Sustainable Kitchen Renovations: Eco-Friendly Choices for Melbourne Homes
Homeowners across Melbourne are more conscious than ever of their lifestyle habits and how their choices impact the environment. That’s why households are taking the necessary steps to upgrade their homes to operate more efficiently. One of these eco-friendly ways is with a kitchen renovation.
It’s no surprise that the kitchen is one of the most heavily used spaces in a home, so when deciding on a sustainable kitchen, you’ll need the right cabinet maker to help you on this journey.
But before you dive into your sustainable kitchen renovation, you need to know where to begin, what to consider for your needs and what works within your budget. That’s where this article will help.
We’ve researched the best eco-friendly kitchen renovation trends so you can make the right decision while lowering your carbon footprint.
Why Go Eco-Friendly?
If you live in an established home in Melbourne where the design and functionality of your kitchen may be growing old, you might benefit from a renovation. But does this mean you need to knock everything down and start from scratch? Not necessarily.
If you’re environmentally conscious, and your kitchen has a good base to work from, you may not need to replace everything.
By retaining some of the charm of the existing kitchen infrastructure, you’ll save yourself some serious money on your renovation and make an environmentally conscious decision.
Retaining some of the old and blending it with the new means fewer new materials are required – meaning less potentially harmful waste and less use of new materials. So before you decide to demolish your kitchen, speak to your kitchen cabinet maker, who can offer eco-friendly advice about what you can keep and what needs to go.
What to Consider for Your Sustainable Kitchen Renovation
When renovating your kitchen, you want to make a space that looks appealing while meeting the household’s needs. After all, it’s one of the most commonly used spaces in a home so it needs to strike the balance between function and form.
But knowing where to start can be difficult. Let’s look at some things to consider when embarking on your kitchen renovation journey.
Materials
Whether you plan to keep some of the existing elements in your kitchen or start from scratch, sourcing eco-friendly alternatives is easier than you think.
Natural stone, or paper composite and resin table tops, timber with a low formaldehyde rating, and responsibly sourced solid timber are just a few solutions. You could also opt for polished concrete and non-porous tiles, which help to minimise mould, meaning that your kitchen is not only eco-friendly but healthy for the people who use it.
You will want to consider what products are used to finish the materials, their green certifications, and how much has gone into making these materials. Also, factor in the energy used to produce the product and then deliver it to you. For example, wood or wood products have travelled halfway around the world, compared with locally sourced timber.
Natural Light and Ventilation
Natural lighting and ventilation in your kitchen should be an important factor in your kitchen renovation. The space should be set up in a way that allows for good thermal properties, with windows allowing for natural light to brighten up your space.
By creating a space that has a focus on bringing elements of nature from the outside into your kitchen, not only will you save on energy costs, but the positive health and wellbeing impacts for your household will also be factored into the design.
Energy-Efficient Appliances
Energy-efficient appliances can positively impact the environment while saving on water, electricity and costs. Electric appliances are a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, especially if they are connected to a solar power system where your impact will be even less, and you will have more money back in your pocket.
Consider things like energy-efficient lighting, induction cooktops, and heat-pump dishwashers and dryers, which use a fraction of the energy of conventional designs.
Try going all electric and getting rid of all the fossil-fuel-burning appliances in your house.
Budget
The truth is that while you may need to pay more for certain things depending on which way you decide to renovate your kitchen, within this equation, you need to consider that a sustainably designed kitchen generally means that the lifespan is going to be longer and the impact on the environment will be less.
When you factor this into your decision-making, your initial cost might be greater. Still, in the long run, you will save in other ways like maintenance, lower running costs and longevity of materials and appliances.
Hire an Expert in Sustainable Design
Knowing that your kitchen has been designed by a cabinet maker focusing on sustainable design is critical to how eco-friendly your kitchen renovation will be. So, when researching who you will use to undertake your upgrade, find someone specialising in sustainability while considering your needs and the impacts of materials on your health and the environment.
When you start the conversation with your cabinet maker, make sure they know about sustainable design so they can advise you whether certain materials can be recycled, ensuring your kitchen ticks the right boxes as well as whatever new is brought in has a responsibly sourced and environmentally friendly focus on its journey through the supply chain to your home.
We are Kitchen Maker in Melbourne
At H&H Cabinets, we offer kitchen renovation and full kitchen project management services, so you don’t have to worry about anything.
Everything from materials, appliances, plumbing and electrical, we work with you to discover exactly what you want, the look and style, plus what work is required, we then begin our work and look after the project from start to finish.
Our 49 years of experience allow us the knowledge and experience to help you decide on the best materials, appliances and layout for your perfect kitchen.
Are You Ready to Renovate Your Kitchen in 2024?
If you are due for a kitchen renovation, why not consider an eco-friendly option? Depending on which way you decide, you may be able to save by recycling the existing materials in your house so they don’t end up in a landfill while still breathing new life into an old space. Or, if your kitchen could use a complete overhaul, there’s an array of options to make sure you’re doing right by the environment for years to come.
