Gleaming stainless-steel Energy Star appliances give the plush materials that are traditional in style, though not substance, a dose of hard-edged urban chic. The contrast takes the space from a little too fussy to au courant.
"We wanted it to be classic and timeless but also young and hip," says Adam. But the couple, who did an all-encompassing green renovation on their 1962 Highland Park home when they bought it last year, also wanted it to be totally, uncompromisingly sustainable.
The cabinets are formaldehyde-free and sport non-toxic finishes, and all the other materials are the latest eco-friendly kitchen offerings that they could find. Most were purchased though Green Depot in Chicago. Even the stunning furniture in the kitchen's eat-in dining area is in fact sustainable, custom made out of 200-year-old reclaimed teak from The Golden Triangle in Chicago.
"We did it to create a clean and healthy home for our family," says Adam. "I didn't want to put anything in the house - be it cabinets, flooring or carpet - that could give off noxious fumes that take years to evaporate and be a potential health risk for my family."
The Secher family's recent remodel demonstrates a notable trend driving this new "green" economy.
While the housing slump has slowed the demand for luxury kitchen build-outs and remodels, a move to employ eco-friendly materials and sustainable products that promote energy efficiency is on the rise.
According to a recent American Institute of Architect's Home Design Trends Survey, kitchen products that promote sustainability, such as renewable-material flooring, countertops and recycling centers, were reported to be increasing in popularity, or holding their own from a year ago, while declining in popularity were built-in coffee/espresso makers, warming drawers, duplicate appliances, pot filler water faucets, natural stone countertops and upper-end appliances.
Joe Silver, a partner in Green Depot in Chicago's Logan Square (which he co-founded in 2005 as Greenmaker Supply but merged with this national chain last November), doesn't need survey results to know that eco-friendly kitchen jobs are doing more than holding their own. His showroom, ostensibly the city's largest retailer of green cabinetry and home remodeling products (and part of the nation's first "green" chain of building supply stores) is thriving. "I'm almost afraid to admit it, but business is pretty good right now," he says.
In fact, business is so good that he doesn't have enough time to "green" his own kitchen, the only weak spot in the new Highland Park home he was able to snag in a foreclosure from a recently bankrupt builder. He wants to trade out the upscale granite countertops, contemporary cherry cabinets and oak-plank floors for green alternatives, such as a recycled-paper countertops, formaldehyde-free cabinets with non-toxic finishes and bamboo flooring. And a sleek recycled-glass backsplash would make a nice substitute for the plainly painted wall that remains nude behind his sink and screams for something snazzier.
Silver carries all these products in his store, so finding what he wants at a good price isn't the issue. "The trouble is, I can't just get rid of it because that wouldn't be very green either, so I'm making plans," he explains. "I'm hoping my fabricator can resell the granite countertops, and I'm trying to find a home for the cabinets and oak flooring thought my network of contractors."
Evanston architect Nathan Kipnis is the first to attest that green efforts, especially in the kitchen, are the real winners in this economic downturn. "Business is good for us, including kitchens, because of our focus," says the architect, who has specialized in sustainable design ever since founding his own namesake firm 16 years ago. "Knock on reclaimed wood," he quips.
Increasing the economic advantages of going green is the fact that green cabinets, long considered the priciest expenditure when opting for green features in a kitchen, are "not necessarily more expensive these days," says interior designer Adele Lampert of Page One Interiors, who carries two green cabinet lines in her Barrington showroom.
Just a few years ago, they were considered a niche product and the choices you had were far more limited in terms of styles and price points, notes Kipnis. "But today, there is such a big demand for them that the options are increasing exponentially and the costs are coming down. You can find them at the same cost, a little more or a lot more."
And, you can find them virtually everywhere. "If they don't have them yet, they're about to add them," Kipnis says.
This is all great news for the Earth, but can be challenging to homeowners who want to "green up" the cooking space. With so many choices and options, where does one begin?
We surveyed our panel of North Shore experts and put together a little "green" guide to kitchen maintenance and décor. Here's what you need to know to make your kitchen both stylish and sustainable.
APPLIANCES: Upgrade to Energy Star appliances, which can provide savings of anywhere from 10 to 50 percent in greenhouse-gas emissions, resources and energy costs according to the government agency's website (www.energystar.gov). To save more money, avoid the "bells and whistles," such as in-door water and ice dispensers. Find out about possible rebate programs and incentives at www.energystar.gov. Also, remember to "right-size it." "Don't get a giant refrigerator or six burners if you aren't going to really use them, says Kipnis, pointing out that many gourmet kitchens remain under-utilized.
FAUCETS: Install efficient, low-flow water faucets that have the U.S. EPA's Watersense label, indicating they have met government standards for water efficiency. Many faucets can be fitted with $10-$20 aerators that cut water usage. And don't forget to turn off your water the second you are done using it.
WASTE: Kipnis is a strong believer that every kitchen should have a recycling center. He also thinks composting, which cuts down on waste, is a smart move and advises adding a holding area to the kitchen for refuse that can be treated in this manner. For more information, check www.compostguide.com.
