Meyer Wells Furniture, based in Seattle, Washington, is an impressive model of sustainable business practices. Owners John Wells, a furniture designer, and Seth Meyer, a master craftsman, teamed up to start this company which produces beautiful furniture from reclaimed local wood. This reclaimed wood has a unique story -- it comes from "urban trees".
I've just recently come across an interesing company, Way Basics, that's making eco-friendly furniture blocks called zBoards. zBoards are made from post-consumer recycled paper and can be recycled with no waste when their use is over. Their website markets the zBoards with one, main, simple statement: No Waste. No Rules. No Tools. And it's a compelling premise, especially if you've ever spent some time putting together an IKEA drawer or something. zBoards and blocks are put together using a super-strong adhesive tape (not sure whether the tape is low-VOC or anything like that).
Etsy, the popular new site used by artists and crafters, is also a gem for vintage finds such as furniture and accessories. The prices on Etsy are usually quite reasonable -- especially compared to shops specializing in vintage and antique furniture -- and the treasures are endless and unique.
Denmark50, located in Los Angeles, is comprised of a showroom and warehouse full of vintage Danish Modern furniture and accessories. And of course, buying vintage is such a green way to go. The showroom (below) is a nice display of what the company has to offer, but the warehouse (also below) is the really amazing part. Mid-Century Danish furniture is stuffed into the large space as far as the eye can see: couch after couch, chairs, tables, and any other piece one could imagine.
VivaTerra is a catalog and online eco-friendly home accessories and furnishings company. You will need to peruse their offerings with a bit of a critical eye and decide for yourself what is truly eco-friendly, but there are a lot of great choices. Less sustainable offerings to watch out for include river rock bath mats. The rocks are taken from a natural environment where they belong and do not replenish like trees or bamboo. I would also stay away from tropical hardwoods since most of them are not truly eco-friendly and travel quite a distance to the USA. One great VivaTerra choice would be their beautiful "Gustavian Vintage Bed" which is made by a master woodworker in the USA using salvaged Douglass Fir wood from a torn down building, non-toxic glue, and a food safe finish for about $2000.
Buying vintage furniture is super green, but it's not always easy to find pieces in great shape, especially upholstered items. Lotus Bleu has fixed that problem for us. They offer vintage pieces redone in new, modern fabrics. Lotus Bleu is located in San Fransisco, but if you're not in the area, you can order right online. Current items for sale are displayed in addition to items that have already been sold, to give you an idea of what might be available at any given time.
Surfing Cowboys, located in Venice Beach, California is a hip spot for vintage shopping. The store offers furniture, accessories, lighting, artwork, and a unique collection of vintage surfing and skateboarding items. And if you can't make it to Venice Beach, you can shop their store online.
Looking for a simple, affordable, and eco-friendly way to furnish a home? Check out Victory Vintage Home for vintage furniture and accessories. One of the most environmentally friendly things that you can do is to re-use materials that already exist. Even new, environmentally-friendly materials often have some negative impact on the environment. For instance, furniture made from bamboo is called eco-friendly because bamboo is a rapidy renewable resource, but you then have to figure in the distance that bamboo usually travels to get to the United States. You would also want to know how it was harvested and a variety of other environmentally important factors.
You've probably seen Big Ass Fans in the gym or in some larger space, and that's because they're huge and energy efficient. Just last week, Big Ass Fans launched their newest product called the Element Fan. Element uses the 10 airfoil and wiglet design to move air quietly and efficiently. According to BAF: "At standard speed in a room with 16 ft. high ceilings Element is able to create comfortable breezes over an area larger than a basketball court, all while requiring less than 100 watts to operate. That is considerably less energy than even the most efficient small ceiling fan in production today." I've been around these gargantuan fans and love them. Seriously, they cool down a large space like nothing I've ever seen. Plus, you can really get creative with the colors, so as far as large fans go, this is a dang good option to go with.
Gwendolyn Bounds invested about 16 months and $83k in her posh, green kitchen remodel. The process was slightly more difficult than she imagined, but nonetheless, as you can see from the below video: the result is quite nice. David Johnston, green building and renovation expert, unofficially inspected the work and gave her high marks for the eco renovation. Her remodel included Energy Star appliances, locally made fly ash concrete countertops, Plyboo and Arreis cabinets, no-VOC paints, FSC-certified wood floors, Nu-Wool recycled newspaper insulation, LED lights, and double-paned efficient windows.
Ms. Bounds also wrapped up her experience with the following list of five steps to get more value out of a remodel and make your home healthier and more efficient:
