Eco friendly kitchen counter tops :: Recycled glass counter tops

Technically the greenest kitchen counter top is the one you already have... However if yours is bright yellow (we still come across a few) or beyond repair or you are unable to source a recycled kitchen then you may need to look for a new kitchen joinery and a new countertop.

Firstly, your counter top material should be of good quality, durable, water resistant, non porous (this excludes most natural stones) and something that is a timeless design that you are happy to live with for many years. If your kitchen is a neutral design and of a good quality it is likely to be around for a while, thus reducing the need to consume more materials with buying a new kitchen.

I have selected a few alternative counter materials below. Some of these brands may not be available in your country but there may be other similar products available by local suppliers.

Recycled glass countertops - For an alternative to natural or quarried stone. 

Whilst granite and marble counter tops have a luxurious finish they are not very environmentally friendly as they are a quarried from natural stone. Nowadays engineered stone has become quite popular as a practical stone substitute but their manufacturing process is not so eco-friendly and their recycled component is fairly low.  However, some stone composite brands are now incorporating higher recycled content options. For an alternative to natural stone or non recycled composites try:

1. Squak Mountain Stone - A fibrous-cement material made from recyled paper, recycled glass and low-carbon cement.

2. Fuez - Made from 100% curbside recycled glass.

3. BottleStone - Made from 80% post-consumer curbside recycled container glass.

4. Vetrazzo - Made from cement and 85% recycled glass from curbside recycling programs. Some of the glass comes from  windows, dinnerware, stained glass, laboratory glass, building demolition glass, traffic lights and other unusual sources. They even provide a certificate of transformation that tells you where the glass came from!

5. Seeta by Torzo - A formaldehyde free composite made from sunflower seed hulls.

6. Caesarstone - On a few colours only, 42% recycled content from production off cuts.

Nowadays there is a wider selection of different surface materials that adopt recycled principals, FSC certified timer products and green building council certification. This is still a growing market a lot of green wash with some materials claiming that they are eco and green when they are not. If you give yourself some time to research thoroughly and check the products technical credentials then you should be able to find your perfect alternative counter finish.

Have fun.

Komaneka Tanggayuda :: Ubud, Bali

Today there has been non stop rain here in Brisbane... This rain reminds me of our first trip to Bali a few years back and a rather soggy stay in Ubud.

Ubud is a beautiful hillside village in the centre of Bali. If you prefer not to be part of the party scene on the coast and would rather relax in a day spa surrounded by lush rainforests, rice terraces and plenty of culture then the inland villages of Bali are the perfect option.

At the time I was designing a Balinese day spa here in Australia… so this trip was well timed and added an extra dimension to my interior design research!

As it was Christmas, we treated ourselves big time and stayed in the Komaneka Tanggayuda resort, just outside Ubud. This picture says it all...

Our accommodation was this Valley Pool Balinese Villa with our own private infinity edge plunge pool, day-bed pavilion and outdoor bathroom!

The design style of this resort reflects a contemporary interpretation of traditional Balinese architecture. It is also a great example of the architecture being constructed from local materials. These included "alang-alang" thatch roofing; "paras" sandstone and other Indonesian stones for the floors, walls and hand made outdoor bath; and hand crafted local furnishings and furniture.

This outdoor stone bath also came with its own surrounding frog pond! It was quite an amazing experience to have your own frog chorus in the evenings.

images via Komaneka

With such stunning views overlooking the surrounding landscape it did not matter that it rained the whole time. It was still warm and we could spent most of the time outside under the protection of our day bed pavilion reading and listening to the rain... bliss!

Since then there is now three in the resort chain. So if you feel tempted you can check them out here.

Have fun.

Kitchen design ideas :: Recycled & second-hand kitchens

Before you venture off to your local kitchen display centre, have you ever considered adapting old materials and pieces of furniture to form a new recycled kitchen or even finding a second hand kitchen?

Recycled or mix and match kitchens

Why not use an inherited piece of furniture or salvaged materials for a new purpose, mixing and matching them to form your kitchen. Many items can be used like recycled timber to make the cabinets, old wardrobes to make a pantry and even old timber trays can be used to make shelving. 

Here are just a few examples below:

image via living etc 

image via living etc

image via style files

Before and after by Dilettante Studios

Dilettante Studios have taken it one step further by using recycled pieces of timber, old doors and frames to make these interesting new kitchen cupboards. 

If this is too time consuming, or a bit too out there, another option is to adopt a second-hand kitchen.

Second-hand kitchens

Nowadays recycling businesses are more common and some even specialise in buying and selling previously loved kitchens. They can also remove your old kitchen so it can be spruced up for a new owner. You could also source a kitchen online and adapt to your kitchen space. Either way this could give you a cost effective option to finding a new kitchen. 

You will be surprised what you can find. Here is a modern design I have just found from Second Hand Kitchens.

Always talk to your cabinet maker to see how an older kitchen can be fitted to your current kitchen arrangement and layout.

If you have found a second-hand kitchen or you would just like to freshen up your existing kitchen you could always look at changing a few things with the following upgrades.

Easy kitchen upgrades:

• Re-facing Kitchen Cabinets - Changing cabinet doors, hinges and pulls can give a kitchen a completely new look. Check with a local cabinetmaker for an evaluation to see what’s possible. There are also companies that will will re-spray your old cabinet doors (avoid particle board and fibreboard and insist on low VOC cabinetry and paint finishes).
• Replace the cabinet hardware - Remove the old door handles and replace with a ones that fit in with the overall style of your new kitchen.
• Replace the kitchen counter - There are solid reconstituted stone materials available to direct stick to your existing counter top. These materials are not as thick as a traditional solid surface or stone products and have been developed as a thinner material for renovating older kitchen counters. 
• Add a kitchen island - If your kitchen has room for it, adding an island or a preparation bench can be attractive and useful. You can pick one up at a secondhand furniture store or even Ebay. If you're pressed for storage and preparation space in your kitchen this is a great option as many kitchen islands have storage that can provide you with the extra room you need for more kitchenware.

As you can see from the kitchens above most things are possible when it comes to recycled or second-hand kitchens.

Next week I will check out the options for kitchen counter top materials in more detail.

Have fun.

Cowley Manor Hotel :: Gloucestershire, England

This weekend is my wedding anniversary and I was thinking back to the places we have stayed to celebrate when I remebered Cowley Manor. Now this place would be in my top ten for decor, spa treatments, service and experience.

Cowley Manor is a contemporary-chic country house hotel and spa surrounded by 55 acres of parkland, lakes, woods and meadows in the idyllic Cotswold countryside. The weekend we visited there were gale force winds but we still managed to grab a few walks around the beautiful grounds before heading back to London.

The weather didn't really matter that weekend as the decor of this hotel helped us relax and settle in from a cold and windy winters day. With an emphasis on comfort, service and very few rules Cowley Manor was the perfect place to relax, unwind and indulge our senses.

Our room was a converted stable block (above) with the lounge, bathroom and bedroom set over three floors. The bedrooms are retreats themselves with bespoke textiles and furniture all designed by British artists and designers and oversized bathrooms complete with natural products from their C-Side spa.

The décor at Cowley Manor is colourful and eccentric. From brightly coloured geometric patterned carpets and yellow paintwork to leather padded walls and bizarre sculptures, the atmosphere is a combination of sophisticated know-how and relaxed informality.

We also had to try the C-Side Spa. It had two heated pools, a 17m green slate lined indoor pool and an elegant outdoor pool.

For an interior designer this hotel was real eye candy with its colourful decor, high ceilings, 19th-century manor house character architecture and beautiful views of the grounds

images from Cowley Manor Hotel

Though we were there to relax at the spa, lounge around the outdoor pool and sip cocktails in the bar I was still was in work mode and inspired by the beautiful architecture and how it works with the modern interior design, the use of colour, pattern, texture and all the quirky artwork.

It is an idyllic countryside experience not to be missed.

Have fun.

Kitchen design ideas :: New modern kitchens

Style apart and depending on where you live and the type of property you own there are two main types of new modern kitchen. The type that you buy as a complete fitted kitchen (fixed into position) or a freestanding kitchen or “kit of parts” that can be removed when you move on or sell your property.

New fitted kitchens

Full fitted kitchens are normally supplied as standard by developers in new houses and mostly in Australia without Low VOC [volatile organic compound] materials and sustainable principles.

These images are of new kitchens fitted to older houses and new builds that have been supplied by Cantilever Interiors, a green joinery company based in Victoria.

images via Cantilever Interiors

The advantage of these kitchens is that while they may appear to look like a normal fitted kitchen they are different because they use Low VOC [volatile organic compound] materials and sustainable principles to construct the kitchen. These have significant health and sustainable advantages by using the following:

• Use of Plantation Hoop and Radiata Plywood for carcass construction and E0 melamine face material which comes from sustainably managed forest.
• To protect surfaces and allow for easy cleaning they use Water-based lacquers instead of Polyurethane based products.
• Using E0 rating board and laminate finishes where possible. This has the lowest formaldehyde emission rating possible in Australia.
• Veneer Board using local suppliers who manufacture veneers which are harvested from managed plantations.
• Recycled timber is used where possible.

