The Environmental Impact of Using Pre-loved Furniture for staging show homes

At Porter & Gold, we're passionate about creating beautiful, sustainable interiors. Recently, we had the opportunity to stage The Willow Tree Apartments, and we added our unique approach as usual by using pre-loved, vintage, and antique furniture pieces. Not only does this give the space a distinctive charm, but it also significantly reduces the carbon footprint for our clients, specifically within their scope 3 emissions. 

 

By choosing to use pre-loved items, we saved an impressive 805 kg of CO2. To put this into perspective, here’s the breakdown of the CO2 savings for each piece of furniture in the main living areas and bedrooms, calculated using the study by FIRA: 

 

Main Living Area: 

Sofa: 90kg (the equivalent of charging your smartphone 10,406 times) 

2 x Armchairs: 80kg 

Coffee Table: 18kg 

Dining Table: 25kg 

4 x Dining Chairs: 108kg 

 

Bedroom One: 

Double Bed and Mattress: 118kg 

Sideboard/Shelves: 20kg 

 

Bedroom Two: 

Double Bed and Mattress: 118kg 

Chest of Drawers: 43kg 

 

Bedroom Three: 

Twin Single Beds and Mattresses: 150kg 

Large Wooden Desk: 35kg 

 

Total CO2 Saved: 805kg 

(please note these are approximate / as close as possible measurements using the information from FIRA - see link below) 

 

It's worth noting that the above list of furniture used in the showhome for Willow Tree doesn't include the small side tables, textiles, art, lighting, and accessories, as we currently don't have the measurements for these items. 

 

The Benefits of Sustainable Design 

 

Designing interiors with pre-loved furniture is a win-win-win approach. Here’s why: 

 

1. Unique Aesthetic: Each piece of vintage or antique furniture brings a sense of history and character that you can't find in mass-produced items. This ensures your project stands out with a unique and personal touch. 

 

2. Quality and Durability: Pre-loved furniture is often built to a higher standard than many modern pieces. These items have stood the test of time and continue to offer durability and quality, adding value to your interiors. 

 

3. Environmental Impact: By reusing existing furniture, we reduce the demand for new manufacturing, which in turn lowers CO2 emissions and conserves natural resources. This is a significant step towards more sustainable living and working environments. 

 

Conclusion 

 

At The Willow Tree Apartments, we’ve demonstrated that it’s possible to create stunning interiors while making a positive impact on the environment. By incorporating pre-loved furniture, we not only achieved a unique and high-quality design but also made a substantial contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. 

 

We believe that sustainable design is not just a trend but a responsibility. By choosing to work this way, we’re not only helping our clients create beautiful spaces but also playing our part in protecting the planet. If you are a developer wanting to create a stand out interior and show home please get in touch!  

 

Love & vintage, 

 

 

Samaya @ Porter & Gold 

 

The images above are all by Leighton James, The Property Photographer, and are from our show home installation at Willow Tree Apartments (show home now sold STC by CJ Hole New Homes) 

 

 

For more details on the carbon footprint of furniture, you can check out the study by FIRA (https://www.healthyworkstations.com/resources/Environment/FIRA.CarbonFootprint.pdf).el. 

And thank you for stopping by! Get in touch to talk about your showhome, home staging and interior projects here: