Stop Ignoring Sustainable Brands: Why Eco-First Decor Is Taking Over 2025
The Discovery That Flipped the Switch
Okay, picture this: It’s midnight, I’m spiraling through Instagram reels, and all of a sudden, I’m hit with this ad for Lee Jofa’s new ‘Tree of Life’ wallpaper — all vintage English garden, but the twist? It’s printed on FSC-certified paper with water-based inks. I had to seriously double-take (twice). I’d just spent an entire Sunday afternoon bemoaning plastic-y faux plants and suspiciously cheap furniture that somehow shed more than my dog.
I’ll admit, at first I rolled my eyes — like, is sustainable ever not painfully expensive or ‘earthy’ looking? But then my friend Lisa invited me to her place and BAM, her entryway basically screamed magazine-worthy but smelled like fresh cedar, not chemicals. She’s got TOV’s emerald velvet chair, and apparently, the whole upholstery is made with recycled fibers. My jaw dropped. Why does her house look so good and feel so…healthy?
Everyone’s talking about sustainability now — if you scroll #ecodecor or #sustainablehome, you’ll see gorgeous new launches (Ann Gish’s earthy linens, Schumacher’s wavy lamp collabs…) and actual influencers doing real reviews, not just posing. Even my group chats are obsessed. Basically, 2025’s vibe is: if you’re not at least trying to go eco, you’re missing out — on both looks and wellness.
Why now? Because the options just exploded. Not kidding. There are dozens of new brands dropping on DecoratorsBest — their PR emails hit my inbox so hard this spring, I started checking the website during commercial breaks. It’s suddenly so much easier to find something wellness-minded, pretty, and honestly…not $1000 for a throw pillow. The timing’s perfect for a fresh start — new season, new intentions, new room to obsess over.
Main Trends I Can’t Stop Seeing (And Maybe Hoarding)
Modern Coastal (But Not Nautical Cheese)
I’m seeing breezy, Modern Coastal vibes absolutely everywhere — pale woods, barely-there blues, and these creamy, easy-going fabrics that make living rooms and bedrooms feel fresh even if you’re a thousand miles from water. I picked up a set of Anna French’s ‘Camelot’ linen curtains (pricey at $285/panel but—wait—decoratorsbest.com had a 15% off code during Earth Month!) for my 12' x 14' guest room. Game changer. It’s like Malibu, minus the sand in your shoes.
The biggest surprise was mixing a generic IKEA rattan light (literally $60) with Lee Jofa's soft blue ‘Spray’ performance fabric ($198/yard, but tackle it on just one accent chair). I texted a photo to my mom group and four of them immediately asked for links. Even my skeptical husband admitted it's 'relaxing'—except he spelled it "relaxxing" because, well, that's him.
Arts & Crafts, But Make It Modern
Honestly, this one got me by surprise. Morris & Co., Thibaut, and Sanderson are showing reimagined English florals and iconic ‘Tree of Life’ and botanical motifs, but in weirdly fun colors. I went bold with Morris & Co.'s ‘Seasons by May’ wallpaper (about $225/roll, ouch, but worth every penny for a powder room glow up). Other good finds: Schumacher’s ‘Artemis’ fabric remnant sales for throw pillows (found one for $49). Adds so much charm to even the plainest spaces. Turns out, you don’t have to do grandma-overkill — just pick one wall or lamp shade and stop. My mistake: trying to wallpaper the ceiling. Don’t. Just…no.
Japandi Neutral-Fest
Neutral lovers: The Japandi trend is your ticket. The first time I saw this, it was in a friend’s tiny condo, with these forgiving beige Ann Gish throws, minimalist shelves (so easy on your brain), and one perfect sculptural TOV side table. Pricey? Well, the TOV table was $262, but my friend scored a dupe at Target for $82. These rooms feel so grown-up and calming — like, yoga-class-on-a-Sunday-morning calm. I tried to copy the look in my living area with a $20 thrifted wooden bowl (a win!) and a low neutral rug from RugsUSA for $89. Is it as chic as a designer Japandi space? Not quite, but it’s giving peaceful energy. And less stress when my niece spills juice.
Textured Sheers and Botanical Fabrics
Textured, tactile window treatments are everywhere. I was skeptical at first — sheer? Isn’t that for grandmas? Nope. I hung Scalamandre’s tumbled linen sheers in my 8' x 12' office (splurge at $170/panel, but hello, impact). The way light filters in is utterly dreamy. For upholstery, I’m obsessed with performance fabrics — Kravet’s Pet-Friendly ‘Crypton’ line is $90/yard and, I kid you not, my dog wiped his muddy paw on my new ottoman and it cleaned right up with baby wipes. That’s an ‘aha’ if I’ve ever had one.
How I’m Actually Using These Trends (Wins, Fails & Good Enoughs)
Let’s be real: hitting ‘add to cart’ is easy. Making it work? Ooof. Every room has its own mood, and I’ve played mix-and-match-jenga more than I care to admit. That ‘Camelot’ curtain went up in my guest room (10 minutes, no problem), and suddenly it felt fresher and lighter. But when I tried the same curtain in my narrow hallway—nope, looked like a sad costume in bad lighting. Lesson learned: sunlight makes the difference.
