Room for Improvement

When it comes to renovating our homes, we can all do a little better. Ideally, trashing less and saving more. This story can help.

- Arlyn Hernandez

A renovation project—whether it’s updating a little galley kitchen or a down-to-the-studs kind of job—has the potential to be incredibly wasteful. Some estimates put it around six pounds of trash per square foot. But before you call in that dumpster, consider this: About 35 percent of construction waste can be attributed to decisions and errors made during the planning phase, according to Kathryn Soter, executive director of the Good Future Design Alliance, an organization that strives to make the design industry a bit greener. Things like cabinetry, appliances, and bathtubs can be diverted from landfills (as in: sold, donated, or recycled). And you can update with longevity in mind. “You just need to make a plan before any sledgehammers come out,” says Jessica Helgerson, a Portland, Oregon and Paris-based designer and longtime advocate for lowering environmental impact in the home design and renovation process.

Join us as we walk through what to do with the most common items handled during a home makeover. Your efforts could benefit the planet, someone in the community, your home, and potentially your bottom line.

Cabinets

Keep Them Good news! Cabinets are some of the most salvageable parts of your home. For a “less waste in, less waste out” approach that’s also a boon to your budget, leave the boxes in place and just replace the drawer and door faces, says Stephen Pallrand, founding designer at CarbonShack, a Los Angeles design firm focused on sustainability. Alternatively, you can take dated doors off your upper cabinets and simply go for an open-shelving look. Or add crown molding along the top for a fresh update. Of course, paint and hardware are also transformative tools to existing cabinetry, Helgerson points out.