Green kitchen cabinets/appliances and decks - sourcing and ideas sought
I’m exploring finding “green” or environmentally friendly cabinets and appliances for a kitchen and steel deck I’m putting in, and would love to hear from others who have considered doing something a little different. So my questions are: (1) for cabinets, is all-wood better than stainless steel as a material, or are there wood composites that are sufficiently eco-friendly? (I’m focused more on products that won’t offgas in our house after installation, but also interested in a lower carbon footprint, but I’d take something less environmentally friendly that is a good value and/or easier to maintain and/or more sturdy and/or less susceptible to the elements (like warping, water damage, etc.). Another option I’ve thought of is, if we go with wood cabinets (and I prefer the look of wood), can we let them offgas in the supplier’s shop before having them delivered? And what suppliers are trustworthy, recommended etc.? (2) for appliances, I’m probably going with a stainless steel fridge and dishwasher, and a standard stainless steel stove/oven combo and sink, so perhaps there’s less to ask about there. (3) as for other things, I’m figuring caesarstone or corian countertops, or maybe Ikea butcherblock, some kind of tile or stainless steel pattern backplash, and sticking with our hardwood floors and getting them sanded and refinished and skipping the tile. Any thoughts about that from a “green” perspective? (4) for the deck I’m assuming we’re using steel or iron, and figure the ironwork does the sourcing and we’ll just go with the flow there, unless there is something I’m missing. We’re on a budget here, but also open to thinking outside the box. I’ve heard Ikea is not bad in this area, have heard Scherr’s is worth looking into and recently heard about Build It Green! NYC near Lowe’s in Brooklyn, and Green Demolitions in Greenwich CT and Fairfield, NJ, and Neff of Short Hills, NJ, as well as the Habitat for Humanity Restore, am interested in feedback about those options . Anyone use Green Depot for kitchen items? I love them but they seem expensive. So many questions! Thanks for any feedback.
jeanmarine2
in Bath & Kitchen 12 years and 10 months ago
2
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fexleycb | 12 years and 10 months ago
Valcucine makes woderful ec-friendly kitchen cabinets. This is from their website: _Valcucine works for eco-sustainability by designing the best kitchen cabinets that are 100% recyclable, as dematerialised as possible, with zero emissions of formaldehyde, that guarantee a long technical and aesthetic life and that use wood that does not come from the destruction of primary forests._ I used them in my kitchen and I’m very happy with them.
architect66 | 12 years and 10 months ago
It’s great that you want to approach your renovation from an eco friendly perspective. You might try breathe-easy cabinets – I think they’re made in Long Island – all non-outgassing materials. If you are working with an architect, you could consider purchasing materials from someplace like Eco Supply (formerly Bettencourt) or Green Depot and having the cabinets custom made. Probably a higher price point than – say – Ikea though. You might consider using an antique sink – but that can be sort of hit or miss – you’ll have to be prepared to adapt your plans to what you can find. When you redo your floors, use an acrylic sealer with low VOC content. Resist those floor companies who tell you that the only way to preserve the floor is to smother it with 3 coats of the horrible smelling stuff. If you use wood floors, it’s a good idea to put down a floor mat or a small rug near the sink or areas where there are likely to be spills.