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Vintage Carrara Anyone?

Vintage Carrara Anyone? published on

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This was just posted on our forum yesterday. We’ll continue to post forum items on our main page until folks start to get comfortable using it.

If you have any questions, best to call them directly. I was told the discoloration is just dirt.

“We have seven slabs of White Carrara marble that were used for various projects 30 years ago have been stored outside since. Will sell at a large discount off retail ($50-60 sq foot). The slabs are odd sizes that you can have fabricated and polished for table tops, dresser tops, vanities, etc. Will sell for approx $20 sq foot … or less (very negotiable) based on the dimensions that you need. Contact Dianne at 347 482-7042. If you have questions about fabrication, cutting or polishing, please call Statewide Granite and Marble (201) 653-1700.”

Donate Your Hair

Donate Your Hair published on 1 Comment on Donate Your Hair

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Sites like Inhabitat wrote about this months ago, but I’m slow, what can I say?

From the Matter of Trust website: “The mission of Matter of Trust is to Link ideas, spark action and materialize sustainable systems. We like to mimick how Mother Nature integrates enduring cycles and provides access to necessities in abundance. “

Hair collects dirt and oil. Think about it. Don’t wash your hair for 3 days then think about it again. So, a sponge made out of hair used to clean up an oil spill makes sense.

Matter of Trust is asking for hair donations. They are really looking at businesses such as salons and pet groomers, but individuals are welcome to participate. Ever wish you could do something with all of that cat hair you collect on your clothes? Well, now you can! Pet hair is not as efficient as human hair, but they accept it. So let your pets shed all over!

More Fun With Carbon Calculators

More Fun With Carbon Calculators published on 4 Comments on More Fun With Carbon Calculators

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On Friday we got tipped off to yet another fun carbon calculator. This test is brought to us by Earth Lab.

I took it. I’m embarrassed to tell you my score, but if you tell yours, I might share mine. See, here’s the flaw with these things…it’s multiple choice. They should allow you to explain your answers! For instance, we own a pick up truck, but that doesn’t get used unless we need to haul stuff. We also have an oversized house for just 2 people. These things ask how many people live there, but what about the pets? 6 cats and 2 dogs need space! What of the animals? Think about the animals!

I hate doing these things. It just makes me feel guilty. But you should do it. I want to see some scores worse than my own.

More Brownstone Courses At City Tech

More Brownstone Courses At City Tech published on

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Photo: Matt Carman

City Tech’s Continuing Ed program is offering more brownstone series courses starting in January.

For more information: dsalomon@citytech.cuny.edu
To register: 718 552 1170

January 15
Green Home Furnishings and Healthy Home Decor: HHT 075 $40

February 20
Interior Design Basics HHT 072 $40

March 6 – 27
The Art of Home Decor HHT 070 $125

March 11
Basic Home Repairs HHT 077 $40

April 12
Spring Sruce Up (No course number) $20

April 17
Low Impact Living: HHT 076 $40

Salvage Design

Salvage Design published on 1 Comment on Salvage Design

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I love it! A bathtub couch. A shopping cart chair. Reestore is so clever, they don’t need to use 100 year old salvage. They can make fine furnishings out of everyday crap!

The prices aren’t bad. The couch costs as much as a “regular” couch. Ok, it may not be the most comfortable thing in the world, but who cares? It’s fabulous! And your dog can’t chew it up.

Oh, one catch. Reestore is in the UK.

Via Inhabitat

Habitat’s Eco Homes In The Stuy

Habitat’s Eco Homes In The Stuy published on 6 Comments on Habitat’s Eco Homes In The Stuy

Caroling. Ribbon cutting. Blessings.

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Nine new affordable condos in Bed Stuy are complete now, thanks to Habitat for Humanity.

Each owner contributed 300 hours of labor with help from 4,000 skilled volunteers. Habitat hired a professional contractor for the exterior, core and shell of the buildings. The owners learned skills while basically building their own homes.

The condos are constructed of highly energy efficient “insulated concrete forms” meant to save homeowners up to 50% in energy bills. Eco friendly materials such as recycled glass countertops and cabinets consisting of sunflower seeds were used in the building process.

New homeowners received symbolic keys to the homes, located on Halsey Street, but cannot move in until early 2008.

Via Green Brooklyn

Via NY1

Sun Table Solar Generator

Sun Table Solar Generator published on 1 Comment on Sun Table Solar Generator

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Via Treehugger

Straight outta Brooklyn. Designers Devang A. Shah and Michael Low created The Sun Table, an outdoor table that stores solar energy and powers electrical devices.

