With Earth Month in the rear view mirror, we still have sustainability top-of-mind. At Laurence Carr Design, we want this to become a part of our collective lifestyle, with a shared drive to push toward betterment for our planet.
But how? Leverage recycled paper. Install CFL Bulbs. Choose low-VOC paints. We’ve all heard these shorthand tips and also longhand admonitions how eco-friendly living will nourish our home experience, will enhance our families’ well-being, will show gratitude to the world around us. Though these are all beautiful, they’re all, also, insufficient. A life well lived happens in the execution. We need details in order to enhance our living spaces efficiently and still retain the personal aplomb specific to our families.
With that in mind, we have culled everything you need to know from products to retailers who are transforming the face of eco-friendly decor in several categories, and represent the best in current sustainable trends.
In floor and wall coverings, we are seeing a shift away from the omnipresent, uniform wall coverings this season as people want their homes to reflect who they are, not a page our of a catalog. Enter a new trend in eco-friendly wall coverings, like these from Smith and Fong Plyboo, which combines sustainable bamboo floor and wall coverings that function to reduce echo in the home. Averting our gaze, the truth of the matter is that inviting well-being into our homes may very well require excluding carpeting. Carpets attract and incubate dust and dirt, yet nothing moves a cool room to inviting like a well-place floor covering. Choosing carpet squares like these natural options from Lorena Canals can inspire us while utilizing non-toxic dyes.
Taking a look at tables, agate stone is the latest trend in sustainable table tops like this agate side table. Known among jewelers as the Stabilizer, agate stone is promoted to emit stability, grounding, stabilization. The color varies depending on type, the mineral is made up of silicon dioxide, a plentiful composition which makes it a sustainable product. In contrast, using reclaimed materials and locally sourced sustainable products, CiscoHome offers unparalleled environmental furniture, like this whimsical Crete Coffee table, available in copper, concrete and brass.
In lighting, this MushLume Trumpet Pendant, named by Forbes as one of the hottest products for luxury green homes is GROWN from mushrooms. Yes, you read that correctly. This organic, biodegradable pendant is painted with non-toxic milk paint by hand and made with mushroom mycelium. Less newsworthy, but still elegant, made from sustainably sourced wood, the dynamic yet understated Stickbulb Multi Pendant and its partner larger products like the 4X Truss Chandelier use energy efficient LED bulbs, local manufacturing and create the most interesting statement pieces for luxury green homes.
Turning our gaze to seating, several exciting options have come to the forefront in recent months. Luxury is identified by its modern feel mixed with iconic homage, nothing says iconic more than an Eames chair. However, does it say eco-friendly? Yes, it does, thanks to a new sustainable version made from recyclable fiberglass, manufactured without VOC or HAP emissions but retaining the colors and textures of the mid-century original. For more room, this Lounge Around 3-Seater sofa combines simplicity and aesthetics with sustainability. It’s made of solid oak, an ethical construction material choice that is hard to beat considering its long life absorbing carbon dioxide before it is built into furniture with a longevity that other materials cannot match.
In home accessories, the Transparent Speaker is made from recycled materials and comes with an app that alerts you when to swap out or fix components. Sustainable, great sound, great look. A new staple, the solar home battery Powerwall integrates with solar to store excess energy generated during the day, makes that available to you as needed up to 20 kwH per day – enough for an average two bedroom home.
As we upgrade our home with a greater focus on sustainability, it’s great to remember that the Environmental Protection Agency reports 93% of our time is spent indoors (87% indoors, 6% in cars); it’s up to us to make our environment the healthiest possible. These products and retailers are opening our eyes to a new class of eco-conscious style so lush and inviting we wouldn’t even know the good they do for the environment by simply looking at them. Yet, thanks to their ingenuity, we are able to infuse our living with impeccable style all the while being kind to the planet.
