Designing with Leather and Cork

New product watch: I saw this product at my local flooring store and had to do a double take. Torlys launch was in October 2008. New to my town at the insistance of a very bright salesperson who insisted his store bring in the line! Thank you Rich!

This is TORLYS Leather Tile. Shown is Novara Black Tile, this pattern has a distinctive and rich graining. It has a cork backing- environmental cushioning improves acoustics and precludes the need for an underlay in most circumstances.

Made from 100% recycled leather, Torlys Leather Floors ensures a cycle of material re-use, where leather would otherwise be wasted.

CARB Compliant: No Harmful VOC emissions, no added formaldyhyde.


What is so unique about Torlys Leather Floor is that this leather is incredibly durable. The first thing I had to do when I saw it was put it to the test. I tried to dent and scratch a sample. Now granted, I am standing in my local hardwood flooring store trying not to draw attention to my self as I slide my car keys across the surface. (Shhh...don't tell). I could not scratch it. The material is very hard. For skeptics thinking leather is not durable, Torlys carries a 25 year residential wear warranty and a lifetime structural warranty. However, if there is a problem, an act of God or another type of household disaster, the manufacturer says it can be repaired without damage to the other tiles. They have a tool called a bulldog that allows any plank, even in the center of the floor to be replaced, without damaging the rest. This is why it is unique and considered a "smart floor". Not even tile and hardwood cannot be replaced as easily.

TORLYS CORK
Also another favorite of mine is their Cork Flooring. Beautiful colors. Durable. Comfortable underfoot. A good insulator. All reasons to consider cork as an option for your floors. Torlys has done a wonderful job on the color selections available.

Eco-friendly note: Cork is an entirely renewable resource. Cork bark is carefully harvested once every nine years in a centuries-old tradition with hand tools- without destroying a single tree.

Check out their website, Torlys.com, for more information. They have a great interactive tool for you to preview floor tiles, planks, colors in different room settings. Beautiful!

Torlys Cork, shown in Florence Plank.

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The World's First Environmentally Friendly Home Water Filtration System

Consumers are most definitely interested in "good for your health and good for the environment alternatives." It is with great pleasure that I am able to report news about manufacturers that have stepped up to the challenge. We have all seen news reports at one point or another on the state of the Pacific Ocean. If you have not heard, there is a section of the Pacific Ocean twice the size of the continental United States called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Within it, 100 million tons of plastic swirl in a vortex of currents. There is so much plastic in the water that it outnumbers zooplankton by six to one! Say what? To put a size landlubbers can identify with, marine biologists say the heap of debris floating in the Pacific is twice the size of Texas.

This plastic ends up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals. In fact, one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die globally each year due to ingestion of or entanglement in plastics. What can you do? The simple act of reduce the amount of plastic bottles you use on a day to day basis. Fill up your glass or reusable bottle every time you need a drink. Now that is simple fact we can all manage to do.

Photo credit: The Ferris Files.

Body Glove, known as the ultimate water sports brand, has stepped into the kitchen with Water Inc., launching the first ever environmentally friendly 3M Manufactured Body Glove Water Filtration System. The Greenest Alternative in Water Filters.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Water, Inc. Partners with Body Glove to Introduce a 3M Manufactured Body Glove Water Filtration System - the Greenest Alternative in Water Filters

Water, Inc’s Body Glove Water Filters can save up to 9,000 plastic bottles annually

CARSON, Calif. -November 17, 2008 -
Water, Inc, along with Body Glove, introduces the Body Glove Water Filtration System the most advanced and eco-friendly water filtration products on the market. Manufactured by 3M, a leader in green innovative technology and the highly environmentally-conscious Body Glove, the Body Glove water filters are proven to provide the healthiest drinking water for your family, while reducing the overfilling of landfills and protecting the ocean from toxic pollutants.

"We are extremely excited to partner with Body Glove, a leader in green technology and environmental protection, with a 3M manufactured product,˝ says Rick Tarantino, Executive Vice President, Water, Inc. The launch of the Body Glove Water Filtration System will truly redefine the way homeowners consume healthy drinking water, while doing their part to protect the environment."

