Decorative Decisions

Linda and Adrienne also wanted to link the house back to the Furman campus. They took inspiration from an adjacent Japanese garden and mixed traditional furnishings with contemporary details. The furniture comes from a number of sources. Some pieces are antique or vintage―the original recycled product―and others are made from reclaimed wood, but the majority is from nearby North Carolina furniture companies committed to manufacturing in environmentally sensitive ways.

For flooring, they chose fast-growing yet durable bamboo and then selected a dark stain to keep the house from looking too contemporary. Selecting a prefinished floor helps keep smelly stains and sealers from being used inside. Adrienne and Linda used natural tile and tile with recycled content, and they chose locally formed concrete countertops for the kitchen.

 You Can: Look for furniture made with FSC- or SFI-certified lumber, soy-based cushions, organic fabrics, and recycled content.