Beneath the Surface: part 2

I think I now know what Jacques Cousteau must have felt the first time he plumbed the depths of a coral reef. There are so many beautiful surfaces that I’ve discovered and I can hardly wait to see them in situ.

My favorites that I’ve decided have to be included in this renovation.

Richlite: www.richlite.com

Manufactured of paper-based fiber composites, it is used for a variety of architectural, food service, recreational and industrial applications. All Richlite® materials are manufactured out of environmentally sustainable resources harvested from certified managed forests in North America.

My review: This is the staple of most green home interiors. It’s a hearty product and most of us have experienced it through cutting boards that were made popular in the last few years. It’s a bit ordinary looking…… until use and age burnish it. I’ve chosen sage green for my Butler’s pantry and I can’t wait to really give it some harsh treatment so that I can discover its true inner beauty.

Euro Stone: www.eurostonecountertops.com

Quartz-based surfacing material with unique characteristics. Leading edge technology mixes 93% of Quartz material and 6-7% of a polyester resin binder to produce a recomposed material with physical properties and performance characteristics better than natural stone.

My review: This garnered many accolades from almost everyone who has seen the 2" x 3” sample that I’ve been carrying around. A beautiful stone that combines the best of Vetrazzo (www.counterproduction.com) with the refinement of marble or granite. I’ve chosen a rare stone color of green for the countertop in the guest bathroom.

Oceanside Glasstiles: www.glasstile.com

Glasstile is made from silica sand, an abundant natural resource, and up to 86 percent recycled material. They use more than two million pounds of glass from curbside recycling programs (called cullet), turning waste that would otherwise end up in landfills into expressive and sustainable design materials.

My review: These are the people who created the Ann Sacks glass tiles (www.annsacks.com) that became so very popular through distribution in the upscale Waterworks chain in the last decade. Who doesn’t appreciate the luminescence of glass as a backsplash, a countertop or shower surround? I’ve chosen a tranquil Cane color in small tiles for the mater bath oversized shower unit. With a natural pebble rock stone floor, I won’t want to leave the shower.

I am also using iridescent green “ribbons” to contrast with the white subway tiles that I’ve decided on for the guest bathroom.

3 Form: www.3-form.com

Recognizing a fundamental need in design and construction, 3-Form created the first customer centric resin product offering high-level aesthetics without ever sacrificing safety, affordability or environmental responsibility.

My review: The most ingenious and design-forward product that I’ve discovered thus far. Interior Design magazine just concurred by naming it in it’s “Best of the Year” issue (No. 15). I just LOVE the variety of this product. They produce both plastic resins and glass forms. The uses for this product are many. I am using a thick glass piece that envelops a layer of, what looks like, grass cloth, for a bathroom countertop in the master bath. The design I chose is called “pineapple weave”

I’ve also chosen it as a backsplash to separate the open-style kitchen from the greatroom. It will back the Viking cooktop and serve as a beautiful way to collect any spray from cooking before it splashes into the other room.

The resin pieces will create movable “privacy” walls in both bathrooms for the toilet area. And thinner version of the resin will be used in the top row of kitchen cabinets in order to break up the bank of wood with a bit of fun opaque material. Finally, I am using it in the pockets of the sliding doors so that I can create a soft glow of light while also giving necessary privacy.

I have spent literally hours picking out samples and designing my own in order to come up with the optimum mix. They will all be reused as stylish and unique coasters. Anyone who loves design will feel like a kid in a candy store when they see the varieties of this product.