Cutting edge homes incorporating bamboo floors

Architects and designers in search of new ways to create spaces that are both stylish and ecologically sound are increasingly turning to bamboo as their material of choice.

Bamboo panels and floors are being used in cutting-edge homes across the country due to their environmental sustainability and the wide range of looks and textures that they can add to various rooms.

Seattle-area prefab home blends in with its surroundings

Vashon Island, located in the Puget Sound southwest of Seattle, offers residents some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. Surrounded by such stunning natural attractions as Mt. Rainier and Olympic National Park, it has been an aspirational choice for generations of Pacific Northwest residents.

Surrounded by so much natural beauty, it’s no wonder that someone moving onto the island would look for a home that both captures its environment and blends in with the landscape. Curbed Seattle tells the story of one couple who was looking for that combination, and found it, when they recently moved into a prefabricated home on the island.

The model the couple went with afforded several customizable options that allowed them to take full advantage of the view, most notably an east-facing 60-foot-long wall of windows. And in true Pacific Northwest style, they also opted for several environmentally sustainable elements.

Chief among those were the bamboo floors they had installed, which did an astounding job of preserving the theme of Puget Sound’s remarkable beauty while also providing a resilient, sustainable material that the new homeowners can feel comfortable knowing didn’t contribute to cutting into the hardwood preserves of their home state.

Michigan home’s kitchen sets the standard

According to The Detroit Free Press, David and Amy Palmer wanted to create the kitchen of their dreams when they designed and built their contemporary home in Birmingham, Mich., about 15 miles north of Detroit.

Starting with a jaw-dropping view of an area where the Rouge River flows through their property, which they took advantage of by building a wall of windows that overlooks the ravine, the couple built out their kitchen with a clean, simple design that kept the focus on the outdoor space.

In addition, they incorporated several different materials throughout the room, including the installation of bamboo floors that blend in perfectly with the view and are actually harder than the traditional wood alternatives.

With modern design examples like these, it’s easy to see why bamboo has become such a popular option in building and design, and as people become more aware of how its fast regenerative quality makes it such an environmentally conscious option, it will surely experience even wider adoption.