Kyle Stephens
Talk about a tiny footprint! I am holding Nuka, the smallest member of the Ecohome team! Two parts adorable, one part ferocious, Nuka is head of Ecohome security. Notoriously elusive, Nuka is typically out solving mysteries. I’ve caught her for this rare photo opportunity, but her vigilance never ceases (note: her expression of alert).
Come into Ecohome’s Paint Bar it’s highly likely you’ll find me talking about color. Follow words like “tone”, “shade”, “hue”, “warm”, “cool”, “contrast”, and boom!- you’ll probably run right into me. I have been drawing, painting, and sculpting for the past 18 years, and what I’ve taken away as a sensibility for design is yours to command! Apart from lending aesthetic knowledge, I also inform and advise in regards to all things paint, stains, and sealers. Refinishing a deck? Ask me. Painting a table? Ask me. What is “eco”? How is this “eco”? Why should I pick “eco”? Ask me, ask me, ask me! That’s why I’m here!
A wise frog once said, “it ain’t easy being green.” Thanks to raised awareness and collective effort, this is a dwindling truth. Like most of us, I try to keep my shade of Green as dark and rich as possible. This includes recycling, walking, taking public transportation, and reuse. By “reuse” I’m referring to my love of garage and estate sales. Second hand is definitely the way to go if you want to avoid fueling the consumerism that encourages mass production and all the environmental harm that comes along with it. As a matter of fact, I’ve really fallen for the reuse trend in interior design. Finding that funky piece of furniture, sanding it down, staining and refinishing it has come to be more than a hobby – it’s the defining characteristic in my home décor. Also, not to get all soapboxy or anything but, buy American! I cringe a little when I read “Made in Macau, China, Vietnam”, etc. on a clothing label of mine. These are just a few of my efforts toward living a nice Forest Green lifestyle. I’m probably at something like Grass Green right now, but, like most of us, I’m trying.
Kyle is working toward his Bachelor’s in Film Studies at UC Berkeley. He has been a professional artist and active in the art community for most of his life.
