Artist Elayna Toby Singer next to her larger-than-life kinetic sculpture, "Re-tooled"

Detail from "Re-Tooled". Photo: Jane Dagmi

When artist Elayna Toby Singer contemplates a new mixed media assemblage, she pieces together objects from both natural and manmade worlds, re-imagining them in a fresh context.

“A single object’s shape, color, and texture can instantly rouse my artistic vision,” says Elayna, whose first found-object kinetic sculpture was inspired by a crushed and discarded pair of eyeglasses.

While she selects twigs, pods, gemstones, beads and shells from relegated jars, bowls, and pots in her studio, no creative gestation is quite complete without a visit to the rust farm.

The rust farm is a 50 sq. ft. patch of backyard where assorted metal objects—found, bought at flea markets, and dropped off by friends—are laid out on wire mesh shelves and left to weather in the tropical South Florida climate.

At the rust farm, objects have equal opportunity to transform. Photo: Jane Dagmi

With this layout, Elayna is able to survey the patina on each implement, key, spoon and screw, then easily harvest the ones that have turned to her liking. “Rust happens,” says the artist, who—always partial to warm, fiery, earthen hues—admires the crusty and random burnt orange natural aging process.

Movement is at the heart of every 3D composition, as Elayna rises to the challenge of animating inanimate objects. “The wind is my favorite weather element. I love how things interact with it,” she says. With each new project comes the task of making an aesthetically pleasing piece while creating balance, securing objects, and encouraging spinning, twirling, and chiming.

Her method does not rely on power tools but thrives on ingenuity, patience, and handwork. She builds each piece using cold connections. There is no soldering or welding, but rather wrapping, knotting, and linking with wire and fiber.

Elayna Toby Singer's "Shape Shifter"

“Re-Tooled” (shown top) is Elayna’s largest piece to date. It measures 7 feet high by 52 feet wide and contains more than 150 hardware elements and tools, plus over 400 glass and wooden beads. She completed the artwork in one month, working in high gear (in addition to a full-time job as the director of Public Art for Palm Beach County) into the wee hours of the night. “Re-Tooled” is an awesome piece to behold.

A one-of-a-kind bracelet made from washers, hex-nuts, and beads. Photo: Jane Dagmi

Her smallest creations are adornments, and she employs the same creative techniques for each piece of jewelry. While Elayna’s personal stash of objects is inspiring enough, she invites commissions that include clients’ meaningful objects and trinkets.

For more information on Elayna Toby Singer, click here.

For more on the intersection of art and tools, consider:

Tool or Art? You Decide
Hammer Time: The Art of Roy Mackey
Concrete Blocks: Foundations to Art

Hanging with Kinetic Sculptor Elayna Toby Singer Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Fresh Pastry Stand's Deva Mirel holding a vintage Rosenthal "Coins" plate

Fresh Pastry Stand has officially taken over the apartment above the carport at Deva Mirel’s Alachua, FL home. In one area of her studio, Deva is designing 350 china display stands for an upcoming flash sale on Fab.com. In another, she’s developing her first wholesale line of beeswax candles shaped and textured like old embossed glass bottles. (Deva recently got funding from a Kickstarter drive.) Much of the floor space and a good many surfaces are devoted to the vintage plates, antique glass, and other collectible household items awaiting creative reinvention.

Husband Max drills the plates; the girls play with their favorite candles.

What began as a modest Etsy shop has snowballed into a family-run factory, and everyone plays a part. Deva’s husband Max is designated plate driller, the children add cuteness to product shots as needed, and Deva focuses on design.

Collected plates from the '30s through '60s awaiting reinvention

With the cake stands, Deva enjoys the hunt for great plates and the art of combining complimentary patterns, colors, and sizes. With the candles, she looks for vessels with texture, script lettering, and kitsch graphics.

