
7 Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Kitchen Design Ideas
Since climate change consistently makes headlines, it becomes crucial to consider eco friendly kitchen design ideas for your self-build or renovation.
Homeowners can follow several factors significantly lowering their kitchen’s carbon footprint, including construction techniques, materials, long-term sustainability, and energy efficiency. Design and technology innovations mean environmentally-friendly options shouldn’t affect design and performance.
This blog will explain several eco-friendly kitchen ideas, such as using reclaimed materials, green technology, and ecological lighting, that will help Australian homeowners fully utilise the busiest space in their residences.
1) Regain and Recover
Using recovered and repurposed materials and furniture prevents the waste of valuable resources. This strategy also involves fewer materials, including natural resources and energy, to build an environmentally friendly kitchen.
With our nearly two decades of valuable industry experience, we’re kitchens Nerang experts who recommend obtaining reclaimed materials from authorised dealers and scrapyards. Kitchen companies that recycle old items are also a viable option. Easy access to these materials makes it more convenient for homeowners to make wise, eco-friendly choices.
You can build on your sustainable kitchen ideas by exploring Gumtree Australia or eBay Australia for potential buyers of premium cabinetry and worktops. They buy these kitchen fixtures from homeowners refurbishing their kitchens and re-selling them at discounted prices.
Before undergoing a full renovation, consider offering your old kitchen fittings to potential buyers, listing them locally, or donating to charity.
2) Purchase Secondhand Items
Homeowners can purchase secondhand items from Australian companies that sell these high-quality items at a fraction of the price of new ones. For instance, many companies offer comprehensive ranges of second-hand kitchen equipment, which homeowners can buy directly or finance through the company.
Other sellers promote their kitchen furnishings on social media platforms such as Facebook Groups or Reddit.
Updating your cabinet frameworks with replacement doors and handles enhances your kitchen’s rustic allure. It’s a strategy that prevents a complete renovation and helps homeowners save time and money.
3) Go The Recycled Route
Recycling helps minimise landfill material, reduces waste, and conserves natural resources. On the other hand, virgin materials require more energy than their recycled counterparts. Reusing materials will help maximise your eco-friendly kitchen’s functionality and contribute to a greener, healthier planet.
Australian companies such as Eco Benchtops, Future re Made, and Five Mile Radius, sell various recycled kitchen fittings, including stainless steel, bronze, or copper sinks; benchtops, tables, chairs, and benches. We recommend purchasing recycled composite worksurfaces and cabinet fronts to spruce up your sustainable kitchen.
4) Sustainable Materials
We recommend that homeowners considering timbre flooring or cabinetry explore melamine-faced chipboard (MFC) and medium-density fibreboard (MDF) options because of their eco-friendly nature. Ecoboard’s and bamboo’s sustainability features make them excellent alternatives for your eco-friendly kitchen.
Environmentally-friendly worksurface and splashback alternatives include:
- Glass.
- Terrazzo.
- Sintered stone.
- Mineral-based quartz.
Many of these options, made from 70% to 90% waste materials, help make Australian kitchens sustainable and leave a positive environmental impact.
5) Eco-Friendly Floors
Properly sourced timber, stone, or fast-growing bamboo’s reduced carbon footprint increases your kitchen flooring’s appeal and helps save the environment. Cork is another excellent alternative since its bark regrows after being cut, ensuring longevity and durability.
We recommend polyurethane resin floors because they mimic concrete without any carbon emissions. Concrete requires large quantities of chemicals, which have detrimental effects on the environment,
Epoxy floors, a subcategory of resin flooring, also contribute to an aesthetically pleasing, sustainable kitchen. This flooring is a combination of epoxy and a hardener that has no solvents, so it doesn’t emit harmful odours or chemicals.
6) Green Technology
Many Australian kitchen appliance manufacturers are making their products more energy-efficient. For instance, a boiling water tap provides hot water and helps homeowners save monthly utility bills, rendering electric boiling kettles obsolete. Eco-taps are worth considering because they have built-in limiters that regulate water use and limit waste.
Nowadays, cooking and cooling apparatus require less power. On the other hand, modern electronic cleaning equipment requires less water. Each appliance has an energy rating label (such as 150 kWh/annum) to help you figure out the potential annual cost. Multiply this rate by how much your service provider charges per kWh, as your electric utility bill indicates.
You will find a Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) label on appliances such as dishwashers, indicating their water efficiency rating of up to six stars and water consumption in litres per cycle. A higher water efficiency rating means the apparatus requires less water to perform its designated tasks, significantly reducing your monthly or quarterly water utility payments.
7) Eco-Friendly Lighting
A comprehensive lighting plan guarantees a long-term sustainable kitchen. When planning your layout, ensure that the most important areas receive significant natural light.
For instance, a roof light or glass doors will brighten your kitchen’s food prep section. When using artificial lighting, we recommend using LEDs, which are 75% to 80% more efficient and endure 25 times longer than traditional incandescent lights. These lights significantly minimise waste and allow Aussie homeowners to save money on their monthly electric utility expenses.
Check the colour, temperature, and brightness of your LEDs. Cooler tones are better for working, while warmer ones help create a snug, cosy ambience. We recommend using LED strips and tape for sections less concentrated on practical tasks, including those under shelves and worktops.
Finally, decorative lighting is more appropriate for a separate circuit or dimmer for several reasons:
- Enhanced ambience: A unique connection for decorative lighting allows homeowners to adjust its brightness and enhance the desired ambience.
- Autonomous operation: It’s easier for homeowners to operate decorative lighting if it has its own separate circuit and works autonomously on various kitchen lighting zones.
- Energy efficient lighting: Dimmers’ lowered brightness allows homeowners to minimise energy consumption. Separate circuits ensure precise lighting, eliminating unnecessary usage for valuable peace of mind and reassurance.
- Functional separation: A separate control panel ensures functional lighting doesn’t interfere with task lighting, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
- Aesthetic appeal: Functional lighting, such as coloured LEDs or chandelier-style fixtures, has customisable intensities that enhance your kitchen’s aesthetic appeal.
Contact Us
Since 2006, Kitchen Builders Queensland has assisted Australian homeowners in designing and building their dream eco-friendly kitchens. Our extensive industry experience, professionalism, and customer-centric approach have earned our customers’ trust and confidence.
Are you ready to transform your kitchen into an eco-friendly sanctuary? Contact us today to share your sustainable kitchen design ideas. We will schedule a free site inspection and design an upfront, customised quote that meets your objectives and your budget.