Green House

Some people save up for that BMW convertible. Others splurge on designer clothing...well, I can't wait to completely redesign my kitchen. It'll be ridiculously pimped out, wait and see. I've got my heart set on hanging pots, a stand-alone freezer and magnetic strips for knives, for starters. Then, let's throw in lots of extravagantly cute Alessi products, like their classic bird teapot or this coffeemaker. And I'll finally have space for all those impractical one-use-only kitchen appliances and gadgets. Paella pan, juicer, ice cream maker, egg slicer, creme brulee torch...this is starting to read like my Christmas list.



Viki visited Chicago over the weekend, and had read a magazine article about a new "Fit House" that was recently built in Lincoln Park. Basically, this is part of a series of eco-friendly homes that have been constructed around the country with the help of corporate sponsors, and the Chicago Fit House is the sixth home built. It features local construction materials, triple paned windows, and rooftop gardens. Unfortunately, the house closed for public tours on Sept 2, otherwise we would have gone to check it out. Although, now it's for sale on the market, so I suppose we could call up the agent and pretend to be interested in buying a 4-story, 5400 sq ft home.

Anyway, here's a shot of the kitchen. I am in love with the chalkboard walls. You can post recipes and shopping lists on your walls, or write notes to other people in the family. How awesome is that?



For all the talk of building a green house though, I do think this home is too ostentatious (read: big) for a single-family home. 5,400 sq feet? That is a megaton of space, and it just reeks of American consumerist excess. And the sauna and temperature-controlled wine cellar can't possibly be energy efficient. Don't get me wrong, the house is very nice and I'd love to live there, but it's still a long way from what I'd consider truly green construction practices.