Green Furniture Stores In New York
The demand for sustainable furnishings is growing as both residents and businesses look to reduce their environmental impact. In New York City, a number of young designers have taken up the challenge, offering handmade and locally designed items that use recycled, repurposed and sustainably sourced wood and other items to merge green design with artistry to create one-of-a-kind items for your home. Whether looking for trendy new furniture or repurposed items to furnish your home, it is easy to find environmentally friendly furnishing that can fit nearly every New Yorker's budget. Here are five local businesses that can help you furnish your home a little greener.
Furnish Green
furnishgreen.com
One of the best ways to reduce your carbon imprint is to reuse and repurpose items for your home. While thrift and antique stores have always been a staple in the resale market, Furnish Green has brought purchasing antique and previously used items to a new level, offering an upscale selection of items that have been thoroughly cleaned and selected for long-term use. The midtown Manhattan showroom encourages shoppers to use their creativity to find repurposed furniture that encourages them to create their own style while reducing their environmental impact of decorating their home.
urbangreen
urbangreenfurniture.com
A Brooklyn-based company, all of the furniture found at urbangreen’s two showrooms and online has been designed and created locally, using real wood, by a team of furniture professionals with over 70 years of combined experience. The artisan-crafted furniture uses no toxic finishes and only locally sourced, formaldehyde-free wood, helping to create a sustainable line of durable goods that contributes to the local economy.
Uhuru
uhurudesign.com
Sustainability meets high-end design at this Brooklyn-based company. Insisting that the inspiration for its pieces relies on the concept that ‘beauty rests on utility,’ each Uhuru item is handcrafted by artisans using recycled materials, scraps and other items that have been repurposed for the project. An holistic approach, Uhuru also works with a team of artists and designers to offer complete residential design that meets the needs of each customer.
Recycled Brooklyn
etsy.com/RecycledBrooklyn
Locally made and available for purchase at Etsy.com, Recycled Brooklyn turns salvaged wood into furniture with an earthy, relaxed feel. Using coffee sacks and other repurposed items as upholstery and accents, Recycled Brooklyn’s benches are popular among local coffee shops and residents alike looking to break away from a mass-manufactured feel and look. All items are created to order, allowing customers to customize their items to fit their exact design needs. Reasonably priced, the only drawback is the wait. Describing the company's sales as “crazy busy,” owner Matt Lottice advises that it may take up to eight weeks to have your handcrafted piece made and delivered to your home.
Housing Works
housingworks.org
Housing Works is a well-known chain of New York City thrift stores where budget-conscious consumers can snag bargains on a range of items for the home while helping to raise money for one of the city’s leading organizations providing support to persons living with HIV and AIDS. The stores also feature used furniture at rock-bottom prices which can be viewed on the organization’s website, saving a schlep around town to look for the perfect piece. Offering a variety of styles and many pieces of hard wood and quality materials, shopping at Housing Works is a great way to reduce your environmental impact while helping others get their lives back on track.You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
Tamar Auber is a freelance writer whose work can be found on Examiner.com.
