Whenever I need a new rug for a room, FLOR is one of the first places I look — and with good reason. I can always trust that their products are eco-friendly in a variety of ways, and that there will always be new designs for me to peruse. This summer is no exception. I am loving the bold, graphic new designs from FLOR’s summer collection.

Lasting Grateness

My personal favorite is the beautiful Lasting Grateness. It is the kind of rug that can either make a room, or work well with the statement pieces you already own. The black and white color palette leaves endless room for bold accent colors, and it’s really hard to “mess up” black and white.

Filligreed

A close second is Filigreed. The black and white color palette continues, this time with a black background and bold white flourishes on top.

Line by Line

If you’re feeling ultra-modern, you’ll love Line by Line, and striped work of art that resembles the graphics you’ll see when there’s a “test” on your favorite TV station. How great would this be under a bright white, vintage tulip table surrounded by Eames chairs? I can see it now!

Of course, there are options with less contrast as well, with names to match. If you want something more neutral, you’ll like the next three designs:

Soft Spoken

Lacebark

Suit Yourself

Reoriented

And if you have a thing for oriental rugs, FLOR has something for you, too. Reoriented is their modern take on a traditional concept. Like most FLOR designs, the finished look is more of a patchwork than a seamless design, but the edges of the tiles are less obvious with this design because of the overdyed colors. Available in lavender, teal and pink, it is definitely not your grandmother’s oriental rug.

Surprise Giveaway!

As always, FLOR has something for everyone — me included. While none of these designs work in my new apartment, I did find something in their catalog that I loved, and FLOR was kind enough to send me a rug from one of their previous collections. I’ll give you a couple of hints:

• It is bold and graphic.
• It is a 2-color design, including a a color I’ve been saying I wanted to use.
• If you search my site for “FLOR,” you’re bound to find it!

Can you guess which FLOR design it is? I have a special prize from my own pocket for one reader who correctly identifies the FLOR rug design I chose! Leave your guess in the comments below, and I’ll choose a winner randomly from all those who guess the correct design. You have until 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 11, 2011 to enter, and you can guess as many times as you’d like. Just leave a separate comment for each guess. U.S. mailing addresses only! I won’t say what the prize is, but I will say that it’s something special!

I’ll reveal my pick and the giveaway winner next week, and I’ll show you how this rug inspired my new dining room design!

Why It’s Green:

• FLOR products are made with renewable and recycled content
• Fully recyclable via FLOR’s Return & Recycle program
• Products are low-VOC
• More than 90 percent of FLOR’s product line is made in the U.S.

Price: $10.99-14.99/tile; Starting at about $200 for a premade rug

Disclosure: FLOR provided me with a rug.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Every time I walk into our apartment, I silently curse the builders who decided that carpet was the most cost-effective flooring method. Once it gets dirty, it is almost impossible to get it completely clean again, and I don’t even want to think about what allergens or bacteria are lurking in it. I hate our carpet so much that I never let my daughter sit on the floor unless she’s on a blanket, sheet or towel. Anal, perhaps, but I know that when we finally buy our first home, hardwood flooring will be an absolute must. But not just any hardwood. If it is a newer home or we have to install the flooring ourselves, it has to be sustainable hardwood. When I discovered Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, I knew I had found something special.

All of their floors are either made of FSC-certified reclaimed wood or from mom and pop tree farmers in the U.S. By doing this, they help sustain family businesses that have been around for generations but are threatened by larger, corporate farms. The beauty of this is when a customer makes an order, the farmers select specific trees to meet the order requirements, and all trees are replanted. These small farmers also keep a record of every order, including the soil type the tree came from. This means that if a customer wants to replicate their flooring or continue it throughout their home, they can get the exact same type of wood again.

It almost goes without saying that these floors are gorgeous, but I can really fall in love with a company that not only offers wood products that are FSC-certified, but that is committed to supporting small, independent farmers.

Why It’s Green:

• Antique flooring made from reclaimed, FSC-certified wood
• Virgin wood comes exclusively from small, independent farmers in the U.S. rather than corporate farms
• Flooring planks handcrafted by skilled artisans in New England

Price: Ranges from $6.85-$23.35/square foot. To order, call 1-800-595-9663 to speak with a Carlisle Sales Representative and receive samples, or visit a showroom or design center in your area.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Remember way back (actually last August) when I worked with Wilsonart Flooring and my local Dalton CarpetOne to have a new, recycled laminate wood floor installed in my mother’s living room and hallway? Well, it’s about time for an update, don’t you think?

