Green Building Home Tour

A California Green Design

When newlyweds Lia and John Ray Fernandez decided to remodel their midcentury hillside ranch house in Northern California, they got more than a new home—the process was a crash course in green design.

The couple had spent a cozy three years in the house before collaborating with green designer Kimberly Rider, who is known for pairing sustainable materials with comfy, sophisticated style.

The centerpiece of the remodeled living room is the fireplace mantel, built with formaldehyde-free MDF (medium-density fiberboard), which is made out of wood waste fibers. The mantel is painted a semigloss linen white. The wood-plank ceiling has a similar semigloss finish to highlight the architectural detail.

Green Tips:

-- Refinish an existing wood floor with a water-base urethane.
-- Choose safe wood. Formaldehyde-free MDF (medium-density fiberboard) that doesn't emit toxins was used for the mantel.