Summer is here...

Recently, a couple of former clients asked me to provide them with referrals to trades people and/or suppliers for services they needed to have done this summer. I was able and happy to be able to connect them to a few of my favorite and well-trusted vendors.  

I realized that over all my years as an interior designer I have met and worked with numerous trades people and suppliers whom I can count on as reputable and I am happy to share this information with my clients. Think of me as a resource when you need something done or want to find a product for your home or business. I can give you a great referral or find it for you and help you wade through the sometimes complicated ordering process.

I hope you get some time to enjoy this wonderful weather and accomplish some of your own sprucing up to-do lists. In this issue, I wanted to provide a few design resources and ideas to inspire and educate.

~ Karen

Six Ways to “Go Green” in Your Home

As we become more conscientious about the products we use and how they affect the environment and its natural resources, manufacturers are responding by designing their products to conserve those valuable resources and have less impact on our environment. The built environment is a significant area where these considerations are being addressed. People use words like “eco-friendly”, “green” and “sustainable” to describe these types of products. Although the development of these products is actually in its infancy, many manufacturers have made good progress. Below are six ideas and product suggestions for you to “go green” in your next project.

Use Water Sense plumbing fixtures. 
Consider low flow toilets such as Kohler Wellsworth Pressure Lite K-3531 use as little as 1.1 gpf;and Toto Eco Drake® ADA Toilet that uses 1.28 gpf; Try a dual flush toilet use 1.6 and .8 gpf, such as, Toto’s Aquia® Wall-Hung Dual-Flush Toilet; and Kohler’s, Persuade, two-piece elongated toilet. Adding faucet aerators can reduce the flow of water.  Grohe has a data sheet that tells you about the water savings for all of their faucets. Their bath faucets meet the Water Sense criteria and the kitchen faucets are at 1.7.

Use Energy Star Appliances:  The Energy Star® may be found on clothes washers, refrigerators, and dishwashers. An appliance receives the Energy Star® rating if it is significantly more energy efficient than the minimum government standards. Energy Star® clothes washers use superior designs that require less water to get clothes thoroughly clean.

Whirlpool Duet has been one of the leading front loading new style washers with a large capacity. They have even added a steam component. They have a coordinating dryer.

Miele’s 3000 series has a large capacity washer that can be installed under a countertop. To see a list of all qualified products or to find specific models that qualify for the Energy Star® rating, go to the Energy Star® website.

Use Energy Efficient Lighting: Select from compact fluorescents, low voltage lighting and the newest technology LED.
One LED fixture that I have recently used was a tape light from Nora Lighting in a cove in a kitchen to create a glow at the ceiling. Juno Lighting has expanded their track 12 lighting to include LED lamps. They are also useful as under cabinet lights in a kitchen or bath.  Juno also has LED track lights and pendants.

Low voltage lighting requires the addition of a transformer attached to the fixture or placed remotely in a hidden, but reachable area.  Common lamps are MR 16 and the smaller xenon 5 watt bulbs.

Use Materials with Recycled Content on your countertops:  Slab countertops with recycled glass content, concrete and resin are a popular choice. There are several options on the market, Vetrazzo and Ice Stone. Paper based products such as Paperstone. EnviroGLAS offers the EnviroSLAB countertop made from post-consumer and post-industrial recycled glass.

Use Eco-friendly fabrics and floor coverings. Fabrics with recycled content are available.  Most have been created for the commercial and hospitality environment. However, one line in the residential market is “eco-friendly”, Twill Textiles and its Climatex Lifestyle Home Collection. It uses pesticide and residue free wool and organically grown ramie processed with non-toxic chemicals. All of their dyes are safe and non-toxic. See also, http://Kravetgreen.com.

Floor coverings that are eco-friendly are wool carpeting, cork flooring, linoleum. Although not considered green, vinyl flooring has come a long way to reduce the harmful effects of its materials and can now be loose laid without glues by means of a double sided acrylic tape. 
Some of the engineered wood floors can also meet this standard.

Use Energy efficient window treatments. No company in the window covering arena has yet received an Energy Star rating.  5% of residential energy use relates to windows. Windows are the weak link in the homes insulation. Window coverings can act to control flow of energy out of windows. They can also qualify for federal tax credit up to $1500.00. Duette Architella ¾”protects the furniture from sunlight and provides thermal insulation.

More of our clients are considering these issues when working on their homes or businesses. We can help you select the appropriate fixtures and materials for your project when you want to “go green.” Call us for a consultation on your next project.

2010 Kitchen & Bath Show:
New Plumbing Products from the Annual Kitchen & Bath Show

Every year in April, the National Kitchen and Bath Association sponsors a trade show for all the vendors in the industry and it is always a great place to preview several new plumbing fixtures on the market.  I offer a few of them here for you to see.

Kohler has a hand shower head called the Flipside. It has four sprays and flips around to accommodate them.

Rain shower heads: 
This style of gravity fed overhead shower heads has been available for  several years now. The diameter keeps getting larger, however. Grohe has the new Rainshower F-Series 20” x 20” flushed mounted into  the ceiling with 252 spray nozzles.

Dual Flush toilets:Toto, a Japanese company that is the leader in the design of toilets has a new product. The Aquia® Wall-Hung Dual-Flush Toilet is their latest model seen below.

The development of a washlet as an attachment to the toilet seat was pioneered by Toto and it has been in use for several years now.  The seat uses water to cleanse after use instead of toilet paper.  Its newest iteration is the Washlet S400. The newest features are automated hands free flushing with a sensor activated lid, a heated seat and other features you will just have to read about. Amazing!

New Regulation Affecting Renovation Projects and Concerning Lead Paint

There is a new rule from the Environmental Protection Agency effective April 22, 2010. This rule concerns pre -1978 buildings, specifically residential buildings, childcare facilities and one where children under the age of six (6) can be expected to visit on a regular basis.  All contractors remodeling, repairing or painting in these buildings are required to be certified through an EPA-approved course or receive training in lead hazard precautions from a certified trainer.   You should be aware of this when hiring a contractor to work on your property.

ELLENTUCK INTERIORS

Ellentuck Interiors is a full-service interior design firm based in Seattle, Washington.  Karen Ellentuck, its principal interior designer, has been working in the field since 1991. She is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers.  She has worked on a multitude of projects in residential remodeling and custom furnishings and for her clients who own their own businesses. She has earned several awards for her kitchens at the annual Northwest Design Awards.  She is also a studio designer at the Seattle Design Center.  We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working with you on your next project.

~Karen