BLING on a BUDGET or REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

How can you get the BLING in your remodel while keeping within a limited budget?  By singing the REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE  song. Here are a few examples:

 We were able to save money in this bathroom remodel by REUSING the drain locations for the tub, shower and toilet.  Because this condo had a post tension construction floor, drilling new drain holes would have been costly.  We were able to use the savings to purchase more costly items such as the free standing tub.  

   Also, in the closet section of this remodel, we REUSED the existing cabinetry, giving it a new paint job and handles and cutting an opening for the cat to use the litter box in private.

This floating wood counter is a RECYCLED coffee table top.  (I like to call this UPCYCLING)  Purchasing a slab of wood with the ‘live’ edge and having it sanded & stained would cost considerably more for this home owner.

This living/entry area was spruced up with paint that accents the architectural features of the home creating interest and REDUCING project costs by not removing the wall.

 REUSING this sustainable cork floor

resulted in significant savings for this kitchen/dining remodel as well as bringing welcomed warmth to the Seattle condo.

Sometimes budget restrictions create wonderful unique solutions that we may not have previously considered.

As always, I welcome your ideas and feedback,  Think green and keep dry,  Christine

Dark side of SuSTAINable Materials

In the Northwest we have embraced the Green movement, embraced the move to utilize materials that are manufactured in a sustainable way, materials that use recycled materials and or can be easily recycled themselves.  So with dismay I discovered that one product that I was very excited about turns out to be VERY SCRATCHABLE and another popular product turns out to be VERY STAINABLE!

Buyer Beware!  BEWARE what the manufacturers tell you whether in person or in their websites.  Ask for telephone numbers of people that have used their products and call them to see how they really hold up. Obtain a sample from the company and try to ‘kill’ it.

The beautiful and elegant GLASS2 product turns out to be difficult to work with by both glass and stone trades people.  Furthermore, the surface is so delicate it can be scratched with your fingernail.  Not a great product to be used as a counter, and unfortunately it is being promoted as such and sold by the slab next to granite and marble slabs that are sold and made into counters. Is this why there are only 17 pictures on the website of examples of use?  We tried 2 slabs over 4 months to create a simple bar counter, without success and came away very disappointed.

VETRAZZO is another very beautiful and stunning material.  Made of recycled glass of fairly nice size chunks, it has a tendency to chip away, particularly at any edge.  (The piece of glass breaks off leaving a hole.)  So the holes are supposed to be fixed before the counter gets to the customer but…..such is not always the case.  The hole problem, however, is not the whole problem (Hah!).  The bigger problem is that the cement that the glass pieces are floating in is extremely porous.  So we have a counter product that instantly stains!!!  IF you ask Vetrazzo, they recommend removing the stain with some liquid soap and water.  Well, that does not work.  If you ask their recommended fabricators, they will tell you to use bleach, which does work.  Further along in the ‘care and maintenance’ document they mention ‘sealing’ the product which ‘is applied during installation’ then further on they recommend that you apply wax to the surface after installation (right away) and ‘a couple times of year thereafter.’ (translation: every six months)  Yet in another paragraph in the document they recommend that ‘when the mood strikes you, buff it with wax a few times a year…’ (isn’t that every four months now?)  It seems to me that if you are up front with the issues and provide a detailed schedule for maintenance you will have happier clients because they will have consciously decided to install this product with the knowledge of the level of maintenance.

I’m disappointed and disillusioned and have stains on my green fingers.

