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Michelle Kaufmann
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Michelle Kaufmann Designs Closing Doors
I am very sad to report that Michelle Kaufmann Designs is closing, due in part to the credit crisis and the closing of factories used to manufacture MKD homes. The green prefab firm, located in Oakland, CA, designed homes guaranteed to achieve either gold or platinum LEED ratings, the two highest ratings from the US Green Building Council. Homes such as the Glidehouse and mkLotus won MKD international acclaim, and were proof that prefab and green were a natural fit.
DIY: Recycled Bathmat
Need a project for Earth Day? Here's a great one from Michelle Kaufmann. As she mentions in the video, this recycled towel bathmat project is a perfect activity to do while watching a movie.
Have You Entered Michelle Kaufmann's Eco Gingerbread Contest?
One of my eco heroes, Michelle Kaufmann is sponsoring a Green Guru Gingerbread Challenge. You have two more days to enter the contest, and I know that CasaSugar readers are a creative bunch, so I thought you should rally to make your own design!
Check out this house, for example, which is powered by chocolate solar panels and features clerestory windows, a deep roof overhang, low-E glazed windows, a frosting water catchment system, and green roofs planted with native flora.
Casa Verde: Michelle Kaufmann's Quick Construction
Whether she's making cool eco craft projects or designing innovative homes, Michelle Kaufmann is definitely one of my eco heroes.
Michelle designs green, prefab homes that are both beautiful and cost-effective. These homes are guaranteed to achieve either gold or platinum LEED ratings, the two highest ratings from the US Green Building Council.
DIY: Make Your Own Eco Outdoor Fire
As the nights get chillier, many of us crave the warmth of an outdoor fire, but might be concerned about the pollutants that a roaring wood fire produces. Leave it to green designer Michelle Kaufmann to create a solution to this problem. She's come up with a great, inexpensive, and very modern-looking way to create an outdoor fire on your patio, deck, or in your yard.
Other Search Results
Link Time!
- Hutton Wilkinson debuts a book about his mentor Tony Duquette. — Vanity Fair
- I'm aching over this lust-worthy velvet fabric. — AT:NY
- Line your staircase with a vertical garden.
Link Time!
- Ever thought about keeping bees? How about on a rooftop in Brooklyn? — Re-Nest
- Peruse pictures of pretty Scandinavian styling.— Desire to Inspire
- Repurpose a frame for jewelry displays.— AT:SF
- Try these tips for hanging artwork.— PointClickHome
- Read a charming interview with Michelle Kaufmann.— Design*Sponge
Casa Verde: The Greenest Home in Chicago Opens Thursday
If you live in the Chicago area, I have plans for you this week. The greenest home in Chicago, the redesigned "2009 Smart Home: Green + Wired," a 2,500-square-foot modular home at the Museum of Science and Industry, opens to the public on Thursday. The house features an eco-friendly baby nursery, a DIY "green" garage workshop, countertops made from recycled glass, a recyclable steel dining table, and "art developed with the power of the sun" — interesting!
DIY: Eco Chopstick Birdhouse
I came across this YouTube video by eco-architect Michelle Kaufmann about how to make a birdhouse by reusing chopsticks from all those Friday night orders of vegetable lo mein. I'm actually quite impressed with the design; contrary to what you might expect, it doesn't look a thing like a kindergarten craft project. I summarized the steps for you below, but some of you may find the video helpful as well.
Link Time!
- Re-Nest tours Michelle Kaufmann's Glidehouse.
- Day-Lab DIY is reno'ing a sweet Danish modern sofa.
- AT:SF rounds up tips for small-space living.
- HGTV Green Home clues you in on the house's sustainable location.
- Shelterrific takes you on another adventure in beekeeping.
- YumSugar has found some May must-haves.
- Design Happens presents you with a Mother's Day gift guide.
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