I don’t have a whole lot of experience with big remodeling jobs like kitchens or bathrooms, but I know beautiful tilework when I see it. As soon as I saw the recycled glass tile made by Stardust Glass, I knew I’d found something special. Anyone who has been reading this site for any length of time knows that I’m a fan of clean, modern design with a little bit of eclectic personality thrown in, and I love, love, love patterns made from graphic geometric shapes. All of these could be used to describe Stardust tile.

The tile is available in a variety of colors, shapes and patterns, including small round tiles, hexagonal tiles, rectangles with rounded edges, squares, diamonds, and styles that are created from a combination of these shapes. To top it off, the handmade tiles are made up of 87-97% recycled glass.

One of the things I wanted to do in my mother’s home before we left was to add a gorgeous backsplash to really make the kitchen pop. Given that customers have the option to select the specific colors used in their tile, it would be easy to make it coordinate with the rest of her home. It would also help me convince my mother to use red in small areas, like a few of the tiles in the backsplash, instead of covering her entire home in the color from top to bottom — which is what she would do if I let her.

And consider this tile to be a preview of a great eco-friendly before and after to come later today…

Why It’s Green:

• Handmade in Portland, OR
• Made of 87-97% pre-consumer recycled glass, which is collected within 500 miles of the manufacturing plant in Portland
• Produced via an environmentally-friendly manufacturing process

Price: $30-45/sq. ft. Stardust tile can be purchased from a dealer in your area or via the company directly.

© 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 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.

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.

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

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.

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

Give your walls a little texture and character with this beautiful grasscloth wallpaper by Twenty2 Neptune. The paper reflects light, so it will give your flat walls a little dimension. Create your own island getaway, or use it as a natural complement to your ultra-modern decor. The grasscloth is made of hand-woven jute, a renewable resource, and the color is created with natural, nontoxic vegetable dye. It is available in seven colors clearly inspired by nature: blanche, natural, cacao, chanterelle, grenadine, neptune (shown above with chair) and chlorophyll (also shown above).

Price: $32/yard

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

Finding eco-friendly fabrics is easy — unless of course you are looking for something with a little color and/or style. ModGreenPod must have realized there was a hole in the market, because their collection of beautiful patterned fabrics are as green as they get. The fabric shown above is their Grand Jubilee pattern, a bold damask available in a variety of colors. It is hand silk-screened using water-based, non-toxic inks and available in 100% organic cotton. The printed fabrics also are finished with a mechanical process that uses pressure and heat instead of chemicals. No harmful chemicals are used throughout production. Another plus — it is also available in a vinyl-free WALLPAPER (all colors except for Basil and Blueberry). I will, however, warn you in advance that it will not come cheap.

Price: $103.36/yard (or $82.69/yard if you buy 10 or more). ModGreenPod’s fabrics are also available in retail locations throughout the U.S. and Canada

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

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

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

If you want to go green in your kitchen or bathroom, you can do more than just purchasing EnergyStar appliances. IceStone surfaces are made with 100% recycled glass in a cement matrix and reduce the amount of glass that ends up in the landfill. They are kitchen countertops and backsplashes, bathroom vanities and shower walls, tabletops, flooring, and outdoor pavers. And they are remarkably durable as well — up to 13,000 psi, IceStone surfaces are stronger than marble, and they are heat and scratch resistant. It also comes in a 23 different colors, so you can truly customize it to match your kitchen. The detail photo above shows the Icicle Blue finish.

Price: The cost of your IceStone surface depends on your color selection as well as the size and scope of your project. You can contact a showroom in your area for price information.

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