At StudioBaron Design, part of our mission is to educate and advise clients on ecologically sound choices they can make in designing their homes and workspaces. There is a lot of buzz now around 'Going Green,' and more since the Academy Awards! More products are becoming available that are not constructed with toxic glues, unsustainable woods, fibers grown with pesticides, or a one-time-use mentality. Such options allow us to make choices that are chic, without that crunchy look, and can still help the earth.

We all love architecture or design that is interconnected with nature: a sunny beach house where you can see the waves break from your bed, a mountain cabin built beside a clear, flowing stream, a restored farmhouse fragrant with fields of lavender. We like to integrate into our design projects a reverence for nature as well-- an urn full of seashells you can touch, bare branches as a winter centerpiece, capturing a shaft of sunlight in a particular corner, all these serve as gentle sensory reminders to embrace nature.

There are so many different standards for GREEN out there, it can be confusing to make the right decisions. To name a few: sustainably harvested materials, locally available materials, resource-efficient manufacturing, products made with reused or recycled materials, products that avoid toxic emissions, products that embrace energy conservation. WOW!

In this space, we refer you to various resources to help you select environmentally responsible materials, non-toxic interior products (paint, flooring, etc), choose healthy practices and resource efficient designs and enrich your understanding or answer your pressing questions on going Green!

Links to "GREEN" websites:
• Green Painting/Wall coverings: greenseal.org/standards/paints
• Green Building: globalgreen.org
• Environmental choices: treehugger.com
• Green Energy: www.epa.gov/greenpower
• Sustainable design: o2.org
• Healthy living: lime.com
• Guide to Green Building Products and Pros: goodtobegreen.com
• Green in Marin: maringreenbuilding.org
• greenmarin.net
• Buy Green in Marin: greenfusiondesigncenter.com
• Green in the Bay ARea: greenhomeguide.com offers modern style, eco-friendly furniture & furnishings
• Live modern + tread lightly™ vivavi.com