I stumbled onto Bedrock Glass looking at this year’s Better Homes & Gardens Idea Kitchen.  It featured a green circular mosaic backsplash that brought the room to life.  Visiting their website is a visual treat and I learned a few things that made me like them a whole lot more.  They use 100% handmade recycled glass for all their products which include:  tile for kitchen, bath and outdoor applications; wind chimes and garden decor; as well as tumbled glass to use any way you please.  It’s a playground for your imagination and a feast for your eyes.

They have recycled hundreds of tons of material that may have otherwise ended up in landfills.  They don’t even add pigment to the glass.  It’s used in its original form.  The company organizes recycling drives to help kids and schools raise money.  They also give tours to the kids so that their “eco-friendly” message will reverberate loud and clear.  Reduce, Recycle, Reuse! 

So visit Bedrock Glass when it’s time to choose some tile.  There’s a lovely selection; and you are doing something good for the environment!  Wilma Flintstone would be proud!

Visit Bedrock Glass! 

I hope you have found all sorts of tasty little morsels on My Design Secrets in the form of my professional advice, decorating tips and tricks.  But never, ever forget My Secret Database!  This is where you gain special access to my professional database of vendors that have been carefully collected and selected for over 10 years.  Today I would like to introduce you to Viva Terra, a company that offers lovely items that help you celebrate life and home in a kinder and gentler way. 

Viva Terra has a sumptuous selection of home furnishings with the most lovely earthy qualities.  Graceful root wood tables that are rustic yet refined.  A wide variety of vases that are sculptural and a fitting home for your freshly picked flowers.  Luminous lighting in the form of candles and sconces that integrate themselves flawlessly with natural hues.  And many unusual items that will be right at home in your garden, kitchen or bath.  I love the depth of their product line. 

Viva Terra is selective about what they put into their products and they choose their business partners with careful consideration.  They care deeply about the earth, the people they work with and their valued customers.  Their newsletter is fun and informative and it provides Eco-friendly ideas that are actually doable for the average person.  Their ”Sale” area is definitely worth a look, with most items at least 50% off.  Give Viva Terra a try.  I think you will like what you see!

Visit Viva Terra, one of our Eco-Friendly Vendors!

Bamboo is making itself at home everywhere, from your bedroom to your kitchen to your dining room.  We may compare it to wood, but technically bamboo is a grass.  It is the fastest growing woody plant in the world; making it nature’s most sustainable resource.  It can reach maturity in 4 years.  One species has been clocked at growing 47 inches in 24 hours!

The more obvious uses of bamboo are seen in the form of furniture, flooring, drapery rods, blinds and cutting boards.  There are also new items making the scene that incorporate fabric that is made from bamboo.  Examples include supple sheets and towels, fashionable clothing, and light and airy drapery sheers. There are oodles of options.

Let’s not forget that the bamboo motif is ultra attractive and adds an exotic flair to any room.  Chandeliers, mirrors, pillows, wallpaper and chairs look fantastic in a multitude of colors and patterns. 

Bamboo is a double duty design item that can add a terrific twist to your home!

You will find many items with Bamboo motifs in My Secret Database. The Eco-Friendly companies are indicated with this symbol!

Today is Earth Day, but our planet needs a lot more attention than one day, so here are some tips you can use all year long.  It is simple to help our environment by choosing products for your home wisely.  Here are some top eco-friendly picks that qualify for different reasons, but they do not sacrifice style in the least.

Sumptuous Eileen Fisher Organic Cotton Towels from Garnet Hill.  Their pastel colors are soothing, but what is more comforting is the fact that you are not drying your body with towels that are full of pesticides.  Less pesticides are good for the environment and the people who work in the cotton fields and factories.

 The Classic Schoolhouse Pendant fixture from Rejuvenation Lighting can be ordered with a socket for a compact fluorescent bulb.  This is the same style of fixture I have in my kitchen and I love it.  Compact Fluorescent bulbs are going to be the standard in the future, so get on board now!  They use 75% less electricity and produce 75% less heat than an incandescent bulb.  They last about 10,000 hours, so there will be less burned out bulbs in landfills.

Mythic Paint - 0% Toxic. 100% Smart!  Mythic paint has a fun and easy to use 50’s style website that shows all of their lovely colors and gives you the VOC lowdown.  The traditional formula that paint companies have used for years were very toxic and emitted gases in our home environment for years.  I am sure you have heard the term “no VOC” or “low VOC”.  VOC’s are volatile organic compounds and they are dangerous for people, pets and the planet.  They are bad for our lungs and can produce greenhouse gases.  Mythic Paint.  There is an alternative!

It is much simpler to live in a more eco-friendly manner if you develop an awareness of items you use everyday.  Here are some quick fixes:

• Do not use disposable serving items - no paper or plastic cups, napkins or utensils. Start using cloth napkins and reusable lunch sacks. 

• Unplug small appliances when they are not being used because they are always drawing electricity- Toaster, blender, etc.

• Turn down your heat down 1 degree or the A/C up 1 degree.

• Wash most clothes in cold water (unless you need to use hot water for allergies).

• Buy loose veggies instead of those in Styrofoam trays.

• Return all plastic bags to your grocery store for recycling.

Every little thing helps!

Don’t forget that when you are using My Secret Database that vendors who have this symbol feature Eco-friendly products!

I love the Boatwood Mirror from VivaTerra with it’s beautiful washed out beachy hues. This mirror is decorated with wood panels from Thai fishing boats and the re-use of materials makes it eco-friendly. There is a history to that weathered patina and it gives it a lot of character. This would look great in your powder room or a mostly white bedroom that has accents of sea and sand.

I am a big fan of incorporating eco-friendly elements into interior design. I understand that Green and Eco-friendly is coming at you from all directions but I want to share some information with you that you might not be aware of. You know that antique table you inherited from your grandmother? And that cool watercolor painting you grabbed for $3 at the garage sale? What about the TV a friend gave you when they were moving?

I have great news for you, you are being eco-friendly and you did not even know it! Any time we can re-use, pass on, or trade items, we are doing the earth a favor. The name of the game is to avoid putting non-biodegradable items in landfills! If you cannot find a new home for an old item, donate it to Goodwill , The Salvation Army or Freecycle and don’t forget you can find great things there yourself. And it all goes to a good cause.

Holiday entertaining can be a challenge as we try to store all the food and spirits we share with family and friends. Wine coolers are great but often it’s hard to find a convenient location for them if you did not have one built into your kitchen. The Wine Enthusiast is a company that is the Ultimate Source for Everything Wine. They have all sorts of wine coolers including furniture that does double-duty as a wine cooler. The TriBeCa Wine Credenza above holds 60 bottles of wine. It can serve as a nice sideboard in your dining room or foyer table in your front hallway. They also have simple table-top coolers that carry as few as 6 bottles to fit into the tightest spaces.

And what’s better with wine than chocolate! VivaTerra is a company that carries some very cool Eco-friendly furnishings. They also carry great gifts such as these Organic Chocolate Bonbons. Beautiful on a party platter and I am sure taste as good as they look. Yum!

To complete this room I would use the Benjamin Moore Paint color Waterbury Cream as a neutral wall color and then paint the ceiling Blue Allure for a celestial feel. Add some great little art pieces from the Yuki Lau Gallery on http://www.art.com/ and you are all set. When selecting the type of paint, you may want to consider using Benjamin Moore’s new EcoSpec paint. It has low VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). That is what causes the “paint smell” that lingers. Even after the smell is gone, these compounds continue to damage the environment, not to mention your babe’s little lungs. Children are more sensitive to chemicals when they are growing so why not try to avoid all the chemicals we can!