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Here are some of the tips of the show to have an eco-friendly, healthy & "green" Christmas...even if you live in the tundra! Be more thoughtful & "intentive" in your gift-giving. Don't buy something just to fill up a stocking or box. Make sure each item has a positive meaning! It's better to receive 1 well thought out gift, than a bunch of "stuff". Be aware of WHERE the item is from! Support local businesses and artisans. You are supporting your community & lower transportation costs (i.e. lower carbon emittance).READ the LABELS! We had an entire episode devoted to green-w...
(This is from the After Show blog on the CasaVerde radio show I host...great tips/deal that I wanted to pass on www.blogtalkradio.com/casaverde ) Hi All-Krista is an incredible, engaging guest, besides being outrageously knowledgable!! We disccussed the proper layering/dressing of a bed, thread count & an incredible offer from Peacock Alley to all CasaVerde listeners...Krista first told us that we need to think of dressing a bed, as dressing ourselves...we need to start w/the proper undergarments or foundations. In the case of our beds, that would be a mattress pad, a feather bed and/or a...
Hi Everyone-Here is vendor info from show today if interested in finding out more. Some vendors may only work w/the trade (designers, architects, contractors)...Environmental Language www.el-furniture.com: A new line of eco-friendly furnitureO Eco Textiles www.oecotextiles.com: A new line of sustainable, eco-friendly fabrics of hemp, bamboo and organic cotton. More on textiles on a special show in the new year where we'll only talk fabric.Q Collection www.qcollection.com: Really liked this line of eco-friendly fabrics!! Great colors, great fibers...Furniture & accessories are also incl...
Hi Everyone- Just a note to let you know about some very special shows we've got coming up! On the CasaVerde radio show (www.blogtalkradio.com/casaverde) 10:30a CST 11/1/09- Updates from DESIGN CHICAGO 11/22/09- COLOR Chronicles w/Tara Rae Hill: this will be a monthly feature on COLOR. We will explore the history of specific colors, color theory AND therapy, and the difference applications of color for education, healthcare, residential/commercial. Feng Shui, food & some fashion tips as well. This episode we discuss "holiday" colors of GREEN, WHITE & RED 11/29/09- RED HOT & GREEN-t...
I just got back from the Kitchen/Bath International Show in Atlanta and came across some great info, which will be discussed further in upcoming shows. Today, I wanted to discuss the rumors of Granite being a dangerous material to have in your home due to radon emissions...This couldn't be further from the truth.The rumors started in July of 2007 with a “scare" of granite being dangerous and polluting indoor air quality through the emissions of radon into the home. ***Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is found in the soil around your home. Too much can be bad, and if it is found in...
At the KBIS show in Atlanta, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture by Randall Whitehead, a lighting designer, who besides being a great designer is an author (Lost Dolls available on his website www.randallwhitehead.com). Here are some of the highlights of Randall’s talk: There are 4 types of lighting: task, ambient, accent and decorative. Task lighting is the lighting you have in specific locations to make it easier to see/do specific tasks (i.e. reading, cooking, shaving…). Ambient lighting is your general lighting from overhead or up-lighting. Accent lighting is what you u...
In this last article from KBIS and hot new trends for kitchen and baths, we focus on the faucet. Faucets are the jewelry of the sink and add that little bit of sparkle that can help turn an ordinary bath or kitchen into a show-stopper. As stated previously, the main theme at KBIS 2009 was eco-friendly and water conservation. The trend was definitely towards hands-free faucets or sensors. With these faucets you can set the temperature to a pre-determined temp (perfect for a guest bath/powder room/kid’s bath), for universal design and/or for water conservation as the water shuts off autom...
Ahhhh, the mighty throne….oh, not the gold-encrusted chair one thinks of for royalty, but the usually white porcelain seat found in bathrooms across the world. These commodes…thrones…toilets are THE most important seat in the house for the obvious and not-so-obvious reasons. We take our toilets for granted, that they will work efficiently and hygienically AND be aesthetically pleasing. At the KBIS (Kitchen and Bath Expo) in Atlanta a few weeks ago, the commode was the star of the show. Trends in bathroom fixtures are ALL featuring water conservation and eco-friendly option...
Some other great trends that are occurring in bathroom design, is the incorporating of more universal design elements AND making them aesthetically pleasing…NOT making a bathroom looking like a hospital bathroom. As the population is aging, even if YOU aren’t retiring in the near future-incorporating Universal Design features into a bathroom remodel will not only add value to your home if you are selling in the near future BUT will ensure that your bathroom is ready if and when it may be needed for you or your family. ***Universal Design features aren’t only for the elderly...
Innovations and strides continue to be made in carpeting and flooring options. As has been discussed in previous columns, wall-to-wall carpeting can off-gas for up to 5 years after installation. Plus, carpeting is one of the largest contributors to waste in land-fills. Therefore, any strides in making carpeting a more eco-friendly and viable option for our spaces are fabulous. Here are some of the newest additions to eco-friendly and GREEN flooring vendors: l Dinoflex Group: recycled rubber flooring which can be recycled again, low-VOC manufactured from recycled tire rubber! The tiles can wit...
