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Collection by Zach Edelson

Ways to Use Bamboo in the Modern Home

Long used in Asian architecture—skyscraper scaffolding in Hong Kong are still built with it—bamboo became popular in North American during the 1990s with the introduction of laminated bamboo flooring. As with any responsibly cultivated and harvested wood, especially one that grows this quickly, bamboo can have a positive environmental impact by acting as a carbon sink.

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Two-inch-thick bamboo treads and a bamboo handrail on the stairs lead the way to the second floor.
Two-inch-thick bamboo treads and a bamboo handrail on the stairs lead the way to the second floor.
Adding to this visual effect are the rich woods of the FSC walnut cabinets and Engineered Bamboo Nave used throughout the house in the flooring, as well as in a striking feature connecting the lower and upper floors. To help separate the kitchen from the dining and living areas, Nave used the bamboo on the kitchen ceiling. At the edge of the kitchen, the bamboo wraps the vertical wall leading to the stairs before turning horizontal again as the upstairs hallway ceiling and ending in the ceiling of an extra bedroom.
Adding to this visual effect are the rich woods of the FSC walnut cabinets and Engineered Bamboo Nave used throughout the house in the flooring, as well as in a striking feature connecting the lower and upper floors. To help separate the kitchen from the dining and living areas, Nave used the bamboo on the kitchen ceiling. At the edge of the kitchen, the bamboo wraps the vertical wall leading to the stairs before turning horizontal again as the upstairs hallway ceiling and ending in the ceiling of an extra bedroom.
Stott and Levy used Teragren bamboo flooring and Milgard sliding glass doors. “Universal design isn’t just for older people,” the daughter says about the single-story layout and zero-step entries. “If you don’t need steps, don’t have them.”
Stott and Levy used Teragren bamboo flooring and Milgard sliding glass doors. “Universal design isn’t just for older people,” the daughter says about the single-story layout and zero-step entries. “If you don’t need steps, don’t have them.”
A close-up of the bookshelves made of MDF clad in bamboo veneer.
A close-up of the bookshelves made of MDF clad in bamboo veneer.
In the kitchen, the architects contrasted the oak floor, bamboo cabinetry, and birch walls and ceiling with what architect Jonathan Knowles calls “a family of grays”: granite floor tiles, limestone countertops, and the steel stairway. The birch wall behind Yvette is actually the sliding door to the pantry closet.
In the kitchen, the architects contrasted the oak floor, bamboo cabinetry, and birch walls and ceiling with what architect Jonathan Knowles calls “a family of grays”: granite floor tiles, limestone countertops, and the steel stairway. The birch wall behind Yvette is actually the sliding door to the pantry closet.