I love well thought out design solutions, especially when they are both stylish AND sustainable.

Case in point, this lovely little vanity by Waterfall Bathroom Furniture.  Designed most especially with children in mind, the “The Mailbox” vanity is made in Canada of FSC certified wood, and comes with a matching footstool that tucks neatly underneath.  Available in 13 different low-VOC finish colors, to match most decors.  You can even order it with your choice of either a Caesarstone or a 3-Form countertop.

And if you are looking for something a bit more elegant, there is always “The Louis”… Read the rest of this entry »

Plantation shutters.  In California, where I’m based, they are the window treatment of choice for most contemporary homes.  But even the most eco-sensitive people I know have had to compromise their sensibilities in order to have them.  Sustainable options have been rare, and often expensive.

Thanks to a new “British Invasion”, there is now an affordable, attractive, environmentally friendly solution for Plantation shutters.  Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s delightful guest blogger is Linsi Brownson of Inspired Design Daily.

We spend a lot of time scouring flea markets for objets d’art to put in our store.  When we first started going it was a bit confusing.  Everything we saw either seemed to have endless potential or was just a bunch of old crap.  We really had no idea what we were looking for.  But then we began to ‘hone our craft’ and suddenly things were a lot clearer.  I honestly don’t know how that happened.  It was like we showed up one day and just knew…

But for the sake of having something relevant to say, I’m going to focus on the part after we just knew.  Here are some pointers for finding great deals at a flea market:

1. Give a moment to anything that grabs your attention.  After a while things start to blur and you feel like you’ve seen it before (if you frequent the markets you probably have seen it before) but if it makes you turn your head, go take a look.  It may be a shiny gem hidden in the rubble.  Read the rest of this entry »

I had so much fun writing about Bholu wallpaper for kids yesterday that I never managed to show you the two great patterns for those with more grown-up tastes (plus some pretty pillows too).

I love the exuberant free form swirls of the “Nimboo” pattern.  The bright color and large scale are perfect for bigger spaces.  And wait till you see how fun those swirls are on a pillow! Read the rest of this entry »

We’d like to welcome this week’s delightful guest blogger, Linsi Brownson of Inspired Design Daily.  Linsi is a practicing interior designer in Southern California, and seems to have as much energy and drive for sustainable design as two normal people.  We’re really happy to have her here!

photo credit: http://melindapatrick.com/

As an Interior Designer it’s pretty much my job to help clients define what home means to them.  When you put aside the finishes, colors and budget, what a residential designer really does is create a living space where clients are happy to spend their time.  But what exactly does that mean?  Well, it’s personal.  This is part of what I love about meeting clients.  So many lives are touched as a designer, so many relationships built.  And when a project goes well it leaves us designers with a happy feeling in our gut (likewise, if it doesn’t go well…you get the idea).  We are very attached to our projects and to our clients.  But I digress… Read the rest of this entry »

What kid wouldn’t love this cheeky monkey family?

Mavis Monkey

Just launched last month, the Bholu line of wallpapers from Australia based Porter’s Paints has whimsy aplenty.  Printed on paperstock with low to no VOC paint, this line was created by noted designer Jodie Fried, as part of her Bholu collection of interior products and accessories.

But beyond being cute and environmentally friendly, Bholu wallpaper has another draw… Read the rest of this entry »

This weeks terrific guest blogger is award winning kitchen and bath designer Susan Serra, of Susan Serra Associates.

I endorse the concept of reuse so very much that I want to provide more ideas on the topic of designing a kitchen with a reuse philosophy. Let’s go through some creative uses for items which might be cast off otherwise.

Furniture – I’ve used a sofa in two of my kitchens for seating at the dining table, both of which had been recently put out of use elsewhere in the home. The sofa must be elevated to be at the correct dining height. A new use for a sofa which may not fit elsewhere due to a recent move can add great comfort in the kitchen. I will never not have a sofa in my dining area; comfort in the kitchen is a requirement for me. And, of course, it does not have to be a sofa. Oftentimes, there is room for an upholstered chair of some sort in a lovely nook. Refinishing family heirloom dining furniture and chairs is a great way to keep green. I used my mother’s mid century Danish modern dining table in my breakfast room for some years and felt warm and fuzzy every time I looked at it, also admiring its authenticity. Read the rest of this entry »

Giveaway details follow are at the end of the post, but we suggest you read the review first!

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. Read the rest of this entry »

Our guest blogger this week is Wes Harding, President of Harding Construction & Sustainable Solutions. He is a college instructor, general contractor, certified green home rater, and energy auditor. He can be reached at www.hardingconstruction.biz

A home has to have good indoor air quality and be energy efficient to be green. As previously discussed, air movement plays a large role in any home. There are many signs of air movement. Some are obvious, for example we can feel a draft and we can smell unusual odors. Some are not so easy to detect unless you know what to look for, such as dust at electrical outlets, dust where the wall meets the baseboard, dust on the carpet under a closed door, dirty insulation in the attic or crawlspace, and dirty heating and cooling registers. Air carries dust, allergens, and contaminants from outside (hopefully you don’t live on a busy street), your crawlspace and your attic. All of these holes in your home can effect how comfortable you may feel, how much you spend on heating and cooling, and your health.

Don’t worry, if you’re not sure where the holes are in your home, there are trained professionals that can help. Read the rest of this entry »

Our guest blogger this week is Wes Harding, President of Harding Construction & Sustainable Solutions. He is a college instructor, general contractor, certified green home rater, and energy auditor. He can be reached at www.hardingconstruction.biz

Take a safety pin and stick a bunch of holes in a balloon. Now try blowing it up. Eventually what happens is you run out of breath trying to keep the balloon full of air (hopefully you didn’t pass out and you can keep reading). This same concept can be effectively transferred to our homes.

Obviously we don’t live in inflatable homes, but the holes represent areas in which air and heat (both hot and cold) can travel bringing in containments, dust, and allergens. Read the rest of this entry »