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Adventures and Advice in Home Remodeling

February 13, 2009

A few years ago, my husband and I embarked upon our first real renovating adventure.  Married just over a year, we had just moved, my husband had begun a new job, our first child was a few months old, and we had just bought a condo that had been poorly cared for and was in desperate need of cosmetic remodeling.

New paint, cleaning, patching up the drywall holes…that was the easy part of our journey.  All of the flooring needed to be replaced, (other than the ceramic tile in the entry), and the kitchen cabinets were waterdamaged and in need of repair or replacement.

We decided to use hardwood throughout the main floor, and carpet  in the lower level and loft above.  At the time we knew nothing about finishes, let alone green choices, but we had a cousin’s father in the flooring business.  After visiting a few other local flooring shops, we chose to use our family connection and ordered the carpet and wood flooring.  (Oh that we’d known about cork and FLOR carpeting)!

Meanwhile, after doing some local research on cabinetry, we decided that replacement was definitely out of our budget.  A family friend and interior designer, Kris, from Pinto Pony Designs, recommended a local painter who does cabinetry painting in several styles, including our desired, antique style.  Soon, the doors to our cabinets were off to her garage.  (Once again, knowing about VOCs in paint would have been Read more

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Written by Katrina Berg · Filed Under Main Articles, Reader Stories · Leave a Comment 



Watersense: Fix a Leak Week (March 16-20)

February 9, 2009

Drip…drip…drip…drip…How long have you been ignoring that pitter patter coming from the shower? How about the leaky spigot on the side of the house, or that running toilet? You might as well be pouring money down the drain! Fixing easily corrected household water leaks like these can save homeowners more than 10 percent on their water bills—and a precious natural resource.

March 16 to 20, 2009, marks the WaterSense program’s first “Fix a Leak Week,” a time to remind all of us homeowners to attack leaks in our household fixtures and irrigation systems. While leaks might sometimes seem like small problems, over time they waste Read more

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Written by David Putnam · Filed Under Uncategorized · Leave a Comment 

Reclaimed Glassware: 5 eco-friendly companies to watch

February 9, 2009

I love glassware.  The kiddos use some plastic, but are gradually switching as well.  Perhaps it’s the taste (or lack of), maybe it is the coolness in your hands, the noticeable weight in your grasp.  Whatever the reason, we love to drink from glassware.  Currently we have a few different styles, yet all clear and without added color.  But my favorite glasses I’ve owned (all gone now), were blue and green glass.

Recently I saw some beautiful green glasses by The Green Glass Company, and wondered, “What other options are out there and those with policy/reputation I can feel good about supporting?”

So here is a list of 5 eco-friendly companies that offer reclaimed glassware:

The Green Glass Company- Since 1992, the Green Glass Company has been producing glassware with resource preservation in mind.  Instead of using the non-environmentally friendly method of acid etching., the glassware is Read more

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Written by Katrina Berg · Filed Under Kitchens · 2 Comments