I’ve been seeing a lot of rainwater collection systems appearing at shows. The most unique, and stylish, system I’ve seen comes from Second Rain (www.second-rain.com). First off you may be asking is WHY would I want to collect rainwater…well collecting rainwater can help protect from a future drought or dry spell in summer, helps to reduce erosion, rainwater is BETTER for your plants and garden as there are more nutrients and few chemical additives than tap water (who knew?), helps to save money on your water bill (this alone is worth it!), reduces your environmental footpri...
After returning home from the KBIS (Kitchen & Bath expo) in Atlanta, I thought I’d share some of the strides being made in some slighted, but VERY important design aspects of our baths and kitchens-the countertops and drawer pulls. When we think of designing our kitchens and baths, we tend to focus on cabinets, flooring and faucets…the rest seems to be after-thoughts. AND, who knew that there were eco-friendly options in this category…. Let’s start with counter-tops…While granite still reigns supreme as the medium of choice-recycled glass, cement and quart...
Cleveland OH is the home of a great new GREEN deconstruction company. GREEN Deconstruction Services specializes in “reverse construction”, which is defined as the orderly and selective disassembly of a building, structure or part of a home, saving select components for re-use or recycling. GDS works with homeowners, contractors, architects, builders and demolition companies of all types. Items to be “deconstructed” include: millwork, doors, fireplace mantles, brick and stone, windows, cabinets, sinks, shower doors, lights, hardware, hardwood floors, structural componen...
Antique Drapery Rod Co has introduced 22 new finishes-plus aluminum and bamboo-to their eco responsible sustainable product line, along with organic cotton and eco-silk drapery panels. ADR produces cast iron from up to 100% PCW upcycled iron, 65-100% PCW upcycled steel, and up to 100% PCW upcycled aluminum. The wood used in the drapery rods is purchased from reforested, sustainable harvest certified sources. The bamboo rods and rings are sustainably produced with no paints and/or laquer finishes, and are biodegradable. ADR uses minimal packaging from only recycled plastic and paper sources. A...
OK-we’ve talked a lot about health indoor air and eliminating VOCs in your space, but now that you’ve installed a great new high-efficiency furnace, what type of filter should you use to maximize the heating system, keep dust to a minimum and air clean? Here are some ideas that you can implement in all of your spaces. First, an ionizer in your space will help to keep air clean. An ionizer helps to maximize negative ions around you-think of the air around waterfalls, the woods and in higher altitudes. Ionizers emit a small charge into the air for particles to cling to. However, ion...
So in this horrid housing market, you’ve decided not to sell, but stay in your current place and make it more comfortable (and even BETTER for when the housing market turns around!). How can you keep the environment in mind when doing some easy remodeling, that will also recoup any investment? Here are some tips proved to me from David West of Meadowview Construction LLC in Georgetown, MA (www.meadowviewconstruction.com). v Making your home energy efficient will always recoup any investment by lowering your energy bills and adding value to the home’s worth. This includes windows, ...
One of the big pluses, or main reasons, to engage in GREEN building practices is to limit the occupant’s exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), that exist in building materials, furnishing and cleaning products. As stated in previous articles, VOCs have been linked to many health issues ranging from headaches to cancer. Programs to certify designers, contractors and architects, like LEED, encourage builders/designers to eliminate these emissions whenever possible. GREEN building can come at a higher cost INITIALLY as finding products and vendors that offer no VOC products can be...
How many of you were afraid to go down into the basement when you were a kid? The creaky stairs, the darkness, the moldy smell…..eeeewwwww. However, as an adult, the basement can be just as scary! The maze of plumbing pipes, hanging electrical wires, cracks in the foundation, the clanking furnace…it’s enough to make you go screaming back up the stairs! Basements are vulnerable to water damage, rot and invasion by pests-such as termites and rodents. Checking your basement and the various household systems is important throughout the year, however, as the official start of w...
In any GREEN design or remodeling project, water conservation needs to be addressed. Water usage is a big part of our kitchens baths and bars. A must in these spaces is to use low-flow faucets, or even touch-less faucets, which are becoming widely used. See Toto (www.toto.com) and Kohler (www.kohler.com) for some phenomenal eco-friendly fixture options. Nearly every plumbing manufacturer has a low-flow fixture options. Check out the manufacturer’s websites to help you spec out the right product for your project. Toto is the leader in eco-friendly plumbing fixtures for the bath and kitch...
As previously discussed, flooring is one of the major indoor air pollutants of your space. Choosing GREEN and eco-friendly options is key to improving indoor air quality of your space. Bamboo and cork are two of the most popular eco-friendly choices for flooring. However, it is key to research where the bamboo is coming from and how it’s manufactured. Durability needs to also be researched as not all products are made alike or come from the same sources. Read company literature to ensure it will hold up as long as wood or linoleum floors. If choosing to go with a wood floor, look for lo...