Tiered serving dishes feature dinnerware from the '30s through '70s

These crafty ventures are a natural next step for Deva, a resourceful free spirit. When she lived in a 19^th-century Pennsylvania farmhouse with fruit tree-covered grounds, she started to make and sell jam. When she moved to central Florida, where estate sales and bee farms are abundant, producing new, beautiful, and functional things from readily available and inexpensive local resources—old china, for example, and beeswax—seemed appropriate. For Deva, it feels right and good to be making a community-driven product.

Three-tiered plate stand in vintage purple china pieces.

The multipurpose tiered stands are Deva’s hottest item. Used for serving, showing, and storing, they are a host’s favorite tabletop decoration, wonderfully accommodating hors d’oeuvres and small desserts.

All photos courtesy of Fresh Pastry Stand

Among other uses, Deva’s tiered stands fulfill a fashionista’s need to stylishly stow earrings and bangles. And for the space-saving obsessed, like me, these stands make great vertical desk organizers. A three-tier Fresh Pastry Stand server averages $140 plus shipping. For more, visit Fresh Pastry Stand.

Related:
Lamon Luther: Reclaiming Lumber… and Lives
Fireclay Tile: An Inventive Company Flush with Green Ideas
From Construction Site to Runway: The Loop Jacket

Fresh Pastry Stand: New Business from Old Housewares Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

The Inez Chevron table, totally on-trend, comes in a variety of sizes.

Compassion, faith, and hope are not intrinsically wired into the furniture business, but Lamon Luther, a fledgling manufacturer based in Douglasville, GA, might just set a new precedent for the industry.

Brian Preston, the company’s founder, is not only committed to designing super cool hand-crafted tables, benches, and bookcases from beautifully patinated reclaimed wood, he is dedicated to salvaging lives in the process. Preston hires homeless carpenters, building hope through employment.

Brian Preston, founder of Lamon Luther, is already inspiring others with his business model.

When Brian Preston first visited a tent village occupied by homeless men and rumored to be dangerous, he did not go with the expectation of recruiting talent for a start-up furniture company. Rather Preston, who had just turned 30, was beginning to question his purpose in life. He thought a new adventure that would test his personal comfort zone and contribute to humanity was a good idea, and that’s when he discovered a pool of jobless and skilled carpenters eager for an opportunity to work.

CNN film crew interviewing TC, the company's first hire.

Preston could totally relate to these men. Four years ago his construction and remodeling business, which had served Atlanta’s most affluent suburbs, tumbled along with the economy. He and his wife, April Lee, lost everything. “I know what it feels like to be broke and have nothing. I’ve been there,” he says.

Lamon Luther is currently headquartered in an old 3,500-square-foot landscape nursery in Douglasville, GA.

Ideas started to click and all signs pointed to building a mindful furniture brand, but the proposition was only feasible in the first place, because Preston himself has a talent for designing and build furniture. His wife attests, “Brian has always been extremely creative and talented when it came to building things with his hands. We actually began our marriage by remodeling a 1927 farmhouse! I enjoy showing him a picture of something and then have him make it.”

With a solid source for beautiful reclaimed wood and a staff of capable, hardworking carpenters, it didn’t take long for the company to find its groove.

Lamon Luther pays homage to the American craftsman. The company is named after Preston’s grandfather, an exceptional carpenter who built the house where Preston spent much of his boyhood. Preston says, “He used to say things like, ‘Come here. Let me show you what a tool can do.’”

The honest wood furniture that Preston designs today could have been made by his grandfather’s hand. It is mostly made with basic tools of the trade using time-tested practices and techniques.

For more on the company, check out the video below, and visit Lamon Luther:

For more on

Lamon Luther: Reclaiming Lumber… and Lives Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

The Biltmore Estate, Ashville, NC. Photo: Jane Dagmi

I recently toured The Biltmore in Asheville, NC—a 250-room estate on 8,000 acres, the largest private home built in America. It is architecturally splendid, wildly romantic, and absurdly luxurious.

Inspired by chateaux in France, George Vanderbilt hired architect Richard Morris Hunt to interpret his vision and Frederick Law Olmsted to landscape it.

