Posts filed under 'green'
I am Linda Hentschel of Renaissance Interiors of North Reading, MA and I’ve been selected to re-design a very interesting (read: odd!) area on the second floor of the McIntire Farm.
My space is quite a challenge- first of all it’s tiny - it’s only three feet wide and eleven feet long. In addition to that difficult size, add two doorways and one window. Hmmm. And the craziest thing is that I LOVE it! That’s because this awkward, unused space presents me with the perfect opportunity to explain my design philosophy without words and in action. I believe that any space can be and must be functional as well as beautiful. I love to create sophisticated, elegant and timeless spaces but these rooms must also be smart and work hard.
Secret Hideaway Before
Last February, designers from Boston to San Francisco were invited to preview the 1920’s farmhouse selected as the 20th Annual York Decorator Showhouse in order to create a plan for a space we’d like to design. From the minute I saw my little nook, I envisioned the ‘Secret Hideaway’. I am designing for an imaginary client that has a young boy, Jack, who wakes up too early in the morning. His clever parents have built the ‘Secret Hideaway’ - a kid sized space where Jack can spend quiet time with a good pirate picture book or a favorite stuffed animal and some imagination. As the designer, I’ve provided a comfortable, warm, enveloping space (the beautiful) that also has sturdy storage drawers built into the bench and a treasure chest to stow a young boys gear (the functional). My goal is to make the ‘Secret Hideaway’ come to life and show that with thoughtful design there is no such thing as unusable space- even if it is three feet by eleven feet.
Secret Hideaway Before
May 2, 2009
Last night was the Designer Reception and the opportunity to meet with my design partners. What an amazing collection of talent. And such dedication- from the volunteers that brought in food to the photographer that took a group photo- clearly everyone is committed to the success of this Showhouse. As a fund raiser for the Museums of Old York - supporting historic buildings - what designer could refuse such a great cause?
Today is the first chance I’ve had to see my space since I was there in February. It is even smaller that I remembered, but it has excellent light and great potential. We had lots of company today since the Showhouse was open to the public for ‘before’ tours for the first time in York Showhouse history.
June 19, 2009
What a difference a month makes! I always tell my clients that paint provides the biggest impact in any space and today I was reminded how true that is. My extraordinary decorative painter, Steve, has transformed what he calls ‘our cocoon’ into a bright, livable space. He has invested 17 hours sanding, priming and painting all of the moldings, the walls and the ceiling. The results are amazing!
Secret Hideaway Sketch
June 27, 2009
I’m happy to report that my space is finally starting to look like a room. Since I am in North Reading, MA and an hour from the Showhouse, most of my work has been happening way behind the scenes, so my room has looked a bit deserted.
Today we installed a solid wood bench with a matching cabinet above. The custom furniture for the ‘Secret Hideaway’ was built in Haverhill. The size and style of the bench and cabinet were easily specified in May. The stain color, the maps, the hardware and the brass rivets all were selected with a bit more agonizing. The best part of custom building with the brilliant (and patient) Mark and Dave- we can continue to design as we build and the process is fluid, with each detail confirmed as we go. We also installed the one-of-a-kind light fixture — I think this is my favorite part of the room!
July 3, 2009
It is crunch time! The house is packed with people focused on delivering a spectacular experience for each visitor. It is fun and crazy and noisy and even productive.
The Secret Hideaway floor is going in today. Normally the floor installation would be done at the beginning of the project but a Showhouse creates unique scheduling issues and flexibility is key. We wanted something outstanding but not distracting and we literally stumbled upon our solution. You’ll want to take your shoes off to walk on the natural pebble floor we selected.
Linda Hentschel | Renaissance Interiors | P.O. Box 142, North Reading, MA 01864 | 978-664-0064 | LindaH@RenaissanceInteriors.com
July 13th, 2009
Supporting local farming and organic agriculture while reconnecting with your family is easy: just flip your calendar back to 1945, the age of the victory garden.
Victory gardens came about during World War II as a way to lessen the hardships of wartime rationing, providing wholesome nutrition and improved morale for those left on the home front. The campaign was so successful that at the height of the war, there were over 18 million victory gardens nationwide, supplying nearly 50 percent of America’s fresh produce. New Hampshire alone had 80,000 registered victory gardens by 1945.
- Emma Pecunies
By contrast, less than 6 percent of fresh produce consumed in New Hampshire today is grown in the state. Strawbery Banke Museum hopes to demonstrate how easy it is to grow organic produce at home with their WWII-era victory garden. Planted in 1944 by the Pecunies family, the garden is one of the only recreated Victory gardens in the country and is original to the site.
