If you’re looking to create a more sustainable kitchen then there are some must have green kitchen tools and eco-gear you’ll need.

1. Decent vegetarian cookbook: A diet with less meat is important if your goal is green living. Meat can take a toll on the environment and your body. You don’t need to go totally vegetarian or vegan, but you should incorporate a few meatless meals a week. My favorite veggie cookbook (which actually has some fish in it, so it’s not totally veggie) is Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. The recipes don’t taste low-fat at all. In fact, the entire Moosewood book line is great - plenty of cool vegetarian and veggie heavy books to choose from.

2. Ice pop molds: This is especially a must if you have kids, but even if not they come in handy. Ice pops molds allow you to use up leftovers (smoothies, yogurt, fruits, etc), and cut down on store bought dessert waste.

3. Silicone: Silicone items rock because they last forever and are reusable and non-toxic. Some ideas for starters include silicone muffin cups and silicone baking sheets which cut out paper cups and foil waste.

4. Reusable coffee filter: If you’re still using paper filters - why? There are way better options on the market. Reusable coffee filters last for years, save you money, and cut out waste.

5. Stack o’ cleaning cloths: Using paper towels comes at a huge eco-cost when you could use reusable cloths instead. Cloths last for years and don’t fill your trash bin.

6. A dishwasher: One major recent study (among others) shows that dishwashers use less energy, water, and soap than hand washing.

7. Organics: You don’t need to hard core pack your shelves with organics. That’s excessive and a waste of money. That said, there are some foods you should always buy organic including the newest dirty dozen.

8. Tap water or a filter: If your goal is green, forget buying bottled water. Drink tap water or filtered.

9. A dedicated home recycling area: All homes need an organized recycling center, and the kitchen is the perfect place to create one. It’s handy and handy means you’ll recycle like you should.

10. Your BIG green kitchen step - purchase green and safe dishes: This is bigger, because you may need to sort out the toxic from the non-toxic dishes you already have, and then set aside a budget to purchase more sustainable options. However, bear in mind, that change can occur slowly. Switching out your dishes doesn’t need to happen in one swift weekend.

It’s healthy and smart to clean green. You can make your own cleaners with non-toxic ingredients or purchase safer ready-made cleaners. There’s more to it of course because you need some tools to go with those cleaners.

TWIST cleaning products

Bad, anti-eco cleaning tools:

• Most sponges
• Clean and toss (non-recyclable) disposables like Swiffer products
• Paper towels

Better, eco-friendly cleaning tools:

• Loofahs
• Reusable cloths - you can buy packs of washcloths, use old cloth diapers, or cut up old clothing. Thrift stores are an especially good place to find old cleaning cloths.
• Twist Cleaning Kit
• Eco-sponge and sponge with walnut scrubber
• Microfiber sponge mitts
• Fight stains with the sun!
• O-Cedar Brooms - not perfect but greener than some with bristles made from recycled soda bottles and this broom has a long life.
• Bono Hardwood Floor Mop - comes with a reusable cloth head which is better than those sponge-like toss away mop heads.
• Get a greener vacuum cleaner

Other related green cleaning tips:

• Look for cleaning tools that come in minimal packaging.
• Make sure all your cleaning tools are reusable and have the longest life possible.
• Avoid plastics when possible and aim for natural bristles and wooden handles (like with a broom).
• Consider tools that do double duty - do you really need a brush for the tub and another for the sinks? No.

Looking for some down time with some chill and mod homes? Look no further than the Ultimate House website. In case you haven’t heard of this show; Building the Ultimate House is a newer television series produced by i2i television for Discovery RealTime.

The show looks at, “Looks at how modern homes are being designed and built to meet the needs of rapidly changing contemporary lifestyles.”

You can watch videos at the site about….

Lighthouse, the first net zero carbon house in the UK.

The amazing Emilio Ambasz designed CASA de RETIRO ESPIRITUAL

And more…

Many homes to see - all are beautiful and unique. Check out Ultimate House.

[images via Ultimate House]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything by Arkin Tilt Architects - over a year maybe. I really like their work though, especially their commercial structures; a rare thing for me to say (I’m more a residential kind of girl), but they always add a little pop of unique to their office and other commercial structure work.

This is not a commercial structure below though, it’s a really nice sustainable house, or more a compound I should say.

The Dar Residence has so many amazing features:

• The compound is split into 2 shifted bars, a studio building and main living space.
• The home looks large, but it’s just 1600 sq ft.
• The curved roof has daylight solar gain, and the house also supports passive solar gains, via a combined solar domestic hot water and space heating system fed by an array of evacuated tube collectors.
• Natural, durable materials—PISE (sprayed earth-cement), reclaimed redwood boards, and copper roofing were used as well as an extensive use of owner-found salvaged materials.

See more images including some very nice interior shots.

