Reusing Kitchen Cabinets in a New Kitchen Design

BEFORE KITCHEN PLANReusing kitchen cabinets to create a new kitchen design is both a real challenge and extremely gratifying. I've done it, albeit in an experimental way in a previous personal kitchen. In my case, it was an opportunity to try out some design ideas and at the same time hold us over until we were ready for the big remodel down the road. Here is a reader's question on the topic of reusing kitchen cabinetry:

"I read the article on reusing cabinets and there are some great tips there. You mention the fact that reusing cabinets in a new configuration can be difficult but didn't elaborate further. That is exactly what I am trying to do but need some expert advice!

I am in desperate need of a new layout in our kitchen, but our cabinets are in great shape. I have played around with the design and think I have something that will work. I am not a "handy" person so I was hoping to get some pointers on what to look at to determine if the existing cabinets could still be recycled in the new layout.

Do you have any advice on what I should do to detemine if the new kitchen design will allow for reuse of our cabinets? Or is this a project I need to get a contractor in on now to ensure they can physically do it?

Thanks,
Carly"

AFTER KITCHEN PLANHi Carly, 

Thanks for writing! The word that describes reusing kitchen cabinetry is: "puzzle." Finding the right configuration for a brand new design using existing cabinetry can be done, but it will entail very open thinking, meaning that you need to be open to new design ideas, new and different ways to add storage into your kitchen to supplement your existing cabinetry, and a good dose of positive thinking.

You will need to draw the room to scale and then the puzzle begins. An open mind will allow you to experiment with a variety of configurations. There is no absolute way to find "the" right solution. Trial and error and positive "play" in a relaxed setting is how you will find your design solutions.

Of course, you should consider where your existing cabinetry offers the best access near certain appliances and work centers. Narrow drawer cabinets will be useful near the refrigerator or sink. Wider drawer banks or cabinets with doors will be useful near the cooking area.

Watch for the size and proportion of doors and drawers. For sections which you will need to fill in with new cabinetry, do not attempt to match a new color with the old; it most likely will not work - instead, select a painted finish in a new area of the kitchen that makes sense and balances well with surrounding cabinetry.

A trained eye knows how to configure different sizes and proportions of cabinetry. My advice would be to find a local kitchen design professional who can help you on a consultation, or hourly fee, basis at least to get you a head start.

Filling in with metro shelving, curtains and furniture pieces can result in a very interesting kitchen, one which could be super chic in that bohemian/modern sort of way. I know this is true because my reused kitchen cabinetry, once transformed, was published in a national shelter magazine ... thus, the positive thinking! 

Quartz Made in USA Gets A+

Quartz Produced in the USA Gets A+

Cambria produces the only quartz countertop made in the USA and lives up to their mantra: Live Green, Live Life, Live Cambria. American made quartz equals less of a carbon footprint with regard to transporting the product. “At Cambria, we are committed to environmental responsibility in both our product offerings and businesses practices,” says a Cambria spokesman.

They’re not kidding.

Their quartz is nonporous which means harsh chemicals are not necessary to seal or polish the surface. Cambria is certified GREENGUARD for children and Schools certified. GREENGUARD is a nonprofit organication that oversees acceptable indoor air standards for indoor products. In addition to their product being green, they run a very green office and plant. One hundred percent of the water used in the production process is recycled! Their fleet of vehicles is hybrid, their shipping crates are recycled and scrap material is collected and used as road base for local construction projects. I'm impressed!

In addition there is an on-site drainer pond that they use to water and beautify the plant grounds. All office waste is recycled including computers and batteries. Quartz is a popular choice for kitchen countertops because it is maintenance free and stain resistant - that means no wine stains or grape juice stains.  It's even impervious to coffee and nail polish!   In addition, as the strongest natural stone found on the Earth's surface, it is durable. Cambria gets an A+ for being kitchen friendly and for it's impressive green efforts!

Best, Maureen (Susan's assistant)

 

Water Filtration - Move Away From the Bottle

Here is a post from my assistant, Maureen, who is a strong advocate for green living. We'll be hearing from Maureen from time to time. Give her a little welcome too! Good work Maureen!

