Green Showrooms

On the other side of the country in Berkeley, California, Taja di Leonardi and Nina Boeddeker are also growing their business, Ecohome Improvement. "We just expanded our showroom to include a 1,200-additional-square-foot design studio," says di Leonardi, who holds an MBA in sustainable management. "We're looking to take not only green to the next level, but also the ways in which people create 'home.'"

The Ecohome Improvement partners have created what they call an 'interactive design bar' where customers can conceptualize their new kitchen using full-size samples of the countertops, tiles, hardware and flooring the company sells (and delivers in a biodiesel truck). They also offer showroom installations made with wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, bamboo, formaldehyde-free case goods, and water-based finishes.