April, 2011
INTERIOR DESIGN REPORT
reimagine LAURA BIRNS DESIGN
LOCALLY DESIGNED eco-friendly furnishings that also are locally manufactured are not an everyday occurrence. It's a LOT of work to make it work, but Laura Birns, a San Diego designer for more than 20 years, has managed to accomplish the feat. With a whirling-dervish kind of energy, she has been building her Laura Birns Design eco-furnishings collection for the last 12 years. Her enthusiasm knows no limits.
The acronymns after this ASID designer's name (LEED AP ID+C) attest to her seriousness in the green field (though she's far from the only one). She has been named a "Top Ten Green Guru" by Innovative Home and won best of market at the High Point, North Carolina, spring furniture market last April. She is a member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council and the USGBC (Green Building Council) and can speak to the difficulties within the field globally when it comes to infighting and politics.
Birns' furniture is well made and finished, and while sophistication is her goal there's also a certain amount of wit packed into some of the shapes. Seen on paper, the product names take on a slight sit-com or reality show kind of moxie. Marj, the bamboo table on wheels, when wheel-less becomes a coffee table so strong you can sit on it; the mother/daughter dining tables, referring to their size, are named Carmella (mother), and Sofia (daughter).
FSC (Forest Stewardship Certified) woods and veneers, formaldehyde- free cores, low-VOC glues and adhesives and waterborne sealer and stains are de riguer for this furniture designer. Upholstery uses soy-based foam wrapped in natural down, Green Guard PVC-free"leather" and other eco-friendly textiles with no heavy metal dyes. For her Z table, the laminate top is 77-percent recycled material and 100-percent post-consumer waste. Sometimes it almost seems like TMI to the shopper. Birns' interior-design business has been a good way to promote her collection but even when it's not furniture, she's likely to design a front door with all these eco-friendly and sustainable products.
Currently some of the collection is on the floor at Space san diego, Beverly and Phil Feldman's showroom downtown that specializes in contemporary urban furnishings for small spaces. Perfect fit.
February 8, 2010
LauraBirnsDesign Eco-Furnishings has been invited to participate in the juried area “Salon” at Market Square for the April, 2010 High Point Furniture Show. This area will showcase the best design-driven home furnishings in the marketplace. Every company invited to participate in SALON has been carefully selected and screened by a jury of retailers and designers.
Named one of the top “10 Green Gurus” by Innovative Home Magazine, Laura Birns, LEED AP ID+C, ASID, has been a leader in eco-friendly design and sustainable practices for the past 10 years. Nationally published, her award winning designs have developed into what is now known asLauraBirnsDesign Eco-Furnishings. Committed to excellence in design and eco-friendly practices, these furnishings redefine sophisticated fine design.
LauraBirnsDesign Eco-Furnishings are all made in the United States. We offer a wide selection of Green Guard Certified textiles. Our woods, veneers and reconstituted veneers are all FSC or SGS certified. All finishes are water based, solvent free. All glues are low/no voc. All furniture and finishes are formaldehyde free. All cushioning uses renewable, soy-based foam and are wrapped in 100% recycled fibers. We offer a wide selection of Green Guard Certified textiles.
All LauraBirnsDesign Eco-Furnishings are made with love. Our mantra atLauraBirnsDesign Eco-Furnishings is: "InnovatExpresSustainablEco-ExcellenceInDesign" The difference is in the details. The quality of our product is naturally obvious.
November 9, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE !!!!!
LauraBirnsDesign Eco-Furnishings, llc, has been awarded a commission to design and manufacture a new Eco-Transitional furnishing line.
In this uniquely stylized collection are upholstered furnishings and case goods. The upholstered pieces include sofas, lounge chairs, over sized ottoman, (2) different styled dining chairs, upholstered bed surround, (2) headboards.
A molded dining table, made of reconstituted mahogany, with an oval glass top, a variety of side and end tables, bedroom dresser with coordinated bedside tables, will be part of the Eco-Transitional line.
An array of custom designed pillows is also part of this collection. The Eco-Transitional line will be available early January 2010.
This sophisticated furnishing collection is constructed with attention to detail and adheres to strict sustainable manufacturing practices.
All fabrics for the upholstered line used are made from organic or recycled materials. Most have Green Guard ratings. All wood frames are FSC certified and all padding and fills are either soy based or wool felt.
The case goods are formaldehyde and petroleum free. All stains are water based with low or no-voc ratings. All veneers are FSC certified and are reconstituted.
The upholstered line meets California Fire resistance codes. All manufacturing is done locally in California.LauraBirnsDesign Eco-Furnishings perfects the blending of form and function for fine contemporary furnishings, and now, transitional furnishings.
It is a wholesale line, sold to the trade only.
Working with and researching materials that qualify as sustainable, is a challenge worth our time and energy … after all, human energy is a renewable resource.
