EARTH WEEK WEDNESDAY: Green Home of the Week

From now on, I am going to feature each week a Green home.  I am obsessed with Dwell Magazine and read every issue cover to cover and can't get over how breath taking some of these off the grid homes are.  So this week is a small family beach home in the beautiful Montauk, New York.

Green features such as a prefabricated foundation and a geothermal heating and cooling system are buried below ground.  Nontoxic finishes and passive systems inside the home add to its sustainable credit and helped keep the project on budget.  The result is an elegant beach house that is perfect in tune with its environment.

Side view of the house which is landscaped with native plants and trees.

Bedroom with retracting doors to create outdoor space into a larger living space 

A kitchen I drool over

Beautiful hallway made from sustainable and certified wood

All I can say is...a prefab home will be in my future.  

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

Earth Week Continued...Solar Powered...what?!?!

Earth Week continued!!

Solar Power is becoming more popular and somewhat mainstreamed in today's world.  I cam across some interesting solar powered gadgets that are out on the market today.  Check 'em out!

cell phone charger

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solar powered backpacks to charge accessories

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solar powered tree 

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solar powered toys like this "spider"

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LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

HAPPY EARTH WEEK!

Monday April 16th marks the beginning of Earth Week!  This week each blog post will be dedicated to Green Design and ways to live a more sustainable life.

An easy way to be Green is to REUSE anything and everything as much as possible!  If you think about what it is that you are throwing away, you may find that some of your trash may be someone else's treasure.  Here are some simple ways to reuse:

*Since plastic grocery bags can't be recycled, take them back to the store and use them to bag new groceries.  I reuse these plastic bags for poop bags when I walk my pup!

*Don't throw away old books!!! Donate them to libraries or school programs!

*Instead of using disposable paper towels, use rags, sponges or towels to clean up messes or for your everyday cleaning.  I ONLY use towels/rags and it makes such a difference!

*Save plastic containers that you get when you order take-out or delivery.  They can be repurposed to store leftovers!

*When Spring cleaning-out your closet, don't throw away old clothes, donate them!

There are such simple ways to reuse "trash" that easily accumulates throughout your home.  If you follow these simple steps you will see a very noticeable difference in the amount of trash you collect.  So, REUSE, REUSE, REUSE!!!

Happy Earth Week!!!

 LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

Get Down on the Flo'

A trend in upholstered couches that I've seen in the last year is ultra-low couches.  I am not the biggest fan for the sole fact that the function isn't so functional.  Yes, the low couches look ultra chic and unique but let's be honest, you are basically sitting on the floor.  Sitting down and getting up from these couches could start becoming a challenge as well as an inconvenience.  I do, however, admire the risk and originality of these sofas...

Linge Roset

Linge Roset

Roche Bobois

Roche Bobois

Restoration Hardware

CB2

Can you imagine your grandmother/grandfather getting in and out of these couches??? I sure can't! LOL.  As a designer who designs with function, I wouldn't recommend anyone in purchasing these couches.  

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

Headboards

I am in the process of purchasing a new headboard for my room.  I have no idea what look I am going for...perhaps some of your comments may help.

The simple but clean modern look...

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The tufted look...

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The scroll look in an unexpected color (not this hot pink)...

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The geometric nail-head look...

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The tall tufted headboard look...

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The natural look....

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As a designer (and on somewhat of a budget), it is always the hardest to commit to just ONE piece when you know there is a world full of headboards out there.  It is always easy to pick one for your clients but when it comes to yourself, that the hard part.  So what look do you like??

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

Abaco UpCycles!

As I am sure you have learned in my past blogs (here, and here) my family has a second home on the small island of Abaco in a town called Treasure Cay in the Bahamas.  This so-called heaven on Earth is such a special place to me.  Treasure Cay and all the towns/islands in the Abacos creates a lasting impression on all that come to visit.

I recently joined a group on Facebook that is dedicated to creatively recycling and repurposing things (or trash) found on the island.  The group shares photos and ideas that I thought they were so creative, unique and fabulous, that I had to share with you all!

There really is no beach as beautiful as Treasure Cay.

Used bath tub turned into a pond.

Old coffee canisters as lanterns 

Pallet (which are EVERYWHERE) converted into a coffee table

Old buckets as upside-down planters

More pallets used as shelving. So beautiful and natural

Driftwood used as a canvas.  Created and painted by our friend Clint Greene

 Abaco UpCycles! makes me even more proud to belong to such an amazing and special community.  I am very excited to get back to Treasure Cay and do some up-cycling of my own!

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

Funkin it Up

I LOVE me some funky designs!  Here are just a few that I found that I can't wait to use in my future projects and even in my own home.  It takes a unique, bold, and daring individual to own these pieces.  They are so f*cking cool!  My new favorite design store.

Furniture pieces via.  Aren't they sick?!?!?!?!?

Conscious Comfort

For a few of my projects I have been on the hunt for the perfect bedding.  I found this great company called  Unison that manufactures cozy, modern and eco-friendly bedding.  Conscious of their environmental impact and quality of product, Unison commits to manufacturing all of their bedding and blankets under Oeko-tex certified standards and uses certified organic fibers for their organic lines.  Their signature hand-printed pillows and table linens are cut and sewn at small factories right here in Chicago.  Now thats local!

Happy Sleeping!

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami