LOVE sliding barn doors!

I really love the look of sliding barn doors.  They are so dramatic and substantial - they really standout in a room and act as functional art.  Check out my favorites in pinterest!

Source: hirshfields.wordpress.com via PURE on Pinterest

Source: brianvandenbrink.photoshelter.com via PURE on Pinterest

Source: flourishdesignandstyle.blogspot.com via PURE on Pinterest

Source: southernliving.com via PURE on Pinterest

Source: re-nest.com via PURE on Pinterest

Source: creategirl.blogspot.com via PURE on Pinterest

LOVE this garden office pod!

I would love to have one of these garden office pods by Archipod!!  Working from home, it is sometimes hard to separate work from home.  A beautiful little garden office would be so wonderful, although I don't know about working in there during our harsh Minnesota winters!

Why is the Archipod garden office eco-friendly?

• Timber comes from either FSC registered suppliers, or is reused from surplus manufacturing
• Design and size is optimised to minimize wastage in production.
• Heating is by way of an electric panel radiator, which is the most efficient way to heat a small, independent and highly insulated space such as a garden office. One advantage of working in a separate garden office is that it may be unnecessary to heat the main house during the day.
• Heat loss is minimized by the use of high standards of insulation and air tightness.
• Roof light gives a high level of illumination during the day, so there is little need to resort to artificial lighting in use.
• Fibreglass insulation is made from recycled glass.

 

Modern tree house!

Beautiful eco-friendly tree house by standard.  I LOVE the shape and use of concrete and wood.  Look how the deck cantilevers - the view would be amazing!

 

What's not to LOVE { Beautiful, Tranquil, LEED Platinum Certified }

This gem of a home designed by Coates Design, inc is LEED Platinum Certified, which is the highest rating by LEED.  I love the wooded location, the unique floor plan, and use of light.

The home's LEED Platinum website states: 

By implementing geothermal, photovoltaic, solar hot water, and advanced heat-recovery technologies this home has succeeded in reducing its energy consumption by more than 70% compared to a typical home. The home also makes use of rain water cisterns for irrigation of native landscaping and a vegetated roof. Rather than demolishing the existing structure on the site, the team deconstructed, it effectively diverting 98% of its material from the landfill.

That is a wonderful accomplishment!  I really LOVE this beautiful home!

Inspiring Spaces { lofts }

I REALLY love these lofty spaces by Diana Kellogg Architects!!!  The architectural details, vintage elements, modern lines...  Everything is so INSPIRING!

Inspiring Spaces { mill house }

I really don't know much about this house, but I love the clean, compact design. The photos are by Lindman Photography out of Sweden and the pictures are titled "Mill House". I find this little home very intriguing - the light wood and large windows lead to a light, airy, comfortable design. Oh, how I LOVE this inspiring little house!!

Eco-Friendly Fire!

In Minnesota today, it is super windy and rainy! This is just the beginning of the cold unbearable weather... Winter is long and hard here - I think this is one reason I'm so resilient and optimistic - why else would I live here! Today I was dreaming of the warmth of my fireplace, as I crossed a parking lot getting wind blown, frozen, and soaked...

This lead me to research eco-friendly fireplace options, and I came across EcoSmart Fire. Their fireplaces are beautiful and fuelled by bio ethanol. Bio ethanol is a renewable fuel that burns clean with no smoke or harmful emissions. The combustion of bio ethanol creates heat steam and carbon dioxide. So you get the warmth and ambiance without the negative environmental effects of a traditional fireplace. Plus the EcoSmart fireplaces are vent free, so they can be easily installed anywhere.

EcoSmart fireplaces are not only eco-friendly, but they are beautiful. They have every style from modern to traditional - I may just have to put one in my cold basement this year!! Below are a few of my favorites, which ones do you like?

Living Green Roofs

I not only have a passion for interior design and eco-friendly furnishings, but I also love architecture, especial when combined with green, sustainable building practices. One aspect of green building that fascinates me is Living Green Roofs - they offer great benefits for urban environments and the people who live in them.

• Planting beds provide insulation and protection for the building's roof.
• Vegetation naturally cleans the air.
• Covering the roof with plants helps prevent climate change (traditional dark roofs cause heat island effect making the area hotter).
• Living roofs create micro climates for birds and insects.
• Gardens provide beauty and additional areas of leisure.

Diagram of a Living Green Roof

Impressive Living Green Roofs

Prefab Eco-Friendly Homes...

A few years ago I read the book "Terence Conran Small Spaces" - this was probably the beginning of my fascination with small, efficient spaces. Now combine that with my passion for the earth and what do you get.... Fabulous eco-friendly modular homes. I love the idea! Perfect sized home with all the eco-friendly materials already selected and ready to go... Now I wish I had a beautiful piece of land to plop in one of these wonderful homes!

Method Homes

Wee House

Blu Homes

Marmal Redziner Prefab