Christine

sustainable products for health & home

I have found that some of the best products for your health and home are created by committed individuals, NOT by large corporations and they are NOT sold in your local stores.  The following are a couple products that I highly recommend along with their contact information:

Univera – health supplements:  This company is the poster child for sustainability and holistic health.  The owner is a Korean philanthorpist (Bill Lee) who owns millions of acres of land across the world growing aloe and other plants that provide medicinal value in a sustainable manner. He spent millions in establishing one of the largest plant libraries in the world and his research company Unigen performs medical studies on the effects of different plant based chemicals on the human body.  They take the different plant characteristics and combine them into products that heal your body naturally with plant based supplements.  (I’m a living testimonial, I say heal, they can only say help)  Their headquarters is in downtown Seattle and they ship the products out of Lacey Washington.  Their method of sales of their product is through their ‘associates’ who share in the profits of the sales.  Every new associate triggers a donation to Vitamin Angels which supports four children for one year with essential nutrients. Univera matches direct donations dollar for dollar up to $100,000.   In this Univera world everyone wins; needy children, the person attaining optimum health, the sales associate and our precious environment.  For more info contact www.XtraEnergy.myunivera.com  Rediscover Your Vitality... Discover Xtra® 

Bio Green Clean - cleaning product:  This was i ntroduced to me by my husband and I have to say that this is the ultimate in a cleaning product.  It works on everything from counters, floors, stone, leather, metal, teeth, blood, automobiles, mirrors, appliances, coffee machines, etc.  AND it really works!.  AND, by the way, it is 100% plant derived and is so healthy you can eat it.  (It is not really recommended that you eat it, but the MSDS sheet states that you may experience some diarrhea due to the ‘emulsification of grease and oil in the digestive tract’)   Bio Green Clean believes that chemical-free living starts at home and then extends to the world around us.  That is why they developed this product to safely break down and eliminate dirt without harming you or the environment. You can obtain the product directly through www.biogreenclean.com 

Keeping Green,  Christine

Sustainable Design is Dead - AIA terminates credit requirement

One of the questions I have often been asked by clients, colleagues and other professionals, is ‘how long is this green thing going to last’?  Is it a fad, a movement or is it a real change in our society?

For the past 10 years it has been a growing movement and has influenced our society from organic food to recycled glass counters.  Most manufacturers that have any interest in being in business have re-evaluated their manufacturing processes and carefully calculated the LEED* points that their product qualifies for.  Most manufacturers proudly advertise their level of ‘green.’

I have noticed, however, a split in some of the professionals that work with building products on a daily basis.  There are many architects, interior designers and contractors that have decided that they are not going to participate in the ‘green thing’.  (I am always shocked!!  REALLY?  Not at all???)  I have found that for most, it is a reluctance to learn new values, new design ‘rules.’  And to stereotype, it is the same group of people that say ‘why should I learn Autocad, I’m going to retire soon anyway.’  But, they are not retiring, they are active, working  professionals in our community.

So it is with apprehension that I read the announcement that AIA** has allowed the sustainable design education requirement to sunset at the end of calendar year 2012.  What? AIA is not promoting sustainable design?  This is what they said:

“Recognizing that sustainable design practices have become a mainstream design intention in the architectural community...AIA members will no longer need to complete the sustainable design requirement to fulfill their AIA continuing education.”

I’d like to think that sustainable design practices are main stream, but honestly, how many sustainable homes have you seen built lately?  Don’t they look suspiciously like the homes that were built 10 years ago?  Has the building industry changed? How many compostable toilets have you sold?  Or even HET’s? Do you even know what an HET is?

My point is that although sustainable design is much more frequent and accessible than it has been in the past, it is hardly main stream and the professionals that need this education the most are the ones that have long been out of school, the ones that would be required to take these courses as part of their continuing education.  I vote to keep those requirements.

Trying to Keep Green

Christine

 *LEED : Leadership  in Energy and Environmental design, a green building certification system established in 2000 by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)

 **AIA: Based in Washington, D.C., the AIA has been the leading professional membership association for licensed architects. emerging professionals, and allied partners since 1857.

To LEED or not to LEED - 2.0

FOR those of you that were around when USGBC had the original LEED* test, you will remember the day that they decided that we had to re-take the test all over (two of them) and sign up for 30 hours of continuing education from the new ‘educational arm’ of USGBC. Oh, and by the way, we were given six months to get on board or get left behind.  We were labeled ‘heritage’ professionals by the internal workings of USGBC, but because of laws that govern accreditations we were still allowed to use our earned LEED AP appellations.

