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.

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.