I saw that dresser at a motel in Big Sur. The motel has recently been refurbished using green design - and it was such a great place to stay!! I highly recommend it!

Glen Oaks Big Sur
http://www.glenoaksbigsur.com/

I like the concept and I can see how a number of the pieces could be a genuine asset to certain styles of interiors, but I can't say any one piece really stood out.

I love the Santos bed as pictured on their web site. I'll definitely swing by the store, but in order not get my hopes up too high, any idea on whether that bed is under $2K? That table is gorgeous!

For those of you in the Baltimore area, you can buy Environment furniture (and plenty of other great eco-friendly goods) at Bluehouse on Fleet Street (Disclaimer: a good friend of mine owns it).

InBklyn - The Queen size of the Santos bed is $2600.

Natrona sells these pieces as well and I'm going out on a limb here and say that they're probably less expensive at Natrona vs. ABC

anne - this is EFI's new showroom next to ABC. They have their own retail space, now. Cool to know they are at Natrona too!

Actually, I went by Natrona the other day to look for this reclaimed wood furniture since I LOVE it. I was curious the cost. But, Natrona is getting rid of it, now that there's the store I guess. So, soon the only place to get it will be the Environment store on Broadway. But, that store is GORGEOUS. It?s worth a visit. And, the furn is even better in person.

I stopped by the new store the other day as I have always been curious about the furniture ever since my friend bought a piece.

So... I went..the sales man Robert explained to be that the wood is from reclaimed barns etc from Brazil, but pieces are fabricated in Indonesia. He went on about how the company is "green" etc...the whole time I was listening, I am wondering to myself how green can shipping wood from Brazil to Indonesia and then back to America be? So whatever, they aren't really green, i can get over that, just seems like false advertising to me.

Then I started asking about the quality of the product... the wood is veneer and is glued (with green glue?) to the substrate particle board / MDF. This explains why my friend was happy the day he bought it, but unhappy 4 months later when the glue wasn't holding and you could actually see the piece splitting apart and the MDF exposed. The big drawers are nice, but the mechanisms are very poor, put a bunch of clothes in them and hey barely open.

Overall, looks nice, but not sure how long it will last. I know Natrona Furniture nearby carried their pieces at were at the time I went less expensive than the "direct form the manufacturer store" Though, this might have been a sale as I don't think they carry them anymore. When I spoke to Natrona about the product they mentioned there were quality issues and to replace a product would take 12-16 weeks. ABC sale woman (hardcore green) said she wasn't too find of the product, and was fine to see it go.

Lovely space and central location.

Anyone own a piece or thinking of buying one?

ross, i went to the store yesterday and asked if anything anywhere in their furniture is made of particle board. he said only the drawers, everything else was solid or veneer over solid. not 100% sure he knew what he was talking about tho.

i am interested in one of their consoles. Can you tell me what piece your friend purchased that had the peeling veneer?

thanks for your helpful post.

Actually, High Fashion Home carries a ton of Environment Furniture pieces. Environment makes absolutely gorgeous furniture. I know my brother bought the Laurel Dining Table from them. It looks absolutely stunning. Add in the bonus of it be eco-friendl, it makes for a beautiful statement piece.

http://highfashionhome.com/furn_dining.asp

I recently bought the Santomer coffee table (which can be seen on the High Fashion Home Site), and love it so far. As far as I can tell, it is made of solid wood, with the peroba wood veneer (about 1/4" thick pieces) over the surface. It was $1000, which was advertised as 25% off list price. I am in Toronto and got it at Barrymore, which carries a selection of Environment Furniture.

Granted, it is not as "green" as if it were made domestically, but it does seem greener than being made overseas from non-renewable materials like a lot of furniture these days.

Here in Toronto, Urban Tree Salvage (urbantreesalvage.com) does make interesting pieces from locally reclaimed wood, so I imagine there must be similar shops in other areas.

Hi from Spain,

We bought a santomer dinning table and the bed and we are very disapointed with the way the company has been dealing with us from Ireland.
Really late, no information, and after complaining no answers untill you get angry.
Very good pieces of furniture but not happy with the deal.
As always I shouldn't pay untill the service is done.

Veeery disapointed.

Hello from Florida -

I am a designer down here and literally own an entire HOUSE full of Environment furniture and LOVE every piece of it! The quality is fantastic; very solid pieces. Of course there have been some minor issues here and there with hinges, or door closures, but you will find this with most furniture....I know, I've purchased enough in my day. The company has always rectified any issues I've had immediately. They have a very helpful staff in L.A. and I just can't say enough good about them. Also, as far as veneer, I have not noticed any issues with veneer AT ALL. For those of you not familiar with the furniture industry; almost ALL furniture nowadays is made with veneer. I agree with most posts above that I wish this were made in the United States because I believe in employing here in the states, unfortunately that is not the case anymore; almost all furniture is made overseas now. I hope this helps to anyone who was considering this line.

It was mentioned earlier and I think it needs to be mentioned again....

Though it is a noble practice to use materials from so-called "reclaimed barns from Brazil" a company is not green based solely on where its materials originated. To ship the wood from Brazil to Indonesia and then ship the furniture to places all over the world is about the least "green" business model I can think of. Unless their boats are powered by oar?

It's a classic case of "greenwashing" or making yourself sound/look greener than you actually are. It's a gimmick and all types of companies are getting away with it because the general public's understanding of what it means to be "green" is still in its infancy. There's nothing sustainable about materials and products that are shipped all over the world regardless of where you found/harvested the materials. If you want to be truly "green" and do right by the environment buy your furniture from a local builder using local materials and non-toxic glues and finishes. Stay "small" and keep your perspective regional.

There are MANY talented and ethical sustainable furniture designers/builders all over the country now so there should be no lack of talent wherever you live. Try Google or Craigslist to locate a designer/builder in your area. ;)

One final thought: Brazil and Indonesia aren't exactly known for ethical labor practices...