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.: Going Green :.
by Thomas Shess
Photographs by Gary Payne |
When you think "green," do you think of hiking boots
and granola bars? It's not always easy being green, but it
can be beautiful. Take a look at four gorgeous, eco-friendly
interiors created by San Diego designer Laura Birns.
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| Above:
The locally manufactured, custom-designed steel-an-concrete
staircase in this Del Mar home is sustainable and recyclable;
steel takes less energy than aluminum to produce. Recycled-glass
chips are incorporated into the stair treads. Artlfor manufactures
the concrete, a sustainable material, locally. Below, the first
level has bamboo flooring. |
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When
thinking about the environment wasn't in vogue or Vogue,
as recently as a decade ago, Laura Birns saw how designers could
do their share to promote sustainability by using renewable
products such as low-energy lighting and nontoxic paints. She
began researching materials that qualify as environmentally
green. New design criteria and products had to be learned and
sourced.
"Green design is here to stay," says Birns, who has
based her solo practice in Solana Beach since 1989. "I
no longer go into a project without a green plan."
"Green design" has become the interior-design industry
mantra. Eco-friendly materials are in.
"All designers have a wonderful opportunity for growth,"
she says, "in creativity, as well as in planning and design."
It's challenging work, she concedes. The environmentally friendly
residences and furnishings on these pages reflect some of her
best techniques and solutions.
Designers must take the lead, be willing to discover if products
conform to green standards and know what those standards are;
they continually evolve as more information and resources become
available. Keeping current is critical. A designer can make
the difference by showing homeowners how to maximize energy
efficiencies in new or remodeled homes. (continues...) |
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| Above:
All the wood in this Elfin Forest home is from certified managed
forests. The kitchen's fluorescent-lit resin island panels by
Panelite are recyclable. The countertop is a Vetrazzo surface
made from recycled Blue Skyy Vodka Bottles. The tile backsplash
is made from recycled glass by Oceanside Glasstile. |
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Above:
Designer Laura Birns (right) and her design assistant, Patti
Pethel, take a break in the Elfin Forest game room. The gray
porcelain wall tile is recyclable. The white wave board from
Modular Arts is cast gypsum that is composed entirely of minerals.
The recycled-nylon carpet sits on a recycled carpet pad.
Left: The powder-room door panel by 3Form is made from
a resin that uses 40 percent post-industrial plastics. |
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But
preaching green doesn't mean a homeowner will buy into the plan;
they've got to like the look.
"Ultimately, it is up to the interior-design community
to redefine the design standards," Birns says. "The
designer must demonstrate how sustainable design creates elegance,
beauty and function."
She notes that the majority of the professional design community
looks to the standards developed by LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design), of the U.S. Green Building Council,
to define green design. It is the goal of green design to balance
environmental responsibility with occupant comfort and sensitivity
to the community. Green design considers the long-term effects
of material selections, energy usage, water availability and
indoor and outdoor air quality. An interior designer can make
a significant impact by incorporating knowledge of lighting
alternatives - such as planning with natural light and choice
materials. (continues...) |
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| Above:
Skylights and dual-glazed, low-E glass provide natural light
in this Rancho Santa Fe home's art studio, which began life
as a garage. Easy-to-clean rubber flooring by Expanko is made
from used tires. The cabinetry is made from high-pressure laminate
by Arpa Industriale. The European firm uses 80 percent less
methanol in product production than domestic laminate manufacturers.
The paint used here, and in the other homes featured, emits
no volatile organic compounds, assuring good indoor air quality. |
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Our
government is giving green-consciousness a big push. Building
codes are changing to meet the green challenge. This is most
evident in the energy sector - that is, lighting and water conservation.
Showers have low-flow valves. Window manufacturers have changed
their standards to incorporate low-E, dual-glazed windows for
greater energy efficiency. And manufacturers are producing Energy
Star appliances that use less fuel to operate.
Green products are more in demand, changing the market. In the
new millennium, good design includes environmental respo0nsibility.
Laura Birns is one designer who's seen the green light.
(see design details, right) |
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| Above:
The custom cabinetry in this La Jolla home's stunning wine room
was made locally from quartered mahogany veneer by Brookside
Veneers; the mahogany was produced from managed forests. The
sustainable floor is a natural slate. The barstools were custom
designed by Laura Birns Design and made locally. A westerly
exposure provides natural light, and a ceiling fan (not shown)
assists in conserving energy. |
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design
details :
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All interiors featured were designed by
Laura Birns, Laura Birns Design, P.O. Box 812, Del Mar, 760-438-0731;
lbdesign.net.
For all homes, Birns used the following products or vendors:
Paint by Sherwin-Williams. Paint Contractor: Erik Braegger, 760-419-1556.
Granite from San Diego Granite, 13026 Stowe Drive, Suite C, Poway,
858-486-2040; sdginc.net.
Concrete flooring by Artflor, 1702 North Magnolia Avenue, Suite
101, El Cajon, 800-773-9363; artflor.net.
Wall coverings by Carnegie, 1765 Selby Avenue, Suite 4, Los Angeles;
carnegiefabrics.com.
Custom cabinetry was designed by Laura Birns Design.
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© Laura Birns Design 2008 All Rights Reserved