Why is eco style becoming so popular?

In modern society, for a number of years, there has been a tendency of "fatigue" from the excessive manufacturability of being. Increasingly, people are drawn to nature, fed up with the hustle and bustle of life in the metropolis. They begin to appreciate clean air, a beautiful landscape outside the window, the simplicity and naturalness of natural building and finishing materials.

In a word, eco-style in the interior and in life in general is confidently and for a long time becoming fashionable. Having made the decision to equip housing in an eco-style, let's look at what main features characterize it and what main rules should be taken into account.

General features of eco style: in design, in construction, in our life

Eco style in the global sense is harmonious to human nature itself, it has pristine simplicity and naturalness. That is why we feel so cozy, comfortable, calm and free in such an interior.

No "tension", no unnatural things, colors, shapes that irritate the eyes. A person does not experience stress in such an environment, it is very important in the current rhythm of life.

Natural materials do not discord with our inner world, they become its organic part and entourage, attuning to warmth, family values, calm home happiness, and, if necessary, to creative work.

Wood, clay and stone in general have been the main building materials of mankind for centuries, even millennia.

And today the combination of wood and simple clay brick is perceived as organically, like a fire in the hearth, like greenery outside the window, like bread and fruits on the table.

Designers complement this basis with plants, fabrics, natural finishing materials, infusing soul into the interior and enlivening it.

Everything is practical in an eco-house, there is no pretentious decor for the sake of vanity. There are no items "just like that". Only functionally important things and natural decor close to the owner's heart. In such a dwelling, everything is real, not fake: wood, fabric, and live fire in the fireplace.

Eco-style is more than home decoration, it is a philosophy of life. The interior should be made of high quality durable natural materials. After all, ECO (literally - “house”) is not just three letters.

This word contains a deep meaning of attitude to our own life and to everything that surrounds us: it is a harmonious relationship between man and nature, rejection of the philosophy of global immoderate consumerism, respect for things, for people, for human relations, for traditions.

The general recipe for eco-style in the interior is as follows:

- Light, often white walls and ceiling. This is the basis on which the designer strings the rest of the design and decoration elements.

- A lot of natural wood in the interior: floor, wall and ceiling decoration, furniture.

- Stone (sometimes more, sometimes almost none). The stone can be natural, artificial (concrete), or stone-like tiles as a practical and budget option.

- Textiles: curtains, upholstery made of natural fabrics, carpets, wallpaper embossed a la fabric. Rough fabrics made from natural materials are welcome: cotton, linen, as well as canvas, bamboo, mats. Fabrics should not be dyed with artificial dyes.

- Greenery, indoor plants, trees outside the window as part of the interior. Aerobatics is the decoration of walls with living climbing vines.

- Large windows. In this case, the main element of eco-design is the picture outside the window. Ideally, it should be a pretty natural landscape, beautiful at any time of the year. Furniture and decoration fade into the background, they do not draw attention to themselves. Tulle is usually not used so as not to obstruct the panorama. Light airy linen draperies on the sides of the windows, not obscuring the view from the window, are acceptable.

- The design of an apartment or house in an eco-style should not be overloaded with either furniture or decor. What is important is the “cleanliness” of the space, emphasizing the simplicity and naturalness of the owners' lifestyle.

Now a few words about what to avoid when creating an eco-style interior: toxic materials such as stretch ceilings or laminate, acid colors, abundant lurid decor, overly bright neon lights and other signs of techno-civilization that contradict the philosophy of an eco-friendly image life.

The ostentatious luxury of the type of gold stucco molding, gilded beds with monograms is completely inappropriate. The worst (fortunately out of fashion) decor is stuffed animals and carpets made of wild animals' skins.

Eco interior design has an amazing property: it goes well with other popular modern trends, such as minimalism. All modern home appliances and electronics perfectly complement the eco interior and create comfortable and harmonious conditions for life, work and leisure.

The main thing is a sense of proportion, the innate good taste of a designer, and the result will bring the owners of an eco-style house a charge of inspiration and a desire to enjoy the fullness and harmony of life.

Choosing a color in an eco-style interior

The key word is naturalness. Eco style does not tolerate "chemical" colors, unnatural shades. Preference is given to a white background plus wood of different species, interspersed with natural stone (but stone is not as the main material, but as an addition).

And, of course, green. A plant motif is an integral part of an eco-friendly interior. This can be either a view of the garden outside the window, or any kind of landscaping - flowers in flowerpots, phytowalls of living plants. In different proportions.

Color additions are allowed: blue, yellow and other base colors. But these colors don't have to be bright. Calm, pastel, muted shades. The more colored elements, the more muted the shade should be. For example, if you add a couple of bright accent colored pillows to a monochrome interior, then OK, but if we are talking about a blue kitchen, then the color should be unambiguously muted.

An interesting feature of wood: depending on the shade of the material, you can get interiors in different styles: light shades - Scandinavian, minimalism, Mediterranean; brown palette - country, hygge; very dark - loft. But all of these styles have in common an eco-friendly interior.

