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Your kitchen is the heart of your home, so it's easy to see why so much time, energy, and money gets spent on just that one room. From floor to ceiling (and the cabinets and countertops in between), there's a lot that goes in to making a green kitchen, and a lot of choices out there; while that can make greener materials a little easier to come by, it also means there are more decisions to make, and more factors to consider. Read our Green Materials Guide for Kitchen Design to help you narrow down the materials available to you, and get started with a few simple tips below.
Durability is an important factor
There are few areas of a home that receive as much traffic as a kitchen; as such, any material you add to the mix should be designed to hold up to the rigors of everyday use. Carefully consider the material's life expectancy (and life cycle after it leaves your home) before choosing your next kitchen floor, cabinet, or countertop.
Form must follow function
Since your kitchen will put every design element through it's paces each time you prepare a meal (or clean up after one), there's no such thing as an 'aesthetic-only' choice here. Definitely pick something you like to look at -- you'll gaze upon it every single day from here on out -- but be sure that it adds proper functionality to your kitchen.
These are but a few of the myriad considerations you must make when choosing green materials for your kitchen; for the full complement, check out our Green Materials Guide for Kitchen Design. Bon appetit!
