I ran across this useful guide from the good folks at
TreeHugger. Here are some excerpts from their top 3 tips for going greener with your furniture.
1. Certified sustainable wood
"The world needs more trees, not less, so practices that lead to deforestation aren't any good. There are sustainable ways to harvest wood. Wood from sustainably harvested forests, sustainably h
arvested tree farms, and reclaimed wood are the main sources.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and its largest forest certifier, the
Rainforest Alliance, is the most widely used standard for sustainable forestry."
The Berkeley Bed by
Copeland Furniture, which is FSC certified, is made in Vermont. It's use of solid cherry, which ages and darkens over time, is a great example of green furniture with great design.
2. Furniture made with reclaimed materials "Reclaimed wood usually comes from old furniture, houses, or other built things that are ready for some friendly reincarnation, from flawed wood, or from scraps from a factory that makes other stuff. Either way, furniture made from reclaimed wood is a great example of resource efficiency, but usually comes in shorter supply. "
The
Santomer Dining Table is a stunning, contemporary piece of furniture. The Peroba Wood, which is reclaimed wood over 100 years old from old barns, houses, and bridges from Brazil, is combined with a simple, modern design to create an eclectic masterpiece that can work in a modern, transitional, rustic, or traditional home.
3. Bamboo
"You've probably heard by this point that bamboo isn't a tree at all, but a grass. Bamboo represents a family of grasses that range in size from tiny to huge, and in color from lime green to maroon stripes. It is incredibly fast-growing and versatile and has become the unofficial poster material of environmental designers and builders. Bamboo can be flattened into flooring, molded into furniture, pressed into veneers, sliced up to make window blinds, or hey, you can just build your whole house out of it. Using bamboo in buildings earns architects and builders LEED points. Most bamboo comes from China and is grown with few of no pesticides. Because it is so fast growing, it is much easier to maintain healthy bamboo forests."
The Metro Drum Table is a feat of innovative engineering and great design. You can pair them up to make for a great cocktail table setting or isolate them with a nice accent chair in the corner. It uses a remarkable patent pending Bamboo Timbre, which is "a proprietary process of layering and bonding flattened bamboo culms, or stalks, in defined patterns to create boards as thick as 8 inches."
High Fashion Home never set out to be a retailer of so many green products. We instinctively gravitated to products that exemplified great design, quality, and value, which also happened to be eco-friendly. It's a beautiful thing when you can buy what you love and help the environment along the way.
Labels: Green, High_Fashion_Product, How_To, News, Trends
Urban Glass House by Philip Johnson from Business Week. Brick chevron pattern.
Step Three: Put your feet up. Make sure there is enough room for the ottoman to do its job- which is helping you relax! Your roomie will thank you for not hogging the sofa.
