Guest blog by Zach Williams
These days, everyone is all about modern home designs and going green. Luckily, you do not have to choose between one or the other when it comes to designing your dream home. In fact, these two design concepts go hand-in-hand, so there is no need to stress about choosing one over the other. Just choose the right materials, and you can call it a day. But, with so many options for building materials, how are you supposed to decide what to use? Here are some fantastic green options to consider as you go along.
Energy-Efficient Materials
What better way to create a modern, green home than use energy-efficient materials to create the entire structure of it? ICF homes, built with composite concrete blocks, are a lighter, more durable building option compared to the traditional concrete blocks commonly used. These blocks are made in such a way that they act as a layer insulation, which is part of why they are considered to be great energy-efficient materials since it means you will spend less on heating and cooling over time. Not only are they a very green material, but these blocks are also fire resistant, adding another level of protection to your home. Modern, energy-efficient materials that provide more protection to your home? Yes, please!
Sustainable Wood Products
Teak, Black Ebony, Mahogany, and Brazillian Walnut are just a few popular wood options people use to make flooring and furniture. While they may look beautiful, they are also going extinct because people want them in their homes. Instead of going for these exotic options, consider more sustainable wood products. These products are still beautiful options that find better alternatives to the more exotic woods people use. Sustainable wood products are treated in a more environmentally friendly way, which help to keep the carbon footprint relatively small in comparison to non-sustainable wood options. Beautiful sustainable wood products like modified wood siding sound like a major win to us! These kinds of products can be used throughout your home to make a cool, environmentally modern design.
Reclaimed Wood Finishes
There is no denying that there is something truly special about reclaimed wood finishes. Not only does it create a beautiful, unique look anywhere it is used, but it gives old wood a whole new lease on life. Since reclaimed wood finishes are done using old wood that comes from old barns and other wooden structures that have been torn down to be turned into something new. Because it doesn’t require the cutting of more trees, it is a more sustainable and environmentally friendly design option to consider.
Low-Maintenance Siding
Let’s be real: you want your home to look beautiful, but you probably don’t want to spend too much time maintaining it. So, the less work you have to do to keep it looking good, the better, right? That means you need to be thinking of some sort of low-maintenance siding. If you’re someone who loves the idea of cozy log cabin homes, then steel log siding may be the perfect type of low-maintenance siding for you. Yes, you read that right: steel log siding. This type of siding is made from steel that is designed to resemble the same logs you would find in a traditional log home. Minus the deforestation that a traditional log cabin creates. Steel siding is also far more sustainable, in the sense that you will not have to do more than rinse it off to keep it looking good. Whereas with real wood siding, you have to reseal, restain, and replace logs every couple of years and also spray them with chemicals to avoid any potential insect infestations. None of that is very green, is it?
And while log cabins are usually favored for their rustic appearances, it doesn’t mean they can’t take on a modern twist. Paired with the right materials and design, steel log siding can be the perfect low-maintenance siding of your dreams.
Everyone is looking to go green in every way possible—from the food that they eat down to the products used for their home. With so many new, environmentally-friendly design materials for the home, it is easier than ever to create a modern, green home design. These are just a few products you should keep in mind when designing your dream modern home to be as green as possible. So, as you go through the design process, be sure to keep these design ideas in mind!