American Clay Showcase at Organic Cafe in Central Florida

Earthen clay was recently plastered onto the walls of Dandelion Communitea Cafe in Central Florida, making the organic eatery a showcase home for the eco-friendly product from American Clay. The cafe, which is located in an old bungalow house near downtown Orlando, selected Bluefield, Jasper, Tuscan Gold & Bryce Canyon colors from over forty standard palette options. Each room features a different texture & finish to demonstrate the versatile looks that the product can achieve, including shimmering mica and hay embedded directly into the clay.

A celebration of the makeover featuring a brief presentation by Ryan Barry of Elemental Concepts (the Florida distributor for American Clay) and artisan installer Jeff Barrett is planned during the cafe’s monthly eco-networking event, Green Drinks, on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 6pm.

Dandelion was selected as a showcase for American Clay because of it’s authentically “green” reputation and serves as gathering place for an eclectic mix of customers ranging from green building professionals to eco-minded home owners.The frequent customer traffic serves as a real life example of the products durability and ease of care while demonstrating the timeless beauty only found in nature.

Core Facts

American Clay is a product that must be "experienced" in order to fully realize it's impact. Not only is it visually stunning, but treats light and sound much differently than traditional interior applications, with a noticeable calming of the atmosphere that simultaneously adds a richness to the interior.
The breathability of the clay releases negative ions, which are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy. Earth Plasters can increase negative ions by 10 20 times more in the indoor air environment.
The clay is so safe, it was installed during business hours so patrons could watch the process. The Earth Plasters, Sanded Primer, and Mud Glue are comprised of zero-VOC materials which exhibit no off-gassing over the life of the cured walls. The porous clay plaster finish does not support microbial growth, and does not allow moisture to accumulate, helping to maintain a mold-free environment with improved indoor air quality.
American Clay is Dandelion's first installation in the cafe's green retro-fit makeover. The makeover will allow Dandelion go deeper in their green business commitment, stimulate the green building economy in Central Florida while demonstrating cost savings and sales increases associated with natural construction & interior decorating techniques.
In keeping with it's ethos of educating the community about natural alternatives, Dandelion has partnered with EcoFactory.com to produce a video segment on the installation process. They will be shooting footage at the celebration for inclusion in the piece, expected to debut in early 2010.
While end users can install the product themselves, Dandelion recommends professional artisan applicator, Jeff Barrett. He's been trained through American Clay led the application process at Dandelion. He can be reached at 407-466-2497.

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Quotes

The clay has generated a lot of excitement amongst our clientele - they got to watch the transformation and see the product being installed and we've been told a number of people are now thinking of plastering their own walls.

Julie Norris, Dandelion Co-Proprieter

Our customers and staff have noticed a big difference in our atmosphere - it's calmer & more welcoming, almost like being in a warm embrace. I've found that I am reluctant to leave the cafe now, you just want to sit inside and relax, it's an almost indescribable feeling of comfort.

Julie Norris, Dandelion Co-Proprieter