Thirty-Eight years after the inception of Earth Day, it has gone mainstream with events in countries all over the globe. Flooding the Blogosphere, networks and print media, Green has gone global, political and earned a former Vice President a Nobel Peace Price. It also made a strong presence at this year’s KBIS where Green was a hot theme as social consciousness entered the Kitchen Design world in a multitude of ways.

Intrinsically, we all want to lessen our environmental footprint – how does a mere mortal go about doing such (especially a SUV driving suburban mom)? Although not a terribly glam topic –we can begin our personal green campaigns in a very tangible and quantitative way. We can move away from the bottle!

An Inconvenient Truth

• Americans used 50 billions plastic water bottles last year – 40 billion of them ended up in landfills.
• To distribute the bottled water that’s hauled to and fro within the U.S. each week required the equivalent of 37,800 18 wheel trucks.
• Worldwide, 2.7 million tons of plastic are used each year to make water bottles, and in the United States, less than 20% of these are recycled.
• Americans throw away 22 billion water bottles each year, over 60 million a day.
• The 29 billion plastic bottles manufactured in the United States each year require the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of crude oil.
• In 2006, American spent nearly $11 billion on over 8 billion gallons of bottled water.

Ouch! - from an environmental and financial standpoint. Plastic bottles are made from fossil fuels; fossil fuels are used to bottle the water, deliver the water to the stores, used to get consumers to the stores to buy the water and also used to get the garbage trucks to the homes to pick up the bottles. If the bottled are recycled, then you got it, more fossil fuels! Ok I am officially riddled with guilt about the countless bottles of water served to dinner guests, tucked into lunch boxes (OK bags that I didn't recycle) and taken to countless sporting events (yes in the SUV). In addition to the environmental impact, the cost is something to be considered in this teetering economy that’s gasping for air.

Taking Back The Tap

Victoria Kaplan is the senior organizer with Food and Water Watch – a nonprofit that recent launched a Take Back the Tap campaign to get consumers to ditch bottled water. “The bottled water industry spends millions of dollars a year to convince us that their product is somehow safer or healthier than tap water, when in fact that is just not true,|” says Kaplan. Did you know that bottled water is subject to less-stringent government standards for quality than tap water? That’s not marketing hype, according to National Geographic Green Guide, as much as 40 percent of bottled water started out as the same tap water that we get at home. Americans are beginning to get the message that bottled water is expensive (more expensive per gallon than gasoline), not necessary safer than the H20 that flows from the tap water and burdened with incalculable environmental problems.

Everpure showcased at this year’s KBIS where they offered a powerful visual presentation of the environmental impact of bottled water. Although in the business of filtering water for restaurants for over 75 years, they now tout several products for the home. The H-300 Water Filtration System employs Everpure’s Micro-Pure® filtration removing impurities and providing what they say is the best tasting water available.

Although secondary to health issues, taste is critical when it comes to cooking and creating sauces, breads, pastries and making stocks and even cocktails.  Home filtration units are a great step forward for both concerting cooks and envrionmentals alike.  If you move away from the bottle, the results will be palpable. 

The Everpure Exubera System dispenses chilled still or sparkling water right from the tap.

For more information about water and reusable bottles and canteens:

www.allaboutwater.org

www.kleankanteen.com

www.mysigg.com

KBIS 2008 - Green Kitchen Products

This just in...New York Times' Sunday magazine, "The Green Issue" is here:

Please take a look and register if you need to, it's worth it.

I was all set to blog about green kitchen design theory today, but Maureen, my assistant, took home a bunch of green kitchen information this weekend (on her own, just wanted to read up on it, isn't that great?) and I can't find what I'm looking for. You'll meet Maureen soon, I'm sure. Maureen brings her own container of water to work every day (yes, don't worry, I give her more water if she wants it during the day. No, I DO.) We talk about environmental issues here and there, and Maureen brings a lot of good green living insight into our company. SO, till then, I'll show you some green, or healthy living, products I saw at KBIS.

Rohl has a new triflow faucet, which offers hot, cold, and filtered water from a single faucet, offering consumers a healthy alternative and a more green alternative than drinking tap water or wasting water bottles. The faucet has a dedicated filtered waterway with no risk of contamination. The filtration system sits under the sink and produces water that tastes good.