The Body Glove product line includes four models to suit all lifestyles - BG-1000 (1,000 gal capacity), BG-3000 (450 gal capacity), BG-12000 (1,000 gal capacity) and an upgrade cartridge, the BG-3000R (350 gal capacity). Using a unique and patented Tri-Stage filtering design, the BG-1000, BG-3000 and BG-3000R combine three powerful filtering processes into one recyclable polymer filter housing. Water is first treated by KDF-55 media for bacteriostatic and scale control. Next, a Micro-Filter Wrap more evenly traps sediment particles while maintaining overall flow rates. Lastly, water flows through the patented carbon block filter. The most powerful of them all, the BG-12000 takes filtering one step further by running the water through a patented 0.2 micron pharmaceutical-grade membrane. Each of the Body Glove systems have a 50 percent increased flow rate over competitive systems.

While providing a safe and healthy drinking water alternative, the Body Glove brand also promotes protecting the environment. Each Body Glove water filter uses a patented corn-based biodegradable label, along with a 100 percent recyclable polymer filter housing. This product also helps eliminate the need for 2 million tons of plastic water bottles that end up clogging landfills annually. The Body Glove Water Filtration Systems have been developed with a built-in cartridge recycling program that allows filters to be recycled conveniently by calling 1-888-62-REUSE (73873). Fully committed to helping protect the world's oceans, waves and beaches, Body Glove and Water, Inc. are donating a percentage of every sale to the Surfrider Foundation.

About Water, Inc.

Water, Inc., a premier distributor of luxury water products, decorative plumbing and high-end appliances for the home, specializes in the distribution and sale of premium brands including Asko, Perlick, Eurotech, HousePure, Enviropure, EverBrew, Brew Express, EverCold, EverHot and Body Glove Water Filtration Systems. For more information about Water, Inc., call 800-322-WATER (9283) or visit www.waterinc.com

About Body Glove

Founded in 1953, Body Glove is a leading, worldwide action sports brand specializing in wetsuits, swimwear, clothing, footwear, accessories, and technology accessories. The company sponsors one of the most respected surf and wakeboard teams in the industry with such powerhouse names as pro surfers Bruce Irons, Mike Losness, Alex Gray and Holly Beck and wake boarders Rusty Malinoski, Shelby Kantar and Jeff McKee. Through reef Check, SIMA's environmental fund, and the Surfrider Foundation, Body Glove works to preserve the purity of the waters it loves. Body Glove products are sold in the U.S. by a network of independent retailers. Body Glove is also sold in approximately 50 countries internationally.

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More on Pre Fab Housing

I think I am a true convert to prefab living after viewing this.

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Prefab? FABULOUS

When architect Michelle Kaufmann and her husband set out to purchase an affordable green home, to no avail, they decided to build there own. Thus a new company was born out of a need for clean, affordable green living.

Prefab has never looked so good. Michelle Kaufmann's prefabricated homes are a far cry from what we are used to seeing. Her designs are unbelievably cool and modern and affordable. If you are a fan of Frank Gehry and Michael Graves, the influence may be present as Kaufmann previous architectural experience included working for both architects.

Kaufmann's designs bring modern, affordable sustainable living to a new generation of home buyers. The beauty of the design is in the eco-friendly materials used. What's more, Kaufmann makes a reasonable argument for prefab designs. She is quoted as saying, "In countries like Japan, many homes are factory made, resulting in 50 to 75 percent less waste than is generated by building the typical American House. When you think about custom homes built on site, it doesn't make any sense, it's like asking to have a car built in your driveway."

MK Lotus

There are six exclusive models from which to choose from. Home sizes range from a mere 725 square feet to 2,400 square feet.

Home costs typically start at $250 to $300 per square foot. Custom built homes start at $400 per square foot. Costs include all construction costs aside from the cost of the land. Typical construction time: 12-14 months.

