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SEPTEMBER 2009

BETTER HOWES AND GARD

Talk about a recycling program.

Rather than chuck the big, white 1950s range mat came with1

rheimouse, ParrbSehulz and her

husband, Clark Dikeman, made it the centerpiece of their new kitchen, part of a 364-square-foot

addition that opens their California cottage to light and breezes, and the energy savings they offer.

Ever since she won a two-week test drive of an electric car 10 years ago, Pam, a technology

marketing consultant, has seen life through green-colored glasses. So when termite damage forced

breakingground on the addition they had always envisioned, the goal was to use the most eco-

friendly materials possible. That meant using certified sustainable lumber, linoleum flooring, and

low-VOC paint. “It cost 40 percent more to build green, but it’s the right thing to do,” Pam says.

The retro stove isn’t the only thing getting new life in the kitchen. The peaked ceiling is clad in

wood from a local high school’s old bleachers (apropos for Clark, who is the lifeguard at Beverly

Hills High School’s famous swim gym). Pam’s grandmother’s 1940s dishes get used every day, chips

and all. And under the counter there’s a custom door for—you guessed it—two dogs rescued from

an animal shelter. “The ultimate recycling is reusing what you have,” says Pam.