A lot has happened in the last 9 months. My husband, daughter and I moved out of my mom’s house and into our own place — and then we moved again. My mother has been back and forth between the Virgin Islands and Georgia, and the house still gets a lot of traffic. One of my sisters lives there, and my nieces are there almost every day after school. And that’s not to mention my mother’s rambunctious dog, who would frolic all over the house if she were allowed.

Suffice it to say we have not gone easy on the floor. In fact, just this past weekend, when these photos were taken, my other sister had a birthday party for my niece. A luau-style party complete with water balloons, a wading pool, a slip-n-slide and a dozen wet kids tracking across the floor. The photo above is from right AFTER the party, if you can believe it. You can still see the strings from the balloons on the left side and the plastic hula skirt-covered table on the right.

The grass had been cut just days before the party, so wet kids were tracking blades of grass everywhere. You can clearly see this effect the photo above.  All it took was a few swipes with a towel to make it look as good as the day it was installed. It really is lower maintenance than we expected it to be. As long as we keep it swept and go over it with a damp microfiber cleaning cloth every once in a while, it really looks great.

So great that my mother is still planning to continue the Wilsonart flooring in the hallway from the garage and into the kitchen when she moves back to Georgia permanently this summer. Since we haven’t been living there for a while, I haven’t done much to the rest of the room, so hopefully she’ll also give me the opportunity to help her finish the rest of the living space. I have some ideas for the kitchen too, but I won’t get ahead of myself

Why It’s Green:

• Made of a minimum of 70% pre-consumer recycled content
• GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality
• Made in the U.S.

Price: $3.89-5.09/square foot. Find a local retailer by entering your zip code in the top right corner of the Wilsonart home page.

(review)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

A few weeks ago, I was presented with a unique and exciting opportunity. Flooring manufacturer Wilsonart contacted me to tell me about their eco-friendly laminate flooring, made in the U.S. with a minimum of 70% pre-consumer recycled content. When I questioned how practical and durable this flooring could be, Wilsonart generously offered to install my choice of high-pressure laminate flooring for free in my home. I selected the flooring I wanted a few weeks ago, and last Friday, a team of installers from my local Wilsonart retailer, Dalton Carpet One, came by to tear out our carpet and replace it with sleek hardwood laminate. And I wanted to dance a jig

The installers were scheduled to arrive between 8:30 and 9 a.m., and they showed up promptly at 8:40. And within 15 minutes, the carpet was no more. It took a little longer to prepare the bare concrete floor for installation, scraping what remained of the carpet pad and adhesive and removing carpet tacks. Finally, they laid a sheet of what looked like vinyl over the concrete to protect the new floor from moisture. The installers weren’t sure if the material was vinyl, and I was concerned about offgassing. However, I also understood the need to protect the new floor from moisture, and I was comforted by the fact that it wouldn’t be visible or accessible once the flooring was completely installed.

The installers assured us we could walk on the concrete and even the new floor as they finished installing a section, reminding us that it would be an all-day job. We still tried to stay out of their way as much as possible, but there were moments when we had to sneak by to get from room to room. The newly installed areas didn’t even shift an inch. The process wasn’t as loud or dusty as I expected, because much of the cutting was done outside — in the garage, thanks to a sudden thunderstorm. No adhesives were needed, because Wilsonart flooring is designed to be installed with a simple tap and lock system. It was actually pretty impressive to see the seams disappear as the flooring planks were tapped together.

All things considered, the installation process was relatively quick and painless, and the new floor was complete by about 3 p.m. A few planks were left over, and the installers left it for us in the event a plank is ever damaged and needs to be replaced. My mother made a quick pass with a Swiffer wet cloth to pick up all the remaining dust, and we stepped back to admire the new floor.

I couldn’t believe the difference in the room. In fact, I’m still in awe at how much bigger, cleaner and more open the space looks. I sincerely could not have imagined a better result. The varied tones in the wood are as beautiful as we imagined they would be, and it looks as much like real wood as I had hoped it would. The only “problem” is that the dark wood entertainment center now disappears into the floor because the colors are so similar. We plan to take care of that relatively easily with some darker stain or chocolate brown paint and new, more modern chrome hardware. I’ll be sure to post the results once the makeover is complete.