Many LEED AP’s ** chose not to retake all the tests (you would first have to take a test to be called a ‘green associate’, then IF you were part of an existing LEED project you were allowed to take a Specialty test.) Some, like me, were disillusioned by the very apparent economical purpose of this change in the program and chose not to retake the tests.

So, it was with humor that I received an email last week from the Green Building Certification Institute offering ‘FREE’ six hour training webinar that will earn me (apparently no tests involved) a LEED AP Specialty accreditation.  Though later in the document it states ‘complete all six hour-long webinars in the series by Oct 27, 2013…’ and I was unable to determine on the website which 6 hour webinars applied.  Their classes range from $80 to $550 so determining which classes is important. Oh, and by the way you still will need to take 30 hours of continued education every 2 years. It is apparent that USGBC figured out that most of the 155,270 LEED APs were not going to comply with the new system unless they were offered the ‘upgrade’ for free.J

*LEED : Leadership  in Energy and Environmental design, a green building certification system established in 2000 by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)

**LEED AP: LEED Accredited Professional, a person who has demonstrated knowledge on the LEED green building certification program by passing a test.

Keeping Green

Christine

KBIS goes Green

Straight from Chicago’s KBIS---- This year’s Kitchen and Bath Show featured more Green product than I remember in recent history! MANY manufacturers have realized that not all consumers are made of money and that there is a big market for ‘affordable’ remodeling options.

Kohler came out with a new product called the ‘Hydro Rail shower column’  which looks like a hand shower bar, but is actually a ‘plumbing bar’  that allows you to select any shower head and add it to the top of the bar and any hand shower and add it to the bar, without having to re plumb your shower wall.  In other words, you do not have to remove the old valves and add new valves just because you want to change your shower head and/or want to add a hand shower.

Another super cool solution to the hand shower re plumbing issue is solved by Delta .In2ition features a detachable handshower, which can run separately from or simultaneously with the showerhead.  It comes with its’ own diverter allowing you to select the shower head and hand shower, showerhead only or handshower only. The handshower ‘docks’ inside the shower head and is held in place with magnetic force.  There is a pause function to save water while you are lathering as well as the super impressive stretchable hose!

Finally, another great remodeling product is the new flexible drain pipe from Kohler.  PureFlo features a flexible overflow ell as well as a drain ell for easy installation to fit various bath angles.  In laymens terms, it reduces plumbing costs by not having to move the tub drain.   It offers standard 1 ½” OD flexible tubing and you can choose from a number of tub drains and overflow trims to finish off your remodel!

 Keeping Green,

Christine

The cost of the Cloud

I learned and interesting fact the other day.  10% of all the electricity consumed in the United States is consumed by data centers.* That’s a lot!  If you are like me, you have been using software that you do not purchase and install on your computer, rather you pay a monthly fee and sign onto it through the internet (the cloud), with the software company providing backups of your information at their data center.**  Recently, I have been moving all my working files onto another server ‘on the cloud’.  This way, I can access all of my information from any laptop or telephone in any part of the world, as long as I have internet access.  Besides saving on paper and printing supplies, I no longer have to update/replace my ‘server’ computer or my network software, or the separate back up drive that I have to support my now one person office.  In other words, I am gaining a lot of flexibility and computing power while saving lots of money on hardware and software.  (Dropbox offers 2MG for FREE)*** 

In one of our Green Lunches, I was intrigued by Scott Hammond’s demonstration of a LED dimmer  that did not have to be wired into the wall or use batteries.****  ‘How can that be?’  Kinetic energy.  Simply the energy created by flipping the rocker switch creates enough energy to communicate to the receiver to turn the light on.  ‘Wow,’ how can we harness that kind of energy for other things?

