Here’s a fascinating natural product that exists for a really cruddy reason.  Behold what climate change has wrought…

This beautiful “Blue Pine” flooring, by Greenway, LLC, isn’t the result of a clever dye job.  Instead it is a natural effect of Mountain Pine Beetle infestation on Lodgepole and Ponderosa Pines in many parts of North America.  The pine beetles are thriving – decimating vast areas of forest, due to global warming and the subsequent lack of the really cold winters needed to kill off the beetles.

Image by Erich G. Vallery, USDA Forest Service - SRS-4552, Bugwood.org

When the bark beetles infest a tree, it introduces a fungi to the sap, which impedes the tree’s ability to fight off the beetle’s damage, as well as turning the sap blue.  This blue color remains in the wood once it is harvested.

So what to do with the (sadly) increasing amount of what is sometimes referred to as Denim Pine? Read the rest of this entry »

The DIY Channel’s new show, “This New House” premieres tonight, July 29th, at 8PM/7C.  If the trailer for the series is any indication, it should be chock full of innovative, high tech products, many of them geared towards energy savings and other aspects of green living.

One of the projects highlighted in the first three episodes is the Cleantech Teaching Center, a state of the art showcase home located in Beverly, MA.  This house features an entirely LED lighting system, rainwater recovery system, geothermal energy, and solar photovoltaic panels.  Sustainable materials were used throughout the interior, including Trend USA’s lovely Trend Q recycled glass tile.  Cleantech Homes, LLC has applied for LEED PLatinum status for the home. Read the rest of this entry »

Thought I would let you all know about FLOR’s Summer Sale on their Fez line of carpet tiles and rugs.

Fez carpet tiles are made of 85% post consumer recycled PET (polyester) fiber, and are designed for medium traffic residential use.  The 19.7″ square tiles come in seven different colors, as well as pre-designed rug kits ranging in size from 3′ x 5′ to 8′ x 10′.  Individual tiles are on sale for $7.99 (reg. $9.99), and a 3′ x 5′ rug can be had for only $47.94. Read the rest of this entry »

The second in a series of artisan profiles by contributing writer Emerald Atkins.

100 years ago, before “sustainability” became a concept, before the word “recycling” even existed, a traditional American craft embodied both: rag rugs, the art of creating rugs from worn clothing & cast-off textiles.   Across the country housewives melded thrift and creativity, beauty and usefulness into functional works of art.

At Lark Textile Design owner/designer Janet Thomas builds on this legacy.  In her hands, the unintended sustainably of yesteryear has become a directed goal in the production of custom hand-woven and constructed rugs.

“Although I use new materials now for my rugs,” she says, “they are industry 2nds and cast offs.  Perfectly good for walking on but not good enough for your window coverings or upholstery.  I am a scavenger at heart and that mindset makes it really easy to fit into the context of today’s sustainability concerns.” Read the rest of this entry »

Leather floors?  Admit it, the idea sounds kinda sexy.

100% recycled leather floors?  Totally sexy!

If you’ve ever wanted to impress your snooty acquaintances, surprise your treehugging friends, and talk your spouse (or client) into something they won’t think of as being too crunchy granola, TORLYS Leather flooring may be for you.

Read the rest of this entry »

Weathered wood is getting quite popular in interiors, what with its silvery grey patina and rough hewn texture.  And of course, there are many ways of accomplishing that look, such as scraping, painting, pickling and staining.  However, those methods take a lot of effort (not to mention being less than sustainable).  Why not let Mother Nature do all the work for you?

People (from places other than Wyoming), let me introduce you to this amazing thing called a “snowfence”.  Apparently in Wyoming, the snow runs free across the prairie, and they have to put up fencing to keep it from roaming onto the highways, or some such thing.  I don’t know – I’m from Southern California.  I am officially clueless about snow.

In any case, this fencing is subjected to wind, rain, sun, snow and ice, so it surely qualifies as weathered!  Not surprisingly, it can only last so long before it needs to be replaced.   Thankfully, Centennial Woods has found new uses for all the old, discarded planks, turning them into beautiful boards and flooring. Read the rest of this entry »

via flor.com

This is such a fun idea, it’s a wonder FLOR didn’t think of it sooner.

Now’s your chance to create the FLOR you’ve always dreamed of.

Let your imagination run wild – with FLOR’s design system of 19.7-inch squares the options are limitless. All you have to do is choose your FLOR and let the designing begin. Mix and match colors, patterns and textures to create a rug, runner or wall-to-wall design that fits your décor and your personality. Who knows, you may just get your FLOR design for free or see it on FLOR.com.

The designing on takes place using their online design tools.  Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT Monday, December 7, 2009, so you don’t have a lot of time!  Click here for contest details.

And hey – if your design gets picked PLEASE let us know!  We’ll be sure to post all about it here!

When you’re looking for sustainable flooring, carpet is usually at the bottom of the list.  Mostly made of petroleum based material, with a limited lifespan, there isn’t generally much to recommend carpet to the eco-minded designer.   But what if you took that non-renewable product, and found a way to re-use it indefinitely?   What if you did this not only with your own product, but also with the products of other manufacturers?  Could you take something ecologically ugly and make it beautiful and sustainable?  That’s what Tandus set out to do 15 years ago, and the results have been extraordinary.

Read the rest of this entry »