Suffice it to say we are all exceptionally happy with the results. Aside from the fact that I now have to sweep every other days because the laminate has a way of collecting a thin layer of dust, I honestly couldn’t be more pleased. I love the fact that the carpet is no more, at least in the living room and hallway, and I’m even happier that it was replaced with an eco-friendly option. My mother is so happy that she plans on calling Dalton Carpet One again to finish the kitchen and another hallway with the same Wilsonart flooring. At about $3-5 per square foot, it should be be pretty affordable. I’ll check in again a few weeks after we’ve lived with our new floor for a while.

Now we just have to figure out how to recycle the remnant carpet that’s now rolled up in the garage. Any suggestions?

Why It’s Green:

• Made of a minimum of 70% pre-consumer recycled content
• GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality
• Made in the U.S.

Price: $3.89-5.09/square foot. Find a local retailer by entering your zip code in the top right corner of the Wilsonart home page.

(review)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I’ve ranted and raved more than once before about how much I hate living with wall-to-wall carpet. Well, a few months ago, I was contacted by a representative of flooring company Wilsonart to tell me about an innovative green product: their laminate wood flooring. I know what you’re thinking, because I was thinking the same thing. How could laminate flooring possibly be eco-friendly, right? After asking lots of questions, it turns out Wilsonart’s line of laminate flooring is a pretty nice shade of green. It is made in the U.S. with a minimum of 70% pre-consumer recycled content (including sawdust from saw mills, wood chips from log processing and shavings from wood processing) and it is GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality. This is not a specialty product. ALL of Wilsonart’s laminate flooring is made this way.

Still, I was skeptical about how any laminate flooring would hold up to the rigors of daily life, and I wanted to see it for myself. So Wilsonart has generously offered to install my choice of high-pressure laminate flooring for free in my home (technically my mother’s home). Seems like they’d have to be pretty confident in the performance of their product to be willing to do this.

Last Friday, my mother and I visited our local Wilsonart supplier, Dalton CarpetOne, to learn more about the product and select the style that we wanted installed in her living room and hallway. After receiving the great news about this opportunity, we had visited the Wilsonart website to get an idea of what was available, and we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted: dark tones that looked as natural and close to real wood as possible. Above, Wilsonart rep Alan Rowell is discussing some options with my mother. Below are the various choices we were considering.

Our two simple preferences (natural-looking dark wood) made our decision pretty easy. Though many of the choices look amazingly similar to real wood, there were only a handful with the specific tone and color variation that we preferred. Our final choice: Coach House Oak, shown in the very first photo of the post. It has rich chocolate brown tones that glide naturally into black-brown and golden honey tones that make it both sleek and organic-looking — much like real wood floors.

Wilsonart & Sustainability

We spent the bulk of our time talking to Alan about the product and the company’s focus on sustainability as a whole. That focus goes well beyond this laminate product. Alan explained that Wilsonart’s goal is to have zero-waste manufacturing facilities, where everything that comes in goes out in the form of product or packaging or is recycled internally for some other purpose. The company is also encouraging employees to be aware of their energy use, and company policy is to use energy as carefully as possible. Does that warm your heart as much as it does mine?

Cleaning

Wilsonart’s recommended floor cleaning solution is biodegradable and VOC-free. This does NOT, however, mean that it is free of chemicals. I only needed a cursory glance at the ingredients list on the bottle to discover that. I asked if I could use my own natural cleaning products and concoctions. Alan said he’d find out whether any natural cleaning products I prefer to use are OK. I reviewed Better Life cleaning products a few months ago, and I’m still happily using their “Simply Floored” floor cleaner and plan to buy another bottle soon. I’ll let you know the verdict on using an all-natural cleaner like this one.

