If all flashlights ever make you think of are spooky stories at sleepovers, or late night runs to the campsite porta-potty, then you haven’t seen how cool Conant Metal & Light can make them…

And if you think a pendant fixture from a repurposed flashlight has a sly sort of style, wait till you see the fun they had with a table fan… Read the rest of this entry »

I’m in a bit of a silly mood this morning, which you will discover at the end of the post, but for now let me introduce you to a great line of furniture from Australia…

Created from Moso Bamboo, one of the most eco-friendly species of this fast growing plant, the award winning Wambamboo line of furniture by Kent Gration deftly combines a modernist style with an ancient building material.

Very conscientious about the environmental impact of the furniture line, Wambamboo follows the supply chain from it’s beginnings in the Zheijang province of China, where the bamboo boards, veneers and poles are sourced and manufactured, to it’s end point in Brisbane Australia where the furniture is crafted.

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For the second in our series on Japanese artisan crafts, we will take a look at the 1,400 year old tradition of washi, or Japanese handmade paper.

Brought to Japan in 610 AD by Buddhist monks, the art of washi making spread across Japan, till by the late 1800’s, over 100,000 families were employed in the craft.  However, once European mechanical papermaking techniques were introduced, the number of washi makers rapidly declined, until it hit a low of only 479 families in 1983.

Image via Precious Pieces

These remaining families have worked hard to maintain the traditions of their craft, and some artisans are considered to be national treasures of Japan.

It is the beauty of the paper though, that has given washi a new life in the world of interior design. Read the rest of this entry »

I think someone dreamed up these lovely lamps after sipping a few too many Pina Coladas on the beach…

“I know”, they must have thought, “What if we use all this seaweed lying around on the sand, stick it on top of a coconut tree and call it a lamp?”*

Thankfully, the designers at Chista obviously waited till after vacation to put pen to paper, because the resulting lamps are quite elegant.  The bases are made of sustainable coconut wood, which gives them a wonderful grain pattern, as well as a pleasant warmth and character.  The shades are woven of seaweed and linen.  Yes, seaweed.  I admit to never having seen seaweed used in this way, but considering the results, I hope to see a lot more of it soon. Read the rest of this entry »

Ever since I was a child I have had a fascination with corrugated cardboard.  I loved the wiggly line running through the middle, and marveled at how strong three sheets of brown paper could become because of it.  Now that I am focused on sustainable design, my affection for it has only increased.

Images via Graypants

So please join me as I ooh and aah over these fantastic recycled cardboard Scrap Lights by Graypants. Read the rest of this entry »

All images from Fire Farm

When the First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI asked Fire Farm to create light fixtures for the new addition to their historic Frank Lloyd Wright Meeting House, they had an unusual request.  Would the designers at Fire Farm please find a way to recycle the old copper roofing from the original building into the new fixtures?

Over 50 years old, and weathered to a soft green, the original roof tiles had character to spare.  Turn them over though, and the beautiful warmth shown out like a new copper penny. Read the rest of this entry »

Image via Pharox

The Holy Grail of LED technology is the replacement for the standard 60 watt incandescent bulb.  It must be affordable, efficient, screw into a standard socket, and have that warm pleasing light we all grew up with.  Oh, and dimmable would be nice too!

Well, Pharox, a LED lighting company, has managed to get closer than anyone has before. Read the rest of this entry »

Image via Neidhardt

Bridging the years between the space race and the race to save our planet is the fantastic Flex Chandelier from Neidhardt.

What looks to be a lightbulb is instead a hand blown glass shade.  The LED 285 Lumens @ 3100K lamp source is actually set in the base of the shade, with the LED driver located in the cylinder below.

Although the chandelier is only a concept at this time, corresponding fixtures are already available in the Flex line, including a sconce and a pendant.

A stylish chandelier that’s cool in more ways than one (sorry, a little LED humor there).

New from Lutron’s Ivalo Collection are these lovely LED interior sconces.  Designed to take advantage of the LEDs smaller profile, these slim and trim fixtures easily meet ADA requirements, all while consuming minimal energy.

all images via Lutron

Perhaps the most elegant of Ivalo’s new offerings is the L’ale sconce (above).  With its low profile and gentle curves, it has an air of modern sophistication.  Made of cast aluminum.

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New from Lights Up! comes Flight, a line of floor and table lamps with whimsical shades made of 100% recycled PET fabric.

A member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, Lights Up! also shows concern for the environment by packing Flights colorful wire bases in recycled cardboard.

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