Over six years, 1,000 men worked six days a week to complete the estate, with George Vanderbilt and his guests christening Biltmore on Christmas Eve 1895.

This was my first visit to the estate, and from the moment I glimpsed it, my heartbeat seriously raced. I was in awe of the scale, the scenery, and the lifestyle that it must have supported.

Here are six of the Biltmore’s most memorable architectural features:

The Grand Staircase at Biltmore Estate. Photo: Biltmore Estate

The Cantilevered Staircase.
Inspired by the staircase at the Chateau de Blois in the Loire Valley, Biltmore’s grand staircase is a marvel of physics built using counterbalance. The weight of each of the solid limestone slab steps is offset by the weight of the wall bearing down.

The chandelier in the Grand Staircase at Biltmore Estate. Photo: Biltmore Estate

The Massive Chandelier
There is a 1,700-pound electric light fixture suspended from the middle of the grand staircase. It hangs from a single bolt that runs through steel girders under the dome roof. The bolt has been replaced only once since the house was built. Wisely designed, the copper dome opens for easier access to the fixture.

The Biltmore's slate roof tiles and copper flashing. Photo: Jane Dagmi

Roof Tiles and Copper Flashing
The slate roof tiles were affixed one by one. Each piece was drilled at the corners and subsequently wired onto the attic’s steel infrastructure. Copper flashing was then installed at the junctions to prevent water from penetrating. The fanciful flashing on the ridge of the roof was embossed with George Vanderbilt’s initials and other natural motifs from his family crest. The original gold leaf no longer survives.

A gargoyle perched atop The Biltmore Estate. Photo: Jane Dagmi

Grotesques vs. Gargoyles
Originally found in 16^th century Italian grottoes, grotesques are stone-carved fantasy figures that often appear intertwined with floral ornament, either on the capitals of pillars or at the base of a truss. At Biltmore, they appear in abundance.

Gargoyles are bigger and project outwards from a wall. Though the Biltmore’s gargoyles are purely decorative, the usual purpose is to direct water away from a building. Thought to ward off evil spirits, they are strategically placed at lookout points around the exterior

Biltmore Estate's ornate limestone columns. Photo: Biltmore Estate

Patterned and Textured Limestone
Immense quantities of limestone were hauled in from The Hallowell Stone Company in Indiana, stored in sheds, and then cut into blocks. While some was left smooth, other surfaces were textured and carved. Vanderbilt wanted the sunlight to reflect off of his house in aesthetically pleasing and varied ways. Beyond striations, symbols from the family crests are also carved into the columns providing contrast, definition, and design value.

Guastavino vaulted tile ceiling at Biltmore Estate. Photo courtesy: Biltmore Estate

Guastavino Tile
Spanish architect and engineer Rafael Guastavino patented a self-supporting ceramic tile vault and arch system in the late 19^th century. The system—used extensively inside and outside at Biltmore—consists of layers of terracotta tiles set in a herringbone pattern into Portland cement. The tile master Gustavino personally supervised the work.

Rooftop view of Biltmore Estate. Photo: Jane Dagmi

If I could go back in time to spend just a few late-summer weeks in the North Carolina mountains, partying in the banquet room and pouring through some of the 10,000 books in Vanderbilt’s library; or creating flower arrangements from the gardens; or maybe even painting landscapes from a perch in the observatory, I most certainly would. But if visiting the past isn’t possible, I can always make a return trip to Biltmore in the near future.

For more on historic architectural style, consider:

Tour of Olana (VIDEO)
10 Ways to Bring Historic Style Home
Bob Vila’s Guide to Historic House Styles

The Biltmore Estate: A Brief Architectural Tour Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

For Paul Burns, Founder and Chief Ceramicist at Fireclay Tile, the deafening sound of crushing porcelain toilets is strangely melodious. The deconstruction of old and inefficient toilets gives Burns the strong stabilizer he needs to create Debris Series Recycled Tile, made from over 70% post- and pre-consumer waste. In finding a purpose for outdated plumbing fixtures, Fireclay Tile has diverted 150 tons of porcelain waste from landfill so far.

