Best for Remodeling: 10 Great Ways to Green Up Your Home

From lighting to flooring to window treatments, products exist to green your home remodeling.

July/August 2005
By Nancy Nachman-Hunt 
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Shed new light with period lighting fixture reproductions. Rejuvenation recreates a variety using environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and recyclable shipping materials. $70 to $2,000. (888) 401-1900; Rejuvenation.com

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Sustainably harvested wood flooring helps the planet and adds luster and warmth to any room. A variety of sustainable floor materials, including bamboo, is available from EcoTimber product dealers. For one near you, visit EcoTimber.com. Prices vary according to type of wood.

Save on resources and add historical ­interest to your ­remodeling project by using recycled doors and windows. Shown is an example from James & Company, (256) 997-0703; JamesAndCompany.com. Prices vary depending on size and age.

Cover your windows with shades made from sustainably harvested resources. Hunter Douglas makes its Provenance woven wood shades from reeds, bamboo, and grasses. From $121 per shade; HunterDouglas.com

Reupholster your favorite furniture with planet-friendly recycled-polyester fabric. Designtex has developed a sustainable collection including the Closed Loop pattern (shown) using what architect William McDonough calls “environmentally intelligent design.” From $25 per yard. (800) 221-1540; Dtex.com

Refresh your kitchen backsplash or bathroom with tile made from post-consumer recycled glass. EcoFriendly Flooring’s tiles come in glossy or sandblasted “sea glass” finishes. Kitchen backsplash (shown): $28 per square foot. Many colors and sizes available, (866) 250-3273; EcoFriendlyFlooring.com

Unlike wood, “plastic wood” decking never warps, splits, or needs paint. Phoenix Recycled Plastic’s ForeverDeck is crafted from recycled plastic and comes in a variety of finishes. From $1.92 per foot. (610) 277-3900; PlasticLumberYard.com

CitiLog offers nontoxic-finish cabinetry made from wheatboard-particleboard fabricated from post-harvest straw leftovers—with Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood veneers. Baseboards, moldings, trim, and flooring are created from timber salvaged from urban forests. (877) 248-9564; CitiLogs.com

ShetkaStone makes countertops from recycled paper, plant, or cloth fibers via a “closed-loop” manufacturing process that allows for production waste to be recycled into new products. Available in natural colors. $45 per square foot. (507) 357-4177; ShetkaStone.com

Cover your floors with untreated, all-natural wool carpet. Nature’s Carpet makes wall-to-wall wool floor coverings with fiber from organically raised sheep and with backing from natural rubber and jute. From $36 per yard, (800) 667-5001. Check NaturesCarpet.com for a list of distributors.

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