Mansion Global, Jan 2019
Maintaining an environmentally conscious home can be as stylish as it is eco-friendly. Scrap visions of all-green interiors and materials made from grass; today’s eco-chic designs rival mainstream décor.
How to Decorate Your Home in a Way That’s Eco Chic
Think Holistically
"On a more aesthetic level, choose vintage, refurbished or antique furniture or fabric. This helps the earth by keeping items in use that might otherwise head to a landfill. On top of that, with one-of-a-kind pieces, you’re creating a space that is brimming with character.
"Search out fabrics that are eco-friendly and low-water intensive, including recycled polyester, eco-friendly acrylics, natural-dye, recycled leathers, organic cotton and linen, and our favorite go-to fabric: hemp. It has the look and feel of linen or cotton, and more than any other commercially available fabric, it is extremely low-water intensive in its production and processing.
For flooring, there are some great bamboo options available—and bamboo is an incredibly renewable resource. Our current favorite flooring choice is cork. Cork is highly renewable, sustainably harvested and adds great texture and color underfoot."
— Greg Roth, senior designer at Home Front Build, an architecture, design and building firm based in Los Angeles
The High End, January 2019.
January issue of The High End featuring our “Rosalia” for the Kitchen of the Month.
House Beautiful, January 2019.
January issue of House Beautiful featuring our “Rosalia” for the Kitchen of the Month.
How Reclaimed Wood And A Turret Transformed This Formerly Dark Kitchen
There used to be a time when the kitchen was something you wanted to hide. “The kitchen was meant to be only a utility space where you worked,” says Home Front Build founder and designer Steve Pallrand, referring to the early 20th century, when the Mission Revivalstyle was popular in California homes. “The idea that it would be a place you wanted to hang out in just didn’t exist back then.” Homes were divided into spaces that were “public” (living and dining rooms) and “private” (kitchen and laundry), he explains.
So when he embarked on renovating this Los Angeles kitchen from the same time period, his mission was clear: Unite the two. Pallrand opened it all up—the dark kitchen, its neighboring laundry room, and the hidden hallway—to create one warm, happy centerpiece of the home’s main floor.
The kitchen’s dark history lives on in other ways: The original Douglas-fir floors showed several years of use. Notoriously soft, the wood stains and dings like no other, so there were plenty of marks from things like “leaks in 1940, or someone dropping a pot on it in 1960,” says Pallrand. “It had a lot of damage, aka ‘character.’ ” But the homeowners loved it so much that Pallrand simply refinished the floors, then used scraps of reclaimed Douglas fir to construct cabinets and the island countertop. “When you’re looking at a piece of unstained oak, it looks generic; there’s no differentiation in the surface,” he says. “But when you look at this wood, you’ll see tiny nail holes and nicks. Those imperfections tell a story.” He also used a reclaimed-Douglas-fir panel fronts to hide a roll-out pantry and other storage.
The addition of a a new island introduced a gathering point for the home. “It’s where you check your e-mails, or hang out with friends and family, drinking wine,” Pallrand says. Plus, the adjustable low stool keeps the space "more open visually—and practically,” says Pallrand. Pallrand added encaustic tile to transition from the warm wood to the bright-white ceiling and turret, which he built to showcase the family’s vision of a striking light fixture. He liked the blue encaustic tile because it catches the eye while also adding dimension. “It has a subtle play of light because there’s a bit of textural relief to it,” Pallrand says.
As for the lighting fixture, the homeowners had Moroccan-style lighting in their bedroom and suggested the same for the kitchen. “A spectacular light fixture is certainly what you want here,” notes Pallrand of the one they used from Badia Design. The faucets are unlacquered brass. “Those will patina and get more of an oil-rubbed, irregular finish, so it’ll be a very nice, rich look,” he says, ensuring that the story of this kitchen is just beginning.
"Mansion Global", January 2019.
"The classic, tried and true concept of California living centers around the notion of bringing the outdoors in—of creating interiors that emphasize, respect and engage the most alluring aspects of the California climate and landscape," said Greg Roth, head designer at Home Front Build, an architecture, design and building firm based in Los Angeles.
Add Some California-Chic Style to Your Home
The surf, the sand, the breezy way of living—California has an effortlessness that’s inspired both song and style alike. And it’s a sensibility that’s reflected in decor.
"The classic, tried and true concept of California living centers around the notion of bringing the outdoors in—of creating interiors that emphasize, respect and engage the most alluring aspects of the California climate and landscape," said Greg Roth, head designer at Home Front Build, an architecture, design and building firm based in Los Angeles. "Think sunlit vistas, bright blue skies, neutral sand tones, lush green gardens, fresh air," Mr. Roth said.
