Britta's Sustainabode

Hotel Lighting

A few days without wi-fi and trying to conserve on international data usage and I'm now behind on blogging. Sorry folks. Time away from iPhone hasn't been that bad though either! We are now in Georgioupolis, Crete and enjoying the infinite shades of aqua, teal, and blue of the Mediterranean.

Here's an example of lighting I'm seeing in a number of the hotels we've visited. Combination of low voltage sconces and recessed using fluorescent lamps - shown here around cool wood paneled "alcove" headboard. When turned on the recessed fluorescents display the light source right at ceiling surface, kind of like under cabinet button lights, but they manage to keep room lit in a trendy fashion, while using very little energy.

Jun 27, 2011

2nd photo of same bathroom

I love bathrooms...

Many know that I have a thing about taking pictures of bathrooms all over the world. Why should Greece be any different? Isn't this beautiful?! Love the use of pebbles on the wall instead of floor. Much less work to maintain all that grout. Lovely combination of materials, contrasts and textures.

Outdoor Creativity with a Paintbrush

Fun wall art by college students!

Quiet Charm in Chatham

Here are just a few informal snap shots of a project I completed on the Cape and recently visited. We should all be so lucky to follow up with our clients and see how it all worked out for them! Got a great feeling of success as well as an opportunity to learn from the project.

Blending old and new to retain the charm of a little cape house while refreshing with clean lines and crisp color....

....new slate tile floor from Vermont Structural Slate in entry with antique closet door and latch inside.

 

...an old reclaimed beam from Longleaf Lumber mounted onto slate surround of a newly constructed rumford fireplace.

...new red oak flooring is carefully selected to look like it's been in the beach house for generations and just recently refinished.

 

...working with existing space and old roof lines to turn an awkward bathroom into a cozy spa-like retreat.

...installing natural maple on the wall instead of relying on plaster and tile make this bathroom warm.

...an unexpected window works great!

Cork It Up & Out

Like wine? Hate waste? 

Found a fantastic use for all those corks you've been tossing in a drawer or stockpiling up at home!

Yemm & Hart has been recycling cork stoppers since 2004. Unless you consume as many bottles as a restaurant goes through in a month, you won't get any money for the corks, but you'll feel much better knowing they won't end up in a landfill and will be enjoyed comfortably underfoot by someone else after being made into cork floor tiles. And after you've shipped them your box of corks (real cork, not the fake plastic and foam ones sometimes used now), you can visit Yemm + Hart's website and see your town and amount you shipped and got recycled. I was able to find us on the list just now - about 3/4lb real cork in November of 2007! Very cool.

"hygge"

What is "hygge?" It's a Danish word that has no equivalent translation in English. 

Cozy, warmth, comfort, togetherness, peaceful and relaxing - all rolled into one awesome good feeling inside.

Experienced any time of year, but particularly wonderful right now on a cold winter's day.

This kitchen I completed for a client last year is filled with "hygge" - ahhhh so wonderful, whether sitting at the end of the island against the lovely cherry counter, or nestled on the thick comfy chenille cushion in the window seat on the right or standing prepping a meal with the fire warming you nearby.

In the mood....to Paint!

While visiting with my friend and owner of In Its Place Organizing to wish her a happy birthday, we got talking about trying out some new colors in a few rooms. It’s an inexpensive way to freshen up a space! The hard part can be selecting the right colors, but she’s got a great eye for that…and it’s only paint, so there’s always next time if it’s not right on the mark! I recently got lucky with Benjamin Moore's Aura in Tomato Red. Feeling HOT, HOT, HOT!

So what paint to buy? There are many options these days, with low and no-VOC paints flooding the market. I’ll fill you in on some research about the VOCs in these paints another day. In the meantime, I’ve just learned about a line of paints byAnna Sova, which she call’s “food paint,” essentially “milk” paints made with up to 94% food ingredients. At $69 per gallon, it’s a premium-priced product. But if you’re a do-it-yourselfer, that’s not much for adding a fun new splash of color to enjoy every day! I will try this paint myself one day and let you know what I think. In the meantime, if you’ve tried it, let me know what you think, whether or not you liked, how it applies and cleans up so we can spread the word.