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Demystifying Design
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The Re's Have It
Greenabulous Finds
Eco Art



When it comes to interior design versus green designers many people don't understand the difference. You will often find that folks confused about who to hire for what. In an attempt to help you understand the differences in the professions, I want to demystify design and create a multi-part series to explain the interior design process and help you choose the right professional for your job.
 

What do interior designers do? Interior designers can help design your new home from how the entrance looks to how the home flows and functions throughout.  They can design a space plan for one room or a whole house. Designers can suggest taking down a wall or reconfiguring the location of several rooms. They can also select colors, wall coverings, furniture, fixtures, appliances, bedding, window treatments and flooring. Some interior designers help create outdoor spaces that flow from the interior spaces to create one cohesive living space.

What do green designers do? - Interior designers that specialize in green or eco-friendly design focus on the living environment as a whole.  When designing a space they consider sustainability, the indoor environment (air quality and energy efficiency) in addition to functionality, maintenance and aesthetics.  The design focus is to create a beautiful, healthy and sustainable interior living or working space.

Next issue - The initial meeting

The Re's Have It
 

There are a variety of words related to sustainability and green building begin with Re.  Let's review:

·         Reduce -- use less

·         Reuse -- use again

·         Renovation -- restore to an earlier condition

·         Remodel -- fix or update

·         Restoration -- make it like it was

·         Renewable -- a resource that reproduces rapidly

·         Recycling -- materials are cycled into something else instead of trash

·         Repurposing -- using something for another purpose

I have a list of words that I think should be added to the "green" vocabulary.  Here is my list:

·         Greeduce -- become less greedy

·         Greeuse -- consider humankind before you buy or use

·         Greenovation -- renovating green

·         Greegenerate -- regenerate more than you use

·         Grestoration -- preserving in as green a way as possible

Greenabulous Finds

Cabbage ChairCabbage Patch Chair - Only this chair isn't ugly or reminiscent of the cabbage patch doll.  Peel away the layers to uncover a beautiful and functional chair.  Check it out at Cabbage Chair.
 
ClutchColorful Coil Lamp - The coolest thing about this lamp is that you can buy the constructed version or the DIY kit for about half the price.  Check it out at Coil.
 

Living Food Refrigerator (prototype) - This refrigerator displays all the contents of the refrigerator using a photo.  No more opening and closing to figure out what to eat = energy savings.  You will just have to use your imagination for this one (no picture available).

Eco Art

CyclerEco Art - Phillip Glashoff is a sculptor of metal.  Hailing from northern California, in addition to farming, he creates art using found objects. To view or purchase his work - Phillip Glashoff. 


Weird Green

In the future you may be able to drive your car with "pee power."  A scientist from Ohio University figured out how to produce hydrogen from urine more cheaply than it can be extracted from water.  So would there be collection stations in the future in lieu of bathrooms?  You make a deposit and get a fuel credit - something to think about.



Thank you for spending time with me today!
 
Sincerely,
 
Clutch

Marie L. Brown, LEED AP
Eco-Chic Design