Glide House

Sunset Breeze House

MK Hearth

Sidebreeze

MK Solaire

MK Loft

What's more, you can try before you buy. The Reid House, located at Lake Chelan as a vacation rental, and featured in "Sunset & Dwell" magazines, offers an opportunity to experience green living in a tranquil environment and modern prefab structure with luxurious amenities. Rates vary seasonally, from $175 per night to $300 per night.

Photos below from Reid House.

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What does a LEED certified House look like?

Living Green - Top-rated green home opens for tours

Click on this link. 

Here is a short video link to Codding Cottage, a Sarasota home on tour this month. It is one of the greenest homes in the nation and has received rave reviews from the public.  

It also has the honor of having the highest rating a home can receive, LEED platinum certification. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the national standard in green building. 

For more information, please visit, http://www.joshwynneconstruction.com/current.php

Congratulations to the whole team at Josh Wynn Construction. 

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Making responsible material selections.

EMOTION DRIVES THE PURCHASE
Love this counter! I just dig it. Look at the color, the patina of it. It reflects light. The direction in counter design lately is for less shiny, more informal matte finishes as well as mixing textures such as glass, natural stone, engineered stone, wood or stainless steel.

I have the same emotional "ooh-ah" reaction when I look at velvety smooth soft marble counters. The creaminess is lovely to look at but the acid etching and staining, not so pretty after years of use. As with anything, surface beauty has a story behind it. Do the research before you buy. Understand how various materials rate for maintenance and the environmental impact a product has before you buy.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Did you guess that the counter featured above is concrete? If you did, you get to pass GO and get another roll at the dice again at the eco-friendly game of design monopoly. Any outsider thinking it is a piece of cake to make selections in materials, has yet to remodel. As design and remodeling specialists in our given field, we have the added burden of keeping up with all the latest information before us to help our guide our clients with the best materials for their remodel. The truth is, it is not really a burden. It's only a burden if you don't bother to educate yourself. It's a fascinating time to be in design with so many wonderful material options and information available.

Getting back to the picture above, evaluating concrete counters we can say they are a good option for a sustainable surface, as they are made from limestone, an abundant mineral. Eco-friendly aside, is concrete for you? How fastidious are you about the materials for your project? For more facts on concrete counters than you ever need to know, click here.

If you love the look of concrete like I do, a quick primer video to watch by Fu Teng Chung, Video: Concrete Countertop Vulnerabilities, will show you a concrete counter that has been installed for over twenty five years. There is no reason to limit yourself to one material. Consider the use of more than one counter surface in your design.

Quick fact: Concrete has the same porosity as marble. Translation: monitored maintenance for counter surfaces, requiring regular sealing or waxing. If the idea of "wax on/wax off" is better suited for the Karate Kid and not a part of your cleaning regimen, consider the alternatives. Or if you are athletically inclined you could work in counter maintenance as part of your arm routine. Lats Tuesday: wax the counters. (Ok, so maybe you don't need to buff out your counters weekly, but there is maintenance, unless you have the easy going attitude that Fu Teng Chung has about his counter tops. Be truthful, can you live with irregularities and vulnerabilities?).

For a similar look without the added regimen of regular t.l.c. & maintenance, watch for the hot colors coming up in 2009 from Caesarstone. For now, one of my favorite colors with Caesarstone is # 4350, Lagos Blue. You can order it polished (left) or honed (right).

There are other quartz products out there, so don't write to me to tell me that, I am simply showing Lagos Blue as alternative color to the concrete shown above.

AS FOR THE CABINETS...
featured featured in The New York Times, Home and Garden section, 11/26/08: Of the Sea, and Air, and Sky

...I am shocked.
The design team and homeowners selected, approved and installed Brazilian rosewood cabinets for this kitchen.

Brazilian Rosewood, (Dalbergia nigra), is listed on the official list of threatened Brazilian plants by IBAMA. It is CITES-listed, (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), and illegal to trade. It is one of the most highly prized woods in Brazil.

The New York Times article does not provide all the specifications for the products, so to be fair, I do not have all the facts on this project. If anyone associated with this project can answer the question, I would be willing to post the answer here. Are the woods selected in this project FSC certified as harvested from a “well-managed” forest?

