9 Ideas In an Ecofriendly Kitchen Makeover

This Potomac, Maryland, home wanted a kitchen remodel, and as the owner is an environmental activist, it made sense for her kitchen remodel to be as green as you can. The kitchen also had to become an organized place for hosting dinner parties, in addition to a cozy place for weeknight meals and household time for three children and two busy parents.

“This is among the busiest kitchens I have ever been in,” says interior designer Emily Prugar of M House Designs. “We had to be able to seat a lot of people without crowding her cooking space.”

Paint was key to Prugar’s along with the homeowners’ aims. A new coat of VOC-free paint on the kitchen table legs, and voilĂ  — a new kitchen table. She used the exact same approach with the kitchen chairs and the walls. Other green choices comprised patronizing environmentally responsible wood companies, using salvaged antique windows and sourcing Energy Star appliances.

Continue reading for more of Prugar’s hints from this kitchen renovation.

Lindsey M. Roberts

1. Use paints that are VOC-free. These paints are ground- and people-friendly since they don’t emit gases that are potentially harmful. But a word to the wise: you might need to apply three coats rather than the normal two to find the desired colour on the walls.

More about low-VOC paints

Wall paint Pale Oak, Benjamin Moore

Lindsey M. Roberts

2. Pick Energy Star appliances. All the new appliances in the kitchen are Energy Star certified

Lindsey M. Roberts

3. Use materials that are recycled . Prugar utilized recycled classic windows between the kitchen and the family room. This way, the parents could hear and observe the children even while they juggle cooking homework with placing the table.

Classic details give a unique lookthat usually can’t be bought, and you will not find duplicates in your neighbors’ houses. These windows allow sounds and light through, but don’t disrupt the clean, quiet feel of the kitchen.

The windows are from Housewerks in Baltimore, a fantastic local source for salvaged finds. Prugar had the direct redone in some areas.

Lindsey M. Roberts

4. Supply environmentally friendly companies. These kitchen cabinets are all created here from the U.S. by Elmwood. The company participates in the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program, which promotes resource management.

The counter is hard-to-find granite. To get a similar look, Prugar advocates Silestone or Caesarstone, two environmentally friendly high-street manufacturers.

Lindsey M. Roberts

5. Extend the green motif to your own decor. The colour scheme for your room came in the backsplash. The tiles come from Architectural Ceramics in Rockville, Maryland, a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Tile backsplash: South Sea Pearl Palm Green in Convex Brick Mosaic, Architectural Ceramics; faucet: Kohler

Lindsey M. Roberts

6. Repurpose old furniture if you can. In cases like this, the old kitchen table legs were painted a mossy green to match them. The upholstered banquette under the window “feels like a sofa in the kitchen,” Prugar states. It could seat four or five children during both quick dinners and big celebrations.

Table colour: Deep Indigo, Benjamin Moore; chair paint: Daiquiri Ice, Benjamin Moore.

Lindsey M. Roberts

7. Use fans to stay cool. Instead of a light fixture, Prugar added a fun decorative ceiling fan over the dining table to keep the busy kitchen cool with no need for continuous air conditioning.

Ceiling fan: Sea Side Ceiling Fan, Savoy House

Lindsey M. Roberts

8. Save money, gas, time and car mileage using a home espresso station. Small adjustments can make a big difference.An espresso bar provides the homeowner a room to serve drinks without interfering with her cooking zone. It is also a excellent place to sort mail or assignments.

Lindsey M. Roberts

9. Use recycled wood flooring. You are able to find beautiful reclaimed wood that may be set up in wide or skinny planks, depending on the look you want. It is more comfortable on your feet than many kitchen flooring.

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