Staron Surfaces (by Samsung) has added ten new colors to the line for 2008, but the most exciting news is the Greenguard certification Staron has just earned for their countertop products. The certification covers the full range of products by Staron. Here is one of the new colors, called Sonoma, from the Tempest line, new for 2008.

Did I tell you browns were everywhere? Well, take a look at this product. It's brown AND green. Kichler introduces new LED cabinet light fixture. It's energy efficient, lasts, oh, 40,000 hours or so, emitting a soft, white light. It is for use under wall cabinets, as task lighting, and it comes in a variety of sizes. It also has a very low profile, about 1/2" thick. How about a lifetime warranty and a snap together installation? And it also comes in nickel and white, as well as bronze. You're welcome in advance for this one!

That's it for the moment...I have tons of work to do! Enjoy the weekend! 

Kitchen Trends 2008 - Organic Shapes and Forms

When I look forward, I see shapes, forms, textures, and a blending of styles, often leaning toward nature. I feel it. Just recently, Blink Decor talked about it. Here's what was noted on their blog, as they looked forward to design trends in 2008:

Sticks and Stones: Organic, eco-conscious elements continue to meld with more traditional home decor. Bright white cotton duck looks effortlessly chic paired with aged wood and accented with funky fur pillows. Large river -smooth stones make a great lamp base topped with a classic white drum shade.

Blink Decor then references Bleu nature...take a look at this beautiful site. Now I know why I had this post unpublished for a couple of weeks even being only a few lines, while I galavanted in Denmark...my father loved and collected driftwood for years, only to see this site as I sat down again to think about this post. It was in his yard and in his home. Beautiful pieces everywhere.

I'm not the only one who sees textures, natural elements, natural colors, greens, blues, whites, as being comfortable to live with for the foreseeable future. This is a movement strongly connected to the green design movement. A renewed appreciation of the beautiful materials and textures that are right in front of us.

And, I think it is a powerful pull for all ages and demographics, for lack of a better word. It is for me, one who has been taught well, by our society, to consume. Shockingly, I now walk into my dark office, only turning on one light, rather than all of them in my 18x12 office. It's a start. I'm so rambling...

Here are a couple of examples of what I am talking about. Scrapile in Brooklyn, NY, collects and repurposes scraps of wood from New York's woodworking industry to create one of a kind furniture, like this table. I think their practice of using different types of wood in one piece is very exciting.  

This beautiful recycled glass hardware by Paloma Pottery is a great example.  Made of recycled glass, Paloma Pottery's products are environmentally friendly and innovative in design and use of materials.  Their use of recycled glass, plus other natural and found materials reflect their philosophy to maintain a sustainable business model. Check it out.

Green Planet, Green Kitchens

Yesterday was the ceremony for the award of the Nobel Peace Prize. Of course, since Al Gore is the recipient, it is especially interesting to hear his speech on our planet's climate crisis, including his philosophy, ideas, and solutions. Just as interesting, and compelling, is the speech given by R. K. Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Most likely, one does not hear about this second speech, only Al Gore's, so take a look.

I am not a scientist. I am also not a full fledged treehugger, nor do I have an expanse of knowledge in this area. I'd say that I am increasingly making real efforts to become aware of this issue, especially as it relates to my work. This is a very broad issue to sort through. It will take time and it will take a commitment to continually seek out knowledge and learn to apply that knowledge in my work. Take a look at the speeches given yesterday.  

It did occur to me yesterday, when I put the tv on, that CNN, and other channels gave an incredible amount of time on some murder and celebrity stories and just a moment on this year's Nobel Peace Prize awards. The planet is sick, and they are covering a murder mystery. What can I say?

On a lighter note, my daughter was in the audience at this year's ceremony in Oslo, yesterday. She said it was an incredibly moving experience and called my attention to both speeches. Tonight is the spectacular concert which will highlight Al Gore's and his colleague's contributions as well as showcase great musical acts. I was in attendance at the concert last year, and spent 5 days in Oslo, surrounding the Peace Prize award. It was a very exciting time to be in Oslo, the city was electric (no pun intended!) I'll try to update this post with youtube or other video links of the concert tomorrow.

