The cover of our new book, Remodelista: The Low-Impact Home, features the kitchen of architects Ruth Mandl and Bobby Johnston of CO Adaptive.
One key eco-minded switch made in the kitchen? As for the shade of green on the cabinets—the couple had it custom mixed to match a favorite light fixture that hangs over their table.
Photograph by Matthew Williams from Remodelista: The Low-Impact Home: A Sourcebook for Stylish, Eco-Conscious Living.
A detail of the kitchen sink showcases a few eco-swaps including a low-flow faucet, natural bristle brushes, and a solid version of dish soap (reducing the need for plastic packaging).
Photograph by Matthew Williams from Remodelista: The Low-Impact Home: A Sourcebook for Stylish, Eco-Conscious Living.
Mandl and Johnston created the custom pegboard backsplash from FSC-certified, maple-faced ApplePly, a high-grade plywood produced with soy rather than off-gassing formaldehyde.
Materials
The kitchen cabinet fronts are by Copenhagen-based Reform, a kitchen company working toward 100 percent sustainable materials and practices.
While we recommend sourcing reclaimed or locally-grown wood that is FSC-certified, we should note that Reform sources raw materials that are FSC-certified, but their final supplier, they explain, is not, and thus, their kitchens are not officially FSC-certified.
Greenguard-certified Caesarstone, a product made of quartz, is a more ecologically responsible swap for granite and other stone mined in far-off locations.
The wall-mounted Vola Faucet 131LAP-20 is a pull-out spray model with flow rate below 2.2 gallons (or 8.3 liters) per minute; $843.75 at Quality Bath.
Faucets & Fixtures
The Vola Kitchen Handspray for keeping the sink clean is $2,433 at Quality Bath.
The Kohler Riverby 33-Inch Undermount Single Basin Cast Iron Kitchen Sink is $849.75 at Build.com.
The 22 System offers a selection of minimal flush mount Wall Outlets by Bocci.
The kitchen is lit with a few HAY Noc Clamp Clip Lamps in Off White; $213 each at Finnish Design Shop.
Sink-side Accessories
The Kohler Riverby Utility Basin Rack with Soaking Cup is $83.43 at Build.com.
The sink-side dish is the Stoneware Berry Bowl from Elsie Green, used here as a draining soap dish; $39 at Elsie Green.
For a similar copper scrub, the Andrée Jardin Copper Wool Sponge is $10 at Smallable.
The Dish Soap in Round Porcelain Bowl is available as a citrus or unscented solid soap.
The Iris Hantverk Dish Brush Vardag is $8.65 at Finnish Design Shop.
The Iris Hantverk Pan Brush is $26.30 at Finnish Design Shop.
The Typhoon Farmhouse Kitchen Scale is $40 at Food52.
Other Accessories
Throughout the kitchen, bulk goods are stored in various sizes of Bormioli Fido jars.