Burns had long had a habit of dialing for alternative usable waste and was accustomed to being hung up on. When he reached out to Michael Gross of Zanker Recycling in San Jose, the response was a pleasant surprise. In an interview on NPR, Gross says, “I’m always looking for local markets for my garbage and this is a nice niche for our toilets.” Gross anticipates crushing another batch of toilets for Fireclay later this year.

Before he began incorporating porcelain into eco-friendly tile, Burns had been working with other waste materials, such as granite dust from a neighboring industrial plant and glass dust from a bottle recycler.

Fireclay Vice President Eric Edelson notes that getting recycled materials was initially a challenge. He says, “For years we would trudge from place to place, asking for scrap materials that we thought might be useful for our tile, generally getting dismissed for being small and artistic.” This growing company, however, continues to prove itself as an environmental leader. Burns says, “Now that we have demonstrated success, the conversations have become easier.”

Fireclay's Debris Series' "Crashing Waves" concept

“I’m a scavenger,” says Burns. “Ever since I was young, I loved taking things, mixing them together, and seeing what I could create.” He started making tile at the age of 10, apprenticing with his uncle. By 15 Burns had enviable tile-making skills. At 28 he started Fireclay with three partners. Since 1986 the company’s mission has been to make beautiful and sustainable tile.

Debris was launched more than 12 years ago, after two years of trial and error. “Tile-making requires patience,” Burns advises. He is constantly tweaking the formula to include better waste materials. Due to its locally sourced recycled components, closed-loop manufacturing methods in a daylit factory with natural-gas kiln, and recyclable shipping supplies, Debris is a great choice for architects and designers and homeowners pursuing LEED.

Partial assortment of the gloss colors available from Fireclay's Debris Series Tile

Debris comes in 112 colors, solid or decorative, matte or shiny, smooth or sculpted, and in many shapes and sizes. Beyond interior designers and homeowners, corporate admirers such as Whole Foods, Google, and Ciao Bella appreciate Fireclay’s variety, quality, and mindful business practices. Retail prices for 4” x 4” and 3” x 6” tiles are $23.70/sq. ft.

To learn more about the process of making Debris Series Recycled Tile, view the video below. For more information on Fireclay Tile—the company and the products—click here.

For more on sustainability and reuse, consider:

Quick Tip: Recycle Building Materials
10 Reasons to Love Architectural Salvage
From Construction Site to Runway: The Loop Jacket

Fireclay Tile: An Inventive Company Flush with Green Ideas Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Design Manifest's Naomi and Andrew Stein

I love the concept of “the family business.” It has that old-world feeling of apprenticeship, with one generation picking up skills from another. But the family business is one built on trust and unconditional love. I am sure maintaining a family business is a supreme challenge at times, yet from my off-and-on research, I know that a family business can also deepen and strengthen bonds.

Meet Andrew and Naomi Stein—the father and daughter team at Design Manifest, a full service design firm with a top-notch construction and installation team, based just outside of Philadelphia. Andrew loves to build. He has been building things for 40 years. “Swinging the hammer is what I like best,” he says. Naomi, who studied marketing at Penn State and then got her interior decorating certification from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, has an adventurous spirit with a passion for design, decorating, and blogging. While she gets the relevance of function and durability, aesthetics are what truly fire her up.

Andrew Stein started the company in 1973. Then, the focus was on kitchen and bath design and construction. When Naomi joined the business in 2004, after submitting a written proposal detailing how she could improve the business, Design Manifest started to change and grow. Now the seasoned, honest, meticulous carpenter who always strives to do better and the talented, energetic, bold designer with fine-tuned social media skills are a one-stop shop. Naomi thinks it is the perfect pairing.

Photo courtesy: Design Manifest

Using excerpts from an interview, here’s a peek into their family business.

JD:  How’d you get to be such a good construction guy?

