Sustainable Home Decor Influencers To Follow

12 Minute Read

Sustainability is a huge part of our lives now, and we all want to feel that we are doing our best for the planet, don’t we? We’re all using our reusable water bottles, and doing our best to reduce the amount of plastic in our lives, but we’re sure that, like us, you’ll be looking for ways to do even more. We’ve written before about making your home more sustainable, but there’s nothing better than finding new and different ways to lower the impact of our homes on the environment.

Influencers are everywhere these days, and they all have different niches – but some of the most passionate influencers we know are those concerned with sustainability. And where better for them to show off their homes and their ideas to help us live in a more eco-friendly way than on Instagram? If you’re looking to decorate your home in a more sustainable way. In that case, you’re thinking about future projects, or you’re just looking for gorgeous pictures and videos that you can use as inspiration, following sustainable home décor influencers will add to your feed.

If you’re not an Instagram user, don’t worry – many of these influencers can be found elsewhere on the internet, and in some cases, they have books to buy too. We’ve linked to other places where these influencers are, so you’re not being dragged into using Instagram if you don’t want to.

Vintage decor favourites

Using vintage, second hand, and lightly used means that there is less demand on the planet for new – whether we’re talking about furniture or fashion! In many cases, older furniture that is high quality and well made doesn’t really need a lot done to it, except maybe just a quick clean and a new wood finish to freshen the piece up before you put it into your home. But sometimes being able to imagine how an antique, or simply an older piece of furniture might work in your home is tricky, so following influencers that use old furniture in fresh ways can give you a new perspective on buying furniture this way. Discover the secrets to achieving the perfect balance between vintage rustic charm and modern elegance with our comprehensive guide on what is rustic modern décor and how to incorporate it in your home.

Ger O’Donnell @mybelfasthouse

Ger’s home is a fabulous addition to your Instagram feed, with vintage furniture finds, some gorgeously styled shelves, and masculine décor. If you’re looking to dip into vintage for the first time, there are some lovely ideas to start you off. We love the post about using old wine decanters to hold bubble bath – it looks so much more glamorous than a bottle of Matey on the side, and there are always decorative bottles to be found for just a few pounds in our local charity shops.

Norfolk Retro @norfolkretro

If you’re looking to buy and be inspired, then the Norfolk Retro account is a great one to have on your feed. Not only will you see loads of quirky, one-off vintage pieces, but there are plenty of posts featuring pieces that could be used as upcycle inspiration. We’re huge fans of all the plants that are used for styling in the posts on this account too – and what is more sustainable for decorating your home than nature itself? You can visit Norfolk Retro in Norwich.

Mary Interiano @thisthriftedabode

Mary has a great eye for thrifted pieces and loves an upcycle project, and her entire home offers loads of inspiration, right through to the garage – although the chances of us keeping our garage looking as pristine as hers is slim! There are some great quick projects, such as the wallpaper breakfast bar makeover. Mary also shares tips on how to find great vintage pieces online, and if you’re thinking of changing your garden to be much lower maintenance than grass and plants, you’re going to want to see this account.

Ellen @featherglass

Ellen is a New England interior stylist, and as you’d expect, her Instagram account is about living simply and beautifully. When you think about how to decorate your home sustainability, simple is better! Her home is a bright and airy space that feels cosy, even with the abundance of plain white walls and décor. The posts on this account show off tons of shabby chic, which you know we’re fans of (we wrote all about it here!) and there’s a lot of furniture that we know it is possible to find in thrift stores and second hand shops. If you’re looking for gorgeous posts that could inspire your next charity shop trip, this is one to have on your feed.

Upcycling specialists

Buying things made from brand new materials can be expensive – especially when they are made from rare materials. When you add the financial cost to the impact that making the new item has on the planet, it makes sense that we should be thinking about making use of items that already exist. Upcycling, or giving an existing piece of furniture a make-over, is just one of the ways that we can save money on buying quality furniture, minimise waste, and reduce the demand for cutting down more trees and so on. Find out more about our recycling project here.

Geneva Vanderzeil @genevavanderzeil

We mentioned Geneva on the blog before when talking about top Instagram décor accounts, and we’re mentioning her again here because she really does do an amazing job with her upcycling. We love her tiled coffee table, but there is so much more to her work – if you’re into making your own clothes, she’s got some great simple projects too. She makes some of the smaller details super-easy to do, such as making bunting using glue, rather than getting the sewing machine out – so if you’re starting out with upcycling, Geneva’s account is a good one. You can find more on her website, her YouTube channel, and on TikTok.

