CasaSugar

Casa Verde: Zero and Low VOC Paint

CasaSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 06:00:06 -0700

Most of us probably don't think much about the hazardous chemicals we inhale in our own homes, but using low or no VOC paint is a simple way to improve your indoor air quality. VOCs, or "volatile organic compounds," are the chemical solvents found in most house paints, and because they evaporate at room temperature, the preservatives give off unhealthy fumes.

The safest interior paints contain no VOCs. But zero VOC paints, such as those made by Yolo Colorhouse tend to be pricey. For a cheaper option, try low VOC paint; Treehugger has some great recommendations about the best brands. Whether you choose a zero or low VOC option, look for the Green Seal certification on the label.

Casa Verde: Kelly-Moore Unveils Two Zero-VOC Paint Lines

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:00:09 -0700

Keeping your home free of hazardous chemicals just got a whole lot easier. Kelly-Moore has just unveiled two new, zero-VOC, low-odor paint lines - Enviro Coat and Green Coat - as well as 16 stock colors of its innovative recycled paint eCoat. Enviro Coat is a 100 percent acrylic interior paint which can be tinted a wide range of colors, is washable, and contains an anti-microbial agent to control odors. Green Coat is a professional interior paint which is free of air-polluting solvents, can be custom-mixed, and will be available in six stock colors starting May 1. Both paints have received the industry’s most rigorous and reputed certifications, including Green Wise, Indoor Advantage Gold, and Master Painters Institute’s Green Performance Standard, making them ideal for anyone seeking eco-friendly indoor paints. As for eCoat, the recycled paint line Kelly-Moore developed in 1995, the company has just introduced 16 ready-mixed colors for both its interior and exterior recycled paints, which are available flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss enamel. Have you used low-VOC or zero-VOC paints in your home?
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Win an Eco-Chic Painting Makeover!

CasaSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:16:16 -0700

I've been pushing low-VOC paint for a while now, but I know that painting in general takes a lot of time and energy. Who needs the hassle, right? If you've been too busy or uninspired to try low-VOC paints in your home, then I'm here to help - with a lot of help from CertaPro.

To wind up this month's theme of Eco Chic, CertaPro is giving away its services to provide paint for one room in your home (an approximate $1000 value). All of the materials and labor will be included in this prize. All you have to do is pick out the room color! CertaPro will do everything from provide the paint to move the furniture to follow up after the job is complete.

If you're interested in winning an eco chic painting makeover for one room of your home, just take our quiz! To enter, you must log in and take the quiz below. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just by completing the quiz once you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member and log in before you take the quiz. If you're not already a member, just register here for an account. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Contest ends Monday, July 7, at noon (PDT), and is only open to US readers. Click here for Official Rules.

To find out more about CertaPro's green business practices, read more.

CertaPro uses low VOC paint which prevents smog, and air pollutants in the ozone, and Zero VOC paints are now available for residential projects. CertaPro will only use solvent primers when necessary. When using solvents, which can cause health problems, they use low odor products. CertaPro does careful calculations to buy exact amount of paint needed. This reduces excess paint. The leftover paint is labeled for future touch-ups, used in future projects, or donated to charity. In addition, CertaPro uses quality paints that eliminate the need for multiple coats and repainting.

To find out even more about CertaPro’s commitment to eco-friendly techniques, check out Thinking Green.

Take the quiz

Kyle Schuneman Redesigns the Tyra Banks Show Office

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

The Tyra Banks Show recently called upon one of my Designer Spotlights, Kyle Schuneman, to transform its drab and boring office into a fabulous workspace. Kyle started by painting the walls a serene blue with eco-friendly, zero-VOC paint. Then, he anchored the room with a Room and Board Parsons Desk and brought in a file cabinet with classic lines for storage. Nature-inspired curtains from Lotus Bleu added some pattern and chimed in on the earthy blue of the walls, while the Palladian Urn Crystal Lamp from Restoration Hardware gave the space polish.

I love how he mixed an Eames task chair knock-off with a Louis XIV side chair at the desk, flawlessly blending different eras and styles. Off to the side of the office, Kyle brought in the Urban Outfitters Antoinette Fainting Sofa, which countered the hard lines of the desk with feminine curves, and created a glamorous space to relax in with a mirrored table at its side. As for artwork, he displayed antique wallpaper in baroque frames from Ikea. Easy, instant, beautiful! See before and after photos and a widget of some of the products used when you read more.