AS:  I’ve always been fascinated by how things work. When I was a child, I used to take things apart and put them back together. My dad was a hobby carpenter and often times I could see a better way to do something. I left home at a young age and somewhat by accident got a job in construction. I learned to swing a hammer installing furring strips on brick walls.

The first winter was harsh enough to make me question my choice of careers. I took a break and came back the next year with a job framing new houses. I learned the principles of modern framing and began to learn some of the complex math that is used to calculate stairs and rafters. Next job was with Otto, a master mason and European craftsman. After a few more jobs, I jumped into business on my own. When I would encounter a skill that I was not proficient at, I would find an expert and learn that skill. If there is one thing that makes me a “great” contractor, it is the fact that I am never satisfied. It is gratifying to continue to learn every day.

Photo courtesy: DesignManifest

JD:  Naomi, are you handy?

NS:  Hmmm, I’m inclined to say I’m not very handy, but that’s comparing myself to my father. Compared to the average Joe, I guess I’m a 7.  I can whip out a DIY or two… just don’t look too closely!

JD:  Would you recommend going into business with a parent or child?

AS:  I love being in business with my daughter. We have fun. We create some great spaces. We make our clients happy, and I trust her, and that is really important in any relationship.

JD:  Has the business strengthened your relationship?

NS:  We’ve become much better friends and I see him so much more. Growing up, my dad was running this business and supporting a wife and four children. I respect him in a whole new way and really appreciate how hard he worked and works to provide for his family.

Photo Courtesy: Design Manifest

JD:  That sounds so sweet. Tell me about the not-so-sweet stuff.

NS:  I’ve been known to be a little snappy with my dad and rely on him too much. A big challenge is to treat my father with the same respect and kindness and patience I would any co-worker—sounds obvious but sometimes we take for granted the ones we love. And I probably get away with much more since I’m related.

AS:  Sometimes I ask Naomi to take care of certain items and she blows me off. Only my daughter could get away with that!

JD:  What’s the best part of working with your dad?

NS:  I love landing new jobs and designing beautiful spaces and then watching him turn them into a reality. I love making our clients happy, but I also like to feel that my dad is proud of me.

Photo courtesy: Design Manifest

This blog is dedicated to my dad, Sheldon Z. Myers, who owned a couple of clothing stores, as did Bella, his mother, his Aunt Fanny, his Uncle Irv, and his brother, Sidney. My generation never made it into the family business, but I grew up amongst the racks and in my dad’s shops. I worked with him on weekends and during the summer. I loved working the shops, in particular the 9 a.m. wheeling and dealing “Shirts 2 for $5!” in the Italian market on a Sunday, accompanying my dad on buying trips to NYC, and watching him chat with the regular customers. Of course, I also loved choosing outfits for the window displays. The shop’s been gone a long time and now my dad is retired and spends his time on the golf course, in the garden, and antiquing with my mom. Sometimes if we’re out shopping together, he’ll point to a garment and start to share some piece-goods wisdom. “Jane, you see how they made the seam on those pants….” I like that.

Author Jane Dagmi with her father, Sheldon Z. Myers

Design Manifest: A Father’s Day Tribute Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

There’s a lot of product news to relay from Coverings, and I am going to start with a few spotlight-stealers that would make beautiful backsplashes. Gale Steves, author and trend spotter, believes the backsplash is often an afterthought for kitchen remodelers. I venture to say that the tiles below might actually drive the design and mood of the entire kitchen.

The Patchwork Backsplash
The tiles at Oscar & Izzy are exciting and unique, fun and folksy. The designer is Amy Mescia, a brand specialist who turned her talents from advertising to tile after being randomly invited to participate in an “Extreme Home Makeover.” Amy created this patchwork backsplash, which combines a love of modern and retro patterning with bright, happy color. Her simple and bold designs are printed atop Daltile solid ceramic tiles and are for indoor wall applications. A 4.25” square graphic tile is $20.00. Oscar & Izzy is named for her great grandfather and his wife.