It is so clear to me how I felt last year. I felt as it the whole world was assembling at Oslo's town hall in peace, as one car after another arrived with flags blowing in the wind. That was the feeling. It was a big feeling, coupled with what appeared to be low security (in the U.S., the entrance into the City Hall would be blocked off for a mile all around!) We stood right at the entrance and watched the dignitaries arrive, complete with a band at the entrance. Life changing.

As we speak, my daughter has my repetitive voice in her head to scoop up all the Scandinavian magazines she can get her hands on!! I should get my hands on them tomorrow. A fresh batch of Scandinavian kitchens!! Life is good!

Here's an update, a song by Kylie Minogue. This stage is probably the largest I've ever seen. It's a fantastic venue. And, the concert has musical artists from around the world, the top musical artists on the planet. In between is a short speech from the recipient (not included in this video) calling attention to the issue at hand for that particular year. It is a concert which should have very widespread attention for its global feeling, fantastic and varied musical content, as well as featuring the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in a more informal setting, just "talking" to the audience. It's perfect.

Oh, by the way, the hosts this year were Uma Thurman and Kevin Spacey.

Green Kitchen Ideas

Take a look at this green kitchen, isn't it great? I saw it on Apartment Therapy Green, and I had to show it to you. On that link, you can get lots more information in the form of an interview with the owners including some good, green tips at the end of the interview. Take a look here, for images of the kitchen. Another example of a "lite green" point of view. Well, this one  may be a moderate green remodel, but, again, it does not have to be all or nothing. Finding old things to reuse can generate lots of good design ideas.

 

Green Kitchen Cabinets - All Or Nothing?

This is a good opportunity to introduce my colleague and friend, Kelly, who just started her blog on, what else, kitchens! It's called Kitchen Sync.

Kelly also has that golden attribute "experience," always a good thing.  Let's add to that, good judgment, good knowledge, and good creativity, and you have an interesting blog. I had asked Kelly if she wanted me to introduce her sooner or later. She forgot to answer that question, so, based on this great post she did today, it's right NOW!

Kelly talks about some of the challenges we designers face today in both identifying what is "green" and defining "green" in methods and materials involved in kitchen remodeling. I've talked about that too, and I agree, there just is no black or white, rather, shades of green. Ultimately, our clients will decide for themselves what their definition of green is. And, I, and Kelly, in the meantime, work hard to increase our knowledge of sustainable issues relating to our clients. Good stuff, Kelly.

 

Green Kitchen Design Inspiration

Today's post brings to a close, this special Green Kitchen Design Week. I have learned new information in the course of writing about this topic this week, and I hope you have too. I hope you are more aware than ever before of green design issues, product resources for green kitchens and the oppoortunities available to define "green" in the context of a kitchen remodeling project.

Three easy to remember concepts in living green and creating eco friendly kitchens are the 3 R's:

Reduce

Reuse 

Recycle

This is such a broad topic, I could never cover it in a week! In the future, I will discuss energy efficient lighting, eco friendly flooring, and other building materials used in a kitchen remodel, including how to find green products. Over time, I will also be adding to my green collection of websites and blogs, found on the sidebar. To get started, here are two resources I'm crazy about: Treehugger's How to Go Green and The Lazy Environmentalist, found via K+BB Green. Till then, here is a mostly green kitchen design (remember, you can express yourself in "shades of green") from Natural Home.

 

 

 

A Budget Green Kitchen Design

We've all heard that, and if you haven't, you will, that materials for green kitchens can be more expensive than non green materials. So, what, then, for those who need to be on a budget, I'm talking a bona fide small budget, and you want to be green, and you also want a wonderful kitchen? Here are options! I recently wrote about my kitchen, but in this context, it's a different story!

Do what I did

Our intent with this kitchen remodel, in one green philosophy, was to be resourceful. At the time we did this, the green drumbeat was yet to be heard in a significant way, but my husband and I have always been extremely resourceful throughout our lives together, so this was a natural project for us. We needed a new kitchen, had some expensive family events coming up, and could not also do the "dream" kitchen, so, we chose to be resourceful and budget oriented. I clearly remember saying these words to myself, as I contemplated our lack of a budget:"You're a designer, design something!"

