Doing Your Living Room In Green

You don't have to sacrifice looks or comfort to decorate your home with eco-friendly furniture and accessories.

Kris Connell of Real Simple magazine proved it on The Early Show Monday, showcasing numerous items that could help you create the ultimate "green" living room. All are environmentally-friendly, right down to a picture frame!

She pointed out that the ways you can make youre home greener go way beyond just changing the light bulbs:

Zio Sofa and Davenport Ottoman

All Cisco Home products utilize non-toxic natural glues, organic fabrics, latex foam, wool battling and renewable woods certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, an international agency that creates forest-management guidelines. Ciscobrothers.com
About Zio sofa:
From the habita collection, this sectional sofa is 86w x 29h x 41d; 8-way hand tied; seat and back: feather cloud fill: 50 percent feathers, 45 percent down, 5 percent poly $4,500
About Davenport ottoman:
This ottoman is 48w x 21h x 48d and features exposed maple wood frame with an antique walnut stain; upholstery: 100 percent linen; Amadio tobacco grade G $1,600

Alena Hemp Pillow, $49.95

Eco-friendly flanged pillows in a range of handsome earth tones are woven entirely of sustainably-harvested hemp. No chemicals and only certified organic dyes are used in the finishing process of the unexpectedly soft and lustrous twill-weave fabric. 100 percent hemp, feather-down insert, hidden zipper closure, machine-wash the removable cover, imported fabric dyed and finished in the USA. Crateandbarrel.com

Bora Bora Starfish Broadloom Carpet, $800

Achieve a distinctive element of texture in a room with the 100 percent jute rugs in the Bengal collection. Jute's soft, flexible yarns provide a cushiony feel underfoot, while the warm, undyed shades of brown showcase beautiful natural variation. Woven in India on semi-automatic looms, these thick, bold weave structures lend a handcrafted look to this unique collection. Natural, undyed jute varies in color from light tans to light browns. Each rug will show this entire color range. In time, all jute exposed to sunlight will change in color. Because all products in the Bengal Collection are handcrafted with unusually thick yarns, there will be more bowing and skewing than we find in machine woven broadloom.
meridameridian.com

Jute (also known as burlap) is a rough fiber made from the stems of a tropical Old World plant, used for making twine and rope or woven into sacking or matting. Jute is renewable and recyclable. It is biodegradable and non-toxic. It is reusable and extremely strong, durable, and flexible. Jute compliments the eco-wave in fashion as a natural material having an earthly color.

Eco Light Bulb, $15 Brookfield Floor Lamp, $130

These vintage-inspired lamps each use a 26 watt bulb (included) that lasts 10,000 hours and boasts 150 watts of light. Lamp head tilts and rotates. Counterbalanced handle raises and lowers to put the light where you need it. Features a glare reduction system. Aged bronze finish. Imported.
Gaiam.com

Java Logs, $2
Utilize renewable, natural vegetable wax, 100 percent recycled packaging, saves trees, diverts 10 Million KG/year of coffee waste from landfills. With just one match, you can light both sides of the wrapper, then sit back and watch your fire grow. Burns two-to-three hours -- the same amount of time as other five-poind fire logs. Eight-times less Creosote, making it safer for chimneys and clean-burning) Source: OMNI Consulting Services, Inc. Five-times cleaner particulate matter, meaning they create less air pollution and less carbon monoxide. Java-log.com

Bioshield Natural Paint, $42.00

BioShield Paint is your natural choice for non-toxic, no voc (low voc) environmentally safe paints, stains, finishes and household cleaners. Bi0Shield manufactures eco-friendly products for the home derived from natural and easily-renewable resources without harmful chemicals, toxins, or additives. Core product lines include water-based wall finishes, paints and pigments, and natural oil-based floor and furniture finishes and waxes.

Curtain Panels, $43 for two

Energy-saving window coverings. Fusing fashion with function, these insulated window coverings handsomely complement existing decor while helping preserve precious energy resources. With a heavy-duty sueded liner that keeps cold drafts and sweltering heat out, they're an affordable way to help keep your utility bill from going out of control. Imported.
Gaiam.com

Salvaged Wood Nesting Tables, $289

These distinctive tables achieve their character and appeal from weathered hardwood salvaged from old houses, so don't be surprised to see carvings from another era etched into their surfaces. Each uniquely textured top sits on a steel base and is sturdy enough to double as a stool. The tables nest to create a slim footprint they're not being used. Their versatility makes them indispensable next to a sofa or bed.
VivaTerra.com

Antiqued Mango Wood Frame, $10

Showcase a favorite photo in this exotically beautiful frame, and bring beauty and dignity to the lives of disadvantaged artisans in India. Frame is carved from sustainable mango wood that is first burnt, then painted with white clay-without the use of chemicals. Gaiam.com

Reading Stand, $28

This item is actually for magazines, but Connell used it for the java logs.
From a fair trade group: Read more comfortably and bring beauty and dignity to the lives of disadvantaged artisans in India. Let our elegant Reading Stand hold your favorite book while you enjoy hands-free reading. Hand-carved in India in a pattern of leaves and flowers from sustainably harvested mango wood that is burnt, then buffed and painted with white clay in a chemical-free process. Gaiam.com

Bamboo Basket Weave Throw, $79

We would suggest that you not wrap yourself in this absolutely irresistible throw unless you intend to cuddle up for an unhurried respite. Its bamboo fiber basket weave is that soft and welcoming. Lightweight yet warm, it protects against drafts, drapes like a dream, and snuggles in its stylish embrace. VivaTerra.com