Green Interior Design(For Regular People)
Remodeling an older home is always a challenge. Throw in the desire to use all green materials and things become more complex. Sorting out a poorly designed kitchen is difficult, now add on a dining room cut off from the living area and a living room divided by a misplaced stair case. Welcome to the world of Sigi Koko, principal architect of Down to Earth Design a firm dedicated to designing all things in sustainable ways. Koko took on a family of green leaning clients living in a vintage 1890 Adams Morgan rowhouse who had all these issues, plus one more. “The first main objective was, whatever we were going to do had to be in keeping with the house,” says Koko. Keeping with the house meant working around traditional elements including thick moldings and Victorian-sized rooms that aren’t conducive to modern life.
The first problem was a staircase that terminated in the living room and ruined the flow of the room. “It created a sad evil corner but we loved the staircase,” says the homeowner. During Koko’s interview for the project she proposed removing the stairs and reversing the curve so the steps terminated in the foyer – a more natural place for them to end. To keep things green, she also pitched the idea of using the same wood to rebuild the stairs by turning the lumber upside down. “She came up with the idea or reversing the staircase so it proved she could think creatively,” says the homeowner. Koko got the job and went to work. Although the homeowners had issues with the living room, the dining room, the basement entrance and the upstairs bathroom, the kitchen was the biggest problem. “It was a strange L-shaped kitchen,” says Koko, “so everything got moved.” The room was torn back to the studs or in the case of the party wall, back to the bricks.
To open the space up, the wall between the dining room and kitchen was partially removed which brought in more natural light. A rear deck off the kitchen was screened in so large sliding doors could remain open in temperate weather, cutting back on the need for air conditioning. An alternating ladder stair to the basement provided an interior access to the downstairs.
Hardwood cabinets, in this case naturally finished cherry, can be a green choice as long as the lumber used is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC monitors forestry operations around the world and certifies lumber from responsible sources. Energy use in the kitchen is managed by appliances with high Energy Star ratings that still look good in a stainless steel skin. When it came time to pick a countertop the homeowners looked through piles of samples that Koko brought in for inspection. The winner was Icestone, a product made from mixing recycled glass with concrete – a prize wining invention. “There was a national contest for coming up with ways to use recycled glass and Icestone won,” says Koko, “it’s also a very durable material.”
The end result of all the renovation is a house transformed that still retains it’s original charm. “It was more about massaging the space then changing the house, “ says Koko. The homeowners agree with the architect. “It’s a lovely environment to live in now,” they say. And it’s also very, very green. Environmentally responsible remodeling doesn’t have to be difficult. According to Sigi Koko, It can’t always be perfect, make the best decision you can and steer by the three words “reuse, recycle, reduce.” 1. When you interview contractors ask them if they are open to reusing as much building material as possible. If they are not into that, you may want to keep looking. 2. Use recycled material whenever possible. Check in your local area for sources for architectural salvaged items or green building materials. In the DC area check out The Brass Knob (www.thebrassknob.com), Community Forklift (www.communityforklift.com) and Amicus (www.amicusgreen.com). 3. Shift your mind set about how much space you really need in a remodel. By reconfiguring the space it’s often possible to reduce what you think you need.
For more info on green architecture and interior design check out the green design section of DesignPov.com
|
