Eco-Chic Products Enhance Outdoor Living

Author: Roberta Landman

Issue: October, 2011, Page 44

EARTH AND FIREAs the Southwest cools down from months of torrid heat, we are taking to the cooler climes of our own backyards.

For many, watching the flames of a fire is part of the lure of outdoor living, and Stone Forest makes it tantalizingly appealing with the company’s fire pits for pool and garden environs. With fire bowls made of hand-carved and chiseled granite, these niceties are eco-friendly by nature—given that stone is “made” by Mother Nature.

Among several choices is the Helios Fire Vessel (pictured). The fire feature is fueled either by natural or propane gas. Stone Forest has kits for setting up the fire elements.

The products can be obtained locally through The Studio at Central Arizona Supply in Scottsdale, (480) 922-9191. To learn of dealers in your area, call Stone Forest at (888) 682-2987; for further details, visit stoneforest.com.

CHAIR FLAIRThe Novecento outdoor armchair from Eurotrend Furniture, LLC, could turn out to be a conversation starter at your next party. A fusion of Contemporary and Victorian styling with chunky curvaceous arms and straight lines, the seat also is environmentally friendly.

Designer Vicente Soto created the recyclable polypropylene piece with the idea of reintroducing the romance of a long-past era into today’s garden settings, but with a recognizable 21st-century modern twist. The chair (Model 900) comes in white, red or a deep coal hue. A matching side table (Model 901) also is available. For online purchasing information, visit eurotrendusa.com, or call (800) 689-1020.

BOOKSHELFYour garden may be green, but that doesn’t mean your growing methods are. High-Impact, Low-Carbon Gardening: 1,001 Ways to Garden Sustainably (Timber Press) highlights basic differences between eco-friendly landscapes and traditional yards.

A garden designer herself, author Alice Bowe says sustainable gardens reduce carbon dioxide in the air by using the gas for photosynthesis. Green spaces also moderate the heat-island effect by providing insulation in winter and shade in summer.

Bowe suggests starting by planting a tree (or two) to create shade, color and privacy, but emphasizes the need to plant according to climate to reduce water waste. —LeeAnn DiSanti