Looking back, I cannot believe all of the green kitchen design ideas we incorporated into our kitchen as a result of our "alternative" intent. This kitchen was also sort of a laboratory for ideas for me, at the time, a design experiment!

I rearranged the footprint of my kitchen (somewhat), reused my old cabinetry in the kitchen and elsewhere in the house, reducing cabinetry in the new design, while picking up lots more storage. Instead of cabinetry, I added linen curtains below, on a stainless steel curtain rod, on rings, which effortlessly move, to reveal my pots below on roll out shelves. Here's the cooktop area with curtained section. A sustainable fabric can be used.

Our pantry section was not made of cabinetry on the inside, but was very simply made out of wallboard as an architectural statement. We used metro shelving for the pantry because it is easy to see around, has good pricing, and is very durable. Designing the pantry this way enabled us to only use a cabinet front, another cost savings. Take a look at this post from materialicious for more ideas on innovative uses of common materials.

We added energy efficient windows, quite a few, which adds lots and lots of good light into the entire space, reducing the need to turn on the lights, since changed to flourescent recessed lights. Since reuse is an important principle in sustainable living, we reused my mother's vintage Danish modern table. We also reused an old, but lightly used, sofa of ours, which now takes center stage in the dining area of the kitchen, and which everyone clamors to sit on it.

In this important spot, rather than cabinetry, I designed this simple area with open shelving, convenient to the energy efficient Miele dishwasher and countertop.

More "reuse" in the kitchen: The countertops. In our garage, for, oh, 8 years or so, were beautiful, 13x13 porcelain tiles that I had purchased for another room, and which I bought too few of! There they sat, year after year, until they had a renewed purpose for the countertops and the hood area above the cooktop. I loved them when I purchased them, and I love them now!

I hope these ideas have been a source for good, budget focused, inspiration for a green, and a resourceful, kitchen. It's doable, that's the bottom line. Could I have been even more green focused at the time? Absolutely, and it would have been easy.

One more thing...the budget was stretched even further by my husband doing nearly all the work himself, including, installing all the windows by rigging up a pully system. If anyone wants to know how THAT was done, I'll put together an album, I have the pictures. I'd say we are both resourceful, and you can be too!

Green Kitchen Design - Things To Know

I think I'll throw out some random and useful information about designing green kitchens. These are not in any particular order, but are categorized for easy reference to get one started thinking about incorporating green kitchen design, and overall green principles.

My goal is to keep it simple! Here's why. At this point, (nearly) none of my clients, nor potential clients, are asking questions about designing a green kitchen. They are very busy people, that I know. For many, there is not much time left, with active jobs and families, to become aware of, and accumulate (quickly/easily understandable) knowledge on this issue and how it relates to the kitchen they are thinking about remodeling. Of course, it is important that the "big picture" of sustainable design has a chance to go hand in hand with one's own plans to remodel the kitchen. That's where I come in! Let's take a look at some of these principles which can be easily implemented toward designing green kitchens.

Appliances

So easy. Two words: Energy Star. Household products are awarded Energy status when they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US Department of Energy. It's making a difference..."Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2006 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars — all while saving $14 billion on their utility bills." Quite impressive.

Water Conservation

Reducing consumption of our natural resources, thus, conserving water AND energy, merits understanding and knowledge of this issue, even for those who live in areas where the water supply is not an issue...yet. Why conserve water?

Two handy products in the kitchen to help conserve water are: a foot pedal  to prevent water from running needlessly and hands-free sensor faucets, also, to use water only when it's needed. Water savings are significant with these products.

Lighting Tips  - Take a look, and also take a good look at this great article from Treehugger on How to Green Your Lighting. And, here's a great chart to tell you exactly what to look for, as you transition your lighting from incandescent watts to flourescent lighting. Start with one light and see the difference. Flourescents are not as disappointing as they used to be.  LED lights are what you want to look for, for under cabinet lighting.

Ways To Save Energy In The Kitchen   

I think that's enough to get you going in the right direction! Tell me what you know, or what you've learned, I'd love to hear.  

