The following are some ideas and products that will not only provide you with quality, sustainable products to remodel your home and keep it beautiful for a long time but also take the greater question of sustainability into account.

Bamboo Flooring:
Bamboo has been used for centuries for many purposes, including as a construction material and a home decorating substance. Recently it has begun to be used as a hardwood flooring material. It is a very hard wood, especially when seasoned, perfectly comparable to more traditional hardwoods like oak and maple. It is made by steaming bamboo pieces, flattening them, gluing them together vertically, horizontally or by twisting the strands, finishing it much like a regular hardwood and cutting it into pieces. Bamboo can be harvested safely every 4-5 years and grows stubbornly in many different environments, making it easy to cultivate and harvest without damage to the environment. In your home, it does not need to be refinished as often, it is water resistant and it has some bounce, making it good for your feet and back. Bamboo floors come natural and look similar to beech in color, or carbonized, a slightly softer variety more reminiscent of oak. And bamboo hardwood flooring is beautiful, to boot.

Cork Flooring:
Cork comes from the bark of the Quercus suber tree, stripped from it about every 9 years in a safe manner that does not affect the tree or its functions. It is ground up then pressed into sheets with a non toxic resin. Cork floors are bouncy, making them good for you knees and back, naturally anti-allergenic, insulating for both heat and sound and durable. Although they are softer than many hardwoods, cork floors can be used as vigorously and for just as long with minor precautions like putting furniture pads beneath furniture legs, for example. They come in many shades and can also be painted, making the design options virtually limitless.