With gas and oil prices constantly moving higher, homeowners are always looking for ways to save money and be more energy efficient. Changing to energy efficient light bulbs, or using solar power are commonly talked about ways to help your home be more eco-friendly and save you money too, but those aren’t the only things you can do. People often overlook simple solutions like making your home more energy efficient through your interior design choices.

Designing for the North East

New England is one of the most expensive regions in the US to live. A recent article from ctpost.com cited that “New England suffers from the highest electricity costs of any other region in the lower 48 states”. When you combine that with the north eastern weather like hurricanes, massive rain and snow storms, and the overwhelming nor’easters, homeowners are constantly battling the high cost of staying warm. For people in this region a few ideas presented from Michigan State University Extension on energy efficient interior design at msue.msu.edu include:

• Add solar absorbing thermal mass material throughout your house. Some of the best materials that retain heat until the air temperature changes include red brick, dark marble, blue or gray slate, and red enamel steel.
• Use thermal wallpaper for insulation.
• Use filled bookcases on outside, non-mass walls to act as insulation.

Cool Relief for Texas

Texas is quickly becoming an eco-friendly state as Houston and other areas work to add solar power to homes and businesses. And with TXU energy rates being among the cheapest in the area, homeowners may not need to do much to save money on energy. But for those who are searching to keep their homes cool in the blistering Texas heat, DoItYourself.com talks about using color as a design solution. They discuss how the lightness of a paint color can reflect the heat within your home. By choosing lighter paint or even furniture colors you can prevent heat from getting trapped in your home. Some of the colors they suggest:

• Beige
• Pink
• Cream

To retain the coolness in rooms where there is no direct sunlight, use:

• Reds
• Oranges
• Yellows

Preventing Drafts in the Windy City

At bls.gov, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that “Chicago area consumers paid 19.7 percent more for electricity than the US city average”. Because Chicago is known for being the ‘windy city’ drafts, dryness, and warmth can be an issue when city dwellers are trying to keep their electricity costs low. Interiordesignpro.org points out how furniture can help make your home less drafty.

• Choose pieces that have high backs.
• Find furniture with skirts on the bottom.
• Also, you can arrange your furniture in a way that can control or prevent unnecessary air flow.

Some additional suggestions they make is to get reversible ceiling fans that can pull air up in the winter and get rid of drafts in the room. In rooms where the drafts bring in moisture due to rain or snow, use vinyl wallpaper as a vapor barrier.

Making your home energy efficient can actually be a lot of fun. With some simple tips like these, and the many choices of decorating materials out there, you can have a stylish home that saves on energy costs too.