In the enjoyable, well paced “Made by Hand”, author Mark Frauenfelder, of Make Magazine fame, tells lively DIY tales of chickens, honey, math and espresso.

Oh, and there is a bit in there about cigar box banjos too.

I’ve followed Mark via Make and BoingBoing for several years, and have always found his take on the DIY way of life to be funny and candid.  Much of what he writes about, even the part about the trials and tribulations of building a better hen house, is relevant to what is happening within the larger green design community.  After all, making things ourselves, out of materials close at hand, is surely more sustainable than purchasing a mass produced item from overseas.

With his honest confessions of failure, and spiritual descriptions of success, Frauenfelder gives us inspiration to live a simpler, more connected life.  But reader beware – you just might find yourself googling for instructions to make that cigar box banjo by the time you put down the book.

“Excuse me, bartender. The beer you just served me had 20 gallons of water in it.” You might be thought drunk if you said that, but it’s true.

The water we are talking about here is virtual, or imbedded water. It’s calculated by totaling all the water it takes to grow, raise, or manufacture something; it’s the water we don’t see in all the things we drink, eat, wear, and use in our lives. Turns out that this unseen water drains our supplies more than the water that’s right before our eyes. - Excerpt from “The Green Blue Book”

However, this book isn’t designed to make you feel guilty every time you crack open a cold one.  Instead it offers you information that will enable you to make better, more conscious choices in every way that you use water, both seen and unseen.  One of the best aspects of the book in fact, is its extensive list of resources for more information on water use and ways to save.  As a reference work alone, this book is invaluable.

Whether you are a designer looking for information on how the manufacturing of textiles and furniture affect the water supply, or simply a consumer trying to lessen their personal impact on the planet, this book is sure to provide you with new found knowledge.

When I first started to focus strictly on sustainable design five years ago, the pickings were thin when it came to green interior design books..  As in, there were exactly two books, only one of which was really any use.

Even as I watched the list of available books grow, I still considered writing one of my own, because I didn’t find anyone addressing the subject of green residential interior design the way I thought it should be.  Luckily, I never got around to it because Sunset Design Guides has just released the book I probably would have written (if I had the talent!).

Taking full advantage of Sunset Magazine’s wealth of images, author Bridget Biscotti Bradley has created an inspiring collection of sustainable design ideas and arranged them in her easy to understand book, The Green Home.  Assisted by a “design panel” made up of such green design luminaries as Eric Corey Freed, Kelly LaPlante, and Michelle Kaufman, Bradley makes a compelling case for the ease with which green design principles can be woven into any remodeling project.

Photography by Frank Gaglione

“Living green may seem difficult, expensive, and out of reach.  But when you break it down into simple solutions for each room of the house, you’ll see that it’s really not”  – Bridget Biscotti Bradley

One aspect of the book that I find particularly refreshing is the amazing array of styles and materials shown in the images.  Everything from chic and modern…

to rough and rustic.

Using the knowledge she has gained as the owner of Reclaim, an eco-home store in Menlo Park, CA, Bradley guides us through the various pros and cons of different materials and green design solutions.  The book is well organized into sections such as “Getting Started”, “Bedrooms and Nurseries”, and “Light and Comfort”.  Instead of presenting a long to-do list of changes that homeowners need to make right away, Bradley encourages the reader not to rip everything out and start over, but rather to make more conscientious choices going forward.  Almost invariably, the book hits the nail on the head when it comes to why we can, and should, design green.

This isn’t to say I didn’t have my occasional disagreement with her advice, including her recommendation to use “pure cotton” bedding because it’s sustainable, when in fact, unless cotton is organic, the amount of pesticides used to grow it are fundamentally unsustainable.  (Note: It’s been brought to my attention that the reference to “pure cotton” appears in a sidebar, and may not have been written by the author.  Bradley does go on to describe the benefits of organic cotton bedding on page 113). However, these small quibbles rarely came up, and overall the book is by far the best I’ve seen on the market.  In fact, I was GOING to give up my copy to some lucky reader, but I’ve decided to be selfish and keep it for myself.  It’s that good!

Giveaway

So here’s what I’m going to do,… I think this book is such a worthy addition to any designer or homeowner’s library, I’ve procured two additional copies to giveaway to you, dear readers.  The ways to enter are simple:

1.  Leave a comment after this post, saying what your dream green remodeling project would be.

2.  Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook account, and then come back and leave a comment telling us you’ve done so.

3.  Find @TIRevolution on Twitter, follow us, and say hi!  Then come back and leave a comment telling us you’ve done so.

Each one is a separate entry, so don’t forget to enter them as separate comments!  That way everyone has three different ways to win!

