Being green

Being green. What on earth comes to mind? Kermit the Frog, envy, a cranky stomach on the high seas? Let's go back to the earth thing. That's what we're talking about here, gentle reader, being a pal to the planet. An eco-friend. It is a sobering thought, our soiling of this planet. So let us be nice, shall we?

But what of all things elegant and refined? Can one conserve with reserve? Most certainly.

There is nothing quite so beautiful as simplicity, for starters. Clean white sheets on a fresh-made bed. Wood floors that wear their years with pride. A bouquet des fleurs from your very own yard. Mixed and matched silver, crystal and china lending their own air of sophistication and interest to the dining table. The green life need not be a bland life. Not at all. Let us consume with care and flair!

Recycle chic

Here's a Web site right up our Earth-friendly alley, www.branchhome.com. Let's allow them to speak for themselves: "There's an element to shopping that we find quite troubling. . . . Did the wood used to make that chair contribute to deforestation in Asia? Were toxic chemicals used to create the lustrous finish? The people who actually fabricated the product — were they paid a fair wage and provided a safe, comfortable environment in which to do so? How far did the product have to come in order to get to the store, and how much fuel was used in that process? These are all some pretty heavy thoughts, and they can really sap the joy from a fun day of shopping."

That's Paul Donald and Tracy Brien of Branch in San Francisco speaking. They have done much of the worrying so we can have all of the shopping with none of the guilt. Check them out for the organically grown, recycled, reclaimed, sustainably harvested and renewable — yet chic.

Take Slumped Vases, for example. They are designed by Andi Kovel and Justin Parker, and crafted by Esque in Portland. They're made of recycled glass and processed in an electric furnace powered by the wind. Prices start at $315. There is also more affordable Fork, Knife + Spoon, handmade of bamboo in China at $6 a set. And in the big, big ticket department there is the Cortiça Chaise Lounge by Daniel Michalik for $4,988. The chaise is made of cork reclaimed from the bottle-stopper industry. It's lightweight, waterproof and won't rot or mold. It even rocks from side to side or back and forth.

Fixtures for a new era

Looking for original and custom lighting? How about tiles, sinks, tubs, fixtures and hardware? Seek Eleek. Eric Kaster and Sattie Clark of Portland speak green among the salvaged and recycled. The results are beautiful. Aluminum and iron products are 100 percent recycled, and bronze products at least 90 percent. Eleek does all of its designing and manufacturing in the Portland area to reduce the environmental costs of transportation.

Functional and graceful is the Water Falling prep/bar sink. The patented design features a double-sided sink with a built-in colander. The strainer side sits a bit higher than the drain side, perfect for washing produce, or just watching the water fall. It comes in bronze ($995) or aluminum ($795) in a variety of finishes.

Then there is Illuminata ($495 aluminum, $565 bronze). A luminaire extraordinaire with hand-blown glass in white or amber cast in tumbled aluminum or oil-rubbed bronze. It uses a 60-watt bulb, but screw in a compact fluorescent for lower-energy wattage.

For more information call Eleek at 503-232-5526. Find Eleek products locally at Earthwise, 2462 First Ave. S., Seattle, 206-624-4510; and at the Environmental Home Center, 4121 First Ave. S., Seattle, 800-281-9785.

The Domestic Goddess can be reached at pacificnw@seattletimes.com.