MLuxe Blog

Green roofs are definitely a growing trend in large commercial and institutional buildings. Planted with sod or other vegetation, they can reduce the “heat island” effect and keep significant amounts of water from running off, reducing the contaminants carried into streams and groundwater. But is the typical homeowner ready for a living roof? It’s certainly an idea that&#...

With eco-consciousness on the rise, “sustainability” has become more than just a buzzword. One aspect of sustainability that’s often overlooked is long-lasting quality. Simply put, the longer a product lasts, the better it is for the environment: less discarded material in landfills, fewer resources used in transportation and sales. Across the entire home and furnishings ...

Scott McGlasson credenza in white lacquered ash with yellow birch   We love the modern rustic furniture of St. Paul, Minn., craftsman Scott McGlasson. His pieces are great examples of classic design with an unexpected twist. But as we got to know McGlasson’s work, we started to feel even more of a kinship with him. McGlasson creates each piece by hand, often using wood harvested ...

Ah, showers. They are the best way to not only get clean but to wake up and relax. And they’re cheap, right? Well, not according to your water bill. The Alliance for Water Efficiency says that showers are the third-largest water hog behind toilets and laundry and that the average length of a shower is between 8.99 and 8.20 minutes depending on your showerhead. So if you were to cut o...

Did you know watching the Super Bowl can actually reduce energy usage in your household? OK, so the correlation may not be as simple as that, but Matthew Ewald of the New York Times cites some fun research from consulting firm Opower that claims the Super Bowl is an energy-saving touchdown. In a study involving 145,000 households, the firm found energy usage decreased as much as 7.7 percen...