UPDATE: Here’s some more info directly from Wilsonart on cleaning:

• Everyday cleaning: Vacuum the floor or use a dry electrostatic cleaner to remove loose dirt and debris. Do NOT use Wet mops or Wipes containing oil, polishes, waxes or detergents such as Swiffer Wet products.
• Deep cleaning: Use a damp mop using two ounces of Wilsonart Flooring Cleaner (concentrate) diluted in a gallon of warm water and a cotton string or terrycloth mop. Never wash mop head in regular laundry detergent, soap or fabric softener (a residue can build up in the mop head and be transferred to the floor).
• Spot cleaning: Wilsonart Flooring Cleaner (ready-to-use spray bottle) may be sprayed directly on the floor and wiped with a flat-bottom cotton/terrycloth mop.
• Preventive maintenance: Wilsonart recommends the use of felt pads on furniture legs and walk-off mats at outside entrances to prevent scratches and preserve the appearance of your floor.

Installation

The product is installed with a snap-and-lock system, meaning that no toxic adhesive is required. Adhesive is recommended for commercial installation, or for rooms where there is likely to be lots of moisture. This product isn’t recommended for bathroom installation, but according to Alan, it’s great in the kitchen. And while you can use an adhesive for installation, the product is guaranteed whether you use it or not.

Wear & Tear

This is the part that I was most concerned about, but everyone has assured me that I need not worry. I will see for myself once the product is installed, but Wilsonart does have a “puppy test” that shows how durable it is for pets, and it is also designed to withstand the antics of kids who will walk across it wearing soccer cleats without a care in the world or drop heavy books on it without thinking twice. Candi, my mom’s dog, isn’t really allowed in the living room because she sheds so much, but I’ll let you know how it holds up. Alan did point out a great difference between real wood and laminate while we were shopping. He pointed out an area of the store’s floor that was covered in real wood. There were lots of heel marks, scratches and nicks in the wood. But the Wilsonart laminate, which was on a high-traffic area right outside an office used by all the store’s employees, was completely free of nicks and scratches even though it had been installed at the same time as the real wood. It was a compelling observation, unless you like real wood because it wears beautiful over time.

The Next Step

Once we made our choice, we set up an appointment for a representative of Dalton CarpetOne to come out and measure our room. On Tuesday, the room and hallway were measured, and the entire process took only about 20 minutes. Now, I’m just waiting to schedule the installation. I can’t wait!

Why It’s Green:

• Made of a minimum of 70% pre-consumer recycled content
• GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality
• Made in the U.S.

Price: $3.89-5.09/square foot. Find a local retailer by entering your zip code in the top right corner of the Wilsonart home page.

(review)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I’m fully of the belief that great flooring is imperative to any well-thought-out home design. Sure, it may never be the focal point of your room. But keep in mind that your choice of flooring is likely something you’ll have to live with for a long time to come. It is for this reason, and others, that I hate wall-to-wall carpeting. It gets stained and dirty easily, traps bacteria and dirt that you track in with your shoes, and is a huge contributor to poor indoor air quality — no matter what the carpet is made of. I wish I could go back and explain that to the people who built this house. So if have the luxury of being in the decision-making stage about your flooring, or if you’re considering chucking your carpet for something more sustainable and better for your health, you’ll want to take a look at this cork flooring from Real Goods Solar.

Cork is a great sustainable material that is harvested without harming the tree it is taken from, and it can be harvested from the same tree several times over its life cycle. It’s also great for flooring because it is naturally water-resistant and anti-microbial. I’ve seen photos of it used to great effect in kitchens and bathrooms.And if you have a busy household, you’ll also be happy to hear that it tends to greatly dampen sound. So when the kids come running down the hallway like a herd of cattle when they get home from school, you’d be a lot less annoyed by the noise their feet would make. These particular planks do have high-density fiberboard cores, but the cork top and bottom layers will still provide some sound insulation.

What I love about these cork planks is the price. Depending on the style you choose, they cost about $4-$4.75 per square foot. That’s a pretty good price for flooring that is both beautiful and sustainable.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of cork

Price: $85-99 for a pack of 7 planks (21 sq. ft. per pack)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I hit the motherlode today in my search for great deal on eco-friendly home products, so I figured I’d present all of them in one post.

Deer In The Woods Organic Print by Amenity

I have had my eye on this beautiful, kid-friendly organic cotton print from Amenity for a long time, and Delight.com has it on sale for an incredible price! The 16″ x 24″ print features a whimsical image of a doe and fawn, with a tiny turtle sitting at their feet. It is a great, unisex piece of art that comes ready to hang.

