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The information below isn't
all "green," but this page serves as a list
of products and vendors I'm interested in.
I hate piles of papers around the house so
as I see things I want to check out, rather
than using a folder containing pieces of
paper, I'm putting the information below.
Is it a
total waste of money? Yes.
Absolutely. Is this money going to
cure cancer? No. Help the
impoverished? No. It's simply
going to be pretty and put a smile on my
face. Do I feel guilty about that.
Yes. Do I feel like I'm horribly
fortunate to be able to spend money on
something so frivolous? Yes.
But, we are supporters to a variety of
charities, so
that helps my conscience just a tad.
And I would love to incorporate as many
"green" (renewable, recycled) materials as
possible. Somehow I think the fact
that I can reclaiming what would be trash
and using it to beautify my home will redeem
me. Now that we got past that, let's start
brainstorming....
Kitchen
Counters.
I really love the idea of "green"
materials. So, here are some products and
manufacturers that caught my eye:
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I really love the look, cost, and "green"
factor of
Paperstone's Certified Countertops.
They are 100% post-consumer recycled
paper for $30/sf. How cool is
that? It's really nice looking
too.... Read their
write up in Sunset magazine.
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I
also love the look of wood, but never
even use a wood cutting board (can't put
it in the dishwasher), but if I wanted
wood for some countertop area, I'd be
looking at end-grain bamboo from
Smith &
Fong or
Teragren.
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I'm also considering
recycled glass, but it's pricey.
EnviroGlas is so beautiful, but the
slabs weigh 400 lbs that ship from
Texas... I also love
Vetrazzo's Hollywood Sage.
Syndecrete's countertops are another
option, but they are more pricey at $80/sf.
Then we come back to the lowly
laminate... or is it so lowly? WilsonartHD Premium Laminate in
Sedona Spa and
Deepstar Glaze is really quite
beautiful. I'm sure laminate has
come a long way since our
one-dimensional laminate countertops
were created. I ordered some
samples (get 10 for free) so that will
be fun. Update: Received the
samples and while their HD line looks
nice, it has little marks on it like the
marks on a distressed piece of
furniture. You know the little
holes on distressed furniture that are
supposed to look random, but still look
pretty UNrandom? Well, that's how
the "marks" on the HD laminate look...
I'm not to crazy about it, but other
than that, it looks a lot like real
stone and for the price difference of
real stone is definitely in the running.
Also need
to check out Du Pont's Corian and Zodiaq
quartz surfaces using quartz crystals.
Fun
features
-
Under-Cabinet Cookbook Holder.
Clear acrylic. Flips up and out of
the way when not in use. $82
-
Vinylized
Fabric by
Americo Inc. $67 for the first
14 yards, not including shipping.
Any fabric can be coated in gloss or
matte vinyl. 800-626-2350. This is
a great idea when making cushions for
your casual kitchen eating.
Flooring.
We
really like the distressed, beveled edge,
plank laminate look.
Consumer Reports found that laminate
performs better than wood in terms of water,
fading, scratches, dents and stains, plus
the material and installation cost less.
We found some that we really loved by Mega
Click for $1.79/sf, but Mega Click does not
have a website and I'm not about to trust a
15 year warranty from a company that doesn't
even have a website. Some other
laminates we like:
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Afzelia
Armstrong Nature's Gallery Exotics (ANGE)
L6552 for $3.19/sf from
iFloor.com (the only distressed
laminate they carry)
-
Lumber
Liquidators carries 5 colors in
distressed/handscraped laminate, but
they won't have them in stock until
early April 2007. The brand is
Kensington Manor and while they weren't
tested by Consumer Reports, they are
only $2.59/sf.
-
Fast Floors offers a variety of the
ANGE.
Windows.
Our windows are in desperate need of
replacing. The insulation is
detaching. They aren't tremendously
secure and I would like to get windows that
will keep some of the heat out. Below
are a few vendors that I want to check out.
-
AllBrand Windows - Save 40% - 70%
off of retail. Factory certified
installers. Has showroom.
Free in-home estimate. Multiple
brand choices. CA Lic# 827475
877-861-7355
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Azek
Trimboards. Sunset Magazine
used them for their Idea House 2007.
Have the look, feel, and sound of
premium lumber without the hassels of
traditional wood; are imprevious to
insets and moisture; and wont' rot,
crack, split, or warp.
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Pella Impervia. Made from
Duracast which is the strongest, most
durable material available in windows
and doors. It's engineered for
extreme temperatures from -40° to 200°.
Their exclusive fiberglass composite is
9x stronger than vinyl and unlike vinyl,
it won't sag, warp, or become brittle in
extreme cold or heat. Hardware can
match your frame color or choose Bright
Brazz, Oil-Rubbed Bronze, or Satin
Nickel. 800-71-PELLA
Odds & Ends.
Not necessarily "green" but these are some
vendors that I want to check out.
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