Green Design - Reuse and Rejuvenate

As mentioned in my previous post, there are other great ways to reuse and rejuvenate, this time, decorative items, in the kitchen!

I've seen many well worn tables and chairs in my time, dining furnishings that have done their job, taken a beating, and often, are best retired, to be donated or handed down to others for renewed appreciation.  

Therefore, again, the answer is not always to buy new! Instead, buy a new table and antique chairs, or vice versa. Look at these beauties that jumped into my email today, from 1st dibs.com.  

 
Same for lighting...the hunt is what's fun. In thrift shops, flea markets, special antique events, shops, on vacation.

Consider buying vintage, antique, for a natural patina an item can only get from time. 

Take a look at this image of a kitchen I designed with vintage lighting and tell me it doesn't enhance the whole kitchen!

I've had more phone calls from people around the country after this was published, asking where they could find this fixture! It's tough to see, but there are two globes hanging downward.

Vintage is green at its most wonderful, rediscovering those gems from yesteryear (I really hate this word, but I just had to insert it, it sounds almost poetic!)  But, there's NO disputing the sentiment!

Reusing Kitchen Cabinetry?

Continuing on the green theme this week, part of the whole green design concept is to "REUSE." There are many very easy ways that we can reuse other, perhaps, older items and get a new (and surprisingly wonderful) perspective in the kitchen.

Point being, you don't have to buy everything new!

First and foremost, you have cabinetry. Sometimes the existing cabinetry is in decent shape, sometimes it's in bad shape. And, even if you can refinish it, perhaps, an option, the interiors are usually old and worn. Of course, oftentimes, the floor plan and cabinetry configuration will substantially change, making it very difficult to adapt the old to the new.

If you want new cabinetry, you should have new cabinetry. I'm not going to pass judgment on those who choose to either hold on to their old, worn, cabinetry, hoping/planning to give it new life, or who buy all new cabinetry, which may not be as green as it could be. It is an individual choice, end of story.

In this new, green, era, I see my role being to offer guidance, education and choices...this is a fundamental philosophy of mine, well before this green issue came upon us. I can help my clients go down a green road, or, perhaps, a lite green road. Should they become more informed about green design, including its issues and products? Yes. What they do with that information is their choice. That said, here are some easy ways to go green!

It's a great idea in old homes, to hold on to, say, the butler's pantry cabinetry, which may be simple, old, yet, charming. I've recommended doing that many times.  It is not cabinetry that one uses every day, and it usually adds to the home architecturally. Weigh this type of cabinetry carefully before thinking about removing it.

Sometimes I also design a built in pantry closet rather than adding additional cabinetry to the space. A pantry can be made on site, with doors and shelves, rather than purchasing more cabinetry. A few pieces of building material as opposed to cabinets. Sometimes this idea works out, and looks great too.

Ask your designer what the alternatives are, as well as the pros and cons, to design something more simple, more integrated with the architecture of the home, or, keeping some of which is already in place. Go down that road a ways.  

(A brief disclaimer...I did not have a say on this wall opening to the right. I would have narrowed the width of the opening and put casing around the sides as well as on top, like the door, perhaps with millwork joining the two openings, and I would have made the white cabinet shorter, or to the top of the opening. It was not my choice to have a two color hutch. What I once disliked, I think I've grown to like...yet, with those changes, I would have liked it better!) 

Designing Green Kitchens 101

It occurs to me that one of my "life philosophies" translates very well to designing a green kitchen. I'm one who tries to be aware, not only of black and white, but shades of gray in relation to an issue. The shades of gray give us freedom, flexibility, and choices to find the right path toward the right solution, in this case, designing green. It is awareness.

Once one goes into the world of "green design" it's easy to become immersed in a world, not only of green products, but of ways to have a green lifestyle in general. 

You can go down that road as slowly and as near or far as you want to. I find that it is a journey. You can choose to be more "lite green" in your philosophy than "forest green." Think of it as fluid. I am finding the more I know, the more I want to know, forming my own, personal, version of a green philosophy (which is often changing.)

Here are some easy ways to begin thinking green for a kitchen remodel. You can incorporate just some of these ideas to make a difference. Find your own shade of green! Today, I will only focus on cabinetry, appliances, and countertops. Another day, I will address other areas of the kitchen.

