Shopping Sustainably with Green Tangerine

By Beth Whiffen
January 25, 2010

As trendy as the term is, "green," at least in some minds, is often at odds with glamour. LEED AP certified interior designer and eco-home accent shop owner Dianne Kraus is out to make green the new black. Her specific brand of sustainable opulence is gaining ground in the Los Angeles interiors scene: She designed homey-yet-posh, sustainable interiors for PR firm Bollare and boutiques Violet Grace and Il Primo Passo (now folded), and her nearly carbon footprint-less L.A. concept shop Green Tangerine showcases her own environmentally friendly creations as well a curated selection of eco products from other leaders in the field. “I want to change the green-equals-granola idea that pops into people’s heads when they hear the word eco-friendly,” she says. “If you know the right materials to use, green design can be just as hip and sophisticated as anything else out there. It’s all about finding a different approach.”

That approach was honed by years spent as a hospitality designer for Kelly Wearstler Interior Design, where she worked alongside the renowned interior designer [see our interview with Kelly Wearstler here] to create the luxe looks of the Viceroy hotels. She then moved on to architecture giant Gensler, where she helped launch the hotel interiors division. (She is also now spearheading the greening of Gensler’s hotel interiors projects.)

While not all of Kraus's projects were sustainable, she began to see how she could implement green techniques and décor into her designs. She decided to open Green Tangerine to fill that niche. The store, which opened its doors in July 2009, has zero carbon footprint. In constructing the adorable 98 square foot space, Kraus maintained the floors from the previous owner, used no-VOC paint and added recycled wood shelving. "The most effective green designs are not always about remodeling but working with what you have or what you can find and design in a new way so it looks sophisticated" Kraus says.

During her time as hospitality designer for Kelly Wearstler Interior Designer, Kraus worked on the Viceroy Anguilla, left. As a LEED AP certified interior designer, she designs sustainable interiors such as this one for boutique Violet Grace, right.

Green Tangerine, which is located in Brentwood, is open on weekends and by appointment only. The décor changes seasonally. When the store opened last summer, the concept was "beach," and everything inside was an eco-friendly version of what to bring to the beach, including towels, tote, journals, pencils and more. Currently, the theme is "Reinvent," and the space is filled with thoughtful merchandise like silver and black doormats that are made from recycled food wrappers and recall Studio 54; painted glass water bottles; recycled wallets and journals; and sustainable wall coverings, countertop materials and recycled plastic shelving materials for renovation projects. There's even a reflective wall covered entirely in sheets of scrap metal.

Since leaving the aughts behind gives us all an excuse for reinvention, we shopped eBay with Kraus to find the coolest eco-chic items that satisfy her "R's" for gorgeous green living.

GREEN TANGERINE EBAY PICKS:

REUSE

Kraus Creation, left: "What better way to accessorize an eco-friendly retail space than by reusing old fashion and photography books, vintage jewelry, and found artwork as display props. I love reusing things that reflect the client’s personal style and tell a compelling (green) story. For this boutique, I used fashion books from the owner's collection to add height and interest to the shoe displays."

eBay Find, right: Dolce Vita Style by Jean-Pierre Dufreigne (buy it now price, $9.95): Search for books with intersting covers (and topics of interest to you) at old bookstores, flea markets and on eBay.

REINVENT

Kraus Creation, left: "I took a formal dining table and reinvented it as an executive desk for this savvy PR exec whose job is all about image. This glam office space is green, but feels like the private dining room of a hip restaurant where high-powered deals are done."

eBay Find, right: Dining Suite with Table and 6 Chairs (buy it now price, $489.30) The cream lacquer on this table gives it the feeling of a vanity, but paired with the right furniture, it can look posh in an office setting.

REPURPOSE

Kraus Creation, left: "A cool idea is to repurpose wine glasses into candlesticks. Of course, you must use bees wax candle! [They are all-natural and burn clean.] These are my favorite invention thus far for 2010, and they are available at Green Tangerine. To make them, I stacked the glasses and glued the rims and bases together. They look so elegant and no two are alike. Multiples look best and they are now a signature piece in all of my 2010 interiors."

eBay Find, right: Set of Six Vintage Crystal Wine Glasses (buy it now price $79.99): The cross-hatch cuttings on the glass will reflect the candlelight beautifully.

RECYCLE

Kraus Creation, left: "I framed several pages of vintage stamps that I found on eBay and hung them around a mirror on Green Tangerine's boutique's scrap metal wall. There's a pop-art feel to this that I love. I think a collage of framed stamps looks best, and you can even create a theme. The more the better—it’s another way to tell a personal story."

eBay Find, right: Set of Eight Marilyn Monroe stamps (buy it now price, $15): Frame a sheet of these Marilyn Monroe stamps next to these of Elvis.

RECREATE

Kraus Creation, left: "Turn plates into timepieces. I love the look of stacking multiple dishes and knowing what time it is all over the world. These clocks are available at Green Tangerine, but to make them yourself, just drill a hole in the center of a plate and install a small, battery operated clock."

eBay Find, right: Souvenir plate (buy it now price, $9.99): A souvenir plate is a quirky choice. Find one from somewhere you loved going to as a child.

RECOVER

Kraus Creation, left: "You probably never thought you’d see the glamorous days of Hollywood Regency combined with 1970s [style] hemp. Well, think again: this Green Tangerine creation looks fabulous and is 100 percent natural and non-toxic. I bought the chair from a flea market and recovered it myself. Hemp fabric is affordable, and I love its casual feeling juxtaposed with the sexy Regency silhouette.

eBay Find, right: Hollywood Regency chairs (sold For, $113.50) Give these chairs an all-natural (and less fussy) look by recovering with simple hemp cotton fabric."

REVAMP

Kraus Creation, left: "Give those old rock ‘n roll concert t-shirts new life. I cut up one I found in the back of my closet and made it into a pillow. Make your own and display them on the patio or in the den where they make great conversations pieces. Maybe they’ll even inspire a serenade. They’re a fun accessory to add whimsy to any home and cost next to nothing."

eBay Find, right: Van Halen Rock ‘n roll tee; (buy it now price, $17): Search "concert tee" on eBay and come up with loads of options, from KISS to Bob Marley to ZZ Top.