Bold wallpaper? Little rooms love it. My powder closet (seriously, it’s 4' x 6') basically became a jewelry box with that Morris & Co. paper, especially paired with a $12 thrifted gold mirror. When I got greedy and tried artsy wallpaper on all four living room walls—my partner actually said it felt like 'a confusing hotel.' Took it down, painted it Simple White (Benjamin Moore OC-117), and kept just a pillow and lamp floral. Gorgeous. Less is truly more.
If you want an easy win, swap out old lamps. Mitzi’s ‘Estelle’ in brass/glass ($288) zhooshed my entry in ten minutes flat. For my son’s room? The $49 Ikea dupe worked almost as well, just needed a warm LED bulb and a bit of creative rewiring. Not every swap needs a splurge, but sometimes…those details just finish a space.
Smart Shopping — Where I’ve Actually Found the Best Stuff
Let’s talk stores. I’ve been haunting DecoratorsBest’s new-in section since March — the selection for 2025 is wild. They’ve added literally dozens of eco-friendly lines: Ann Gish’s linens, Scalamandre for wallpaper and drapery, TOV’s playful sofas, even rug launches from Loloi (eco-wool!) and Jaipur Living (so soft, not scratchy). I signed up for their flash sale texts and snagged free shipping on my $158 order—don’t miss that trick, it changes every month.
If you can’t swing a premium price, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are my guilty pleasures. Seriously, I found a Thibaut-inspired bench for $120 (retails for close to $600!). Pattered textiles? Check out PillowPia for similar vibes under $45, or Amazon/Etsy for lookalike botanicals (watch for real cotton and linen blends). For in-person shopping, HomeGoods and even TJMaxx surprised me this spring with accent chairs that looked shockingly like TOV—ran $189 to $299.
Pro tip: Don’t panic if things are out of stock; major restocks drop in early fall, and you’ll get end-of-summer markdowns on heavier textiles and rugs. The only real fail I had was trying to order huge wallpaper rolls from a sketchy off-brand site—shipping was a mess, and the color was so wrong in person. Stick to stores that take returns, full stop.
Sustainable Styling: Pinterest Lys, Real Life Messes
Nobody’s house looks Instagram-perfect after a toddler snack attack (trust me). Some trends, like maximalist layering, can easily cross from wow to whoa if you don’t edit. My biggest mistake? Mixing vintage florals AND botanical wallpaper AND a bold rug. Walked into my own living room and instantly regretted everything. Now, I’ll spice up one wall or a side of the room max, and keep the rest super neutral—think Sherwin Williams ‘Alabaster’ or Benjamin Moore ‘Chantilly Lace’ for walls. Fabric layering is a win, but you have to keep some empty space or your brain goes fuzzy. Messy? Sometimes, but now I just call it ‘lived in coastal maximalism’ and pretend it’s intentional.
Budget-wise, I try upgrades in phases. Start with accessories, see how the vibe feels, and only then splurge on statement pieces. If you bomb, returning a lamp or throwing a cover on a vintage chair is no big deal. I did realize not all eco-fabrics wash the same—a ‘washable linen’ pillow shrank by half, but Kravet’s performance fabric ones survived a red wine disaster. Live and learn.
Easy Ways to Get the Look Today (Seriously, Start Small)
If you want to dip a toe, start with something easy and low-commitment. Here’s what actually worked for me:
- Wallpaper: Lee Jofa’s ‘Tree of Life’ on a single wall (entry, powder bath, or closet); order a sample swatch first (about $2 at decoratorsbest.com), then commit.
- Textiles: Ann Gish’s linen throws — I found a greige one for $74 on sale, but HomeGoods also had natural linen throws for $24.99. If you’re crafty, re-cover old pillows with leftover drapery remnants — my hack for mixing designer with affordable finds.
- Lighting: Try Mitzi or Corbett for wow-factor fixtures; Amazon and Target have sculptural dupes this year, many under $60. Swap bulbs for a soft ‘warm white’ (2700K) for that wellness effect.
- Furniture: Love a TOV accent piece? Target, Wayfair, and even Article have curvy statement chairs and benches under $350. Watch for Labor Day sales—prices drop fast.
- Plants: Mix real and faux for biophilic energy. I scored a huge pothos at Lowe’s ($19.99) and mixed it with a H&M Home rattan planter for $34. Looks designer, costs little.
With all of the new sustainable and healthy options, decorating doesn’t have to be overwhelming or crazy expensive. I’m learning to layer eco pieces gradually, test what feels good (hear me out: literally touch everything), and mix pride-worthy designer finds with budget scores and a few plant babies. My house finally feels like me — and apparently, a lot of friends want to copy, so...win?
Resources & Inspiration
- DecoratorsBest collections for 2025: A hub for all the new eco-forward decor launches, from blooming brands like Lee Jofa, Scalamandre, TOV, Anna French, and more. Their free shipping and room-by-room shops are a guilty pleasure.
- Veranda trend reports and textile guides: Where I keep tabs on textile and wallpaper trends, performance fabrics, and all those forgiving, beautiful materials making homes healthier and happier this year.