Verde Home promotes locally produced furnishings

The current trend of “going local” that’s sweeping the culinary world is now spilling into your living room. Just as restaurants and grocery stores promote locally grown goods, the owners of the year-old Verde Home on Atlanta’s west side want buyers to consider eco-friendly furnishings and accessories created largely by local artisans.

“Most of the items we stock are sourced locally,” said Paul Baird, who co-owns the shop with his wife, Laura Walker, and Kent Schneider.

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H.M. CAULEY/Special

Reclaimed wood is used in tables and benches made locally.

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H.M. CAULEY/Special

Verde Home’s accessories include hand-turned candlesticks made from salvaged wood, shown here on a coffee table also made from reclaimed wood.

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H.M. CAULEY/Special

Upholstery choices hang above a collection of pillows.

Verde Home
Where: 1000 Marietta St., Atlanta
Info: 678-927-9113; www.verdehomeinc.com
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday

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“A lot of our furniture is made from reclaimed wood,” Baird said. “Our dining tables, coffee tables and bench seats have reclaimed wood tops with modern, clean bases.”

Other pieces are made with wood from managed forests. Upholstery fabrics are “green” and easy on buyers who have allergies.

“In the last year, more people are asking questions about going ‘green.’ We tell them that being ‘green’ doesn’t mean you have to replace everything you own,” Baird said, “but it is about buying things that will last. Our goal is to put together a room that you’ll love.”

What you’ll find

Furnishings for every room include sofas, chairs, dining suites, bar chairs, desks, coffee tables. Any of the upholstered pieces, including platform beds, can be customized. Large furniture pieces are priced from $3,100 to $5,700; some tables go as high as $7,000.

Among the accessories collection are pillows, mirrors, soy-based candles, candlesticks, baskets, lamps and paintings. There’s also a smattering of antiques and retro pieces blended in with the new styles.

“We’ve set things up to show people how to mix and match,” Walker said.

Many of the items throughout the store are recycled. A collection of hand-turned wooden bowls and candlesticks made by Schneider are formed from salvaged wood. The base of a lamp comes in custom colors made with papier-mâché from recycled cement bags; another has a base made of recycled blue glass. A line of stools that can easily double as end tables is also made from recycled materials and priced from $290 to $345.

Best-sellers

An entire room is devoted to fair-trade area rugs in a range of sizes and patterns. About 90 percent of the stock comes from Nepal and is made with wool or wool and silk blends. Rugs can also be completely customized, from size and color to pattern. Prices for room-sized floor coverings range from $4,000 to $12,000.

Trends

More manufacturers are tapping into the green movement, so there are more options for eco-conscious buyers, Baird said.