Issues > March/April 2006 (#113) > Green Starter Furniture

about JENNIFER USCHER

Jennifer Uscher lives in Brooklyn, New York, and has written for Nature Conservancy, Audubon and Organic Style.

More By JENNIFER USCHER

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Ikea's new PS collection features a couple of quirky, inexpensive seating options. The JÄRBO Corner Sofa ($99.99) can be used as an individual chair or several can be connected to form a larger seating surface. It's fabricated from woven, renewable banana fibers using a clear formaldehyde-free nitrocellulose lacquer with reduced off-gassing on a steel frame. The Ellan rocking chair ($39.99) is a composite of recycled plastic and recycled wood fiber (www.ikea.com, 800-434-IKEA).

Material Furniture's Little Sister End Table ($300) provides a small, sleek perch for magazines and a lamp. Three pieces of FSC-certified maple plywood slide together to form the hourglass-shaped stand and the top. It ships flat to conserve packing materials (www.vivavi.com, 718-233-9033).

The Arts and Crafts-style Tall Bookcase by The Wooden Duck is handmade in Java, Indonesia, from teak reclaimed from demolished buildings. It's available unfinished and is constructed using a water-based, non-toxic glue ($785; www.thewoodenduck.com, 866-848-3575).

Legaré Furniture's modular, interconnectable media stands are sturdy plywood made with FSC-certified Baltic birch and bonded using a low-formaldehyde glue. The pieces interlock, so the stand can also be disassembled and stored flat in a closet or under a bed. A clear, water-based lacquer is used for what Legaré calls its "natural" finish. And the stands are modular, so they can be connected side-by-side in a variety of configurations ($449/24"x53" stand in natural; www.legarefurniture. com, 817-737-8802).

Bedroom

Crate & Barrel's elegant Bento Collection of bedroom furniture is made from fast-growing bamboo. Flattened bamboo stems are layered and bonded with formaldehyde-free glue. The pieces are handcrafted using traditional Chinese joinery techniques. Nightstand: $429. Six-drawer dresser: $1,499. A Bento bed starts at $1,399 for a full-size (www.crateandbarrel.com, 800-967-6696).

IF Green's Platform Sleigh Bed is available in FSC-certified pecan wood and doesn't require a box spring. Both the glue and the finish are least-toxic and formaldehyde-free. $1,065 for queen. Also available in FSC-certified alder, fir, walnut, maple, or cherry (www.ifgreen.com, 503-771-5730).

Nursery

Pacific Rim makes cribs from solid maple with least-toxic finishes ($624 plus $100 shipping; www.daxstores.com, 650-591-2190).

Built from well-managed New Zealand radiata pine, the charming CaribooFolding Bassinet ($259.95) folds flat and is ideal for small spaces or travel. The bassinet comes with a PBDE-free mattress and a fitted sheet and is available in least-toxic teak or mahogany finishes. Note: Only for infants under four months and 22 pounds. Babies should never be left unsupervised in bassinets, which are not intended to serve as cribs (www.toadsandtulips.com, 866-365-2250).

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Filed under: Forest Stewardship Council, Recycling, reuse, reduction, Green homes, Green living

Green Guide 113 | March/April 2006 | For Your Home