My intent with this information is to keep it simple. To offer an easy starting point.

Cabinetry

• Resue/reconfigure, donate, or sell your old cabinetry, perhaps keeping some for storage elsewhere in the home

• If you are redesigning the cabinetry in your kitchen, look for FSC certified woods, formaldehyde free plywood, as a minimum criteria. You do not need to go with a completely green cabinet if it does not make your heart sing. Again, find your right shade of green, as this is one of your most costly investments in the project.

• Look for no or low VOC paints and finishes
  

• Look for cabinetry manufactured in a 500 mile radius

• Design cabinetry for universal design, maximum accessibility, or, multi generational use

• Select products which will be long lasting and durable 

• Add in a recycling center 

Appliances

• Replace old appliances to gain far better energy efficiency

• Buy energy star appliances

• Seriously consider induction cooktops - fyi, the major, high end, cookware manufacturers have produced beautiful, new, cookware just for induction cooking. Induction cooking is 50% more efficient than gas or electric.

• Get pedal or sensor activated faucets
  

Countertops 

This post on green countertops will continue to expand. Take a look, ask your designer about your options, see samples, and then "beat up" the samples to check durability, as I recommend. You want to make sure your countertop can last decades! And, you really want to love it! 

 
Find your own path to green. I do think this is an issue that is worthy of increasing your awareness about, absolutely. You know, with all the media focus on global warming in recent years, here's my philosophy. Few of us are scientists, of course. I'm certainly not. But, my own perception of all the attention on this issue sways me to err on the side of increasing my awareness, as well as my knowledge bank, than the other way around. You'll find the way that is right for you. I do need to advise you to beware of greenwashing. Always something bad comes with something good, it seems.

I have just added another blog link section called "Green Design Blogs" and will be adding to these over time.

Tell me about your green philosophy/thoughts, I'd love to hear them! What do you know, what do you think? What can you share?

Green Kitchen Countertops

Let's take a look at what's in the marketplace for green kitchen countertops! There is a surprising selection of materials, many of which are made from recycled materials. One of the principles of designing green is to buy for durability as well as for the long term. To that end, these materials should, ideally, be sampled before purchase, with a variety of products, such as:

ketchup

red wine
worscestershire sauce
balsamic vinegar
coffee
lemon juice
oil

I would also recommend that you use sharp objects on the samples (except wood!) to determine hardness, scratch resistance, and so on. I strongly recommend living with samples under similar kitchen task conditions for a little while. It's important to see how products hold up before you purchase them! Looking at where the products are produced and their transportation path to your home is another consideration which goes along wtih any product under consideration. Following is a good start at a list of green countertop sources.

Shetkastone.com  Shetkastone is a revolutionary product that has a 100% sustainable life cycle. Products that are produced from shetkaSTONE are manufactured from pre and post consumer waste paper and rely on using none of the Earth's overtapped resources. All by-products (waste created in the manufacturing process) can be recycled back into the manufacturing process.

Eleek   Eleek Recycled Aluminum Countertops are designed specifically to fit standard kitchen countertops. They are custom made to your specifications. Frontwrap, sidewrap and backsplash features can be built in, creating a sleek, modern integrated surface.

Lithistone  Environmentally appropriate technologies are combined to create our proprietary mixes, which consist of a natural mineral binder, different grades of sand and stone, recycled material, and organic mineral pigments. Lithistone can be customized to meet virtually any specifications with regards to size, shape, colors, and textural variations.

Squak Mountain Stone  A Fibrous-cement material comprised of recycled paper, recycled glass, coal fly-ash and Portland cement. Material is hand-cast into “slabs” as an alternative to natural or quarried stone. Resembles soapstone or limestones.

Trinity Glass Products   Recycled glass and concrete countertops

Eco-top  EcoTop is composed of a Forest Stewardship Council-certified 50/50 blend of bamboo fiber, a rapidly renewable resource, and recycled wood fiber salvaged from demolition sites. These materials are bound together by a water-based resin formula that is both petroleum-free and VOC-free. Because of this, EcoTop products can earn you up to six points on your next LEED project.

