Texture, texture, texture

There's something about interiors that use a lot of texture that I find really inspirational.  Give me some great looking rough-hewn beams, some fabulous woven seagrass furniture, or stone facing on a fireplace and you've got the makings of an architecturally interesting and comfortable space.  I do appreciate sleek, minimal, Euro-design, but the minute it starts to get too hard-edged, gallery-like, and reflective, they've lost me.   

So it's great to know all of these texture-enhancing design elements are available from resources who care about the environment and take great pains to ensure their processes are earth-friendly. Take Restoration Timber, for example.  They make custom flooring, cabinetry, siding, doors, and beams from old salvaged barns and warehouses, reusing wood cut down over a century ago instead of new wood.

  Eldorado Stone is a stone veneer manufacturing company of products that can be used indoors or out, and for both residential and commercial design. Their factories are located throughout the U.S., which reduces the distances of shipping products, and thereby reducing the carbon footprint, and their use of recycled materials makes them a good resource for LEED certified projects.

  

And finally, there's a site from the UK called Cyan that has an array of woven furniture for both indoor and outdoor use.  I particularly like this chair that combines great texture with clean lines.