• Why It’s Green: Made of organic cotton by Amenity, an eco-company
• Price: $21.89 (on sale from $79)

Bamboo Revolution Horizontal Bamboo Flooring

I told you about deal-a-day site Ecosteal last week, along with some great deals on a variety of eco-friendly flooring. Well this week, they are offering a great deal on green flooring. Ecosteal is offering Bamboo Revolution Horizontal Bamboo Flooring for just $2.47/sq. ft! That is really an incredible deal and more affordable than many laminate products. It is available in a cherry or ebony stain and sold by the box. Sounds like it really is time to pull up that old, worn carpet and walk on something a whole lot greener. This deal will only last one day, so if you want it, you’ve got to get it now!

• Why It’s Green: Bamboo is a fast-growing, highly renewable grass that can be grown without pesticides
• Price: $56-73 per box (or $2.47/sq. ft.)

Kee-Ka Organic Pink Fitted Sheet & Cupcake Crib Skirt

If you’ve been wanting to make your nursery greener, I know how expensive it can be. Most organic bedding won’t come very cheap, so you’ll want to take advantage of this deal from GreenBabyBargains (another deal-a-day site) while it lasts (until midnight). They are offering a pink fitted crib sheet and cupcake print organic crib skirt from Kee-Ka Organics for $14.50 and $18 respectively. This is a huge savings! Pair them with the Netto Cub Crib and Changing Table from Overstock, and you’re well on your way to an eco-friendly nursery.

• Why It’s Green: Made of organic cotton by Kee-Ka Organics, an eco company.
• Price: $14.50 (on sale from $39.99) and $18 (on sale from $59.99)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I’ve written time and time again about how much I dislike carpet. It gets dirty and traps bacteria, often contributing to poor indoor air quality in a home. But I understand that many homes these days come standard with carpet, and flooring isn’t exactly the cheapest thing in your home to replace. Fortunately, there are lots of eco-friendly flooring options, and many of them are pretty affordable even at regular prices. Thanks to a current sale from Green Building Supply, those options are even more affordable.

Marmoleum Click plank flooring (which I have profiled before), vertical or horizontal EcoTimber Bamboo, Natural Cork Eco-Cork in 3 styles and EcoTimber FSC Acacia Hardwood flooring are all on sale for $3.99 per square foot. When you have a large area to cover, like a kitchen, living room or hallways, you’ll definitely want to find a good deal, and this is it.

At face value, there may not seem to be a huge difference between $3.99 per square foot and $5.49. But lets do a little math. A moderately sized living room of 20′ x 15′ works out to 300 square feet. At $5.49, the total flooring cost would be $1647. At $3.99, the cost is considerably less, at $1197.

Green Building Supply is also offering $99 flat rate residential shipping and free shipping to commercial addresses. So if you were planning to replace your flooring and want to go green, this is a good time to take advantage of a great deal. The special prices will only be available wile supplies last.

Why It’s Green:

• Marmoleum: The main ingredient in linoleum is natural linseed oil. It is also biodegradable and incredibly low in toxins, and it clicks together, so there is no need for toxic adhesives.
• Bamboo: Grows to maturity in just 5 years and can be grown without pesticides. Rapidly renewable.
• Cork: Harvested from living trees without harming the tree. A single tree can be harvested several times over its lifetime.
• Acacia Hardwood: It is a fast-growing hardwood, and the fact that it is FSC-certified means that this specific acacia was harvested from sustainably-managed forests.

Price: $3.99/square ft.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I absolutely hate wall-to-wall carpeting. It gets dirty easily, is hard to clean effectively and is expensive to replace. And yet, I have had carpet in every home I’ve ever lived in except for my childhood home in the Virgin Islands. Clearly, it is the preferred choice of home builders because it is cost-effective, but it is not a healthy floor covering at all, no matter what it’s made of. That said, I do love rugs, because they can be picked up, deep cleaned and although they are not disposable, they can be replaced easily if need be. This is just one of the reasons I’ve always been impressed by FLOR, a company that makes beautiful carpet tiles in a wide variety of styles and colors. I recently had an opportunity to review a rug of my choosing from FLOR’s product line, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I loved the idea of carpet tiles for several reasons. You are able to make a rug as large or small as you’d like, and if you so choose, you could even do wall to wall carpeting with them. Also, if one tile is stained or dirty, you can pick up that one tile and have it cleaned or replaced if need be. But why I love FLOR is that a lot of their tiles are made of recycled materials. The company also has a tile recycling program. You can send tiles back to FLOR at the end of their life cycle for proper recycling.