So, what I learned, is that even as we are reducing our energy use via conservation, recycling, and mass transit, we are increasing our energy use through the use of cloud technology.  I also learned that there some ‘old fashioned’ renewable sources of energy that we can explore.  We have delved into wind power, hydro power and solar power, but this is the first I have heard of kinetic energy.  Am I behind the times or are we missing a simple free source of energy?  Now about harnessing gravity......

 Keeping Green,

Christine

My latest obsession with water

I just realized something other people may have already known - that I have an obsession with water.  Years ago I pursued a business where I would visit home owners, do an energy assessment of their home focusing primarily on water usage and show how much water they were using and purchasing.  Then I would show them HET (High efficiency toilets) and faucets that use less gpm (gallons per minute) and give a comparison on how much water (and money) they could save by changing out their fixtures as well as educating them on water saving habits.  I really wanted to change our community, one toilet at a time. 

Then I became obsessed with the use of colored light and music in a showering experience.  (Kohler DTV programs colored lights and showering experiences).  I designed a very unique shower complete with a stone garden wall overlooking a waterproof mural of the Spanish countryside on the walls, stone floor mimicking a terrace, preset with colored lights, body sprays, and music (Battlestar Gallactica) to make the ULTIMATE showering experience. 

In 2010 I started my Rain Water Waterfall / rain water harvesting to be used as toilet water project.  I purchased a couple underground water storage tanks and designed (with help) a system to collect rainwater by punching holes in my gutter creating a waterfall in front of my music room windows.  The rainwater would collect in a ‘pool’ that filtered the water and directed it into storage tanks which were to be piped to my home and pumped up to the plumbing wall of my home.  And I would have clean toilet water that had been recycled from my roof.

My concern with the lack of potable water in most of the world directed me into learning about sustainability and becoming a LEED AP.  My family history of manufacturing medical machines that use electricity on our body engrained in me the basic understanding that our body is made of water…. I have been talking and writing about water for a very long time.

So it should not have been a surprise that my newest venture is to design and build and operate a hydro Spa featuring a sauna room, a steam room, a warm ‘floating’ pool with a 12’ waterfall, complete with soft music & lights, in the building that also houses a Wellness Center and a hot Yoga school.  I am REALLY excited about this venture and look forward to the day that I invite all of you to my grand opening!

Keeping Green,   Christine

The Urban Spa

The private Urban Spa is the most recent of trends in our community.  Whether it is a reaction to the stress that we experience exponentially, or our desire to pamper ourselves, we are seeking relaxation opportunities for our lives.  Many of us are creating private 'spas' in our homes to fulfill those needs.  Remodeling a bathroom into your private urban spa is not necessarily more expensive than a normal bathroom remodel.  You just need a few key items to ensure your relaxation.   Here are some basics:

To create a peaceful, relaxing area you should a) select natural materials for the flooring, walls and counters b)  allow the textures from the natural materials create pattern and interest c)  select colors that are soothing (no fire engine reds) d) select fixtures that have simple lines (no ornateness)

Options for your home spa:  a)  heated towel warmer (this can double as the towel rack) b) steam shower (steam shower fixtures are available through Kohler) c) heated flooring d) music (sound system) e) tubs with heat, jets or bubbles f)  large open showers with body sprays, rain shower heads and hand showers g) bench to lay down on both in the steam shower and outside the shower  h) sauna  i) foot massager  j) foot baths (yes they exist! see MTI's foot bath) k) specialty shower enclosures l) aroma therapy & light therapy (available through most tub & shower manufacturers - see Kohler DTV electronic interface

As with any remodel, the key to success is planning. Call me and we can create your eternal relaxation spa!  Chiao!

Is Sustinable Green Energy the key to our nation's defense?

“The next time we want to go to war, maybe we wouldn’t even need to bomb a country.  We could just, you know, turn off its power.’  Liam O’Murchu, Symantec Security Response

War, civil disobedience, and politics have all been significantly affected by technology.  It seems that the more dependent we are on technology, and/or our grid of energy, the more vulnerable we are.  It also follows that as we get ‘more efficient’ we tend to centralize the power source, build large power plants, etc.  If ‘one’ could stop all communications by taking out cell towers, if ‘one’ could starve a country by stopping transportation, if one could win a war by cutting off all energy….

