Text by: Kathryn Pritchett

Designer Jennifer Gilmer created a contemporary kitchen with a Zen-like feel using eco-friendly materials. “Wherever we could, we used sustainable materials,” says Gilmer about her design for this 276 square foot kitchen in Bethesda, Maryland. For example, the cabinets are made from Columbia Forest Products’ PureBond hardwood plywood that is manufactured utilizing a formaldehyde-free adhesive derived from food-grade soy flour and a wet strength resin used in printed currency and milk cartons.  For the cabinet stain Gilmer chose Aqualente finish which is a GREENGUARD certified, low VOC, non-yellowing, self-sealing, easy sanding, pre-catalyzed water borne clear coating for interior wood surfaces. Other green kitchen design elements include using domestic black walnut and a custom mixed stain using AFM Safecoat DuroStain. The cabinets were created by Andrew Daum / Victory Woodworking of Canaan, New Hampshire.