Green Options

While dreamy solar wallpaper may seem light years away, there are eco wall options out now that will fill your space with contemporary eco style and welcome in brightness. Are you interested in designing your space in a way that eliminates volatile organic compounds (VOCs, or offgassing chemicals)?

For example, if you happen to be an interior decorator check out this elegant, modern yet casual Caba Company Barkskin wallcovering. Barkskin is a natural, handmade wood material made of hand-pounded bark. “It mimics the look of stone, parchment or leather without the financial or environmental cost of these “luxurious” materials.” ~Sprig

Here is another selection of delightful wall prints made with non-solvent water-based inks, and free of toxic vinyl: Anna French Wallpaper~

For me, sunshine is so important, it makes me smile. Just think, if we could harness sunlight indoors, not only would we cut back on energy bills by twenty percent, we will also be able to nourish ourselves with indoor gardens, that heal. Here are futuristic indoor sunlight options (some visionary research projects) that may become more widely available with time (going counter-clockwise)~

1. This indoor chandelier is brilliant, I’d love to see this available in different sizes and shapes, staying with the cosmic theme.
2. “Turn off the light ~ here comes the sun” is the motto of Parans, who states that their goal is to collect natural sunlight, distributed through fiber optic cables to office work spaces.

Looking for Style in All the Green Places

Lately I’m a bit obsessed by home decorating with reclaimed goods like old doorknobs, ornate metal heating grates, and odd hanging crystals from a long-gone chandelier. Sure, it would make more sense if I actually had a house — at the moment, my new husband and I are squeezing into our 600 square feet, one-bedroom apartment — but one day soon we will own a home, and when that day comes, I’ll be able to spread out and complete all the projects I have going in my head.

Meanwhile, I’ve found that trolling architectural salvage yards and house-part recycling centers is a fascinating diversion. You can find some amazing ways to decorate your home in completely unique (and green) ways, but you can also find perfectly good double-hung windows, newel posts, kitchen cabinets, big pieces of wood flooring, and bathroom vanities (from this century, even!).