Modern Renewal

Nontoxic Paint 

Used to be, the average wall paint came with an unhealthy extra: possibly carcinogenic chemicals called VOCs that seep into your home’s air. Now, after six years of development at Mississippi-based Mythic Paint, the company’s high-quality zero-VOC formulas look and perform just like traditional ones and come in a spectrum of 1,232 colors. The big guys have also gotten in on the game—Benjamin Moore’s new Natura line is virtually odorless and toxin-free.

Mythic Paint, $50–63 per gallon; Natura paint, $50 per gallon; Johnson Paint Company.

 

PVC-Free Wall Coverings 

Produced in Walpole, New Hampshire, Len-Tex’s Surface iQ wallpapers are blissfully free of potentially hazardous chemicals like phthalates and formaldehyde. They’re also made in an energy-efficient manner without cadmium and chromium, water-supply pollutants often found in wallpaper inks. Of course, looks matter, too: The line’s 23 nature-inspired patterns come in a range of earth tones.

$22 per yard, MDC Wallcoverings.

 

“Green” Flooring 

New York firm Chilewich’s rugs and vinyl floor mats have long been favored in offices and restaurants for their durability and cool modern looks—but those aren’t the only reasons you should buy them for your mudroom or foyer. The coverings recently garnered a Green Label Plus certification from the Carpet and Rug Institute, meaning they’re manufactured without the harmful glues, antistain treatments, and fire retardants in most similar products.

$6–$7 per square foot, Landry & Arcari.