WHAT LENGTH'S WOULD YOU GO...
to own a wood product that is on the endangered list?

Brazilian Rosewood timber has been harvested since colonial times for high-quality furniture and musical instruments. Rates of deforestation are great. Regeneration appears to be poor, possibly because of seed predation by rodents. Source: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/32985

Factoid: Brazilian rosewood became famous in 1921 as an ingredient in Chanel No. 5 and continues to be harvested (often illegally and unsustainably) for fragrances, flooring, furniture, and musical instruments.
reference: Sustainable Development in the Brazilian Amazon: A Tale of Two Community-Based Organizations by Robert C. Tatum1,2 Department of Economics University of North Carolina at Asheville

This newly constructed McMansion Malibu digs featured in the New York Times article is of course, exquisite, and a testament to what money can buy . This could have been an opportunity to promote sustainable design by selecting wood products that are not derived from rain forest destruction.

SHOPPING TRIPS.

We can do a better job at reducing the negative environmental impact with sustainable design selections.

The US is the second largest importer of tropical woods. Ouch! Not really an astounding fact, is it? I am not suggesting you throw out your grandmother's rosewood jewelry case or the buffet handed down to you from your mother. Exotic woods have always had a cache, a status symbol of wealth. It is up to Design/Build professionals for reversing this trend of unsustainable design/build construction practices and providing our clients sustainable alternatives.

MAKING RESPONSIBLE CHOICES. WHAT YOU CAN DO.

1. Avoid any wood product that you cannot identify as domestic and second growth.
2. For plywood, use domestic softwood plywood (pine and spruce) or hardwood plywood (maple, beech and birch).
   
3. Avoid tools with wooden handles unless they are oak, ash or hickory.
   
4. Buy used furniture or antiques.
   
5. Always ask if any tropical woods are independently certified, such as SmartWood™. These are okay to buy.
   

PEACE ON EARTH: INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.
Ask for manufacturer literature that indicates their level of commitment to protecting our natural resources. Manufacturers are willing to step up their game. One example of responsible manufacturing is Caesarstone. Caesarstone's Eco Brochure shows the company's environmental commitment.

Look for cabinet manufacturers that have earned their certification in the groundbreaking Environmental Stewardship Program administered by the KCMA (Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer's Association). This program was recently developed in 2006 and grants annual certification to those manufacturers who meet a stringent set of environmental criteria. The criteria, designed to promote the sustainability of natural resources, reduce waste, and to reward those companies who are going above and beyond in their efforts to reduce environmental impacts. The criteria is divided into the following five categories, which manufacturers are required to demonstrate their compliance.

1. Air Quality: Manufacturers must demonstrate their use of low formaldehyde containing raw materials. They must also demonstrate compliance with all local and federal hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) regulations.
2. Product Resource Management: Manufacturers must demonstrate their use of recycled and sustainable products.
3. Process Resource Management: Manufacturers must have active recycling and energy conservation programs in place.
4. Environmental Stewardship: Manufacturers must have a written environmental policy, as well as environmental management systems in place.
5. Community Relations: Manufacturer must demonstrate their involvement with the community through service or charitable organizations.

CONSERVATION IS NOT A DIRTY WORD.
Information is all around us. Resources abound. You can be informed. Another good source for further reading on conservation: Rainforest Alliance
Whatever you do, research your products before you buy. Look for the KCMA, FSC symbols as credible labels on your wood products.

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Throw out what you know about the kitchen window

Feel constrained by your kitchen window? Lack of privacy? Do you have a sun baked kitchen in summer? Have a less than attractive view of your neighbor? Tired of conventional kitchen plans? Challenge yourself to think with a new view. You could pick up better storage, more task lighting, increased energy efficient windows, and a better view.

Start by throwing out what you know about your kitchen window. The sink does not need to be centered at the middle of the window. Once you allow yourself to throw convention "out the window", a whole new window of possibilities for a better kitchen plan can be yours for the asking.