[images via Arkin Tilt Architects]

[image via Highland Craftsmen]

I recently got the book, Bark House Style: Sustainable Designs from Nature from the library, and it got me thinking a lot about bark in design. I used to think of bark design as more just a rustic beach house look, but this book was cool; it shows a lot of different ways in which bark can be used for home design; from rustic to contemporary. I also didn’t know how sustainable bark could be. Of course there are ways it might be unsustainable, but if you work with a decent company, you could have a home outfitted in sustainable bark.
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The Hatfield Residence is a sustainable home by JCL Architecture. Not only is this a cool house, but the site is very nice as well. Not so hard to use (as many architect sites can be). It’s a user friendly site with great walk through videos of JCL work.

This particular house overlooks a Pinewood reservoir in the foothills west of Loveland Colorado. I’m not sure how big it is, but I assume it’s using what it needs vs. excess as the JCL site notes, “The home takes shape as a space-efficient, energy-efficient and cost-efficient edifice. The linear design maximizes possible views and interior space for its square footage.” The home is an interesting mix of natural stone, stucco and a corrugated steel facade. There’s shaded southern glass, reclaimed bowling alley floors, soy insulation, and roof-mounted solar panels.

I like the crisp design, funky side shape, and mixture of materials. The lovely roof is to die for. I also of course adore that they photographed the house at twilight. One of these days I’m going to gather up all the architecture I’ve been sold on due to stellar twilight photos - I’m betting it’s considerable.

Visit JCL Architecture to see more images of this house, plus a walk-through video. Also check out their other work. They have a killer farmhouse looking residence (locklear residence) that has neat stuff like cast iron balusters reclaimed from a municipal project demolished in Ireland. It looks a little big, but I still liked it.

[images via JCL Architecture]

I keep thinking, if you happen to be a skateboarder, this might be the roof for you. Don’t you think? This home, off the southeast coast of Tasmania, was designed by the very hip 1 + 2 Architecture. According to Dwell, this home’s roof is actually making use of solar panels - slanted to absorb the best of the sunshine. Rain water collection, small size, bath and kitchen waste reuse (in the garden), and native landscaping are some of this home’s green perks. Of course, it’s a beautiful home to boot.

See some amazing daylight shots of this home and read lots more about the design process at Dwell.

Disclaimer: Offbeat Homes and blogger Jennifer; the entire b5media network in fact, does not actually endorse skateboarding off your roof. While super fly cool, plus impressive to friends, this could be dangerous and you’d be doing it at your own risk. On the flip side, if you do attempt silly stunts like this, Offbeat would love to see some pics.

House seen via Dwell.

[image via 1 + 2 Architecture]

Earlier today, we looked at some basics about this amazing home for sale in Seattle. We saw beautiful views and the home exterior. In this post, let’s take a look at some dashing interior views.

Staring with the main living space - very nice. Cool in a storm or on a nice bright day.

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I got an email about this delicious house that’s for sale in the Pigeon Point neighborhood of Seattle. Usually our Offbeat real estate is a little more hilarious, but today, this house is no joke. This house is actually a unique home to consider; if you’ve got the means and a lust for Seattle.

I’ve got plenty of images so I’m thinking we break this up (page load times and all that).

In this first post, some basic info…

The house:

• 4135 21st Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98106
• 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath
• 2,200  sq.ft.

This home is a new minimalist modernist house designed by Replinger Hossner Architects (who by the way, design the most lovely of houses - check out Hill House!) The kitchen is designed with  Bosch and Bertazoni for simple entertaining. Custom VG Fir built in cabinetry; dynamic steel, glass and ebonized oak stair system. Best of all may be the floor to ceiling windows - with views of West Seattle Golf Course, Elliott Bay and the Seattle skyline.

Do you believe this view?

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I found a great new book at the library last week -  The Carbon-Free Home: 36 Remodeling Projects to Help Kick the Fossil -Fuel Habit by Stephen & Rebekah Hren.

I’m not all the way through this book yet, but already I can tell you it’s worth far more than the $23 it’ll cost you. (Awesome price!). Of course you can always be like me and get this book at the library, but if you own your house, it’d be a good bookshelf book.

What’s inside: 

This book covers 36 remodeling projects that can help you go greener at home (as if you didn’t guess that from the title). The huge benefit of this book is how super user friendly it is. Here are some main points…

• Handy chart at the start which shows general costs and time involved in said project, the skills you need to pull the project off, energy saved if you do the project, and the chart even points out if the project is renter friendly (rare in green project books).
• In the actual project guides throughout the book, all the background is explained (i.e. why you should consider the project), and there’s a more in-depth discussion of tools, time, and skills needed.
• Great how-to diagrams, photos, and illustrations. Even if you don’t consider yourself particularly handy or crafty, there are projects you can do in this book.
• Plenty of listed resources for other green building books, websites, and DVDs.

Examples of projects included:

• Batch solar water heater
• Outdoor cob oven
• Install a 5-V metal roof
• Storm windows
• Insulation of existing fridge
• Simple box cooker
• And of course many more

I really like this book so far and think it’s a great green home manual no matter your building or green skill level.  Learn more at the Chelsea Green Bookstore. 

[image via Chelsea Green]