Funny enough, the space was shot by one of my Photographers to Watch, Joe Schmelzer! Check out the photos and tell me what you think. Do you like this makeover? Would you like to re-create this look in your home office?

View 6 Photos ›

Faceted Mirror Side Table - $199.00	Ung Drill Frame - $24.99
Herman Miller® eames aluminum group - executive chair - $1,299.00	Kieran Chair - $595.00
Parsons 60x30 29h Desk/Table Base - $309.00	Home Office Ensemble File Console - $549.00
Sandy Chapman Mini Urn Form Lamp In Crystal - $210.00

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How-To: Greening Your Bedroom

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:00:46 -0700

Test to make sure there is no lead paint on your walls, floors, and doors, especially if you live in an older home (before the '70s). If the paint is lead based, hire a professional to have the lead-based paint removed or replace the painted items (i.e. doors) altogether. Or, for a short-term solution, seal it with zero VOC paint.
Sleep with organic bedding, like a buckwheat hull pillow and organic cotton duvet covers.
Pick up a green mattress.
Use a wool blanket instead of turning on the heat.

To hear plenty more of these tips, read more.

Rearrange your furniture each season. Put your bed near the open window to catch the breeze in the hot summer, and near an insulated wall in the chilly winter.
Make a draft blocker to catch the winter drafts coming in old windows.
Wash your bed linens with eco laundry detergent.
Clean your wood floors and natural sisal rugs with vapor, not chemicals.
If you're shopping for a bedside table, get one made from reclaimed wood, like the Pottery Barn Rustic Wood Accent Table ($199).
Switch in a CFL bulb or better yet LED lighting for your bedside lamp, if you haven't already.
Unplug your bedside lamp from the wall or turn off your power strip when not in use.
Get your night time reading from the library. Pass along your used books to a friend.
Get a green-oriented partner (try Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt), so you'll make double the impact.

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How-To: Live Green Like Jessica Alba

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:15:36 -0700

InStyle currently has a great feature on celebrity interior designer Kari Whitman and her eco-friendly ideas for Jessica Alba's home. Whitman is known for her creative use of salvaged artifacts (like the vintage chandeliers shown here) that she finds by scouring antique shops, flea markets, and her clients' homes. For example, she says, "For Jessica Alba's house we bought almost every piece used." Snatching up second-hand pieces isn't the only way she has greenified Alba's home, though. To hear some of her other tips and tricks, read more.

Whitman also advocates using zero and low VOC paints, bamboo flooring, Mrs. Meyer's cleaning products, and eco-friendly pet and nursery furnishings. She has also purchased upcycled accessories for Alba's home, from stores like Uncommon Goods.

To hear more about Whitman's techniques for making Alba's interiors simultaneously stylish and eco-conscious, and to see additional photos of her home, check out InStyle!
Source

Great Organization for Designers of Color

CasaSugar — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:02:50 -0700

Shadesoftrue sent me a message about HUES: Designers of Color, saying, "I'm working with them as a volunteer, and the site just launched last week. I thought you might be interested in telling readers about them, since it's the only organization of its kind."

Hues is committed to providing a supportive and resourceful online community for designers of color, strengthening networking and communication among designers of color, and increasing demand and job opportunities for people of color in design industries. They work with interior, graphic, and fashion designers. For $50, you can become a member, which gives you access to the site's list of exclusive scholarship, internship, and job openings, among other benefits.

To see HUES' list of green tips for interior designers (which are also great tips for everyone), just read more

Limit your paper usage. When you have to use it, use recycled paper, print on both sides, reuse old paper for scraps and crafts, and recycle when you’re done.
Switch to CFLs in your home, office, projects, and work spaces.
Build green for your next architectural project.
Use materials that are reclaimed, recycled, vintage, sustainable, low-toxic, natural, and local when possible.
Keep work digital. The more work you do on the computer, online, or other gadget…the less paper wasted.
Use paints that are non-toxic, natural, low VOC, and zero VOC.
Instead of using the “off” switch or button, unplug all of your gadgets and gizmos when you are finished using them for the day.
When commuting to work, try taking public transportation, carpooling, biking, walking, or a combination.
Use and wear fabrics that are made of recycled and organic fibers.
Check out Treehugger and Greenbiz to learn more about going green at home and at work.