Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/977271
110 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 8 brainstorming sessions in her office. "I continue to connect with her [through the table] and it gives me back some of those moments from childhood," she explains. "It's not like an IKEA table will be in your family for years. That's a quick, impulse buy that will end up adding to the landfill." Encouraging others to rearrange, reupholster, edit and relocate their existing pieces while adding in solid new ones is par t of Yeates' role with her clients. "Being sustainable is a way of life," she says. "Items tell a story over time of who you are and where you've been ver- sus furnishing a room all at once which becomes dated…There is no character in a plastic trash can from a Big Box store." In the Carmel showroom, Yeates showcases the work of local ar ti- sans—pottery, lamps, solid bronze tables and more—alongside her own pieces. Some of the Ashley Yeates Collection is also available on the web- site www.1stdibs. "I would like to put Carmel on the map with sustainable furniture and unique finds," Yeates says. "It's a community philosophy where we share a love of nature and accountability in a small town." As par t of the local nonprofit CUSP, Cultivate Understanding for Sustainable Practices, Yeates is practicing what she is endorsing. She is cur- rently building a Passive House Plus, Zero Net Energy, LEED Platinum home in Monterra for her family while filming the entire process. "We are using wool for insulation in the walls, solar pan- els, and have gauges and monitors on the house to show energy efficiency," she says. Ambitious future plans include creating a space for artisans to work together in a community with sustainable prac- tices. "How do I become a hub with resources for artists on a bigger level?" she muses. "I hate the word no. I tell people the answer is, 'Yes, yes, and yes.'" +Olive is located at 120 The Crossroads Shopping Center, Carmel. 831/250-5307 or www.ashleyyeates.com. Ashley Yeates with daughter Astin and son Hamilton. "I want to make the world a better place for my children," she says. "Being sustainable and non-toxic with a low eco-footprint is a way of life." Soon after manufacturing her line, Yeates found herself winning Best in Show at Las Vegas Market.