Here are some fabulous kitchens presented by Remodeling Magazine, one of my favorite trade publications. Follow the hyperlink to the article by Nina Patel, Back Lighting: narrow backsplash windows bring natural light to the kitchen while maintaining privacy.

And by the way, enjoy the view!

John Rogers, Rogers & Labarthe Architects

Both photos above and below: Phil Rossington, Rossington Architecture

Phil Rossington, Rossington Architecture

Alison Rainey, Merz Project

Both pictures: exterior and interior shots.
Iris Harrell, Harrell Remodeling

Click HERE to be directed to the slide show that provides written commentary by either the responsible architect, designer or builder on the project. Once there, click on the slide commentary to be directed to each company web site.

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Red Hot and Sizzle

What comes with the territory of designing kitchen and bath projects is the desire to punch it up with every new design. A new detail, a color, a new style. What makes a design special? A design aesthetic that carries all the way through. One that fits the style of the home. Proceed cautiously if your style leans towards the eclectic side. Learning to play up one style requires restraint. Restaint by carefully selecting materials that are in scale for the space, finishes that lend to the design, not detract from the overall effect. Adding too many elements or elements from a different theme makes for confusion.

Here are some of my favorite details from across the board. Inspired by color, asian elements, modern elements, and traditional elegance but never all at once. What do they all share? Restraint. Restraint, when balanced with the right balance of texture, scale, and tone is never boring. I love them all. Do you have a favorite?

From a favorite web site of mine: Green Tea Design. a Mizuya Island and Mizuya Counter with beautifully finished concrete countertops, a Maru Table, Dana Shelf, and some Antique Benches.

This sexy kitchen exudes style. It is a hip update to a 50's home. Designed by a fellow NKBA Member and friend, Ronni Fryman from Kitchen Places, Ventura, CA.

A balance mix of materials. Everyone loves a painted kitchen. This one exudes luscious elegance.
Flamed finished matte counters for the island with black distressed cabinets balances the bling of the chandelier and stately height of the white cabinets. This one, yours truly picked the colors and consulted on the layout for a friend of mine.

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It is easier finding green building materials, wish the same was true for cheap gas.

It used to be finding earth-friendly, energy efficient products was harder to source out. Now, there is a buffet of green options before us. The options are within our reach; energy efficient; recycled content; fsc certified wood products are easier to find and closer to home. See the latest articles and products shown in ECOHOME.
While we have freedom of choice to order the best, most energy efficient and eco-friendly products. The disparity of choice has never hit us harder than it has with the cost of gas.
As I waited at the freeway off-ramp to get home tonight, several thoughts came to mind. The insane price of gas at close to $4.50 per gallon makes me extremely grateful that I live less than five miles away from work. Others don't have it so easy. Commuting to Los Angeles and the surrounding cities in grid-lock traffic is a way of life for many. 50 to 60 mile round trips are common travel distances for Southern California suburbanites. People I talk to everyday are telling me they are rethinking how they are getting around. The wait lists for carpools is increasing. Others have to rethink sales trips to the city. My vendors are faxing notices that they are forced to add fuel surcharges to our orders to offset the cost of delivery.

All around me, I am witnessing people adapting. Water rationing is another thing we need to be aware of here in California as we face news of an impending drought. As I sat there idling at the jammed offramp I noticed a rider on a new motorcycle in the lane next to me. I quickly took note of the new bike and the fact that the rider was a women. I wondered, did she trade in her SUV for the motorbike? Would she have purchased that bike if it wasn't for the crazy cost of gasoline?

We live one city away from the agricultural farm lands and another unusual trend is coming about. There is a long stretch of farm land from Camarillo to Ventura where the strawberry, lettuce, avocado and orange crops are grown. Commuters are trading in the gas hogs and the farm laborers are buying these these newer and bigger SUV's and trucks because the prices of these vehicles are becoming more affordable.
So what does this mean to us? Adapting to the changing times is a way of life. The choice to go green will be the new desired trend. Remember when real estate ads read "gourmet kitchens with all new stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops" were all the rage?

