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Category Archives: Living Southern

Sustainable Home Design: Eco-Friendly Flooring and Countertops

4 / 20 / 18
Eco-Friendly, Sustainable ReSAWN flooring | Fairly Southern
@CaraGreen

Many of us know about ways to “go green” on a micro level: taking reusable bags to the grocery store, using a water bottle rather than buying plastic, using good-for-the-earth dishwashing liquid. But I know that many of us, myself included, have rarely thought much about being eco-friendly on a larger level, such as how we design and furnish our homes.

I recently learned about a local-to-NC company called Caragreen, which produces sustainable, eco-friendly flooring and countertops (I actually won a giveaway they were running on Instagram….too fun!). They are headquartered right here in Raleigh, but they work to create amazing home interiors for companies and residences all around the country. I have really enjoyed learning about the way they do sustainable home design and wanted to share!

My initial reaction when I hear “sustainable homes” or “eco-friendly homes” is to think of ultra-modern, minimalistic tiny houses.  What I hope to show you in this blog post is that you can still go for a classic Southern home even while using contemporary, eco-friendly materials!

For example, take a look at this gorgeous kitchen. It’s a good mix of contemporary (the backsplash) and traditional (the rug and cabinetry). Best of all, the floors are made of ReSAWN reclaimed oak in color “Heritage.” This flooring uses an eco-friendly three ply system. The bottom layer is oak that is not surface grade and therefore would typically be left behind or forced through additional processing. reSAWN takes this material and uses it to stabilize the thick wear layer on the face of the plank, resulting in less waste and a more stable product. Using a wider plank is also more eco-friendly because it results in higher yields from the tree. This means less waste during manufacture!

Eco-Friendly/Sustainable Beige + Orange Kitchen | Fairly Southern
@CaraGreen

Here’s another photo of ReSAWN flooring in color “Bridgeport.”

Eco-Friendly, Sustainable ReSAWN flooring | Fairly Southern
@CaraGreen

Next up: another kitchen! It’s a more contemporary style without feeling ultra-modern. I love the backsplash. Seafoam is a perfect color in the Carolinas since we’re a coastal state. I love how it is balanced by the more masculine olive cabinets. The IceStone counters are color “Sage Pearl.” IceStone is made from concrete and recycled glass. It gives a natural stone feel without being mined from the earth. (Honestly, I never even thought about how bad granite countertops can be for our earth until just now after learning that there is another way. Think about how much digging we are doing for our countertops! I totally get it now!)

Eco-friendly IceStone countertops in Olive + Seafoam Kitchen | Fairly Southern
Image by Mike Seidl. Designed by Dell’Ario Interiors.

Now, I want to show you an amazing eco-friendly laundry room. It’s got a bit of a shabby chic vibe with the distressed cabinetry and collection of glass bottles. The countertop is PaperStone in the color “Mocha.” Made with 100% recycled paper and a petroleum-free resin, PaperStone is a beautiful, textured surface that performs like stone. PaperStone is typically used in kitchens and bathrooms and can withstand high-use wear and tear. All that performance, just from paper! I love that it’s all recycled.

Shabby Chic Laundry Room with eco-friendly PaperStone countertops | Fairly Southern
Picture by Whitney Lyons. Designed by Shannon Quimby.

Here’s a kitchen that showcases the PaperStone countertops. I like this kitchen a lot because it is the most similar to my own kitchen! I love the clean, contemporary, and timeless feel of neutral whites and grays.

White + Stainless Kitchen with eco-friendly PaperStone countertops | Fairly Southern
Image by Sara Rounsavall. Designed by Rock Paper Hammer.

And, if you’re into outdoor spaces (because, ahem, this is the SOUTH, and at least half of the year is perfect porch sittin’ and/or grilling weather), you’re going to die over this next one. Outdoor lounging, lots of Green Egg grills, and plenty of space for serving food and beverages! The outdoor countertop is made of Lapitec in color “Grigio Piombo.” Lapitec is made of sintered stone, which is 100% minerals with no resins or petroleum derivatives. It is weatherproof and is resistant to acids, alkalis, deep abrasions, fire, frost, and UV rays. In other words, it’s going to hold up, even in Southern heat!

Backyard Dining with eco-friendly countertops | Fairly Southern
@CaraGreen

Y’all, isn’t it amazing that you can use earth-friendly flooring and countertop materials that perform well and don’t compromise on aesthetics?

I purposefully featured non-modern designs because I wanted to show that you can be eco-friendly and go for a classic, contemporary, or shabby chic feel, but if you’re more into modern, check out the CaraGreen website for lots of inspiration!

I bought a virtually brand new house a couple of years ago and am still many years away from renovations, but when I do end up in a redo situation, I will definitely be using eco-friendly materials. It is so nice to know that you can use recycled, gentle-on-the-earth materials while creating your perfect interior.

xoxo Laura

P.S. – This post was not sponsored. I just love sharing about things I love (and that are good for the earth!) with y’all!