IceStone  IceStone® durable surfaces are strong like granite, not as porous as marble and heat-resistant like stone. The chemical composition is benign and 99.5% inorganic making it a very safe material from the standpoint of toxicity and fire resistance. Due to its high recycled content and Cradle to Cradle Certification, IceStone® materials can be used towards LEED points.

EnviroGlas  EnviroGLAS Terrazzo is made of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled glass.  Over 40 billion glass bottles are made every year, and 75% of them wind up in landfills.  Many municipalities have stopped collecting glass for recycling due to a lack of market.  We offer a solution to that problem. Each EnviroGLAS product is about 75% recycled glass and 25% binder by volume.

Richlite  Richlite Company, a manufacturer of paper-based countertops, offers a collection of warm and natural-feeling surface materials that breathe new life into the kitchen, bath and office. Richlite’s® unique paper surfaces bring a soft and comfortable ambience to a room that's rarely achieved through cold, hard stone and plastic solid surfaces. It’s made from environmentally sustainable resources and is an attractive, durable, long-lasting material that complements a variety of design tastes.

Avonite  Avonite's solution has been to adhere to the principles of sustainable design - the art of designing and constructing building which comply with the principles of economic, social and ecological sustainability and conservation. Widely acknowledged as an innovator in solid surfacing, Avonite Surfaces has leveraged that excellence to create ecologically sound products which are cost-effective and elegant.

 Alkemi  Made from 60% post industrial aluminum waste and resins. It is strong and exquisitely beautiful to the eye. Surfaces may sanded and buffed to a matte or high gloss.

Vetrazzo  All of the glass used in Vetrazzo is recycled, and it makes up about 85% of the total material. Most of the glass comes from curbside recycling programs. Other glass comes from windows, dinnerware, stemware, windshields, stained glass, laboratory glass, reclaimed glass from building demolition, traffic lights and other unusual sources. Every Vetrazzo surface has its own history. Due to its high recycled content, using Vetrazzo can help your project qualify for LEED certification. 

Craft-Art Company  Wood countertops and reclaimed wood. Eight new reclaimed wood countertop options are now available from Craft-Art.  The use of beautiful wood from the 1800s and 1900s, eco-friendly and functional, supports the goal to recycle the Earth’s resources as part of the sustainable building movement. Barn Red Oak, Chestnut, Beech, Heart Pine, Cypress, Barn White Oak.

Endura Wood Products  Endura Wood Products offers a wide variety of certified and rediscovered woods and wood products for homes and business. We believe that sourcing and offering only certified and rediscovered forest products is the best way to insure that our children can still see -- and use -- both the forest and the trees.

Syndcrete  Natural cement based, pre cast product, green/sustainable, high recycled content, chemically inert, no off-gassing, aggregates: post consumer bottle glass, tempered glass, wood chips, metal shavings, shells, more. Contributes from 2-8 LEED points. 

Bio Glass  Glass is made of almost 100% crystalline silica in the form of quartz containing 70-72% weight % silicon dioxide. Bio-Glass consists of 100% recycled glass. Bio-Glass colors depend on recycled components (hollow glass, tableware, and/or factory shards)

Caeserstone  CaesarStone is the first and only quartz surface to earn the ISO 14001 Certification for its compliance and commitment to the best green manufacturing processes. The company is committed to creating a better quality environment and is implementing procedures to prevent pollution and waste reduction at its manufacturing facility. In addition, CaesarStone is also certfied ISO 9002 (Quality Management standard) and NSF 51, is LEED (new commercial construction and major renovation projects) compliant and sports the Good Housekeeping Seal.

VitraStone  We fabricate eco friendly sinks and surfaces made from a special blend of ceramic cement, fly ash, and recycled glass. VitraStone has a soft satin finish with endless color and design options. We offer a selection of standard sink and countertop systems along with a custom design service. We are available nation wide and will ship anywhere. For residential and commercial applications, VitraStone is a smart choice.

Take a look at this article on green countertops, very interesting.  I hope to work toward seeing and handling all of these products personally and will report back as I do, as well as letting you know about other materials I come across. Please let me know if YOU have come across a green countertop material! Would you consider a green countertop product?