Our latest snow/ice storm reminded us how dependent we are on electricity for light, heating, and cooking.  Electricity is a big part of our daily existence.  When the grid goes down, we all go down.  (Gas stations closed due to the power outage)

‘Alternative’ energy sources in individual homes or buildings such as solar, rain water harvesting , geo thermal, etc are one way to de-centralize our energy use.  When the grid goes down, we are still functioning, we still have water, electricity, heat and cooling.  After reading the quotation by O’Murchu, I began to wonder if our government had thought about our centralized energy vulnerability.  Probably.  Then I wondered if that vulnerability had been behind our country’s recent Green Energy push.  Probably.   And here I thought that program was to help ‘save the world.’  Oh well!

Keeping Green!

Christine

The Grid and those trying to loosen the stranglehold of government

The Grid – Those trying to loosen the stranglehold of government and Those who never were on the grid

It is interesting to me that with our struggle with energy, (too expensive, pollutes too much, need to lower our needs, etc) our government laws and codes often prevent us from getting off the grid. 

The Bullitt Center being built on Capitol Hill is being hailed as inspiration as it will provide all its own water, process all is own sewage, balance out a net zero on electricity, etc. But as Denis Hayes commented “This building was illegal to build in Seattle three years ago.” He was still trying to persuade health officials to allow the building’s drinking fountains, sinks and showers to use treated rainwater collect on the roof.  The health department wants a level of chlorine that contradicts the Living Building Challenge’s prohibitions on toxins so the center will currently be built with a hook up to city water.  The city granted several code exceptions for this building, specifically height restrictions that prevented the use of higher ceilings to maximize the use of natural light.

THEN there are the monks in Cambodia.  One hour from Cambodia’s capital is a village with eight monks and 10 orphans who have electricity in the first time in their lives – from solar panels.  The solar panels were donated and installed by a NGO (non government organization.) There is a good chance these monks will never be on the grid, and it is increasingly clear that some societies can jump frog the grid entirely as well as jump frog the accompanying government regulations.

Somehow, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Keep Green,  Christine

My Peace - My Space - My Energy Savings

Sometimes you cannot be the person who invents new energy sources or figures out how to take wheat board and make it into edible salad croutons.  Sometimes you are just the person who follows the mandatory recycling/composting rules, watches documentaries on global warming and takes walking vacations in Spain (my father said, you call that a Vacation?)

How can I still make a difference?

My Peace – meditate for inner peace.

My Space– it is suggested that low-tech actions such as weatherizing homes and installing more-efficient water heaters could reduce household carbon emissions by 20% within 10 years.

Appliances – BIG energy savings can come by replacing old appliances with energy efficient EnergyStar appliances. (dishwashers, washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc)

Toilets– need I tell you again? Replace the old water wasters with HET (High Efficiency Toilets) and watch your savings on your utility bill.  Installing a HET can save up to 22,000 gallons of water per year. 

Water Heaters – install more efficient water heaters

Insulate – my home, like many other older home had NO INSULATION in the exterior walls. When remodeling, add insulation and watch your heating bill dwindle.

Windows – replace old windows with the double paned variety, no more drafts!

Plumbing Fixtures– look for the WaterSense label to curb your water usage.

Leaking pipes & faucets– can waste as much as 7 liters a day.

Yard – selecting plants that coordinate with our weather will reduce watering costs

Rainwater harvesting – collecting rainwater, primarily from your roof, can offset your irrigation/yard watering costs.  If you want to go further, you can install a filtration system and plumb the water back into your home to be used to flush your toilets.

New Habits – turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth, take shorter showers, use the dishwasher only when you have a full load, thaw frozen food in the microwave

My Energy Savings – makes me happy and brings me full circle to my inner peace…..I am just ‘me’ and that is okay.

