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Sustainable Living: Young Adults Prolonging the Material Life Cycle of Objects Through the Appreciation of Used Furniture, Interiors, and Building Design

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  • Jani Varpa

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Minna Autio

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Jaakko Autio

    (Aalto University)

Abstract

Young adults acquire furniture from retail stores, second-hand shops, flea markets, and online marketplaces; they also inherit items from family members. While scholars have focused on consumers who acquire second-hand objects and appreciate inherited furniture, limited attention has been paid to the meanings of second-hand and inherited objects as elements of sustainable home interior decoration. Based on qualitative data, we analyze how young adults living in three northern European cities value used interior-decoration objects and how this enhances sustainable ways of using goods. Our study shows that young people appreciate architectural structures and interior-design aesthetics as well as inherited and recycled items in their homemaking. The building and home-decor style of the era shape the way consumers acquire used interior-design materials and objects. Moreover, young adults engage with inherited and purchased second-hand furniture by incorporating narratives about social ties during their acquisition. The durability of materials is valued in both inherited and second-hand furniture. Thus, young adults prolong the life spans of home-decor items, and they contribute to a sustainable, low-speed circular economy linked to homemaking.

Suggested Citation

  • Jani Varpa & Minna Autio & Jaakko Autio, 2024. "Sustainable Living: Young Adults Prolonging the Material Life Cycle of Objects Through the Appreciation of Used Furniture, Interiors, and Building Design," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(4), pages 2559-2578, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:4:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s43615-024-00378-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s43615-024-00378-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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