Shayna Alnwick @theflippedpiece

Shayna calls herself a ‘furniture flipper’, homemaker and DIYer, and she shows how she makes over different pieces of furniture. Some projects – such as her Ikea units workbench – use new items, but these types of makeovers are great inspiration if you can find pieces being sold on Facebook Marketplace or in second hand stores. You can also follow Shayna on Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

Ciera @_restorereimagined_

If you’re thinking of using paint to upcycle a desk, drawer, or dresser, then this account is one to follow for sure. The use of striking colours show how quickly something drab can be turned into something amazing and deserving of a place in a contemporary home. You’ll also find tips on cleaning furniture and making over dressers, so this account is well worth a scroll before you head out to the second hand store. This account is one to help you see the potential in those old, unfashionable pieces when they’ve been stripped and painted in a gorgeous modern hue. Ciera also shares products used on Amazon, and you can also follow along on Facebook.

Ben Uyeda @benjaminuyeda

Can you handle a project with more than a DIY upcycle? If you’re looking for ways to make your home look great, and for you to as well – but without spending a fortune – then Ben’s account is where you need to be. We’re huge fans of things you can make yourself and that look great in your home, and this is an account to follow for exactly that. The DIY gym equipment and his incredible sofa and desk combination are both on our to-do list. You’ll find so much more on his website, and you can follow along on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube too.

Sustainable living influencers

We’re all trying to do our bit for the planet – and there’s a lot we can all be doing. While reaching the goal of having absolutely no waste in your home feels unrealistic for most of us, if we were all able to implement one change each week, or even each month – then it would all add up to a big impact on the planet. Sometimes we need those extra tips when it comes to reducing, reusing, and recycling though, and that’s where following sustainable living influencers comes in. These are the advocates for living in as eco-friendly a way as possible, and they’re sharing their tips and tricks on Instagram and beyond.

Tara Kenna @zero.waste.collective

Tara’s Instagram is mostly filled with posts advertising her book Don’t Be Trashy at the moment, but the Zero Waste Collective website is where you need to be if you’re looking to improve the sustainability of your home, with blog posts containing DIY, recipes, and even beauty. She’s currently on hiatus on her personal account due to having recently had a baby, but Tara’s a big fan of making sustainability work for you and your home, and there are many simple swaps when you scroll back through her feed.

Anne-Marie Bonneau @zerowastechef

The kitchen is probably the first place in our home that we look to make changes, and Anne-Marie the Zero Waste Chef has loads of ideas for your kitchen, including using vegetable tops and greens, and delicious recipes such as fermented salsa, and sweet potato mushroom chilli. The great thing about working on making your kitchen more sustainable? It is better for your health and cheaper too, and this account has loads of ideas to apply when you’re shopping, and cooking for your family. Want more? Anne-Marie’s cookbook might make it onto your Christmas wishlist.

Rob Greenfield @robjgreenfield

For most of us, foraging for food doesn’t get much past blackberry picking at the end of the summer – but there is so much more to be had from Mother Nature! Living without going to the supermarket might seem like an impossible project, but that is exactly what Rob has done over the last year, even boiling down sea water to make his own salt. Although this incredible project might be out of the realm of practicality for the rest of us, this account is incredibly inspiring – and it has us thinking how we need to make more of our gardens! (if you want to start small, why not start with a herb garden?!)

Dr Anita Vandyke @rocket_science

When you come across someone who is both a rocket scientist and a medical doctor, and they’re concentrating on living a sustainable life as well, you know you’re likely to get great content – and that’s Dr Anita Vandyke. She’s realistic about the practical steps you can take, and when you find posts about zero waste cocktails, you know you’re onto a winner! Not only does she show off her home that she has decorated with second hand furniture, but you’ll also get tips on second hand clothing, which is another great way to reduce your impact on the planet. You can also head to her website, where there are more ideas to keep your home sustainable.

Our final thoughts

If you’re joining us on our mission to decorate your home in a more sustainable way, but you still want to be able to buy brand new items (sometimes you simply can’t find what you want second hand!) then look for businesses that are working to create furniture sustainably. Our mission is to create gorgeous furniture while doing the best that we can to minimise the impact on the planet – and we do that in a number of ways, including sourcing our timber from sustainably managed forests. You can learn more about what find out more about the things we’re doing by reading about our sustainability promise here, and learn about the One Tree Planted initiative here. And of course, if you’re heading to Instagram anyway, then follow us @bensimpsonfurniture, where we share gorgeous shots from our customers.

Instagram alone certainly isn’t going to save the planet, and neither are influencers – but together, and with good intentions for all of us, we can take steps to make things better. And as we keep saying, if we all took one step to do something better each week, then the future of the world would be in a much better place.