To LEED or Not to LEED

Definition -  LEED:  Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building certification system established in 2000 by the United State Green Building Council (USGBC)     LEED AP:  LEED Accredited Professional, a person who has demonstrated knowledge on the LEED green building certification program by passing a test.

In 2008 USGBC decided to SIGNIFICANTLY change the accredited professional program.  They decided that the education and accreditation of individuals would need to be done by a separate company, the Green Building Certificate Institute (GBCI).  GBCI set up a new certification program, first you have to take a test to be a ‘Green Associate.’ Those who pass that test can have the appellation ‘Green Associate’ after their name.  Has anyone heard of a green associate? (Do I want to look like Kermit or do I want to look like a professional?)

After passing the Green Associate test you can take a Specialty test IF and only IF you have documented experience on a project registered or certified for LEED.  Meaning your name has to be on the documents turned into USGBC as being part of the team working on a registered project.  In other words, you have to have worked on a LEED project before testing to be a LEED accredited professional.

My dilemma is that I spent thousands of dollars and many hours taking seminars, buying books and studying to pass the original LEED exam and now I am being told that I have to take the tests (and pay for them) all over again.  Plus, I do not have documented experience on a LEED project, so I am not allowed to take the Specialty test. 

Let’s look at some statistics to reflect on:

*As of 2011 there are 155,270 LEED Accredited Professionals

*As of 2011 there are 8,668 certified LEED projects, in other words there are around18 accredited professionals for each one project.  WHY ARE THERE SO FEW LEED PROJECTS?  Could it be that the weight of the documentation and cost of documentation, commissioning and registration make it prohibitive for most businesses?

*In 2008 those of us ‘heritage’ professionals (those who passed the original test) were told we had 6 months to switch over, take the new tests and commit to the new organization requirements. 

*THREE years later, the requirements for compliance have changed, and the current deadline for compliance is October 27, 2011.

*THREE years later 84% of the LEED APs (original test) have not switched over (129,681 LEED Aps with no specialty of a total of 155,270 accredited professionals.)

I believe in green building, I believe in testing and showing qualifications for accreditation.  I believe in the framework of credits that USGBC has established (and continue to change) for evaluating green building projects.  I do not believe in restricting access to the program to a few ‘CHOSEN’ that work at large architectural firms that work with large businesses or municipalities.  If the majority of businesses cannot afford to participate in the program because of the high cost of registration, commissioning and documentation AND the majority of heritage LEED APs do not qualify to take the specialty test because of the exclusivity of opportunities to work on LEED projects, then WHO is this program FOR?  WHO benefits? And WHO loses?

Water Conservation in the Wet Northwest

As my relatives in Minot North Dakota are being flooded out of their homes, I feel sadly blessed that we have been spared the wrath of natural disasters that have hit the world this year.   Who was it that said, 'take care of nature or nature will take care of you?' Actually, I think it was me.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a fanatic about water conservation.  I hit several brick walls in my efforts to implement conservation programs over a large population base, mainly because the cost of water to us is so low.  We do not have an economic incentive to conserve water.  We conserve water only when/because we want to do the 'right thing.'

Recently I received a couple publications from Seattle Public Utilities that gave me a glimmer of hope.  The first was the Drinking Water Quality Report which reported that our drinking water was very clean, that it costs us LESS than a Penny a Gallon to have water delivered to our taps, and that we have one of the best drinking water systems in the nation.  Quite impressive.  In the very last paragraph, however,  SPU noted that elevated levels of lead and copper are often found in our drinking water due to corroded plumbing systems.  ALERT!  SPU is working hard to get clean water to you, but if you actually want to drink or cook with clean water you need to confirm that you do not have corroded plumbing.  In a city that is mainly compromised of older homes, I would guess that there lots of households that have not replaced the plumbing in their homes.  Health Tip of the Day: When you remodel a kitchen or bath, due yourself a healthy favor and replace as much of the old plumbing that you can afford to.