Freestanding kitchens & instant kitchens

A freestanding or instant kitchen is a different and less traditional take on kitchen design and is sort of like buying a kitchen for life.

An instant kitchen by Hansen

In Italy I have known friends who have rented apartments where unfurnished really means unfurnished. In this case the kitchen was completely empty (no cabinets, no appliances), just the cold water tap sticking up out of the floor where a fitted kitchen once stood. Also there were no light fixtures anywhere only electrical cables protruding from holes in the walls. I was surprised that the timebr floor had not been removed!

We all know that Ikea has a fantastic business selling low cost freestanding kitchens but if you are looking for a flexible kitchen option then it is worth investing on a quality product that will stand up to being moved a number of times and be of a timeless design that you will be happy with for years to come.

Here is an example by Hansen, designed by Danish Architect Knud Kapper, it is 100% eco friendly, made of solid oak or walnut from managed forests and natural low VOC finishes.

Images via Hansen

The kitchen system contains everything you need: oven, gas jets, electric power, refrigerator and water. You can position it in any configuration, all you need is to hook it up to a water supply and connect the gas and electricity.

This style is very well suited to small kitchens, studio apartments and guest accommodation however it can be placed and orientated in anyway and there is no reason why it could not be used for larger kitchens.

Personally I prefer the freestanding option as it allows you to have a kitchen for life with the versatility to suit different home configurations.

Next week I will discuss recycled and mix and match kitchens.

Have fun.

Tanjung Sanctuary :: Langkawi, Malaysia

This week, overlooking the tropical seas of north west Malaysia, two of my friends have been relaxing on holiday in the secluded Tanjung Sanctuary Resort & Spa in Langkawi.

I was planning to travel to Malaysia a few years back but changed my plans and stayed in Australia. So I was delighted to know a friend of mine was planning a holiday in Langkawi and willing to share their choice of accommodation...

Not a bad a view!

Images via Tanjung Sanctuary

This resort looks amazing, with a small number of private villas situated either on the beach or in the surrounding forest. I suspect there will be a few monkeys hanging out in the rainforest behind.

The villas are nicely decorated with timber floors and ceilings, soft colour tones and splashes of pattern and texture set against a backdrop of ocean blues and rainforest.

Well what can I say... just open your doors and enjoy nature at it's finest with that indoor-outdoor experience. I am sure they are in paradise and cannot wait to catch up with them next week. Have fun.

Kitchen design ideas :: New, recycled or free standing

Somehow we all end up gathered in the kitchen…

If you are anything like me and food and entertaining is the focal part of your home lifestyle then your kitchen will be your pride and joy and a focal part to your living, dining and outdoor entertaining areas.

If you are considering an upgrade on your appliances or a major renovation and new kitchen design then there are many things to consider that could help you save money, keep your energy bills down and create a new greener kitchen.

Over the next few weeks I will talk to you on how to create a greener kitchen that still looks stylish and also pass on some tips that may help you save a few dollars whilst doing it.

1. New

If you choose to purchase a new fitted kitchen here are a few simple rules:

• Source all materials locally or recycle materials for a different use like recycled timber for kitchen cupboard doors.
• Avoid particle board and fibrebaord and insist on low VOC cabinetry and paint finishes.
• Consider more durable and water resistant bench tops from materials like recycled composite stone.

If you are removing an older kitchen you could consider asking a local kitchen recycle centre to collect your kitchen for reuse.

2. Recycled

Another option is to source a kitchen from a recycling business or online and adapt it to your kitchen space. Talk to your cabinet maker to see how an older kitchen can be fitted to your kitchen space.

3. Upgrade

Depending on the condition of your kitchen you could opt for some small upgrades like changing the splash back, replacing the counter top or changing the door handles. Again try to source all materials locally or use recycled materials and opt for low VOC materials.

4. Old and recycled free standing kitchen

Finally you could choose a more relaxed style of kitchen, one that is not a uniform fitted kitchen but instead one that shows character and history and is made up from recycled elements. Free standing kitchen items are also much more versatile.

Many things can be used to make up a free standing kitchen. For example an old wardrobe can be used as a pantry, an old palette can be used on the wall as shelving and miss matched chairs can create personality around your kitchen dining table.

Future Posts

These are just a few things to think about when you start to plan for your new kitchen and over the next few weeks I will look at each of these areas plus more in greater detail.

Have fun.