I predict in five years from now, it will be the norm to see real estate ads describe homes for sale as "green built, energy efficient homes". Energy robbing appliances, single pane windows, non-low VOC paints and particle board cabinets will drive the cost of homes down, while installing the more expensive energy efficient building materials will bring a higher return on investment.

Now, you are probably wondering about the symbols above. Maybe you have seen some before. Do you want to know what they mean:
Here you go, read on. Next time you come across one of these symbols, you will know what they mean.
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.
Green Seal works with manufacturers, industry sectors, purchasing groups, and governments at all levels to "green" the production and purchasing chain.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that certifies sustainable businesses, homes, hospitals, schools, and neighborhoods. USGBC is dedicated to expanding green building practices and education, and its LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™.

The Alliance to Save Energy promotes energy efficiency worldwide to achieve a healthier economy, a cleaner environment, and greater energy security.

For businesspeople focused on evaluating, selecting and manufacturing environmentally preferable wood and paper products, Metafore is a source of tools, information and innovative thinking.

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How to Choose Patio Furniture: A.K.A. The Education of a Kitchen Designer

It is summer time and the news papers are full of ads featuring patio sets for sale. I want to remind you about the importance of avoiding tropical hardwoods for your patio furniture.

It's funny the way things come about. Life is circular in so many ways. A cause and affect motion is set into place in our lives, like it or not, the same way a pebble hits a pond of water and has a ripple effect.

For me, my ripple effect was something as simple as shopping for a new patio bench last year. It brought my attention to the destruction of tropical rainforests. I was aware, yes, but it didn't really impact me, so I thought, until it was about to impact me in my own backyard, literally. I felt small really on what impact I could have. Ultimately, I did not purchase a bench from Target made from nyatoh. What could I do, I am just one person among billions on our planet. Nevertheless, I researched this and wrote about it for the first time here in my blog October 15, 2007, Woods to Avoid and Alternatives. The impact to the environment is too big to ignore.

As far as my work as a kitchen and bath designer, well this is where I can have a bigger impact. Specifying materials for a project, I have an obligation to inform my client and my team on alternative options to exotic woods in a project. Where can these materials show up: hard wood floors, cabinetry, bannister's, windows, timber, decks, siding and patio furniture.

As far as my patio bench realization, it was literally a benchmark in my education as a designer. Choose to take action, avoid local and global apathy, make good decisions when selecting materials for your own home improvement project.

Since my patio bench story last year, I am happy to check back with you and tell you who is making a difference and who is not. Source: Rainforest Relief.org.

1. PROGRESS MADE: Significant progress had been made with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation over the last decade, in moving the agency away from the use of old growth tropical hardwoods. For the full article, read the New York Post article, Wood Free Boardwalk
2. PROGRESS MADE: Watch dog groups like FSC-Watch were founded to highlight problems within FSC and help move FSC to clean up its system.
3. PROGRESS MADE: Barnes & Noble ends the use of mahogany and other rainforest wood in new store construction. In 1996 Rainforest Relief targeted this bookselling giant for their ongoing use of mahogany and other tropical hardwoods in store construction. At the time, B&N was building approximately 100 stores a year using mahogany for foyers, doors & railings, jatoba for flooring and Shorea sp. for furniture. They now use domestic second growth for foyers, railings and flooring, and steel doors. Way to go Barnes and Noble!
   
4. NO PROGRESS MADE: Banana Republic is not making the grade: Banana Republic, owned by GAP, has used Sydney blue gum for flooring, a temperate wood logged from the old growth forests of Australia. Banana Republic is now using jatoba (Brazilian cherry) for flooring in new stores.
5. NO PROGRESS MADE: This Old House gets a failing grade. The PBS show, This Old House (TOH), promotes the use of tropical and temperate rainforest woods, thus encouraging the destruction of rainforests — the world's oldest "house". On October 23, 2005, TOH aired a segment promoting the use of tropical and temperate rainforest woods for siding in their current project. The materials suggested for replacing siding included only tropical and temperate rainforest woods, with the host never suggesting the use of more sustainable alternatives, such as recycled materials, salvaged or reclaimed lumber, or even certified domestic woods.
6. PROGRESS MADE: Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Linens-n-Things and Improvements.com have announced that they will no longer carry nyatoh furniture and they are working with organizations to find more environmentally sound alternatives.

