Hardwood flooring brings elegance and beauty to a house. Hardwood flooring can steal the show on any given day and the grain and finish could be made to suit the overall expected décor of the house. However, cutting down trees could cause a major environmental hazard.

Hence one can look for many hardwood alternatives which are not only cheaper than hardwood flooring but can also be modified and customized as per the requirements.

The first hardwood alternative is bamboo flooring. Bamboo flooring is cheap and it takes around 3 years to harvest. Besides they can be made to look and mimic hardwood types. Vinyl flooring is another way to mimic the hardwood flooring. You can get many different color tones and most importantly it is very scratch and stain resistant. Cork made from the outer bark of trees is another good hardwood alternative.

Living in an eco-friendly home is not only healthier, it is also cost effective. You can make your home to be eco-friendly in many ways. For instance, you can choose to use solar energy instead of the conventional hydro electric power. This will help you save on electricity bills as you can use the solar energy to heat water and light up your house. Solar energy is also a very clean source of light and heat.

You can also install some skylights on the roof of you house. These should provide enough light in the house throughout the day. Using low voltage bulbs is also one of the ways through which you can live an eco-friendly life in your home. These bulbs consume less energy than the conventional bulbs. You can also get motion-sensor bulbs which will remind you to turn off the lights every time you leave a room.