Green and grand: A family's renovation manages to be great for the environment and look elegant, too.

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Sometimes you don't have to choose between elegant and eco-friendly. Jenny and Steve Davis have mastered the art of combining style and sustainability.

Jenny is the fashion and style writer for the Fort Worth, Texas, Star-Telegram's luxury magazine, Indulge; Steve is a pulmonary critical care physician. The couple, along with their two young daughters, moved from Chicago to Fort Worth's Northcrest neighborhood in September, and they spent the summer renovating their two-story west-side home.

The 1961 home has 3,600 square feet _ three times the amount of space this family of four had in Chicago. But just because they moved to a big house in Texas doesn't mean they're living lives of thoughtless consumption and waste.

When they renovated, the eco-conscious Davises put extra effort into the bright, open kitchen, where they plan to spend much of their time. And when they redesigned that 21-by-11 space with a soaring ceiling, they struck just the right balance between luxurious and earth-friendly.

The midcentury modern design doesn't cut any corners _ there's still a wine refrigerator and a built-in espresso maker, after all. But this stylish kitchen is full of smart choices and eco-friendly touches. Here's a look at the highlights:

1. Recycled countertops.

The rich, dark countertops are made of _ get this _ paper. It's PaperStone, actually, a rock-hard substance made with post-consumer recycled paper. PaperStone's Washington-based producer, Paneltech, uses recycled office paper and cardboard saturated with a petroleum-free resin to make a hard, scratch-resistant surface that handles heat and water without a problem. And it was just what the Davises were looking for _ quality material that's "recycled and not just sustainable," Jenny says.

2. Recycled tile.

On two kitchen walls, a tile backsplash gives the room a soothing, urbane look with shades of turquoise, green and chocolate brown. Beautiful, yes _ and made from recycled materials. BlazeStone tile, produced by a company called Bedrock Industries, is made entirely of post-consumer and post-industrial glass saved from the landfill and crafted by hand. The company operates community bottle drives and even ships its tile using recycled boxes _ which is how the Davises ended up with eight shipping boxes labeled "McDonald's French Fries" on their front porch last summer.

3. Energy-saving appliances and smart design.

The kitchen's details are luxurious, but they, too, were selected with an eco-conscious eye. The brushed-steel appliances are sleek and modern _ and they're also energy-efficient.

Bright track lighting in the kitchen's open rafters is turned on only when needed; most of the time, the Davises rely on the more efficient hanging fixtures, sunlight from glass doors, or the bright, adjustable lights that illuminate the countertops from under the cabinets.

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And a Miele espresso maker, built into the wall, eliminates the temptation to make a daily trip to Starbucks for Jenny. She's figured out that, if she uses it daily, it'll pay for itself in a year or two. But even if it doesn't, she'll enjoy it for years to come.

"We're going to be here a long time," she says, and they invested in a kitchen that is both comfortable and Earth-friendly.

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© 2009, Fort Worth Star-Telegram.