Discovering Cork

If you've been put off by the thought that all cork products look like a bulletin board from the 1970s, think again. The new focus on sustainable materials has inspired new designs: This week Ecofabulous profiles Daniel Michalik, a designer who is building elegant, high end furniture out of cork, making it do "things that only it can do." Cork's sensuality is particularly interesting when combined with a sleek, modern aesthetic. Design Within Reach carries an eco-friendly cork stool (pictured) by designer Jasper Morrison that would be at home in any Neutra House, and Gaiam sells a cork lamp that would be a conversation piece in any environment.

If your taste is more traditional, The Cork House offers a gorgeous line of cork upholstery fabric and furnishings, as well as cork wall coverings and floorings.

Cork is a harvestable, sustainable material that is also sensual to the touch and beautiful to look at. It comes from Cork Oak trees, which are the sheep of forestry products--the trees are sheared of their bark, and grow another layer in a few years' time.

One of the hallmarks of Cork is its resiliency; cork floors are forgiving of falls, making them great for homes with children or the elderly. And it's sturdier than you might think, with plenty varieties that are suitable for kitchens and other wet areas.

Globus Cork has a wonderful line of snap-in floating floors (think Pergo) that come in an array of colors and tile shapes to suit any decor theme.

Just because cork is trendy doesn't mean it's new. Wicanders has been making and selling cork flooring in the prime cork-growing regions of Portugal since the 1800s.