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

1. Send a message to Wal-mart, Sears, K-mart, Target, Pottery Barn, Cost Plus and Vons. Tell them it’s time to join with other forward-thinking companies like Ikea, Improvements and others and cease selling furniture and any other products made with wood from endangered forests.
2. Plant a tree. Look for service organizations to get involved with. Tree People. Trees for the Future
   
3. Join Rainforest Relief. Donate to a worthy cause making a difference.
   
4. Bring Rainforest Relief to Your School, Civic Group or Event.
   
5. Watch video information on the rainforests to see what is happening.
   

You Tube Video:
Tropical Timber Imports.
The Destruction of Our Forests.
Rainforest Destruction and Human Apathy

MY RIPPLE EFFECT.

I can answer my own question on what difference one person can make.

If I can have an effect on one person this summer to avoid purchasing these beautiful patio furniture sets made from wood cleared from endangered forests, then my small contribution has made a difference. If you are on the fence, I challenge you to open up your patio catalogs and look at these while watching the video links I list above. It is pretty dramatic. What legacy do you want to leave your grandchildren. Make a difference, get involved, plant a tree, educate yourself before you buy. Apathy is not the answer.

As a consumer, and as someone closely tied to the design/build remodeling industry, I know it is real easy to be swayed by the sale and the beauty of nyatoh, available at many retail stores right now, but ask yourself this: is it really worth it? I hope you join me and answer no.

What to watch for when selecting Patio Furniture.
A fantastic source you need to know about is Rainforest Relief. They have a wealth of information on what to look out for when selecting wood.

From their web site, I have captured the following information from their outdoor patio furniture campaign:
Rainforest Relief began campaigning on outdoor furniture in the mid-1990s, starting with municipal and institutional site furnishings. They did this by engaging towns, cities and educational institutions, attempting to persuade them to end their purchases of benches and other site furnishings made mostly from teak and ipê.

More recently, as teak supplies have begun to dwindle and teak has become more expensive, other woods have come into vogue as replacements. As well, Rainforest Relief began to engage companies selling outdoor furniture to the home market. They began this phase of the campaign targeting those companies selling nyatoh, as they saw the popularity of this material rising quickly.

The demand for teak, mahogany, nyatoh, balau, kapur, keruing, jatoba, ipê, garapera, western red cedar, jarrah, cypress, redwood and other woods is driving the destruction of endangered rainforests in Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Brazil and the dwindling old growth temperate forests of Australia, Canada and the United States.

Rainforest Relief has begun to engage a number of retailers about their sales of furniture made from nyatoh. These entities include Wal-mart, Target, Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, Cost Plus World Market, Vons (Safeway) and others.

Nyatoh, balau, kapur and other woods are being logged from rainforests mostly in Indonesia but also in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. Logging in Indonesia is a nightmare of illegality, unsustainability and conflicts with indigenous peoples. In Malaysia indigenous people such as the Penan are being displaced by loggers. A recent study showed that much of the wood exported from Vietnam was being illegally logged in Cambodia.

Jatoba, garapera and ipê are coming from the Amazon rainforests of Brazil, where 80% of logging is being done illegally and loggers even employ slave labor. Loggers are bulldozing new roads into pristine rainforests, thus paving the way for their total destruction.

Jarrah is being logged from old growth temperate forests in Australia. Western red cedar is logged from old growth temperate rainforests of Canada and the United States. Cypress is logged from old growth sub-tropical forests of the southern United States.

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When shiny and bright will not do

Here is wonderful picture of a very old and original German silver sink. The homeowner was able to preserve the original sink from the butler's pantry.

The homeowners were updating a 100 year plus home in Maine. It is quite an accomplishment when you can remodel by adding modern day conveniences and still maintain the character of the home. For the full article please see House Beautiful online article, Kitchen of the Month.

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Tackling Formaldehyde and Alternatives

The March/April 2008 Issue of Building Products has a good summary for clarifying the use of formaldehyde in building products. There is no web link, unfortunately, so I will copy the article here.

