Why We're Green!


Being Green wasn't an after-thought but a core element at the heart of the development of CHAMELEON FINE FURNITURE™ (our primary product), CHAMELEON STYLE® Decorating (our design philosophy) and CHAMELEON HOME™ (our retail store).

Here are just a few of the reasons CHAMELEON is Green!


Our Product:

  • CHAMELEON FINE FURNITURE™ is recyclable upholstered furniture with removable upholstery.
  • We use 5/4 kiln-dried lumber (Oregon Alder or Poplar) from managed forests for a durable frame that will last forever.
  • Trees will be saved because a family can buy one couch for a lifetime and be able to change the fabri covers, legs, cushions for new looks whenever they want.
Our Product Frame
  • This is one couch that will never be found in a landfill because the frame and upholstery is never compromised over the years because of re-upholstery and nails damaging the integrity of the frame.
  • Once a CHAMELEON FINE FURNITURE™ sofa is purchased the customer can recycle covers by selling used ones to other customers (5 documented cases). We have three inherited Chameleon Fine Furniture™ pieces that have already passed down to the next generation.

Our Design Philosophy:

  • CHAMELEON STYLE® Decorating philosophy is based on the understanding of the nature of change, the need for us to refresh and renew.
  • CHAMELEON STYLE® Decorating is a green mindset because it means looking at every purchase, no matter how trivial, from the perspective of how can it be used in multiple ways. Can it transition to other styles in the future, is it of quality that will last the duration of its function.

Our Building & Decor:

Our retail store and furniture showroom is located in the 105 year old Loomis Grain Mill-Feed Store. Though this building was saved from a developer's demolition by a group of vocal citizens (2004), it was a frustrating dilemma to find a viable business to occupy the barn at the "end of the Village" of Arroyo Grande. Win Cleaning CHAMELEON took on the challenge and saw the potential in "recycling" the rickety structure for its elegant store.
Four months of 14 hour-days with mops, vacuums, hammer, nails and 300 gallons of paint made the transformation of the"barn" to a character-preserved-showplace-shopping-destination store for locals and tourists alike.

  • Tin sheets were brought from a landfill in Northern California to patch up the siding.
    • Natural Gift Section
  • Old wood from the original structure was used to make planter boxes.
  • The concrete Loading dock for the rail spur that passed along the barn is now the entry hall to the store.
  • We reused the original signs of Loomis Seed & Feed to re-paint and reuse as the signage.
  • We use fluorescent lights throughout the store's interior.
  • We recycle the cardboard fabric tubes and wrapped them in scrap fabric to form cute picket fences to decorate the windows.
  • We recycle all our cardboard boxes, packaging materials, cans and plastic bottles.
  • We sell discontinued fabric samples for $1.00 each in "Jessica's Trunk" and donate the money to cystic fibrosis patients.
Camay and Win Bikes
  • We save all scraps of fabrics and bag them and sell them by the pound. We show people what creative projects can be made with the tiniest of scraps. (Lampshades, purses, xmas stockings, doll clothes, bulletin boards and even framed art.)
  • We shred foam scraps to be recycled as pillow stuffing.
  • CHAMELEON offers re-upholstery services to the community once again helping to cut down on landfill use and repurposing older furniture frames with new fabrics.
  • We sell "Green Fabrics" - Eco-friendly fabrics from a variety of mills.
  • We make small pillows to decorate the store's entrance from the tiniest of scraps.
  • We recycle foam scraps for either shredding for pillow inserts or bag them for returning to a large company that recycles foam.

CHAMELEON switched banking in 2008 to Mission Community Bank which has an office in the Village within walking distance and therefore two less trips made by vehicle per day.