This Potomac, Maryland, home needed a kitchen makeover, and because the owner is an environmental activist, it made sense for her kitchen remodel to be as green as possible. The kitchen also needed to be an organized place for hosting dinner parties, as well as a comfortable spot for weeknight meals and family time for three kids and two busy parents.
“This was one of the busiest kitchens I have ever been in,” says interior designer Emily Prugar of M House Designs. “We needed to be able to seat a lot of people without crowding her cooking space.”
Paint was key to Prugar’s and the homeowners’ goals. A new coat of VOC-free paint on the kitchen table legs, and voilà — a new kitchen table. She used the same tactic with the kitchen chairs and the walls. Other green choices included patronizing environmentally responsible wood companies, using salvaged antique windows and sourcing Energy Star appliances.
Read on for more of Prugar’s tips from this kitchen renovation.
1. Use VOC-free paints
2. Choose Energy Star appliances
3. Use recycled materials as much as you can
Prugar used recycled antique windows between the kitchen and the family room. This way, the parents can hear and observe the kids even while they juggle cooking prep with setting the table.
Vintage details give a unique look that usually can’t be bought, and you won’t find duplicates in your neighbors’ houses, either. These windows allow light and sounds through, but don’t disrupt the clean, quiet feel of the kitchen.
The windows are from Housewerks in Baltimore, a good local source for salvaged finds. Prugar had the lead redone in some spots.
4. Source environmentally friendly companies
These kitchen cabinets are made here in the U.S. by Elmwood. The company participates in the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program, which promotes resource management.
The countertop is hard-to-find white granite. For a similar look, Prugar recommends Silestone or Caesarstone, two environmentally friendly surfacing brands.
5. Extend the green theme to your decor
6. Repurpose old furniture if you can
In this case, the old kitchen table legs were painted a mossy green to refresh them. The upholstered banquette under the window “feels like a sofa in the kitchen,” Prugar says. It can seat four or five kids during both quick dinners and big celebrations.
7. Use fans to keep cool
8. Save money, gas, time and car mileage with a home espresso station
9. Use recycled wood flooring
You can find beautiful reclaimed wood that can be installed in wide or skinny planks, depending on the look you want.It is more comfortable on your feet than most kitchen flooring
Find Ecofriendly Granite Countertops Here