Wall and ceiling decoration: features

The classic version of the eco-style ceiling is straight, white. If this is a private house and there are structural beams, it is advisable to process them and leave them open. In such an interior, it is appropriate to leave the brickwork in its natural form, especially if it is old masonry. BUT!

It is important that it was just brickwork, and not imitation of brickwork with tiles and false panels, cheap fakes are out of place here. In eco style matte surfaces and natural textures are preferred. Don't use shiny polished metal or glossy plastic.

Wooden slats are actively used in eco-style. They can be used to decorate both the ceiling and walls. Finish made of solid waxed or aged wood will look very organic.

The choice of furniture in eco interior design

The furniture is supposed to be comfortable, practical, laconic. Simple shapes, matt wood surfaces. The advantage in upholstery is given to textiles and fabrics. It is better not to use leather and leatherette at all.

Furniture should be of good quality, strong and durable, as if emphasizing the environmental friendliness of the owners' thinking, their negative attitude towards consumerism and the purchase of one-day things made of cheap plastic and other synthetic materials.

Lighting features

Eco interiors require a lot of natural light. Large windows or maximally open windows are what you need, they will allow the landscape outside the windows to become part of the interior, a living picture, bringing closer to nature.

Artificial light can be zoned. In such an interior, it is better to abandon spotlights as much as possible, giving preference to chandeliers, sconces, floor lamps with warm light.

Decor and other design elements in eco style

Decor plays an important role, but you need to choose it very carefully so as not to overdo it. Things that are important for the owner are exhibited at sight - souvenirs brought from trips, a blanket knitted by a grandmother, and the like. This is something valuable personally for the inhabitants of the house, something beautiful, filled with warmth.

It will be appropriate here:

- all kinds of textile decor: blankets, rugs, pillows in natural colors, including those with ethnic motives; clay, ceramic, plaster dishes, vases;

-hand maid;

- rattan furniture and decor - baskets, lampshades, wicker chairs.

It is quite permissible to use used things in eco-decor, even old ones - they have a piece of the soul of their former owners, they testify to the continuity of generations. This is quite consistent with the mental model of sustainable consciousness.

Ideas and examples of eco-style interior design in Anngli studio

1. Apartment on Osokorki

The size of the living room is 30 m². The size of the kitchen is 24 m². The living room is not combined with the kitchen.

The task was to create a cozy, warm recreation area, as the owner likes to watch movies with good acoustics and drink tea at his leisure, and also loves outdoor recreation and plants.

At first, it was difficult for the owner to make a planning decision. The option of a living room combined with a kitchen was considered for a long time. As a result, we decided to donate the guest bedroom and divide the kitchen and living area into separate rooms.

We have chosen a combination of a white background with wood, textiles and landscaping as the basis for the eco-design of the apartment.

The interior is designed in clean lines, with a harmonious combination of textures and natural tones. Lack of visual contrasts, cozy hand-made carpets, ethnic decor set you up for a calm, relaxed pastime, for relaxation and a feeling of home. Stone countertops and metal add a touch of luxury to the atmosphere.

As such, there were no implementation difficulties. The downside is the small height of the room, while it was necessary to dilute the ventilation under the ceiling. I had to make a multi-level ceiling in some areas. The result is an additional interesting design element, reminiscent of the 21st century.

2. House in Brovary

Living room size 34.5 m² + kitchen / dining room 32 m².

Work on this project began at the design stage of the house. The barnhouse style was chosen, one of the features of which is the emphasis on environmental friendliness, the natural environment of life (barnhouse in English means a barn, a barn adapted for housing). The interior continues the philosophy of laconicism and minimalism of the Barnhouse style.

Excessive luxury is not needed here, the emphasis is shifting towards comfort, practicality and coziness. Barnhouse design features imply a natural finish not only outside, but also inside.

What solutions have you picked up for an eco-style interior?

A large area of ​​glazing, behind a panoramic window - a beautiful landscape with a forest. Thanks to the second panoramic window in the kitchen-dining area, we achieved maximum natural light and good air circulation.

Natural pebbles under the stairs emphasize the simplicity and naturalness of the dwelling, and flowerpots with indoor plants on stones seem to create a corner of a real rocky desert. A little design trick: removable trays filled with sea pebbles are installed on the tiled floor. Thanks to these pallets, the stones are easy to clean.

The use of wooden slats in ceiling decoration has not lost its popularity over the past years due to its practicality and beauty. We took advantage of the fashion trend and finished one of the ceiling zones with natural wood slats.

Since the floor on the ground floor is everywhere made of tiles imitating wood, an interesting feature turned out: the slats give a tangible aroma of wood in the room, and guests often do not notice that the floor is ceramic, but think that the parquet board smells like that.