When I received the tiles, I was really excited! I selected a rug made up of 20 Toy Poodle tiles in Fluffy Fuschia and Fifi Orange to match the newly painted color scheme in my daughter’s room. Each tile is 19.7″ x 19.7″. Even knowing that, I was still a little surprised at how large they are. The 20 tiles were split between two boxes, but each box was pretty heavy.

When I sat down to put the rug together, I realized I had a problem. It would be much easier to put the rug together with the furniture taken out of the room. Otherwise, it was going to be pretty tough to get under the bed to attach tiles at the corners. My husband helped me push the furniture into the corners and against the wall so I’d have a decent work space, but it was still pretty tight in a small room. So my first observation is that laying carpet tiles down would be much easier in an empty room than in one that is filled with furniture, particularly if you plan on putting the furniture on top of the rug.

I pulled out the tiles and started attaching the corners together with the FLOR Dots, adhesive backed strips that were included with the rugs. But I became really indecisive about how I wanted to lay out the tiles. Before I ordered, I had created a design using FLOR’s rug design tool, but I couldn’t remember what it looked like. So I wound up going back to the computer to try to recreate the design I had originally built. What this made me realize it how versatile the tiles are. I literally went through at least 10 different designs with the tile colors I had received before settling on one.

I went back to the room with a new design in mind about 30 minutes later. I had to move some of the tiles I had already placed to create the new design I had decided on. That turned out to be really easy. The dots are designed to be easily moved when you first attach them to the tiles. Then with use of the rug, the adhesive seals and becomes more secure over time. They can still be disassembled, but the tiles are not supposed to shift with use. What I didn’t realize however, is that FLOR tiles are not designed to be used on top of carpet. I put together the entire rug, then got frustrated because the tiles kept shifting and moving and the seams were coming apart.

I went back to the FLOR site and read that the tiles should be used only on bare floor. I really wished I had read that before putting the rug together, but I was happy to have an explanation about why the tiles weren’t staying put. There is literally no room in the house without carpet, so I couldn’t test it on bare floors to see if they would hold better. I definitely believe that they would.

I loved the versatility of the tiles and the ability to easily change the design of the rug, and I loved the fact that the tiles felt durable and were easy to work with. So although my initial impression was great, I can’t completely evaluate them because I don’t have a bare floor on which to put them. I will definitely try again when I have a bare floor. Because so many homes have wall-to-wall carpet, I think it would be in FLOR’s best interest to put a note on each product page that says their tiles should not be used on top of existing carpet. This would prevent other customers from overlooking that like I did.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of recycled materials
• Recyclable at the end of their life cycle

Price: $13.99 per tile. Other styles are available for $4.99-$29.99 per tile.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Its hard to imagine walking on stones with your bare feet and enjoying the sensation. In fact, just thinking about it makes my feet ache a bit. Images of jagged edges poking my toes and tearing at my sensitive skin come to mind — not pleasant. Thankfully, this gorgeous tile from modwalls will completely dispel that notion. Not only are the stones used to create this tile completely smooth and polished — they are absolutely beautiful, too.

There is no shortage of eco-friendly options when it comes to flooring for your kitchen and bathroom.  There’s the ever-growing bamboo, antimicrobial cork or whatever shade of eco-tile suits your imagination. But if you want a flooring option that will really stand out, the ModRocks Natural Pebble Mosiac is the way to go. You can bring a little bit of nature indoors without looking like you live in a log cabin.

As you can see from the photo above, even if your taste is contemporary (I know mine is), you can pair this tile with sleek cabinetry and modern fixtures for a look that will blow you, and your guests, away. I can even picture it surrounding a sleek, stainless steel fireplace — a lovely mixture of texture. Beautiful!

