In the past, plywood has carried with it the connotation of being unsophisticated and unfinished but as it happens so often in the design world, a traditional idea is turned on its head and creative designers show us, with the right styling and in the right environment, that the familiar can take on a whole new look.

Using plywood on entire walls can be difficult to pull off unless you are paneling a Scandinavian woodland retreat, but in small doses it can be quite approachable.

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When I look at this picture, I'm reminded of "The Wave" formation in Arizona's Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. But these undulating lines come from much further away — the isles of Indonesia, where sustainable wood manufacturer Indo Teak reclaims its exquisite teak flooring. More photos below: More

There are very few days from September through May when you'll see me without a scarf around my neck. Despite this partiality, I'd never thought of showcasing selections from my collection the way stylist Emily Chalmers has. More

Brooklyn to West's Ariele has done it again. In my opinion, she's the junkyard, dumpster diving, demo-ed house DIY Queen. This gal finds discarded household materials throughout Brooklyn and transforms them into artistic, thoughtful, and beautiful everyday objects. Most recently, she's taken floorboards and changed them into cheese boards. Genius? YES! More

Tropical hardwoods are often used for outdoor decks because they are naturally resistant to rot and insects. Lasting up to 50 years, they're often seen as a smarter choice over less durable woods or chemically-treated lumber. Unfortunately, the ways in which these hardwoods are obtained is not always the most sustainable. That's why I was excited to learn about Black Locust, a similar wood that can be harvested more responsibly. More

Sustainable lumber company Kirei recently announced the debut of Windfall, a beautiful new addition to its line for 2012. Made from deconstructed buildings, Windfall is a reclaimed wood engineered panel that can be used for wall coverings, casework, signage, and similar applications. More

Specialty: Smart building products based on health, performance and sustainability.

Price Range: ($$) Mid-Range

Austin residents now have an alternative to the larger, more well-known hardware stores: TreeHouse. Built on the principles of providing healthy, sustainable, affordable and long-lasting products for the home, residents with all sorts of projects will be able to find what they need here. More

I recently came across a very hip bathroom renovation project in Portland (via Jetson Green). It's hard to believe this is the same bathroom! More

CHIP is a prefab, net-zero solar-powered house designed and built by a student-run team from two Southern California schools, SCI-Arc and Caltech, for the 2011 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011. See the results of the 2-year design, after the jump. More

Contractors say, on every building or renovation project, people always want three things: inexpensive, fast and good. At Re-Nest, we always say that projects should also be eco-friendly. The answer to this is recycled rubber. Versatile and abundant, rubber can be used for everything from roofing to flooring and many things in between. Read more...

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