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Work-Appropriate Spring Florals

3 / 31 / 183 / 30 / 18

One of my biggest challenges when I first started shopping for ethically made clothing was finding business casual attire. Low backs, distressed denim, and cute yoga pants are great, but they aren’t always office-appropriate.

So, I’m thrilled that today’s ethical outfit inspiration is both trendy AND office ready!

Work-Appropriate Spring Florals  |  Fairly Southern Read More

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Cranberry + Gold: Festive, Ethically Made Cocktail Dress

12 / 16 / 17

Ethically made in the USA red lace cocktail dress by Mikarose from The Flourish Market. Perfect holiday party dress! | Fairly Southern

Real talk: Finding an ethically made cocktail or semi-formal dress is HARD, all caps.

Earlier this fall, I came up dry when trying to find a new dress to wear to semi-formal weddings. Many ethical fashion brands are on the casual side, and I just didn’t find anything I loved in my size at my favorite consignment stores. It was probably a good thing, because it forced me to re-wear things already in my closet. But if my friends have to see me wear that same navy dress one more time, they may forcefully shove me into a department store dressing room until I come out wearing something different.  Read More

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Oak City Bridal: Eco-Friendly Consignment Wedding Gowns in Raleigh, NC

12 / 5 / 1712 / 11 / 17

When you think about it, the bridal gown industry can be pretty wasteful. A lot of time, money, labor, and materials go into these stunning dresses, which are worn for one day and then shoved into a box under someone’s bed for several decades.

Stacia Wilson of Raleigh, NC, has a solution to this problem. She recently started Oak City Bridal, a consignment bridal boutique featuring designer gowns. Y’all know I love the idea of purchasing an already loved wedding gown, so I sat down with Stacia a few weeks ago to learn more about Oak City Bridal and the heart behind her business.

Stacia Wilson of Oak City Bridal in Raleigh, NC | Fairly Southern

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Small Joys: Volume 5

10 / 30 / 1710 / 30 / 17

For the most part, this fall has been pretty good so far. But, there have been a few crap things that have happened in our family. This can take a toll on my spirit, as I am an empath who tends to feel others’ hurts and a spiritual searcher who is constantly bothered by and trying to make sense of the fact that bad things happen to innocent people and animals. Consciously cultivating gratitude is a good way to also acknowledge all of the goodness around me! Here’s what’s bringing me joy lately:

Small Joys | Fairly Southern

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The Perfect Ethically Made Dress to Wear to a Wedding

9 / 21 / 1712 / 9 / 17

Happy Thursday, folks! Today I am sharing the perfect ethically made dress to wear to a wedding! I love that this dress is stylish, comfortable, affordable, and totally wearable at least 3 of the 4 seasons out of the year. And, it comes in a variety of color options!

The Flourish Market Everyday Maxi in Poppy Floral. Ethically made in the USA. 5% of sales support family empowerment in Ethiopia. | Fairly Southern Read More

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Small Joys: Volume 3

4 / 1 / 174 / 7 / 18

Small Joys Volume 3 - Cultivating Gratitude! | Fairly Southern

Spring has sprung, days are sunny, and there’s so much to be grateful for! About time for another Small Joys post, right??

Actually, truth be told, I was struggling with some major discontentment this morning. After wallowing for a bit, I convinced myself that the best way to snap out of it was to cultivate gratitude. So, here I am!

Here are the little things that have been bringing me joy lately:  Read More

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The Flourish Market: Ethical Fashion Store in Raleigh, NC!

12 / 28 / 164 / 7 / 18

Y’all have heard me talk about The Flourish Market before…remember this post about the amazing ethical fashion truck right here in the Triangle? In a fabulous turn of events, The Flourish Market actually opened a brick and mortar store in downtown Raleigh about a month ago! I may or may not have been a couple of times already…

The Flourish Market ethical fashion store in Raleigh, NC | Fairly Southern Read More

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Ethical Fashion Gift Guide on Just Jess

12 / 9 / 164 / 7 / 18

This week I wrote an ethical fashion gift guide guest post for my friend Jessica’s “12 Days of Gift Guides” on her blog, Just Jess! If you’ve still got some holiday shopping to do, go check it out. There are suggestions for UNC fans, Carolina Panthers fans, yogis, fashionistas, and above all, folks who care that the things they wear are doing good in the world.

Angela Roi vegan leather cross-body bag on the Just Jess Ethical Fashion Gift Guide | Fairly Southern Read More

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Ethical Skin Care at Be Pure Beauty in Durham

10 / 5 / 164 / 7 / 18

Hi belles! Who else out there is somewhat of a beauty junkie? This post is for you!

Ethical Skin Care at Be Pure Beauty in Durham | Fairly Southern Read More

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Laura Jasmine | Fairly Southern

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Recent Posts

  • Sustainable Home Design: Eco-Friendly Flooring and Countertops
  • Small Joys: Volume 9
  • How to Navigate Weddings as a Gluten-Free Guest
  • Work-Appropriate Spring Florals
  • No Body Wash for a Week: The Norwex Body Cloth Challenge

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