CABINETS: Cabinetry is often the biggest expense when building new or remodeling a kitchen. "Though they range in cost, since prices can go from $20,000 to $120,000, they can certainly account for 50 percent of your budget," notes Kipnis. Choose cabinets that are certified by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP), which gives companies tangible ways to support sustainability in every step of the manufacturing and distribution process and evaluates the end product through a point system. A list of certified companies can be found at its website (www.kcma.org) and includes some of the biggest names in the industry. Also, choose wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which means it comes from a managed forest.
Michelle Silver Peebles, a kitchen and bath designer at Green Depot, also recommends utilizing woods that can be replenished rapidly. Bamboo, for example, reaches full growth in three to five years, and liptus, a South American species that grows to full height within 12 to 16 years (instead of the 80 to 100 years most hardwoods require). Or use reclaimed wood, which can often be found at salvage yards though a simple Internet search. Keep in mind that the closer to home the materials can be found, the better. Green experts generally apply a 100- to 500-mile radius on such transactions; if you have to transport it from a remote location, that raises the carbon impact. Also, if it is extracted from a prior location and millwork or refabrication is involved, that work should be done locally as well.
COUNTERTOPS: Use a solid surface material rather than tile, which requires grout and is harder to clean. Examples include granite and engineered stone such as CaesarStone, which is made of quartz, and recycled materials such as glass or shredded-paper products cast in resin. These are also nonporous, which helps stave off bacteria. Kipnis is partial to concrete, which is hard, durable, attractive and can be locally manufactured and personalized with interesting dyes and aggregates such as glass, mirrors, shells and more. Some use wood or butcher-block as built-in cutting boards though Kipnis warns they should "consider its source and make sure it is Formaldehyde-free."
TILES: Use recycled tiles from a salvage yard (or closeout tiles bought at a deep discount) to create your own designs for a backsplash or even an entire wall. Recycled glass tiles come in myriad options today, but to be truly green, look for versions that are made with at least 30- to 40-percent post-consumer materials.
BACKSPLASHES: Tiles are an option, but this is also a chance to get creative. In a home located in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., that he designed for an Evanston couple, Kipnis used local river rock set in grout as a backsplash, and when remodeling a North Shore lakefront home, reused a beautifully patterned tin ceiling as a backsplash in the new kitchen.
FLOORING: Use tile, Linoleum, laminate or sustainable woods such as bamboo or cork. Linoleum, which is made of linseed oil (a renewable resource) and is hypoallergenic, is a great alternative thanks to its low cost, solid environmental benefits, care-free qualities and high style quotient. Kipnis likes Marmoleum, which is similar to Linoleum but is made from natural materials.
Bamboo "is slightly more expensive than your standard oak but competitive with maple, cherry and walnut and cheaper than cork," notes Jason Dalbey, co-owner of a new Glenview flooring showroom, Floor Coverings International. "It comes from tree bark, and they harvest it in sections only once every seven years so the tree keeps growing. And like wood, it's extremely durable and comes in varied grains and hues."
LIGHTING: The optimal kitchen has lots of natural light, but all kitchens are not optimally designed. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, and consider adding LED lighting if possible. Though both of these types of lighting are more expensive, both last longer and consume less energy. In the case of the LED bulbs, the costs are significantly more expensive but pay off in terms of longevity. "While CFLs average $4 to $5 a piece, LEDs cost about $100 each but come with a 50,000 hour rated life so you will virtually never have to replace them," says Kipnis.
Eco-Kitchen Directory:
It's easier than ever to be green these days - especially in the kitchen. Here are some of the resources mentioned in the previous article (as well as some North Shore advertisers) to help you get started:
Abt Appliances and Custom Kitchens, Glenview, 847/919-3702, www.abt.com
Apex Kitchen & Bath, Niles, 847/965-8330, www.apexkitchens.com
Cabinets Plus, Palatine, 847/358-0143, www.cabinetsplus.com.
Contract Builders Hardware, Barrington, 847/381-7060, www.contracthardwareinc.com
Dacor, 800/793-0093, www.dacor.com
DK&B, Deerfield, 847/562-1100, www.dkbweb.com
Floor Coverings International, Glenview, 847/943-2016, www.northshore.floorcoveringsinternational.com
Green Depot, Chicago, 773/384-7500, www.greendepot.com
Lewis Carpet One Floor & Home, Northbrook, 847/835-2400, www.lewiscarpet.com
Miele Showroom, Kenilworth, 800/843-7231, www.mieleusa.com
Mr. Floor Companies, Skokie, 847/674-7500, www.mrfloor.com
Nathan Kipnis Architects Inc., Evanston, 847/864-9650, www.nkainc.com
Neff of Chicago, located in the The Merchandise Mart, Suite 144, 312/467-9585, www.neff-of-chicago.com
Page One Interiors, Barrington, 847/382-1001, www.interiorspageone.com
Studio 41 Home Design Showroom, Highland Park, 847/266-1900, Schaumburg, 847/985-1700, Lincolnwood, 847/676-4767, www.studiofortyone.com
