Sustainable Kitchen Banquette

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I have the coolest clients! I know, lots of designers say that, but I actually do have the best clients who truly get "it." What is "it," you ask? "It" can be described as an appreciation for the creative process coupled with the patience to adapt to the challenges of designing sustainably . In particular, this kitchen banquette project and its new owner.

This project started simply enough, with a phone call from a friend of a client of mine. She told me about a little nook in her kitchen she wanted to turn into a breakfast area. A simple little banquette with a solid slate counter top that would compliment her home's prewar styling.

We had 2 basic challenges with this project: 1) Make it look and fit right for the space, and 2) Be as "green" as possible. To that end, we replicated the existing floor molding (which took 3 separate pieces of molding, cut to proper dimension, and assembled identically to the existing). Very deliberate measurements for the height, depth, and width of the bench seats were checked and rechecked to ensure the maximum seating area while allowing proper leg room and comfortable movement in and out of the banquette. Forest Stewardship Council (http://www.fscus.org/ ) certified plywood and molding were purchased for this project. Eco-friendly glue was used in assembly and low VOC semi-gloss paint finished out the wood pieces. The slate countertop was reclaimed from a local deconstruction and we had it cut to size, honed, and sealed using eco-friendly sealer.

This project is not only beautiful and looks as if it's always been there, but was executed sustainably and will last for many, many, many years to come. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed building this project.

*The client will soon be adding custom seat cushions and pillows.

Greene is Green...

Over the years I've been involved in several "green" design projects and with rare exception have any of my projects over the past few years not been mostly or entirely eco-friendly. Projects that involve using reclaimed & leftover materials, applying eco-safe finishes, and building with modern sustainable materials (Plyboo and FSC Certified lumber). Each completed project has fueled an even larger internal fire pushing me toward a 100% green way of doing business and refining my design aesthetic and sensibility. As it turns out, you can still have exceptionally perfect design while leaving little/no footprint on the environment. Who knew?!

So I'm elated to formally declare that Greene Furniture & Design is henceforth entirely "green." What that means for my clients is that I'll be creating the same high-end designs as before, but I'll be exclusively using FSC Certified hardwoods, sustainable plywood (Plyboo, Kirei, Durapalm, Dakota burl, Wheatboard, etc.), and formaldehyde-free plywood in my designs. I'll be using non-toxic paints whenever paint is called for (in a room or on a piece of furniture) and I'll be using hand-applied, non-toxic oil and wax finishes on my beautiful wood furniture. This eliminates the airborne pollutants and off-gassing associated with certain commercial finishing processes.

I'm also pleased to announce that through several exclusive partnerships I will be using regionally-grown and harvested lumber whenever possible. These are storm-fallen timbers and trees removed for development purposes throughout the tri-state area (which would normally be turned into mulch or chopped into firewood - what a shame!). This not only keeps jobs and money local, but exponentially reduces the pollutants created by delivery vehicles bringing those materials to my shop from parts unknown. Rather than coming from across the country or from overseas, my materials are coming from our neighbors just up the road.

In furtherance of Greene Furniture & Design's green business practice I will be partnering with both FSC and LEED certified vendors, designers, architects, decorators, and eco-conscious entrepreneurs who share our passion and stewardship of all things green. The greener my network, the greener my business, right?

So, without further ado, my new slogan:

"Greene is Green"

Yours in green design,

Dan Greene