While we are having a love affair with anything in the green color category, today we are talking environmentally-friendly design. We interviewed Beth Haley, owner of Beth Haley Designs (BHD), a Nashville design firm known for green design and specifically “focused on remodeling and revitalizing established homes, as well as creating stimulating, functional spaces in new homes.” We asked her to share both some before and after’s to inspire us, as well as some lighting and tile choices for those of us looking to tackle smaller projects!
Thank you to Beth and her her team for providing us with the following inspirations!
Brentwood home (circa 1990) Master Bath Remodel:
Using existing space and reusing the cabinet bases, Beth Haley Design (BHD) kept costs and waste down in this master bath renovation. The floor tile was produced in Tennessee and contains recycled content. The quartz countertops are GREENGUARD certified, and low-VOC paint was used. By lifting the eye up with tall cabinets and window treatments, the dark, traditional space was transformed into a light, airy, fresh oasis.
Before:
After:
Edgefield (circa 1880) Kitchen Remodel:
All that was kept of this kitchen was the original footprint. Clever placement of large windows and an exterior door visually expanded the kitchen to include a view of the homeowners’ well-maintained gardens. The BHD reconfiguration created five specific work zones, and every cubic foot was utilized to maximum potential.
Before:
“All new insulation started the project off right. The kitchen’s original cabinetry was donated to Habitat for Humanity, and we used renewable cork flooring. The sink is operated by foot pedals, which makes for more efficient use. The quartz countertops are GREENGUARD-certified, and the bar area’s Carrera marble countertop was fashioned from a remnant. Adding the wall of windows created tons of natural light and cut down on the room’s lighting needs. The cabinets were made from formaldehyde-free wood, and the island was locally made by a Nashville craftsman. All paint was no- or low-VOC.”
After:
More project photos: https://www.bethhaleydesign.com/historic-edgefield-late-1880s
West Meade (circa 1960) Ranch Kitchen Remodel:
The homeowners of this 1960’s ranch needed a remodel that made for a more connected, functional and modern home. BHD opened up spaces, added accents of color and wallpaper, updated existing materials, lighting, cabinetry and flooring, and managed the project with sustainability in mind.
Before:
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In the kitchen, they opened the sink wall, visually connecting the kitchen to adjoining spaces and outdoor windows, and they rearranged the direction of island for better flow. The biggest WOW, though, was the change in materials and finishes! Much lighter and brighter!The materials used in this project included a chute for recycling located in the backsplash (which connects to a trash can in the garage), concrete and quartz countertops, glass tile backsplash, reused cook top and hood, refinished hardwoods with water-based sealer, custom no-formaldehyde cabinets, and low-VOC paint.
After:
More project photos: https://www.bethhaleydesign.com/west-meade-1960s-ranch-complete-renovation
BHD’s top picks for LIGHTING, all with a nod to green:
Arteriors Macayle Iron/Glass Chandelier.
Metro LED fixtures by Tech Lighting
Blossom Pendant, by 3Form
Muriel Chandelier, by Oly Studio
Tilda Wood/Iron Chandelier, by Arteriors
Parametre Drum, by 3Form
BHD’s top picks for TILES:
Fireclay Tile—available locally at Kenny & Company, www.kennycompany.com
The Debris Series line includes several patterns with up to 112 colors, and the company just released six new field pattern tiles (shown below) that can be made to order in under four weeks. These tiles are made with 62% recycled-content material: pre-consumer granite dust, post-consumer bag-house glass dust, and post-consumer spent abrasives. The rest of the tile is made with Northern California clay. The zero-VOC tile is made in a factory in California where waste water and materials are reclaimed and used to make the tile.
Glazed Thin Brick, also by Fireclay Tile, was recently announced  as “the most sustainable glazed brick ever produced” for interior and exterior applications. The brick is available in nine colors and made in the USA. Glazed Thin Brick has anywhere from 30-90% post-consumer recycled content and a lead- and VOC-free glaze.The brick face is lighter than traditional glazed brick, resulting in about 85% cost and emissions reductions associated with transportation, according to Fireclay Tile.
Oceanside Glasstile: This beautiful glass tile is available in many different sizes and the amount of recycled content depends on the color. It can be found locally at Traditions in Tile, www.traditionsintile.com
Stonepeak Tile: Regionally produced and made with recycled content, Stonepeak tile is a mainstay of many BHD bathroom renovations. Here, it is used as the field tile on the floor and shower walls in a recent master bath renovation (along with some glass accent tile from another company). Stonepeak Ceramics is located in Crossville, Tennessee, and their commitment to the environment is strong. www.stonepeakceramics.com
A big thanks to Beth Haley for being patient with us! We’ve been working on this post for a while and initially planned to feature it for Earth Day, but our packed calendar didn’t allow us to publish until today. I hope all of our readers can see why this was well worth the wait. Nashville is blessed with great creative energy in interior design and BHD is a large part of that! For more information, please see the BHD website: https://www.bethhaleydesign.com/