“The plantings in the victory garden are based on oral history from the Pecunies family, photographs, publications from UNH (University of New Hampshire) and the Cooperative Extension, as well as back issues of Portsmouth Herald and other newspapers,” explains John Forti, curator of historic landscapes at Strawbery Banke. The garden includes such nostalgic vegetables as Mortgage Lifter Tomato, Kentucky Wonder Bean, Bloomsdale Spinach, and Ruby Perfection Cabbage, among many others.
But the garden is much more than a pleasant trip down memory lane. “It’s just a great model for looking into the future of sustainability,” John says. “The historical garden is blended with perspectives on the slow food movement and the local food movement, teaching people modern ideas using historical examples.”
Daily programs will engage visitors in hands-on experiences to learn about the processes of gardening, composting, and canning, as well as the historical and cultural significance of victory gardens.
“In the 1940s, people realized that there was something fundamentally wrong with being told to go spend in a time of adversity. The victory garden movement arose out of people looking for a way to pitch in,” says John. “Victory gardens gave people a sense of achievement and participation in a national movement.” That idea still appeals today, which is partly why victory gardens have regained popularity. “People are starting to re-learn the pleasure of the productive garden.”
For more information about the victory garden at Strawbery Banke, visit www.strawberybanke.org.
Tips for growing your own victory garden at home:
1. Getting Started: Consider where you have the most sunlight in your lawn. The right place for your garden will be bright, with not a lot of tree roots competing with your plants.
2. Planning the Plot: Figure out how much you can manage, whether it is a big or small garden, whether you are gardening alone or with your family, make sure it is something you can handle.
3. Grow Your Favorites: Make up a list of your favorite plants. Sit down with your family and decide what vegetables and herbs you like eating, and also what plants are meaningful to you. Consider heirloom varieties, plants that you have a personal history with. It’s good to find plants that strike a chord with you, that way you’ll take better care of them, enjoy the process of gardening, and have fun with recipes.
4. Extend the Season: Plant multiple times in the year, and plant to extend the season. There are 10 months during which you can enjoy fresh vegetables from your garden, and you can preserve some foods so that during the winter you can enjoy summer in a jar.
5. Look for New Recipes: It’s good to know how to use the produce you grow. Do research; find interesting ways to prepare your vegetables.
May 11th, 2009
I woke up a little after midnight to what sounded like pouring rain, but mysteriously the noise seemed to be coming from inside the house. I looked in the bathroom to discover water gushing out from the overhead light. Downstairs, I found water pouring out from vents and lights in the living room, half bath, and dining room, where it flowed down from the chandelier onto the table and floor.
My water heater, which was unfortunately placed in the attic due to my townhouse’s lack of a basement, had sprung a major leak, damaging walls, floors, ceilings, and furniture in its self-destruction. Now, in the middle of an unplanned renovation, I’m using this mess as an opportunity to make some energy-efficient upgrades in my home.
But because I need to save money, I’m joining the Green Alliance. The alliance offers a “green card,” providing discounts to the 42 businesses that are members of the alliance. As their project director Sarah Brown points out, the card earns its $35 cost back even if you only use it at one of the member businesses.
The Green Alliance is not just some “green-washing” scheme. The group consults environmentalists and climatologists who issue report cards on how green the businesses are, information that is then posted on the alliance’s web site, greenalliance.biz. At the site you can read about each business’ report card and “green story”—what makes them green and what they are doing to improve their scores.
I’ve already called Seacoast Energy Alternatives (SEA) Solar Store to replace my hot water heater with a Rinnai in-demand water heater. Though the store’s discounts (5 percent off solar hot water hardware, and 10 percent off items less than $500) won’t apply to my purchase, their quote was considerably less than the plumber’s, and the store’s owner, Jack Bingham, is also very knowledgeable about his products, including the 30 percent tax credit I’ll be able to claim for choosing a more energy-efficient appliance!
The alliance’s businesses range from the expected—such as Simply Green, a pioneer in energy-efficiency that is offering 10 cents off each gallon of Bioheat and 10 percent off all products at its new Congreenience store in Dover —to the unexpected. Who knew a yoga studio could be green? The alliance has two, so when I’m feeling especially stressed during the weeks of renovations, I can stop by Empower Yoga, which offers a 15 percent discount on class cards and memberships, or Zev Yoga, where, as an alliance member the first five classes will only cost me $5 ($1 per class, and must be used within two weeks).
I’m hoping I can also find some materials at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore in Dover, which gives a 10 percent discount to cardholders. The store offers building materials that are donated by manufacturers, stores, contractors and individuals, which are either sold to the public or used in construction of houses for the Southeast New Hampshire Habitat for Humanity. All proceeds from the store support the program, which makes it a great way to save money, and help Seacoast families who need a home.