Mirrored Backsplash
Artistic Tile’s Charleston Collection takes basic classic subway tile to a new level of glam. Each glass tile is hand-silvered in a meticulous way that gives the mirror an antique appearance. The 3″ x 6″ beveled tile is $91/sq. ft. Straight-edge tiles, 9″ x 18″, are also available for $70/sq. ft. Both styles are 3/16″ thick.

Three-Dimensional Backsplash
Remember when the world was flat? Well, the world of tile was flat once too, but companies are now manipulating materials to bend, twist, and curve. In collaboration with Giugiaro Design of Volkswagen fame, Mosaico+ launched Pulsar, a rounded and sintered glass tile that is ultra-slick and color-rich. There are four layouts and ten colors available for this extremely durable tile made from recycled glass.

Matte & Shiny Backsplash
The juxtaposition of satin and gloss-finish tiles creates an interesting optical effect; shiny tile pops as the matte ones appear to recede. Red Rock Tileworks explores this combination of sheens in the Tuxedo Zig Zag pattern, featuring a new parallelogram-shape ceramic tile that comes in 48 colors and costs $24 per linear foot.

It’s Hip to Be Square
Squares-within-squares were a dominant geometric theme at the show. The sculptural “Syncopation” motif at Lowitz & Company calls to mind mid-century Miami architecture. Under the direction of painter/designer Ted Lowitz, tile makers manipulate clay purely with their fingertips, pushing, pulling, and defining the design. Two white, matte glazes are offered with this collection and were especially developed to complement stone and marble.

Backsplash Designing Tool
Aside from the selection of stone, ceramic, porcelain and glass, make sure to check out Crossville’s interactive online backsplash design tool. Backsplash Builder allows the user to key in most of Crossville’s porcelain or glass tile designs, trying different patterns and colors. The user puts in project dimensions and then starts selecting tile and grout color.

For more on tile and kitchen backsplashes, consider:

DIY Network Backsplash Kit
Backsplash Idea: Faux Stone Re-Finish
The Backsplash: A Kitchen’s Most Underutilized Real Estate

5 Great Backsplash Ideas Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

2020 Alton inspires major drive-by gawking. Photo: John Patron

The luxurious super-green house underway at 2020 Alton Road in Miami Beach is moving right along on its way toward LEED Platinum certification. Outfitted with top-of-the-line, energy-efficient products and systems, this project—from the Florida Green Home Design Group—strives for superlative indoor air quality and net-zero energy use.

The current asking price for the two-story five-bedroom, solar- and wind-fueled, rainwater-harvesting, totally iPad-automated house is $2.2 million. Even now, before the decorative details and finishing touches have been completed, it’s easy to appreciate 2020 Alton Road, on track to become the smartest, safest, and most energy-efficient residence in town.

46 tempered glass solar panels occupy the roof. Photo: John Patron

THE ROOF:
Prior to installing the solar light tube and solar panels, the surface of the roof was treated with waterproofing, light-reflecting, and heat-reducing compounds by Lanco and Harris. The three-part system includes a clear primer, several coats of a black waterproofing material, and then a final coat of “Silicone Urethanizer”, which goes on bluish and ultimately turns white. Reflecting 78% of sunlight and boasting an emissivity level of 90%, the system is a relatively inexpensive green alternative, which keeps the roof feeling and looking cool.

iPAD AUTOMATION:
The electronic organization of the house is “cool and practical,” says Edwin Melendez, president of MultiMedia Innovations, the contractors hired to seamlessly integrate technology with lifestyle at 2020 Alton Road, “an eco-friendly tech savvy smart home that you can control from anywhere in the world with your handheld device.” Two dedicated iPads will seemingly float on the walls via magnetic induction, and all the house’s electronic systems, such as the five security cameras, alarm, thermostat, music, television, and solar and wind energy will be controlled via iPad, cell phone and computer.

INSULATION:
To say the house is well-insulated is an understatement. The ceiling has been insulated with six inches of ICYNENE open-cell spray foam; the exterior walls with three. It took one week and approximately 100 gallons of spray foam to insulate the house.

