Green Building : Jetson Green

EKLA HOME: Impressive Green Furniture

Emily Kroll, CEO and founder of upholstered furniture company EKLA HOME, has furniture design and environmentalism in her blood.  The granddaughter of a furniture designer on one side, and an architectural and scrap metal recycler on the other, Kroll says she is "passionate about changing the way the furniture business works in the United States."  She plans to do this by eliminating toxins, limiting waste and using sustainable materials.  And EKLA certainly has a very impressive list of sustainable practices, perhaps one of the most impressive on the green furniture market today. 

Arhaus Offers Eco-Friendly Furnishings

Arhaus, a furnishings company, was founded in 1986 with commitments to design, craftsmanship, and responsibility.  Today, they are also committed to searching out eco-friendly materials and methods.  Arhaus has always focused on artisan crafted pieces, created by furniture makers from across the world whom Arhaus maintains "face-to-face" relationships with in order to assure quality and fair labor practices. 

Spectra Decor Offers Unique Line of Eco-friendly Hardware

Founder and artist Leilani Norman-Young manages Spectra Decor out of Seattle, Washington.  Spectra offers a beautiful, unique, and varied line of eco-friendly hardware, which consists mostly of cabinet pulls.  The hardware is made from a variety of green products including recycled glass, cork, recycled aluminum, and eco-resin from 3form. 

Benjamin Moore Debuts No-VOC Paint

I am very excited to let you all know that Benjamin Moore's newest line of eco-friendly paint, Natura, offers no volatile organic compounds (VOC's).  Volatile organic compounds are the chemicals, usually found in paint, that toxify your indoor air quality.  I've been waiting for this day because while other no-VOC paints are available on the market, I don't think that you can beat the quality of Benjamin Moore. 

Eleek Offers Recycled Metal Products

Eco-friendly hardware can certainly be a challenge to find, but Eleek Incorporated of Portland, Oregon offers a hip line of recycled metal hardware for your home.  Their offerings include door handles, door pulls, switch-plates, house numbers, and signs in addition to unique lighting options and beautiful recycled metal sinks for bath and kitchen. 

Meyer Wells Beautiful Reclaimed Pieces

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". 

Mesa Del Sol: New Urbanism in Albuquerque

Mesa Del Sol will be located just outside of downtown Albuquerque and is comprised of twenty square miles of land, 3,200 acres of which are said to remain as open space.  Albuquerque is famed for it's 300 days a year of sunshine, was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the best places for businesses and careers in the U.S., is just under a three hours drive from world class skiing in Taos, and is a short two hour flight from L.A.  Mesa Del Sol's New Urbanism approach means that virtually everything you need will be within walking distance -- stores, work, schools, homes, and parks etc. 

The Lucida, NYC Luxury LEED Condos

The Lucida, located in New York City's Upper East Side, is the first LEED condominium building in the neighborhood.  If the Upper East Side wasn't rich enough for your taste, this building certainly adds to the allure.  With 110 units, the smallest of which appears to be around 2,000 square feet, this building is certainly not for the average buyer, but it is beautiful. 

GreenPod Offers Full-Circle Home Design

GreenPod, a company run by architect and environmentalist Ann Raab, designs and builds compact modular homes that are sustainable, healthy, and energy efficient.  The amazing thing about this company is their full-circle design approach, which aims to help clients create a complete green home right down to their bathroom towels and artwork. 

A Clean Break: Philly Prefab Exhibit

In conjunction with Design Philadelphia and National Design Week 2008, Minima Gallery in Philadelphia is hosting a prefab exhibition titled A Clean Break from October 17-30.  The purpose of this event is to promote "clean development -- aesthetically and ecologically."  The exhibit is described as an "exhibition of modern prefab architecture and high-design, low-waste innovations for the urban environment."  Pretty cool.