I’m also going to use my green card for making food and drink purchases. Beach Pea Bakery in Kittery, which composts 100 percent of its food waste, and packages its coffee and baked goods in biodegradable containers, offers members a free loaf of bread with a $20 purchase—a $5 savings each time. The Portsmouth Brewery gives members a 10 percent discount on all food and drink purchases.
If you’re also interested in making some green renovations, alliance member Seacoast Consulting Engineers offers cardholders a 10 percent discount on home and business energy audits so you can find out what areas of your home need improvements before you begin.
The alliance continues to grow so the card will only go up in value as more businesses join, increasing the number of discounts and special offers. New member the River, a radio station in Haverhill, Mass., is offering two free tickets to the River Music Hall, a recording studio, that has been home to shows by both local rising stars and famous artists alike, including Sting and Jack Johnson.
I’m also pleased to be able to mention that Accent Magazine is a member of the Green Alliance (we offer a discount for subscribers), but I’m also joining as an individual independent of the magazine because the savings are phenomenal, and worth the $35 yearly price.
You can find out more about the alliance, their members, and discounts on their website, greenalliance.biz.
March 23rd, 2009
I was searching for footwear but discovered some interesting pieces of home decor. One of my goals for this summer (besides losing 10 pounds before bathing-suit season) was to find a pair of flip flips that wouldn’t be on this earth for another thousand years. But when I typed “recycled flip flops” into Google, some unique items of home decor popped up on my screen:
These colorful round baskets are handmade from recycled flip flops in the Philippines. I think they’d be perfect for storage in a kids’ room or a fun touch of color in an office. Also made from recycled flip flops, this doormat would be great reminder to wipe off that extra beach sand before you enter the house.
Both are examples of upcycling–products made from discarded materials. They are available from Uncommon Goods (www.uncommongoods.com), which has other upcycled products that include furniture made from wine barrels and necklaces made from baseball stadium seats. Some of the things you can tell exactly what they were made of before they were upcycled, but others are not quite what you’d expect. It’s worth checking out, but you might get stuck browsing for a while like I did. By the way, I did find a pair of eco-friendly flip flops, but not online. Footnotes in downtown Portsmouth, N.H., sells biodegradable Tevas for $21 (you have to look on the back of the tag to tell if they are the biodegradable ones). Let me know if you have any upcycled products to recommend. Thanks!
May 19th, 2008
Exactly a year ago this week, I was walking through dirty foam that covered the York Beach area, talking to local business people who were once again assessing their damages after the second "100 year storm" in just two years. But, as I learned today, touring the Stormwater Center at the University of New Hampshire, the damages caused by rain water go far beyond washed-up roads and flooded basements. The tour took place in the center’s demonstration site where staff and faculty test different stormwater management techniques using water that washes off the adjacent 9-acre West Edge parking lot. The problem is that if rain water (from major storms or normal rainfall) isn’t properly managed it can flow into streams, creeks, and marshes, polluting the water with all the bad stuff it picks up along the way, including toxic chemicals, pesticides, fertilizer, trash, road salt, and harmful bacteria. It’s the number one water quality problem in the United States today, according to Steve Miller, coastal training coordinator for the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, whose organization sponsored today’s tour in an effort to spread the word about the center. The center currently tests 15 systems at its field site, including conventional swales and retention ponds, manufactured devices, and Low Impact Development (LID) designs, and is set up so that each receives an equal amount of rain from the parking lot. The researchers evaluate their impacts on water quantity and quality. The LIDs, including a gravel wetland and a bio retention system, were by far the most effective at both retaining water and filtering it. What can we do to protect water quality? Phase II of the Water Quality Act mandates that communities protect water quality, but often they lack the resources to find cost-effective solutions. The Stormwater Center at UNH tries to bridge that gap by holding workshops throughout the year and publishing a ton of useful information on their website (http://www.unh.edu/erg/cstev/). The crowd of about 25 people included a mix of engineers, landscape architects, a representative from the city of Concord, developers, and conservationists. Homeowners can help too. One conservationist I talked to, who is working on protecting the water quality of Portsmouth’s Hodgson Brook, said she had just sealed her own driveway but had graded it in a way so that stormwater would run off into a rain garden–a type of bio retention system. I learned a lot today and plan to write more about it in future stories for Accent. It was also great just to learn something new on Earth Day and have the opportunity to share it here. Let us know in the comments if you’ve done anything special or made any resolutions in honor of Earth Day.
April 22nd, 2008
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