Entries will be taken until midnight PST, Thursday, March 11th, with the winners via random selection, to be announced the following Friday.  Good luck!

The author, Emily Pilloton, is a force to be reckoned with.  Starting her non-profit, Project H Design, in 2008 with nothing more than $1,000 and a lap-top, she has taken her convictions and knowledge around the world to inspire and educate students and designers alike on the need for humanitarian product design.  Full of examples of creative, thoughtful solutions to everyday problems from water filtration to eating healthier portions, there is something to interest everyone.  As if that wasn’t enough, see what she’s up to now…

Image by Project H Design

Following the successful launch of her book in October, Emily Pilloton has hit the road for the Design Revolution Roadshow.  With plans to visit 25 schools in 75 days, the Roadshow features 40 of the products highlighted in the book.

I have personally downloaded the wonderful (and free) ‘Design Revolution – The Toolkit’ pdf, which I plan to explore in detail just as soon as I have a chance.  Geared towards students and teachers, the toolkit is valuable to designers as well.  It outlines 13 values and corresponding strategies for producing great design for the greater good, something I think we can all embrace.

Peppered throughout with quotes like that above, “Downtown Chic”, from Sixx Design, is equal parts inspiration, design philosophy treatise, and how-to book.

Robert and Cortney Novogratz began their path into the design world as passionate amateurs, seeking to convert a dilapidated brownstone in Chelsea into a warm and eclectic home in time to welcome their first child into the world.  Now, many projects (and six kids) later they have developed a thriving design business in New York City and environs.

The book follows their journey of discovery, first with the brownstone, then onto warehouse spaces, country homes, and their first design commission.  Throughout there are tips and how-tos for both the design community and homeowners.  But the writing goes beyond just the basics of how to accomplish a remodel, by spending considerable time explaining not just the how, but the why of their design – and life – decisions.  While this may make the book sound like a vanity project, it is anything but.  Instead it reads more like a plea to not take life and design quite so seriously.  Playful and eclectic, yet ultimately practical, their designs are spaces to live in.

The Novogratz’s seem to have an instinctual understanding of eclecticism.   Their interiors are filled with color and light.  They favor bold statements, balanced with simple backdrops.  Finding a crazy amazing design element at a thrift store or antique market, and making it the focal point of a room is one of their signature moves. Whether it’s a cathedral window from Paris, or  an old exterior light emblazoned with the word “Police”, given to them by the precinct across the street from their SoHo home, each element becomes striking against its simple backdrop.

As a designer, I see and review books all the time that are filled with beautiful, inspiring images, but the text is often barely more than filler.  “Downtown Chic” had me curled up on the sofa, often chuckling out loud, as I followed the trials and tribulations of each new project.  With creative and interesting sidebars such as “How to Flea” and “Vintage Artifacts – The Agony and the Ecstasy”, the Novogratz’s have taken this book as an opportunity to freely share all the lessons they have learned along the way.

Although not strictly a book on sustainable design, the liberal use of reclaimed design elements, along with a “less is more” design approach makes this a terrific book for any designer or homeowner looking for inspiration for their own low-impact project.

Recommended.

Disclosure of material connection

I have always had a love for Terence Conran.  Perhaps it’s the simple, natural look of his company’s interiors and furnishings, or maybe it’s just the dreamy, spare quality of the photographs that populate the pages of his “House” book series.  Whatever the reason, I was delighted to find his latest design tome, “Eco House Book”, is focused on what I love best – sustainable homes.

Although it uses decidedly British terminology and sources, it is still a valuable addition to any green designer’s library, no matter where they hail from.  Subjects range from energy efficient lighting to choosing upholstery fabrics, and case study homes from around the world are profiled at the end of the book.

Happily, ASID, in conjunction with Wiley, decided to publish two books on the subject.

“Sustainable Commercial Interiors”, by Penny Bonda and Katie Sosnowchik, was the first to hit shelves, followed closely by

“Sustainable Residential Interiors”, by Associates III.  Both books are a treasure trove of useful information, including comprehensive coverage of subjects such as: certification systems, life cycle assessment, materials use and re-use, daylighting, and ventilation.

As each book is aimed squarely at the needs of the respective branch of interior design it’s written for,  a residential designer is not likely to get much out of the commercial book, and vice versa. One other thing to keep in mind is that a few things have changed since these books were first published in 2007, most especially the USGBC’s LEED system, which figures prominently in the commercial volume.  As of now I know of no plans to revise “Sustainable Commercial Interiors”, but I will let you know if that changes.

All things aside, whether you are just starting out in green design, or just want to expand your knowledge base, these books are must haves for your library.  You will find yourself referring to them again and again!

]]> http://www.theinteriorevolution.com/archives/377/feed 0