Talking Smart Home
It is so good to be back home at the Smart Home: Green +Wired. It has been remodeled and packed full of very cool eco-ideas. In fact, I think this is the very best year yet. The gardens designed by Bernie Jabobs and the University of Illinois are coming alive and so is the home. [...]
smart fire
I love fire. I hate to admit it, but I do. When Kevin and I were designing and building our house, it was the one decision we really struggled with. While we knew that having a wood-burning fire place was not good for the environment by emitting ashes, soot and carbon toxins, we didn’t want [...]
sky planting
Defy gravity and reduce watering by 80% through the use of these unique upside-down planters by Boskke. These plants in the Smart Home: Green + Wired at the Museum of Science and Industry show that you can save space (maximize your floorspace), conserve water (potted plants commonly lose water through evaporation and drainage which these [...]
modest materiality
This recently completed residential care building for The New Camaldoli Hermitage (the coolest monks I have ever met) in Big Sur is a great example of the use of modest eco-materials used in elegant ways. The monks of The New Camalodoli Hermitage have made a life commitment to stay at the monastery and their cells [...]
composting as sculpture
Many times people think that they would like to compost, but that it becomes an eyesore in their landscape. That does not need to be the case. Composting is a design opportunity. That is why I love this composting shed by Groves-Raines Architects in Edinburgh. They used steel rebar (typically used in concrete for structural [...]
solar fabric
I love this this new solar fabric structure by FTL Solar. This innovative pre-fabricated Photovoltaic (PV) tensile structure integrates thin film PV with super strength fabric to create easy to deploy, move, install energy producers. They also are double-function by creating spaces of shade. This can be something that you could add to your garden [...]
zem’s ecofabulous home
Last week I had the great pleasure to have lunch with friend and eco-fashionista Zem Joaquin at her Bay Area home. Zem not only runs ecofabulous but she is also a board member of Global Green, Healthy Child Healthy World and Teens Turning Green,is actively involved with William McDonough’s Cradle to Cradle, a writer and [...]
the root of the matter
I can’t help it. I love reclaimed wood, especially when the wood’s previous life is left exposed to tell its unique story. So when I saw the Chista tables from Teak tree bases and roots, I got weak in my knees. Tree bases can be so irregular that they are difficult to make useful lumber. [...]
eco living glossary
Alternative Energy: Energy from a source other than fossil-fuel sources of oil, natural gas and coal (i.e., wind, running water, the sun). Biodegradable: Capable of decomposing under natural conditions. Bioswale: A system that uses plants and soil and/or compost to hold and cleanse runoff from a site, roadway, or other source. Building Envelope: The exterior [...]
GIY reclaimed wood table
Give old wood a new life in your home: make your own green and gorgeous dining room table. A big, beautiful wood dining table can be expensive. So why not make your own? All you need is a sturdy base and some reclaimed wood, all of which you can most likely find for less than [...]
Smart Dashboard
It is no longer a question “if” people want to use less energy and water. People do. They want lower energy and water bills. But it isn’t always easy to know what to do that will have the biggest impact. Frankly, it is tough to know how much energy and water we use for the [...]
Cozy nesting
Inspired by the surprisingly sturdy construction of bird’s nests, 26-year old Copenhagen designer Nina Bruun created this beautiful NEST chair. She used birch strips in different thicknesses and through the mixture of tension and compression from the weaving, the chair is supported. And it looks pretty comfortable. The elegant use of modest materials reminds me [...]
Just add air
With the first day of spring coming up on Sunday, I am starting to get excited for the gardening ahead. One of my favorite plants is this Xerographica. It is a type of tillandisias (air plant). It is not only stunningly beautiful, but also miraculously doesn’t require soil or water to grow. It only needs [...]
Smart pebble
So much water gets wasted in the shower every year, and many times it happens inadvertently. That is where a product like this one comes in handy. The Waterpebble is a clever device that monitors water going down the plug hole when you shower. How it works: it memorizes the time you take on your [...]
EcoPrinciple One: Thoughtful Design
In our practice at Michelle Kaufmann Studio, “thoughtful design” means designing to use less, collaborating with the outdoors, using techonology to improve quality while reducing quantity, and designing for longevity, flexibility and a joyful living environment. Homes should be built to human scale, using only what is needed, but remaining open and airy. High ceilings, [...]
EcoPrinciple Two: Efficient Materials
As we help our clients choose materials that are best for their projects, we recommend materials that are renewable and recyclable, as well as materials that are timeless and long-lasting. We use fsc certified woods, reclaimed lumber, tiles and countertops made of recycled content, and look to Cradle-to-Cradle products as beautiful yet resource efficient, low [...]
EcoPrinciple Three: Energy Conservation
High tech. Low impact. Throughout our homes we design to use minimal energy. We design to require less energy through high-performance insulation and mechanical systems, dual and triple pane glass, proper sunshading systems and energy star appliances. We also design for alternative energy systems such as solar and wind to make homes that are Net-Zero [...]
EcoPrinciple Four: Water Efficiency
Water is the Earth’s most precious resource, yet in traditional homes, more than one-quarter of drinking water is used to flush the toilets. Our hmes feature an array of water-efficient technologies and appliances, such as low-flow shower heads, dual flush toilets, rain water catchment systems, gray water systems, and xeriscaping landscaping. We also can implement [...]
EcoPrinciple Five: Healthy Spaces
Healthy homes are happy homes. We seek to create healthy environments by using non-toxic materials, no and low VOC paints, air filtration and purification systems, spray-in foam insulations (which are more effective than fiberglass batting and minimizes mold). A healthy design continues outside the home with water recycling systems to hydrate plants, native plants that [...]
EcoPrinciple Six: Systems Built
Standard construction can be incredibly inefficient and wasteful. However, by utilizing systems-built techniques, we are able to reduce waste by 50 to 75%, while at the same time increasing predictability and shortening the construction schedule and carrying costs.
New life for old bulbs
This lovely chandelier appears grand and luxurious. But what is most interesting is when you look closer and see that it is actually made from bare old re-used incandescent bulbs. These out-dated inefficient bulbs are now being replaced with CFLs or LEDs by people wanting lower energy bills. But rather than having them go to [...]
Luscious Furniture
A client/friend of mine recently turned me on to this amazingly beautiful furniture by BDDW in New York. Each piece has history and tells a story. The “live” edges and irregularities in the wood not only add poetry, make each piece unique, but also greatly reduce waste in the wood. Much of the wood is [...]
New Twitter Office
The fabulous design by Sara Morishige Williams Today the Twitter team moved into their new office which has been designed by the super talented Sara Morishige Williams (@sara). She worked with an existing shell of a building in downtown San Francisco. I was able to get a sneak peek last week while she was working [...]
green it yourself: cork mud mat
Cork can do a lot more than just keep wine safely in its bottle. In fact, there is an unbelievable number of creative and practical uses for this great, eco-friendly material. This is one of our favorite: a mud room mat. Besides being a rapidly renewable resource, cork is super durable and water resistant, so [...]
