February 2009

Renovation Done Right

Spruce up your space with Renée's favorite earth-friendly materials

Open Minded

Spectra Beach Pebble cabinet knobs are U.S.-made with 100 percent recycled glass and lead-free pewter. Got your own design in mind? Colors, finishes, shapes, and sizes can all be custom ordered.

$26 each, spectradecor.com for showrooms

Slick Squares

Recycling never looked so good. These tiles, from Eco Friendly Flooring, are made from 100 percent recycled glass and are available in a wide variety of colors, styles, and finishes.

From $20 per sq. ft., ecofriendlyflooring.com

Righteous Roll-ons

VOCs are solvents that allow paint to dry--they can also spike the air with toxic emissions. But low-VOC paints from decorating boutique Serena & Lily are made of synthetic formulas and natural pigments, so they're safe for even the baby's room.

$45 per gallon, serenaandlily.com

 

Put a Cork in It

A highly renewable resource, cork can be harvested every nine years from the same oak trees. Globus Cork tile flooring is manufactured from waste created by making cork wine stoppers. It's also VOC-free, soft on your hooves, easy to install--and pretty.

$5.60-$8.60 per sq. ft., corkfloor.com

Hard to Crack

Made with recycled glass bottles and metal shavings and wood-chip waste, Syndecrete is half the weight of standard concrete and more resistant to cracking and chipping. Available in a variety of colors, it's good for kitchen and bathroom flooring and countertops.

Tiles from $14, slabs from $60, syndecrete.com