Organic Spa Magazine

What defines a good room?

Sometimes we can manage remodeling or a renovation, but when that doesn’t work out, a little paint and some new furniture can go a long way to reviving a tired space. A good room is one that we are drawn to and has an identity. Colors, furniture, and lighting are great tools for developing a room.

How does one choose a piece of furniture that will “fit” into a desired space?

When you go about designing your room, it’s easiest to start with one piece of furniture and design around it. Find a piece of furniture that you like, that you find interesting or different. Perhaps it’s the materials or construction of the furniture that interests you. These are details you can consider as you begin to look at colors and make decisions about other parts of the room.

What was the inspiration behind your Cube furniture (shown here), and what makes it sustainable?

The initial concept for the Cube Furniture was a stack of boxes. Ideas about materials and construction developed the idea further, but the initial concept is fundamental to the design. The sustainability aspect of the furniture is followed through in both the choice of materials and in the method of manufacture. All the wood and plywood (hardwood-core maple plywood) is FSC-certified. The furniture is dimensioned to maximize the use of each plywood sheet. Generating plywood is 20 percent more efficient in the use of the tree than generating solid wood. The beargrass panels are made of eco-resin (40 percent recycled plastic resin) and the finishes are no- and low-VOC.

What’s your favorite room at home, and why?

The favorite room of the house is certainly our sunroom. With plenty of natural light all day long it’s a great spot for any season. What makes it special is the industrial quality of the back wall. When the sunroom was being built, the siding on the house was removed, exposing the original construction of the house. The 1 by 8 sheathing was covered with nail holes, hammer marks from the original construction, and water stains from years of weather. It had a wonderful worn quality to it. I admired it through the course of construction and, in the end, decided to clean it up and finish it. It’s now the back wall of the sunroom and gives the room a unique character.