IdeaPaint says it has the most environmentally friendly dry-erase product on the market. As you can see from these images, the product is applied to your choice of walls, and about seven days later, it's ready to be used. It's just perfect for the brilliant, A Beautiful Mind types, but I realize that many of you never have and never will use a dry-erase product. If you do, give IdeaPaint a look. The company claims green attributes in three main areas.
Loll Designs makes contemporary, durable outdoor furniture from recycled materials. You've probably seen their 4-slat Adirondack chair, but the company has a number of other pieces, as well as some new ones, too. They're made from 100% recycled post-consumer HDPE, and 90% of the manufacturing waste is sent to a recycling plant (or remember when the guys from Hive Modular recycled Loll pallets to create a barn?). Loll uses recycled packaging and does a number of other things to reduce the environmental impact associated with business. Here's a preview of some of the new work:
I noticed some chatter about these LOFTwall dividers following the news rush that accompanied ICFF 2009. They're made by a Dallas-based company for use in residences, office spaces, retail, or pretty much anywhere else you can think of. LOFTwalls are modular, lightweight, and most importantly, customizable. Take a stab at designing your own using their frames and material swatches -- you'll even get the price.
Remodeling is big these days, and Boulder-based VaST Architecture has a knack for transforming rundown places into vibrant spaces (as they did with a co-work space called the Candy Shop). VaST recently helped Gregg Olsen convert his Boulder, Colorado, 1960s, split-level home into an efficient abode with modern interior design. The interior and exterior renovation was completed at a cost of $107 psf ... check out how it was transformed:
Cosentino, the world's largest manufacturer of quartz, has just launched a new eco-friendly countertop called ECO by Cosentino. The new countertop is the embodiment of six million dollars of research over a three year period. It's available nationally through Lowe's at a price of $68-$118, depending on the thickness and color. ECO contains 75% post-consumer and post-industrial recycled raw materials, as well as 25% natural elements.
Once voted Product of the Year by Interior Design Magazine, Wall Flats offer a super modern and green alternative to wallpaper. This 3D product is made from 100% bamboo pulp, is chemical-free, and 100% biodegradable.
Just noticed a new product called Invitrum by high design, Italian kitchen maker Valcucine. Invitrum is being referred to as a 100% recyclable kitchen, which means the product can be recycled at the end of its lifecycle -- but the consumer needs to make that happen. To help the consumer, as you can see with the image below, the cabinets have been labeled for recyclability. The structure is of drawn, recycled aluminum and the base units are of recyclable glass. Invitrum was designed to be manufactured with less material and energy. So slick ...
The project is The 1310 Condominiums, which is located in Portland, Oregon and one of the houses on the 11xDesign modern homes tour this Saturday. If you're not familiar with the project, you may think it's new construction, but 1310 is actually a conversion of an old apartment complex into five modern condominiums. Designed by Brett Crawford Architecture + Planning for Brett Crawford and Dana Ing Crawford, with Brett Crawford as contractor, the finished project shows that meticulous attention was given to the small details. And all that is paying off for the owners. Three units are sold (with only two remaining one-bedroom units left), and 1310 received both a Built Honor and Sustainability Award from AIA Portland.
Housefish Design, a firm specializing in furniture design, has produced a line of eco-friendly, modular storage furniture -- you can buy individual pieces and stack them practically anyway you like. Why is it green? Well, the furniture is flat-packed for shipping (you only need a hammer to assemble), the wood is sustainably harvested FSC maple plywood, and the pieces are finished with a zero-VOC finish. Sounds good!
St. Charles Cabinetry began manufacturing and designing in 1935, and today, they're still doing the same thing right here in the United States. Their cabinets are made from stainless steel and powder-coated in your choice of 23 colors (see below). What makes them a green product? They are 98% recyclable and are the perfect choice for a hypoallergenic interior.
