GREEN by Adeline - the store

GREEN by Adeline, Houston’s only 100% eco-fashion boutique, features more than just eco-friendly fashions. Mirador Group, Inc., a full service architecture, planning and interior design firm based in Houston, took on the challenge of designing the space while keeping in line with the shop’s environmentally conscious theme. The company works with contractors to choose reusable resources and energy efficient materials such as fluorescent lighting, treated windows, and special insulation. The result is an interior that exudes an earthy, Zen-like ambiance.

The overall design incorporates many of the visual attributes seen throughout Adeline Sung’s GREEN collection. Light, earthy tones give the boutique a bright, clean appearance without overpowering the merchandise. The space also plays with lines, just as Adeline’s clothing does. From the store’s entrance, all the way back to the dressing area, vertical and horizontal lines create a modern, yet natural look.

The most unique feature within the space is the runway that has been created for future fashion events. Adeline wanted to create a distinct area that would also be practical and functional during the store’s business hours. In order to achieve this, the natural bamboo flooring has been laid vertically down the runway and horizontally across the showroom. Other features that help create this distinction are lowering a section of the ceiling above the runway and providing right and left access to the fitting area at the back of the store.

When compared to traditional hardwood flooring, bamboo offers unparalleled strength, durability and moisture resistence. It is for these reasons that bamboo is becoming an increasingly popular flooring choice among environmentally conscious consumers. The natural bamboo flooring is not the only ecological aspect within the GREEN by Adeline boutique. Wanting to conform to Adeline’s “fashion with a conscience” mantra, the Mirador Group has incorporated earth friendly paint and other products that help reduce environmental impact. Even the decorative elements such as fitting room drapes will be made from organic cotton. A combination of fluorescent and halogen lighting has been installed to help decrease energy consumption. Fluorescent lights burn the least amount of energy, but because of the bright light they emit, they are not aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, designers added halogen lights which contain no mercury and burn less energy, but create the overall look they were going for. Dimmers have also been added to most of the store’s lighting in order to increase the bulb’s life by 30%.

Currently there is a misconception that “green” buildings are highly expensive. While the initial cost in constructing these buildings may be slightly higher, the payoff in the long run is huge. “Green” buildings decrease energy consumption in regards to electricity, heating and cooling. Eco-materials are often more sustainable than standard building materials; lasting longer and needing to be replaced less.

Mirador Group believes that due to the problems that society is facing with global warming, “green” architecture will soon begin to flourish as the only responsible response to building in a world of rapidly diminishing resources and, as a result, eco-friendly products will come down in price as the movement becomes more mainstream.

GREEN by Adeline is pushing the envelope; not only in the world of fashion, but also in the way society thinks about environmentally conscious architecture. Adeline hopes that her boutique will break common misconceptions about eco-friendly design, while prompting people to adopt a greener lifestyle.

The 1400 sq ft GREEN by Adeline boutique is located at 5136 Richmond Ave., between Sage Road and the 610 freeway.