Most structural engineered wood is glued together with binders that contain phenol formaldehyde, a product with minimal off gassing. The binders used for some non-structural, interior grade products, like particleboard, MDF, and hardwood plywood, however, can contain urea formaldehyde, a volatile compound that is classified as a carcinogen. Urea formaldehyde is also linked to respiratory problems, eye and nose irritation, and allergic reactions. The telltale sign of its presence: the sweet smell that most kitchen and bathroom cabinets emit.

New regulations in California will restrict urea formaldehyde emissions, but do not deal with phenol formaldehyde. In response, manufacturers are developing formaldehyde-free binders, using products like polyurethane and even soy. Last summer, the California Air Resource Board adopted new caps on the amount of urea formaldehyde used to bind wood products used indoors, to take effect in 2009.

While UF binders are significantly less expensive than PF binders, they give off a lot more formaldehyde—a volatile compound that is classified as a known human carcinogen. Source: BuildingGreen.com, article:Binders in Manufactured Wood Products:Beyond Formaldehyde

Given the concerns about formaldehyde, a lot of R&D is going into formaldehyde-free binders for manufactured wood products. Researchers at Oregon State University, inspired in part by the ability of mussels to form an extremely durable adhesion underwater, developed a formaldehyde-free, soy-based binder, now produced by Hercules and used in Columbia Forest Products’ PureBond hardwood plywood (see EBN Vol. 14, No. 6). Because most binders are more expensive than UF, we can expect manufactured wood product prices to increase to some extent as UF is eliminated.

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Practicality of Concrete

The floor shown on the left was my inspiration color.
In the last showroom I designed, I used the concrete slab as the finished floor. We didn't have a big budget for wood or stone tile floors, so we thought we would work with what we had, concrete. Even then, we found out that concrete could be expensive if you go the route of an overlay, a stamped pattern or a highly polished mirrored like finish. We went for economical route by resurfacing and adding a stain to the existing surface.

We received so many complements on the floor that I laugh when I remember the trauma involved.

Everyone who stopped in wanted to know how we achieved that color. It was an acid wash base of terra cotta and verdigris and it turned out fabulous. But fabulous is never easy.

We wound up doing it ourselves, or rather our GC was brought in to fix it. It was a lot of trial and error. At first, we got 2-3 quotes from different concrete sub contractors to do the work. I was ready to hire one company who's references checked out great. Then, the first contractor who's original bid was higher than all the others came back, made us an offer to reduce the price as long as we let him use the showroom floor to advertise his work. That sounded fine. If he wanted to bring his clients to our showroom to look at his work, why not?

What do they say about a deal to good to be true? You know what comes next. We gave him the deposit, he sands the floors, and then we never saw him again. He gave us every excuse in the book why he couldn't come back to finish the job. We waited as patiently as we could, but it was costing us thousands due to his delaying the work. We were on a deadline to open the store and we couldn't wait for him to come back and finish the work himself. Our general contractor Julion, came through like a champ, learned how to stain the concrete out of necessity to get the job done quickly.

The old floor was carpet and it had a lot of glue residue that had to be sanded off. What came next was a black base. It looked like asphalt and I was really nervous I had made a huge mistake. My heart was in my throat for two days until I saw the transformation take place. The chemical stain was applied in two colors in layers to achieve the coppery worn patina of the floor you see in these pictures. How they did it exactly, I don't know. We rented a sanding machine and a buffing machine, a lot of mops and rags and got it done! The only maintence required is mopping the floor and an annual maintenance job to keep it buffed to a semi polished state. Concrete Network is a good place to start for more information.
Click here for information on the type of floor we installed. Stained Concrete: The Art of Acid Etching Staining concrete is one of the most popular applications for transforming concrete slabs. Often referred to as colored concrete, homeowners, designers and builders are drawn to stained concrete because of the unique outcome that can be achieved combining colors, application techniques, etc., on cement flooring and other substrates. The results are limited only by the creativity of those involved in the stained concrete process.

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