There were some nuances regarding the fireplace. The idea to add a fireplace to the interior appeared after the construction of the box at home. Therefore, we were limited in choosing the location of the chimney: only at the outer wall, that is, behind the sofa. Here a modular sofa came to the rescue, which can be turned to the other side if necessary.

3. Home spa complex in Bucha

The size of the living room is 52 m².

Our task was to develop the architecture and interior of a building designed specifically for winter and summer holidays, spending time with guests (next to the house of the owners, where they live). Around - pines and oaks, which, of course, had to be preserved.

We decided to let nature into the house through large panoramic windows. In the summer, the sliding systems in the living room move and the room turns into a large gazebo - the maximum unity with nature was possible.

When designing, the option of a separate gazebo was first considered, but since it also needed to be sheltered from wind and rain, we came to the option with large sliding windows. As a result, we got a feeling of lightness, freedom, spaciousness - exactly what corresponds to eco-style in design and in life.

Structural wooden beams are open to the view in the living room. They were deliberately not covered, and thus gave the room a zest in eco-style. We also used natural stone (table top), glass and natural veneer. All surfaces are easy to clean - simple, practical, natural.

What was our motivation to arrange everything this way? People specially travel outside the city to be in nature, to breathe in the fresh air. Therefore, creating closed dark spaces cluttered with furniture is inappropriate here. Plus, this living room provides the ability to find a large number of guests and move them to the pool and grill area.

Floor covering in all rooms - tiles, it is convenient for cleaning. Inside the room there is also a natural fireplace with wood; in the cool season it is very appropriate and turns into a central element of eco-design. I had to work hard on sliding structures with maximum glazing and maximum opening, as well as on the structure of the canopy over the pool and facade.

But the result exceeded all expectations. A successful exterior solution made it possible to make the windows fully opening, and the canopy became a protection from wind, dust, precipitation.

4. Apartment in Odessa

The size of the living room is 44.5 m².

The owners of the apartment are our regular customers - Kievites. This is an apartment for business trips and summer vacations, that is, for occasional living. The apartment had to correspond to the refined style of the customer, which we have already studied over many years of cooperation, but we decided to bring a specific nautical theme to the interior.

We have obtained a non-standard interpretation of the marine eco style through textures, textures and shapes that resemble the underwater world. The mirrored decor behind the sofa imitates air bubbles underwater. The floor is tiles resembling a sandy beach. Used shades of coral reefs in the decor - turquoise, purple.

The unique headboard made by the Italian factory Piermaria imitates the sea wave. In the hallway - wallpaper with a thematic pattern.

It was difficult for us to stick to one shade of metal. Elements of some custom-made items had to be repainted: for example, sconces could only be ordered with gold legs, but we needed a delicate shade of satin nickel.

The non-standard arrangement of the bed between the two supporting columns was due to the view of the sea from the window and at the same time the ability to watch TV. I had to change the standard dimensions of the bed and make a special order.

5. Compact apartment on Petropavlovskaya Borschagovka

Living room size 10 m² + kitchen 9 m².

The interior of a miniature apartment in an eco-style was created for a young girl and had to be filled with home comfort and warmth in a very compact environment.

Following the rule - light shades for walls and ceilings, we used ivory-colored paper wallpapers.

Floor - imitation of wood with tiles. Since the space is very small, it was decided to use one floor material throughout the apartment, so as not to split the room. Small blotches of purple (the favorite color of the hostess of the apartment) are elements of eco-decor, delicate, not bright, light, like air.

Small area, so the minimum number of shades and the same materials were used. This is a good trick for small spaces: use a combination of a light background + ONE wood shade and you can't go wrong!

Difficulty - to separate the sleeping area, while maintaining natural light in the living room. We used a glass partition. For the hostess, the evening lighting was a very important aspect. We made it as romantic as possible.

6. Office in Podil

This is a good example of how eco-style can be appropriate not only in the interiors of apartments or houses, but also in public spaces.

Office size 80 m².

The office, owned by a law firm, is located in a historic building in Podil. The old masonry walls were covered with plasterboard before the renovation. We decided to expose the historic brick, clean and paint it white. This increased the width of the cabinet. Brick has added style and loft to the eco interior.

On the light monochromatic walls, we placed paintings with compositions of stones, symbolizing balance, balance - all this symbolically corresponds to the profile of the company.

Wooden panels on the walls have a double function: they prevent damage to the walls by backs of chairs and give the interior stability, naturalness and a little homeliness for the comfort of employees.

For lighting, we used the Palma collection of lamps from the Vibia brand, in which lamps are combined with pots for greenery - what we need for our eco style. Green plants are known to have a beneficial effect on the nervous system of people working indoors and create a calm, constructive work environment in the office.

The difficulty was that the office is very narrow and has a very elongated shape. I had to dismantle the plasterboard cladding of the brick walls, thereby gaining 5 cm on each side. With the help of carpet, wooden slats on the ceiling and distinctive wall material, they zoned the office, thereby visually balancing its proportions and achieving a harmonious perception of the working space as a whole.