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I work as a blogger for businesses although I do a variety of different types of writing. I particularly enjoy writing about all aspects of design and creativity. I think that your home should reflect your personality and that it should change as you change. More about me at www.kathrynvercillo.com and http://diaryofasmartchick.com.
Eco-Easy: Basic Elements of Great Green Design
This small space incorporates many different elements of green design which goes to show just how many options you have when going green inside the home. Natural lighting, ventilation and heating combine with healthy plant life and reclaimed wood to make for a space that really maximizes its green potential. The simplicity of the decor and the beauty of the plants here help to set a calming mood that reflects the deeper meaning in the green message.
by DNM Architect
This home highlights the fact that you don't have to add a bunch of fancy stuff to have a green home. The many windows and skylights here allow the space to get a lot of natural light which reduces the use of lighting (and therefore energy waste) in the home. The addition of the wood heater increases the home's energy-efficiency, saving the occupants some money on their heating bills while also reducing the harm the home does to the earth. The simplicity of the wood flooring and furniture and the neutral tones of the room further emphasize its nature-based beauty.
by Gary Earl Parsons, Architect
One of the coolest sustainable materials that I find being used in green design is recycled copper. This is a beautiful metal that is really versatile in its applications. I absolutely love the corrugated walls in this particular design; they create a look that is pure art but which is also natural, earth-friendly and energy-efficient.
by Peter L. Gluck and Partners
A first glance at this bathroom makes it seem so modern that it doesn't come across immediately as "green". However, all of the materials that are used in the design here (steel, glass, slate, copper, and wood) are sustainable materials which are easy on the earth. These natural materials create an earth-friendly mood in the space without taking away from the modern appeal of the design.
Brooklyn Loft Bathroom
Another really beautiful material that is frequently found in green homes is bamboo. Bamboo can be a great eco-friendly replacement for other materials such as concrete or wood. The storage cabinets here are really simple in their design which reflects the simplicity of the green lifestyle.
by Design To Live LLC
I have always loved homes that have lots of windows. I just like feeling like I'm out in the sunshine even while I'm working away indoors. It's a nice added benefit that this type of design can also be really energy-efficient. When the windows are made correctly and faced properly, they can allow for natural lighting, ventilation and heating so that the home doesn't require the use of much energy.
by Nathan Kipnis Architects, Inc.
The thing that catches your eye about this room is the windows but that isn't the part of the room that is most important in terms of green design. Instead, move your eye down to the floor of the home. What you'll discover is that the floor here is made of slate, a sustainable material that helps keep the place energy-efficient by keeping the room warmer in winter and cooler in summer. If you think that the natural look of the slate is a little too quiet for your tastes, doing something dramatic like this with the windows could be a great solution!
by Nathan Kipnis Architects, Inc.
This room is another room that has great flooring. The floors here are stone floors that offer radiant heating to increase the energy-efficiency of the home. However, that's not what I really love about this room. What I love is the wood beam ceiling that creates such a great ambience here. If it was made from freshly-cut wood, it would be bad for the earth, but these beams are made from reclaimed wood which is absolutely eco-friendly.
by JMA
People who only know a little bit about green design typically at least know that one option for the home is to make use of solar energy. This isn't the right choice for all homes since it can be expensive but it's a terrific way to really make the home energy efficient. The solar panels here are a standard example of how solar energy tools can be incorporated into the complete design of the home.
by Nathan Kipnis Architects, Inc.
This is another example of how a home may be designed in such a way so as to maximize the solar energy of the area even when the area itself varies in climate. There are solar panels here which are connected to a radiant heating system inside the home so you can be warmed up from the sun even when it's chilly out. Additionally, the canopy shown here is actually retractable which means that it can offer shade in the summer and yet be used to improve the home's solar heating in the winter. It's a really great design and one I'd like to use if I ever got a winter home in a colder climate.
by Griffin Enright Architects
One of the things that often gets left out of the green design conversation (but which shouldn't) is the landscaping of the home. As the owners of a home like this one start to do more landscaping, they will want to pay attention to the natural desert environment, choosing plants that are native to the area and making sure to consider water-gathering and soil erosion issues. The landscape is really a part of the home and should be treated as such when using green building and decor practices.
by marmolradzinerprefab.com
This is a more polished example of how the design of the home and the landscaping of the yard can both contribute to a green building. Here, the building and the pool deck are both made from stones native to the area which reduces the negative impact of the building on the earth. Furthermore, recycled copper is used in the wall cladding and the roofing. The effect is one that is naturally beautfiul and sustainable. I'd be proud to have people over for barbecues if I owned this green place!
by flickr.com
The materials that are used in this room are all natural materials from the hemp bed to the certified-wood furniture. However, what I really love about this bedroom is how the decor itself really just sends a green message. The coloring of the room and the pieces in it combined with the natural beauty of the artwork really drives home the message that this is a peaceful, earth-loving home.
Eco-Chic Bedroom 
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