Stephanie Nickolson has designed residential, commercial and eco-conscious environments for more than 24 years. Her firm, Stephanie Nickolson Design, promotes the use of sustainable, non-toxic, recyclable and environmentally-friendly products and services. The firm works largely with clients who have allergies, chemical sensitivies or who have children with special needs.
It’s sometimes hard to find new interior products that meet all of the criteria for being eco-friendly, excitingly HOT and cool all at the same time, but in my reading and travels, I’ve come across some of the finest. Here are my top five picks:
1. Cisco Brothers Furniture: This fabulous furniture is handmade in south central L.A. by local craftspeople. Cisco Pinedo was the first designer to create 100 percent FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) pure, sustainable, upholstered furniture.
This 90-inch-wide “Edith” sofa is made of sustainable hardwood and is available in all-natural fabric. Photo Courtesy Cisco Brothers.
Shown here is their ever-so-classic 90-inch-wide “Edith” sofa. This versatile, button tufted piece looks stunning in a many diversified settings. It is timeless and classic. This company also manufacturers square, rectangular and round button tufted ottomans. These pieces are ideal for using as a foot rest or as a place to set a tray to serve food and beverages on. Soft fabrics made of 100 percent linen, as well as cotton, can be applied to the frames, or the company will use C.O.M. (Customer’s Own Material).
2. Designtex: The term “faux” generally has a negative connotation of being synthetic or non-eco, but now Designtex, a leader in textiles in the design arena, has come out with a new product called Faux Sure. It’s a high performance leather that is PVC-free, heavy-metal-free and doesn’t have formaldehyde or use plasticizers during production. Its bold color lineup includes “Taxi” and “Violet.” To create an eclectic look, you might add one of these colored leathers to an antique piece of furniture or recover an old bench or chair to give it new life and pizzazz.
Designtex’s Faux Sure is a new eco-friendly leather offered in these bold colors. Photo Courtesy Designtex.
3. Farrow and Ball: Always green, this paint company, using naturally occurring pigments, has some new rich colors in its lineup: One of them, as shown in the photo on the wall, is Brassica No. 271.
Farrow and Ball’s new paint color Brassica No.271 adorns the walls. Photo Courtesy Farrow and Ball.
I love the way the paint is applied in this photo. It causes your eye to continue looking up, giving height to the room’s ceiling.
4. Palecek: Furnishing homes with everything from mirrors, bar stools, upholstered pieces and accessories, Palecek imbues the eco-conscious consumer to bring her natural side out. Capiz shells embellish their pillows as well as their lamp bases; rattan, rope and recycled wood plank table tops are utilized in their furniture pieces; and natural fabrics are options for their upholstered items. The accessories shown below are all new and include Palecek’s Nito Coil Boxes and the Spa Lounge Chair.
Nito baskets and the Spa Chair are some of the natural products offered by Palecek. Photo Courtesy Palecek.
5. Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring: This company refers to itself as “Eco-wise from forest to floor,” as it manages its own FSC-certified forests. Based out of Montreal, this new gray-stained flooring is a hard maple species and looks uniquely beautiful in any room. This new line is called “Gray Impressions” and is available in both solid wood and engineered construction. Its durability comes from it’s “Titanium Traffic” finish that’s applied to the finished product.
This beautiful gray stained hardwood floor is FSC-certified hardwood available through Lauzon. Photo Courtesy Lauzon.
Editor’s Note: Natural Home does not recommend, approve or endorse the products/services offered by companies guest bloggers review online. You should use your own judgment and evaluate products and services carefully before deciding to purchase.