and keep it for the long run. If you are leaning towards purchasing new and inexpensive pieces, choose pieces than lean more traditional and you may be surprised at how you end up enjoying them much longer than you originally anticipated.

Pictured Above: Pergola | All-Weather Planter | Mug

Our back deck features and inexpensive wicker table and big box store metal chairs in a timeless style. These pieces weren’t expensive, but I’m still not ready to part with them despite how old they are because they still just feel right.

Heritage inspired interior design: Home Design Details That Instantly Make A Home Feel Historical

Traditional is Forever

Pictured Above: Tub Filler | Shower Curtain (CREEKLINEHOUSE for 24% off, color is “Thyme”)

High-quality traditional pieces have an almost endless life cycle and they can be traded, donated, bought, sold, and passed down, keeping them out of landfills and reducing the need for new pieces to be made. This makes them good for the planet, good for your wallet, and good for your peace of mind.

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