TREND WATCH-August 2010

by Deborah Chatfield

Environmentally friendly finds for the home

Let It Glow – These candles are an instant hit as a gift. Made from soy wax, they are clean burning, soot-free, nontoxic, and biodegradable. Unlike petroleum, soy is a renewable resource. The vessels themselves make a statement—the Shanghai features a beautiful oriental cup; the Moroccan has a jewel-like effect with a gold leaf on colored glass; and the Mint Julep is in its very own silver cup. Their scent is intoxicating, and they last twice as long as paraffin candles. Market Street’s boxes are truly one-of-a-kind as well; each is hand-stamped with a wax seal and tied with a grosgrain ribbon. They are also one of the few suppliers that choose to use soy ink. marketstreetcandles.com

Color Me Green – Stark embarked on a four-year collaboration with London-based color specialist and designer David Oliver to develop Stark Paint, colours by David Oliver. The result? An extensive and contemporary designer palette that spans the color spectrum with 240 new, rich, and sophisticated paint options. Stark Paint is eco-friendly and water-based, with zero VOCs. All colors are available in three finishes: Velvet Emulsion, Porcelain Shell, and Lacquer Gloss. starkcarpet.com

Let It Glow – These candles are an instant hit as a gift. Made from soy wax, they are clean burning, soot-free, nontoxic, and biodegradable. Unlike petroleum, soy is a renewable resource. The vessels themselves make a statement—the Shanghai features a beautiful oriental cup; the Moroccan has a jewel-like effect with a gold leaf on colored glass; and the Mint Julep is in its very own silver cup. Their scent is intoxicating, and they last twice as long as paraffin candles. Market Street’s boxes are truly one-of-a-kind as well; each is hand-stamped with a wax seal and tied with a grosgrain ribbon. They are also one of the few suppliers that choose to use soy ink. marketstreetcandles.com

A Dream Fabric – The Prima Alpaca collection from Sandra Jordan is so incredibly soft, you won’t be able to keep your hands off it. Alpacas are environmentally friendly because they prefer tender grasses and don’t pull from the roots or destroy trees. The fiber the alpacas produce is naturally hypoallergenic and pollution free. Alpacas are sheared once a year to stay cool during the summer. The first clip of the shearling alpaca, known as baby alpaca, is considered the finest available and is the only grade used for the Sandra Jordan Collection. The Collection includes a thoughtfully selected palette of distinctive hues in plaids, stripes, and solids. This is a designer’s dream fabric in that it is resistant to pilling and maintains its lustrous appearance over time. sandrajordan.com

Put a Cork in It – Suberra Cork Surfaces are ideal for desks, kitchen islands, bath vanities, and table tops. This rapidly renewable, fully recyclable, and biodegradable product fills a void between low-priced, high-pressure laminate tops and higher end sustainable, solid-surface tops. I have seen it installed and can say that it is also attractive. Suberra can be cut, routed, and sanded with woodworking tools and seamed with standard adhesives. suberra.com

Under the Rug – This year, Merida introduced its line of sustainable carpets. What makes this rug sustainable? First is the fact that there’s no latex backing—this is Merida’s first unbacked rug. Second, the rural, co-operative farming community where these rugs are made is a model of sustainability. Third, all are made from 100 percent sisal, and fourth (my favorite), when your rug has reached the end of its lifespan, you can cut it up and throw it onto your compost pile. Merida has a long tradition of producing high-quality, innovative textiles and now one with an intriguing story. meridameridian.com