ICYNENE expands 50-100 times once it is sprayed. Photo: John Patron

In addition, general contractor Robert Arkin installed fiberglass wool insulation to enhance sound quality inside the house. “We don’t need to put it in,” says Arkin, knocking on one insulated wall and then on another that has yet to be insulated. “You can hear the difference!”

WINDOWS:
The high-performance CGI windows, built to withstand Category 5 hurricanes and to provide sound insulation from outdoor traffic, consist of two panes of impact-resistant glass separated by an air space.

Each window cranks open from the top. Photo: John Patron

A low-E coating reduces heat absorption. Prior to installation, the concrete window surround was sealed to prevent leaks.

LED LIGHTING:
The Florida Green Home Design Group worked with lighting expert Uli Petzold to design an efficient, functional, and dramatic lighting plan using Kreon USA LED fixtures.

Kreon’s LC22 fixture will hang in dining room. Photo: Kreon USA

Compared to an average household’s use of 7,000 watts with a 90% heat/10% light ratio, Kreon fixtures supply 700 watts of light with a 10% heat/90% light ratio. While a suspended fixture will hang in the dining room, the majority of fixtures slip into square, recessed niches placed close to the wall. Petzold explains, “The reflection off the wall amplifies the light output and you’ll need less lumen flow, which saves energy.”

New developments are happening faster than I can write, and completion is slated for June. Construction and installations have been basically smooth. Robert Arkin and Matt Lahn say they have had to make only minor revisions to the original plan. Arkin says with a smile, “In theory, what works on paper dot, dot, dot.” Architect Ari Sklar is pleased with the progress too. Since the project began, he has learned so much, and is amazed the quick pace of green technology. “Systems are getting better every few weeks,” he says.

To learn more about the making of 2020 Alton Road, check out the 2020 videos on You Tube, or visit the property’s website.

Related:
2020 Alton Road: Prime Green in Colorful Miami Beach
2020 Alton Road: Setting Sights on Greenest Home in America
Miami Beaches Newest Green Home Goes For Platinum

2020 Alton Road: Anatomy of a LEED Home Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

A view of the Monarch Hill landfill.

11-year-old Alex indulges in a cup of edible landfill.

Kids love to say, “I hate school.” As a parent and substitute teacher, I believe they say this because they often confuse the stress of school with the wonder of learning, and that they are actually quite thrilled with knowledge—especially if it is not force fed.

This colorful cup of confection, for example, represents the anatomy of our local landfill. Graham cracker crumbs, fruit rollups, and green coconut flakes symbolize the compacted soil, protective liners, and cover vegetation respectively.  The edible landfill makes science easy to digest especially for elementary school kids. It is one of the many fun hands-on educational activities tailored specifically for the 8-11 year old population at the Monarch Hill Landfill and Renewable Energy Park’s Earth Day open-house (see video below).

CYCER visits South Florida schools as part of Waste Management's outreach and educational programs.

For the third consecutive year, along with snow cones, hotdogs, and a bunch of bounce houses, Waste Management employees demonstrated eco-concepts—composting, ground water contamination, and energy creation—into interactive kid-friendly terms. It’s kind of like a game where each student earns stamps on a passport when they visit an educational and engaging demonstration. Once filled, they trade the passport in for a tee shirt.

“We want the students to come away with a clearer understanding of our environmentally sound practices and leading edge technology that produce enough clean, renewable electricity from waste to power more than 50,000 homes a day,” says Dawn McCormick, community Affairs Manager for Waste Management, owners of Monarch.

High school science teacher Deborah McDade with some of the Monarch High Environmental Club Volunteers.

High school science teacher Deborah McDade also wants to make learning hands-on and fun. She agrees that the fascinating world of environmental science isn’t always apparent in a textbook setting. McDade leads the Environmental Club at Monarch High and since taking over the Club two years ago has reenergized its mission of promoting environmental awareness.