Why It’s Green:

• Made of natural stone

Price: $11.95/sq. ft.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Photos from Duro Design

Green flooring options are becoming more abundant these days. And if you know anything about carpet, you know that no matter what it’s made of, even if it’s recycled or otherwise eco-friendly in terms of materials, it is one of the most unhealthy (though affordable) floor coverings you can have in your home. Carpet traps everything you track in on the bottom of your shoes: dirt, bacteria and who knows what else. If you must have carpet, stick to area rugs or carpet tiles that can be washed and/or replaced.

That said, cork flooring is a wonderful, natural option to consider. It is very affordable, starting around $3/sq. ft., and because it comes from the part of a tree that grows back naturally and can be harvested several times, it is sustainable. It looks and feels luxurious and comes in a variety of styles and colors, with a small sample of your options shown above. And what’s even better is that it’s a no-hassle installation process. These Uniclic cork floor panels from DuroDesign click together without tools or glue, and minimal floor preparation is required. You can just lay your new cork floor directly over your old floor.

Cork has a natural sound-absorbing quality, so it is ideal for kids rooms, music rooms, or any other room where there’s constant traffic and noise. If it does nothing else but stop your kids from sounding like a herd of buffalo running through your home, isn’t it worth it?

Why It’s Green:

• 100% renewable resource harvested as the bark from living cork oak treesv
• Naturally hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial and anti-fungal
• Contains no PVCs and no added formaldehyde
• Finished with a low-VOC finishing system

Prices vary. Call (888) 528-8518 for more information.

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Many people don’t realize that good old linoleum is among the most eco-friendly flooring options out there. It is also one of the most affordable. Linoleum is durable and biodegradable, made up mostly of natural linseed oil, and truly low in toxins. The problem is that many people tend to associate linoleum with their parents’ or grandparents’ floors that were installed in the 1940s and 50s, including the scrubbing involved with cleaning them, and the toxic paste required to install it. Well I can tell you that linoleum has come a long, long way since then. As you can see from the photos above, it can look as clean and contemporary or simple and classic as you want it to, and there is no stinky adhesive involved.

This particular product, Marmoleum Click by Forbo is a natural linoleum product with a cork layer (also eco-friendly), that installs with the patented click system: the panels simply “click” together to cover your existing floor. This also means you can walk on it immediately after installation. It is easily installed and maintained, and it will work well in high traffic areas like kitchens or hallways. And because it is made of natural materials, you can put it in your kids’ rooms without fear of offgassing. It also is an ideal material to use if you or anyone in your family have allergies.

You can even plan your own floor design at Forbo’s website. With 18 colors to choose from, in both panels and squares, you can literally spend hours trying out new designs. Start with squares and slot a few panels in the center, try one color, or 3…just have fun with it!

Why It’s Green:

• The main ingredient in linoleum is natural linseed oil
• Biodegradable and very low in toxins

Price: $5.50-7.50 per square foot (not installed). Find a dealer.

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably always thought that those plastic office chair mats are as hideous as they get. But if you want to roll across a rug without snagging the carpet every few inches, they are also necessary. I am SO happy to find this eco-friendly alternative! This bamboo chair mat serves the same purpose in a decidedly more stylish manner. They are durable (as are all bamboo products) and will add a functional, yet elegant touch to your home office.

Price: $179.95

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I took me some time to find eco-friendly tile made of something other than glass, but the Ecoycle tile by Crossville attempts to fit the bill. EcoCycle contains 40% recycled ceramic content, certified by Scientific Certification Systems, so it will contribute LEED Certification for new buildings or major renovations. It comes in 8 earth-toned colors. The floor shown above is comprised of Wetlands, Marshland and Pine Barren 12″ x 12″ tiles. And because the tiles are prices so well, you won’t have to dig a deep hole in your pocket to have beautiful floors.

Price: $3.23-$3.49 per square foot

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Duro Design offers bamboo flooring in 54 rich and distinctive colors, but my personal favorite is the Ebony flooring. This deep, dark tone will be at home in modern and traditionally-decorated homes alike, and it is one of those neutrals that looks good with any color you put around it. We already know that bamboo is a truly sustainable material that regenerates at least 8 times faster than hardwood, but Duro Design takes the extra step of waiting until the bamboo is 5-7 years old before harvesting to ensure superior strength and hardness. The flooring is also protected by 6 coats of a low-VOC urethane finishing system and can help you achieve LEED® certification.

Prices vary. Call (888) 528-8518 for more information or request free color samples.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.