Fit For A King, Even “The Sun King” Himself: Today’s Eco-Exquisite Elements of Interior Design!

When one thinks of King Louis XIV of France, one thinks of the opulent interior of the Palace of Versailles – a royal court filled with luxury and splendor. When I think of King Louis XIV, I often think of him as an overzealous client who would marvel at today’s inexpensive eco-exquisite interior design solutions and command that one of everything i.e. eco-flooring, eco-wall covering, eco-décor, and eco-furniture be fashioned into French eco-luxury goods to be shown at his place of business.

Well, one doesn’t necessarily need to be French or a King to appreciate great wine and great interior design products, rather one needs a sophisticated sensibility to know what to look for in today’s eco-conscious construction of home ornamentation. Here then are some of the most popular elements and eco-innovations of Eco-Interior Designing :

1- Bamboo Products – Yes, one can find bamboo products practically everywhere – bamboo blinds, flooring, frames, furniture, cutting boards, bowls, plates, utensils, countertops, and even bamboo towels. It is this versatility that makes bamboo such a popular design option along with the fact that bamboo products are durable, light weight, flexible, and resistant to moisture. It is also a very dense wood with a hardness that rivals oak and unlike this traditional hardwood – it only takes three to five years for bamboo to mature. Indeed, bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world – and in certain species, it can grow up to three feet a day. In addition the oxygen output of bamboo is 35% greater than trees and bamboo works well to prevent soil erosion along riverbanks, steep hillsides, and in flood plains. This all makes bamboo an excellent renewable resource.
2- Cork Products – When one thinks of cork, one usually thinks of ‘cork stoppers’ to seal sparkling wines or olive oil bottles but in fact cork flooring is an easy installation product most widely used today in both the residential and commercial markets due in part to its great insulating properties, (both in respect to temperature and sound), its hypo-allergenic properties (resistant to insects, mold, and germs), its shock absorbent properties (surprisingly soft and comfortable texture), its fire resistant properties and its low maintenance properties. In addition, cork flooring comes in a variety of dramatically beautiful finishes, patterns, and colors both in tiles and planks. Mosaic cork tiles are made from recycled wine corks and large-sized cork planks are made from post-industrial cork pieces. Mosaic cork tiles, in particular, are an ideal choice for the bathroom and can also be used as a backsplash in the shower. As for cork’s green credentials, cork is 90% air and is essentially the outer bark of the Cork Oak Tree that grows in Portugal and Spain. It is harvested every 9 years and since the bark is renewable, the process can be repeated for 2 centuries or more. And since cork flooring is also 100% biodegradable, it has a very low impact on the environment when it is recycled.
3- Recycled Leather Products – Founded in 2005, EcoDomo LLC in Rockville, Maryland, is an outstanding example of an innovatively creative eco-business that develops, manufactures, and designs a vast array of sustainable interior design products that are both luxurious and beautiful which include recycled leather tiles for floors, walls, staircases, ceilings, area rugs, and furniture. These recycled leathers are made from the leftover hides from tanneries. “The recycling process uses 99.8% of the products input in the manufacturing process in a closed-loop water filtration system.” The result is a recycled leather tile that is more resilient to wear and tear and temperature differentials than regular hide leather, easy to install, use, and maintain, and naturally good at absorbing noise. Client installations of this recycled leather product have been applied to boardrooms, commercial hotels, bank lobbies, restaurants, gyms, elevators, fireplaces, and theaters.
4- Recycled Plastic Bottle Products – Yes, another great eco-innovation is the transformation of post-consumer waste – specifically ‘polyethylene terephthalate’ fibers or “PET” found in soda bottles, ketchup bottles, water bottles, and house cleaning bottles – into polyester carpet tiles! The result is a carpet rich in colors with low moisture absorption, permanent stain and static resistance, and superior strength and abrasion resistance. One can find these carpets under the labels – Resistron or Permalon.
5- Recycled Rubber Products – Founded in 1995, Rubber Flooring Direct in Laguna Hills, California is another outstanding example of a company making eco-innovative flooring products from 100% recycled rubber including gym and weight room flooring, fitness center flooring, physical therapy flooring, doggy day care flooring, equine pavers, playground mats, golf course tiles, and ice rink arena flooring. These eco-friendly sports flooring products are made from old discarded car and truck tires. The result is an array of recycled rubber tiles, rubber rolls, and interlocking rubber tiles more durable than virgin rubber and that is extremely clean, tough but cushiony, and looks great for many years to come.
6- Jute Products – Jute is a vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads to make burlap bags, wallpaper, rugs, chair coverings, curtains, and carpets. It is primarily grown in India and Bangladesh (taking only 4 to 6 months to grow) and is a popular choice in home décor as it is strong, durable, UV resistant with good sound and heat insulation properties and anti-static properties.
7- Hemp Products – Hemp plants have been harvested for over a thousand years throughout much of the temperate areas of the world. It is one of the fastest growing plants and its fibers are not only strong and durable, they are pest-resistant making it a very eco-friendly green flooring product.
8- Sisal Products – Sisal is a stiff fiber obtained from the agave plant known for its strength, durability, sound-absorbing properties, ability to stretch and resistance to deterioration in saltwater. It’s an ideal choice for beachfront carpeting and cat-scratching posts. Sisal production is the greatest in Brazil but it is also produced in Tanzania, China, and Kenya.
9- Abaca Products – Abaca is a species of banana native to the Philippines and grown there as well as in Ecuador and Costs Rica. Its fibers were originally used for making twines and ropes but it is now used in making uncommonly beautiful carpets and furniture.
10- Coir Products – Mainly grown in India and Sri Lanka, coir is a natural fiber harvested from the husks of coconuts. Its natural beauty, its resiliency against abrasions and moisture make it an ideal choice for floor mats, doormats, and mattresses.
11- Seagrass Products – Seagrasses are marine flowering plants which often grow in large meadows that resemble their terrestrial counterparts and are used by basket weavers the world over to make handicraft storage baskets, bins, boxes, doormats, and elegant floor coverings. The result is a highly spill-resistant, durable, home décor feature that retains the fresh look of the outdoors.
12- Grasscloth Products – Grasscloth today is associated with natural wallcoverings. Grasscloth wallpaper is made by weaving dried grasses together and affixing it to a paper backing. The fibers uses to make grasscloth wallpaper include a medley of sea grass, sisal, jute, bamboo, and other textured sustainable materials. The result is a versatile green design element that can act as a dramatic focal point or a warm and interesting backdrop for furnishings.

One last thing to note here – I have this fanciful notion that if King Louis XIV of France were alive today, he would certainly make some ‘eco-interactive’ changes to his “Hall of Mirrors” at Versailles with some of these popular eco-exquisite elements of interior design. In particular, I envision him purchasing some of CORNING INC.’s “LOTUS GLASS” – an Environmentally Friendly Scratch-Resistant Glass – with Touchscreen Capabilities and a Video Display. You see, I am a chimerical descendant of King Louis IX, “The Saint King” of France and I have this unique crystal ball with heat-resistant, clairvoyant-reflecting properties that’s telling me….Oh yes, Happy Eco-Interior Designing to You!