Besides participating in a school-wide recycling program, the 135 Environmental Club students are also involved in county-wide events such as park restoration, beach clean ups, and tree give-away programs that also help accrue bundles of community service hours. “It takes a community effort,” she says, “but it has to start with the individual.”

St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School's Main Highway Pavilion was granted Gold LEED certification through the LEED School Program.

Each tyke who attends St. Stephens Episcopal Day School in Coconut Grove, a FL lives the green message daily in a healthy and natural-light infused LEED Gold school building. When Architect Jenifer Briley designed the new pavilion for SSEDS, besides doing all the things necessary to get LEED certified, she envisioned the building— constructed with indigenous and recycled materials and thoughtfully incorporating the existing native landscape—as a teaching tool. In-school programs such as school uniform recycling and student energy patrol serve to further instill a thoughtful and non-wasteful conscience. A link on the SSEDS website, totally devoted to living and learning green, is a wonderful reinforcement of it all.

For more on eco-conservation, consider the following Bob Vila articles and slide shows:
5 Simple Ways to Save Water at Home
Light Bulbs—The Shape of Things to Come
20 Ways to Go Green Today

How To: Make Kids Eco-Aware Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

After stomping the edges of newly laid sod, Liam Reade awaits his next task.

According to the City of Delray Beach, community service has no age requirement. At this weekend’s “Curb Appeal by the Block” project, volunteers as young as four came to paint, garden, and relish the natural high that comes from giving back. Liam Reade was the youngest volunteer among a group of 200 area residents who, over the course of the day, revitalized six homes that’d been in need of some TLC.

“Each year we go through neighborhoods and find one that has a need for improvement,” says Jennifer Costello, Neighborhood Planner for the City of Delray Beach. This year’s revitalization project focused on a series of concrete-block homes mostly built in the 60s and 70s. Lula Butler, Director of Community Involvement, describes the neighborhood as “challenging.” She explains, “There are tenants who participate in undesirable activities and then there are many wonderful families who have owned homes here for 30 to 50 years. This year we are dealing with special people at different phases of life, overcoming or living with challenges.”

Gail-Lee McDermott, chair of Neighborhood Advisory Council, holds up Pete Anuar’s landscape plan.

The event took months to plan and a good deal of money to finance. The search for a neighborhood in need began in October. “We like to do projects that have a number of homes in a cluster so we show impact on the neighborhood,” says Nigel Roberts, Neighborhood Services Administrator. The hope is that others will be inspired to follow suit.

Volunteers from Delray Beach Fire-Rescue and the U.S. Navy teamed up.

After the vetting process, each home’s façade and lot is evaluated. Delray Beach’s Parks and Recreation preps each lawn site, and before designing each landscaping plan, Pete Anuar, Senior Landscape Planner for Delray Beach, consults with the homeowners. This year, Anuar was apt to use low-maintenance plants such as Bromeliad, Crown of Thorns, Crinum Lily, and foxtail palms. Contractors, meanwhile, address exterior repairs.

Sponsorship is crucial. The Home Depot donated $5,000 plus a portion of supplies, The Community Redevelopment Agency contributed $1,200, and Behr donated the remainder of paint needed. The whole project—paint, plants, other landscaping materials, mailboxes, rollers, brushes, signage, breakfast, lunch, water galore, and event tee shirts—cost about $15,000.

Final Results: Team Depot created a great deal of curb appeal.

Of course nothing gets done, at least not in 5 hours, without plenty of volunteers. The Home Depot brought a team of 50, their orange shirts looking swell against the pale blue home they were servicing. There was lots of muscle on the scene too, compliments of the Delray Beach fire and police departments—and the US Navy. Church groups, the Boys & Girls Club, and city employees were also on hand. Entire families came, friends worked together, and students earned community service hours. It was heartwarming to watch an experienced painter teach technique to a young boy. People were sweaty and stained with mulch, but they were happy—dirt and discomfort diminished by the spirit of do-gooding.

For a visual chronicle of the event, don’t miss the Curb Appeal by the Block: Event Photo Gallery

Building Community: A Scene from Delray Beach Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com