The second flyer had a section on a new program that was MY IDEA (thank god someone is implementing it!)  Qualified customers in Seattle can get a FREE water-efficient toilet and have it installed by a licensed plumber for FREE if they meet income guidelines.  (My program did not offer the toilet nor the installation for free, so this is actually a better program) Household income for 2 people can be up to $3,273 a month to qualify. PLUS, the picture that is in the flyer is the stylish Kohler Persuade toilet.  I am hoping this is the toilet being given away, but even if not, it indicates that it is probably a Kohler toilet and that is a good thing.  American made, family owned company in Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler has made an effort to meet and beat the WaterSense guidelines for water conservation and have a large array of HET's available.  HET is tech talk for High Efficiency Toilets.  Who said I wasn't a techy?  Ciao!

Upcycling - Design Trends Follow U.S. Psyche

UpCycling is a new trend that appeals to 'optimists' who reject waste, value craftsmanship and items with history.  There are actually four 'lifestyle' trends according to Fawn Chang of PPG Pittsburgh Paints.  Based on the compilation of extensive research, PPG analyzed the current U.S. psyche.  According to Chang, we are cautiously stepping out of the recession/depression that we have been experiencing and adding color back into our lives.  We are coming  from a 'recession prison grey' palette so we are retaining a lot of neutrals but with a pleasant addition of color.  

As a 'sustainable' designer I am familiar with the term UpCycling, but this is the first time I am aware of it coming into mainstream lifestyle images, colors and designs. I am intrigued that our acceptance and dedication to recycling (sending materials away to be recycled) is pushing the new trend of UpCycling.  UpCycling as a design concept is basically taking existing items and creating something new from them.  A stereotype of UpCycling that we may be familiar with is art that is made from bottle caps or plastic bags.  UpCycling is more than art, however, these are functional items  that are created from your existing collection of 'stuff.'  UpCycling as a lifestyle trend is all about living simply and wasting nothing. 'It embodies simple living, keeping only what is functional and personal.'

My friend and colleague Vidal Bitton created this wonderful outdoor seating for his new juice bar at Lakeview Yoga and Wellness Center.  Located on the Burke Gilman Trail in Kenmore, this juice bar and seating area is the perfect refuge on a hot sunny day.  

Bitton salvaged old plastic laminate tables, painted the plastic laminate (believe it or not, it looks great) and built wood benches that are permanently attached to the table.  Between the heavy table metal table base and the stained benches, these units are stable, weather resistant and UPCYCLED!   

As far as our renewed desire to include color in our surroundings, I defer to PPG's statement..."Our color choices are more and more about what makes us feel happy." 

And right now, I am very happy! Ciao!

The Future of Kitchens

We are always trying to predict the future, with questionable success.  However, some trends are evident (as explained by Kitchen Distributors reference to the National Association of Homebuilders study  on kitchen design.)  The trend will be towards smaller homes.   With smaller homes comes smaller kitchens.  With smaller kitchens there is a bigger premium put on EFFECTIVE storage solutions;  replacing the walk in pantry with 24" deep pull out pantries, using every corner, every inch of floor space.    Even using the space INSIDE of the wall (yes we can build shallow cabinets that fit between the studs) so that you can gain storage without infringing into precious floor space. 

Many kitchens  double as a passage way to other parts of the home similar to this galley kitchen.  With space at a premium, kitchen designers use built in finger pulls on cabinets doors to eliminate protruding handles.  Space issues will also promote the open concept (no walls) between the kitchen, living and dining areas.  With some kitchens that means eliminating a wall and replacing it with an island.  With other kitchens it means eliminating the island. 

With openness comes exposure.  All the MESS needs to be hidden...somewhere.  Everything that is on the counter will be seen by everyone.  (Do you really want to see the rice cooker from the living room sofa?)  New openness will force us to rethink our storage/cabinet needs as well as our cooking accessory purchases.  Remember that brief trend that had garage style doors that pulled down to hide the kitchen?  Well, that may be a little extreme.....

Contact me with your thoughts! Ciao!