Luxury is taking a backseat to sustainability in American homes, according to a report released this month by The American Institute of Architects. The slowing real-estate market hasn’t cooled our desire for new kitchens, but those kitchens are more likely to incorporate bamboo, cork, concrete and other renewable materials. In the bathroom, too, water-saving toilets and LED lighting are said to be replacing plush add-ons like towel-warmers and infrared saunas. These are hopeful signs that Americans are becoming more eco-conscious at home, as sustainable materials become more widely available.

But the greening trend won’t last if we think of luxury and sustainability as mutually exclusive. Many high-end home design companies saw the value of sustainability early, and the chicest bath and kitchen furnishings are often as green as any on the market. Villeroy & Boch’s Aveo line of toilets, pictured above, features their water-efficient DUO system, while kitchen designers have been reaching for Earth-loving glass, ceramic and even recycled aluminum tiles and countertops for years.  The real trick to successful sustainability is going green without leaving luxury behind. –Paul O’Donnell

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