The sister of a fellow retail-refugee from Pacific Grove approached me the other day about borrowing some “Green” product for a trade show she was doing in Monterey about sustainable products in design.  Since I’ve known Sally Russell since her days owning a shop on Forest while we were toiling away at The Grove Homescapes on Lighthouse, I figured that whatever her sister Hilary wanted to borrow was fine by me.

The funny thing about the trendiness of the term “Green” is that lots of us in the home furnishings world have for YEARS been selling product that falls under that newish heading.

Ahh, to be ahead of the curve.

And since the newly-coined “Green” label is applied to long-term business models, there’s WAY more style available…it’s not just all hemp as people assume.  Haven Magazine did a spread on the new uses of bamboo in home furnishings and we did a chart a while back to point out the items in Homescapes that were actually made of bamboo.

Anyway, Hilary is an interior designer who works under the title, “The Green Goddess” and I’ll let her do her own “shout out” below:

Goddess Interiors of Carmel created an inspiring booth at the Monterey Sustainable Business Showcase on Thursday, April 30, 2008.  Hilary Russell, creator of Green Goddess Interiors, used very stylish and chic home furnishings, accessories, and plants from Homescapes Carmel.

Her goal was to show customers that they can have a very attractive interior for their home or business that is healthy, using zero or the least amount of VOC’s,  (Volatile Organic Compounds) which are toxins known to cause health risks in humans.  She wanted to get her message out to customers interested in designing their homes or businesses in an environmentally-friendly manner, that they don’t have to compromise on color, or style, or resort to having an unhealthy toxic interior.

Hilary Russell, is a Certified Green Building Professional, through Build it Green, and is a member of the USGBC,(United Stated Green Building Council).  In addition, Hilary sits on the Monterey Peninsula’s Chamber of Commerce Sustainable Committee, which is active in helping businesses on the Monterey Peninsula to incorporate green practices and preserve the lovely environment here on the Peninsula.

Green Goddess Interiors provides Eco-Design Consultation and Interior Design Services to create healthier living environments. She may be reached at 831-915-9685.

.