The product “that pushes people to spend more time outdoors will be beneficial for humanity.”

The table stores enough energy to run a laptop for over 3 hours or a TV for 3 to 4 hours. For $3600, I think I’ll stick to running my extension cord outside when I want to work on my computer. As far as watching tv outdoors, what the F* are people doing watching TV outside anyway?

Cool idea or useless gimmick? I bet there are some savvy folks out there who can make their own.

Another Green Demolitions Sale!

Another Green Demolitions Sale! published on 2 Comments on Another Green Demolitions Sale!

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I regularly check out the Green Demolitions site because they often have sales. Here’s what I found today:

Year End Sale: Luxury Appliances 60 – 75% off Market Price!
Famous Custom Home Decor: 75% off Market Price
Just Arrived: New-in-the-Box Famous Name Brand Whirlpools and tubs: all three stores
Famous Furniture Retailer Surplus – Norwalk, CT

But best of all…if you haven’t finished your holiday shopping…$100 gift cards on sale for $50. Can be purchased online.

Read This Now! Energy Star Boilers

Read This Now! Energy Star Boilers published on 1 Comment on Read This Now! Energy Star Boilers

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Trust me on this one. You’re never prepared for the day your boiler breaks down. It will be the coldest day of winter and you’ll be freezing your arse off. You’re going to put in ANY boiler the heating contractor can get you ASAP.

Do your research! Bookmark this page. Compare boilers now so you know which one you may want to go with when that dreadful day comes. Because unless you have a new boiler, it will come, my friend. Oh, it will come. And you’ll be sorry if you don’t heed my advice.Continue reading Read This Now! Energy Star Boilers

Urban Wildlife Sanctuary

Urban Wildlife Sanctuary published on

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Whether you live in an apartment in the middle of Manhattan or on a 20 acre property upstate, chances are there’s some sort of wildlife shivering outside your window. Wondering where their next meal is coming from. Looking in on you while you sit in your warm, cozy abode dressed in your hemp pj’s, sipping your organic wine and eating your fair trade chocolates. It’s time to take it up a notch.

1. Shelter. Buy or build a lovely birdhouse or insulated cat shelter. You can create hiding places for squirrels and such by using logs, brush or rocks. Bats need a place to rest and/or raise families. A roosting box would be nice.

2. Food. When we were new to the country thing, we put a bird feeder out in the warm weather. Guess who came to dinner? We attracted a bear. Winter is the time to put bird feeders out. The squirrels may get to it, but hey, they’ve gotta eat too! There’s actually an art to the whole bird feeding thing.

3. Water. Birdbaths and man made ponds are happy things to have around when water sources are scarce during winter months. Or summer months, for that matter.

NYC Wildlife
Urban Wildlife Sanctuary Program
Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Cat Rescue

Historic Bricks

Historic Bricks published on 2 Comments on Historic Bricks

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I’ve seen brick floor tiles at Lowes and thought I liked them. My husband hated them. He thought they were “fake” looking. Now I’m not sure how I feel about them. They would be cool for a laundry room, mud room or patio, no?

The Lowes tiles were probably mass produced stuff. Brick Floor Tile Inc offers salvaged brick that has been sliced thin. Unless you have verrrry high ceilings, you wouldn’t want to use a full brick on an interior floor. I would also guess that it would be too difficult to level.

For other brick projects, two companies that sell antique bricks are Historical Brick and Old World Bricks. However, I’m not suggesting you purchase historic bricks. Look around for empty lots, dumpsters and tear downs for free ones. Also check Craigs and used building stores on a regular basis. I just did a search and did not come up with any, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be there tomorrow. Or the next day.

Brownstoner forum

Reclaimed Lumber: Information Overload

Reclaimed Lumber: Information Overload published on 1 Comment on Reclaimed Lumber: Information Overload

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This started out as a post on antique barnwood siding. I found Elmwood Reclaimed Timber via Luxury Housing Trends and set out to write about that. Nice, huh? See photo above.

I somehow came across Cunningham Lumber. They have reclaimed lumber as well as salvage, all at good price points. Ok, so they’re located in Texas. But lookie here what I’ve found….a list of links. Too many to sort through now, so your homework assignment is to narrow it down yourself. You know, local sources/inexpensive. It’s due by Thursday.

Related: Reclaimed Flooring

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