For months I have been looking forward to spending last Friday attending Dwell on Design, collecting information and images of all the wonderful things I would see, and then sharing them with you, dear readers.  However, the best laid plans of mice and men,… and design bloggers it seems,… often go awry.  I came down with a nasty cold Thursday night, and have spent every day since in a slug like state on the sofa, surrounded by a sea of tissues and tea cups.

So, sadly, no review this year, but I will rustle up all the information I can on the event from other sites and share links to their take on it in this week’s Friday Wrap-up.  Meanwhile, I hope to be back in force by tomorrow so I can share many other great finds in sustainable design.

Till then…

The nicest thing for me was that I could put a little widget on our site where people could submit questions, and then my answers would stay available on Formspring for the foreseeable future.  Beats getting emails, because with those I can only reply to one person at a time.

So I thought you might like to see a few of the questions (in bold) I’ve received in the short time it’s been up, and with luck, the answers I gave will make sense.   And please don’t hesitate to submit your own questions anytime.  I’m always happy to help someone with sustainable design!

Question 1

i’m looking for a premixed, precolored japanese style plaster (seen before but don’t know source)

You may be thinking of Eco De Vita, by Shikoku International. I first ran across it a few years ago, but it was only available from a few distributors in the U.S.. Now they are focusing more attention on the U.S. market, and have a division based out here.

I particularly love their Eco De Vita WRK, which has bits of straw in the formula, but they have many other types as well. You can get a pretty good idea from their website – http://www.shikokuinternational.com/index.html

Question 2

Do you have trouble finding green design stuff to write about?

lol! Hardly. My biggest problem is trying to keep up with everything that is out there! That’s why I do the Friday Wrap-up. I want to make sure that people who read the blog are finding out about things as quickly as I am, but I don’t always have time to post about them myself. I already have a backlog of file folders, and bookmarked pages, and samples aplenty – all just waiting for me to find the time to write about them.

I think one of the best things about blogging on design is that it is a constantly changing landscape, full of new ideas and products. There is never a lack of material.

Question 3

Can you help me find porcelian top cabinets or enamel top cabinets?

That’s a tough one. If you are talking about enamel top cabinets like the old Hoosier Cabinets, the only manufacturer I knew of is no longer making them. Of course, antique Hoosiers are not TOO hard to find, so keeping an eye on Ebay or Craigslist might yield something. – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoosier_cabinet

If you are looking for something more like the enamel coated steel cabinets from the 40’s to 50’s, then I highly recommend starting with the blog Retro Renovation. I did a quick search for “enamel countertop” and came up with a bunch of information. – http://retrorenovation.com/?s=enamel+counter

Question 4

What do you think is the best flooring for a bedroom?

Cork, cork and more cork! Cork is so perfect because it has all the advantages of carpet (sound dampening, warmer to the touch that hard flooring) without the disadvantages (dust mites, dirt accumulation, quick wear).

Best of all is that cork is such a sustainable material. It’s just the bark of the cork oak, which is harvested every 7-10 years, without harm to the tree. The forest provide terrific shelter for wildlife, and are mostly undisturbed except when the cork is harvested.

Till then, have a lovely weekend!  The Friday Wrap-up will return next week.

-RH

We really wanted to give a sense of the value of green design through our wallpaper.  Besides, we had so much money sitting around since we went green that it just seemed logical to reuse it for our new collection.

Unfortunately, although the paper is reclaimed, the original stock is made from standard cotton, rather than organic, and the inks are not necessarily VOC free.  However, considering the fact that people would otherwise just be throwing their money away, this wallpaper is a great example of sustainable reuse.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get some for myself!

And by the way,… April Fools!

Image of Harmony Art organic cotton fabric - Eyes of the World.

In honor of St. Patrick (and the fact that it’s my birthday) I’m going to go have a little breakfast and a day off, but you will still be getting a great post today on green kitchens, courtesy of Susan, from Susan Serra and Associates

And in the tradition of giving gifts to others on your birthday, please accept this bit of inspired silliness…

There are so many options in green furniture these days, which is wonderful!  My favorite currently is reclaimed wood pieces.  Reclaimed wood furniture is widely available now, but how do you know which pieces are doing the most for the environment? 

A piece made of reclaimed wood is a great place to start but you can go even further to making a difference.  Look for pieces that are made locally in your area or at least in the country in which you live.  These pieces will help to save on fuel emissions and provide income for the local economy.    Another great quality to look for in a piece of reclaimed furniture is in the finishing process.  Try to find pieces that are treated with water based stains and wax finishes help to cut down on toxins in your home and in the manufacturing process.

Remember to read the labels and ask questions to make sure your furniture is doing the most for you and for the environment.

I know a lot of you have been following the “Let’s Get Organized” series this week, so I wanted to let you know that the final installment – “The Paperless Office” will post later today.  I guess in the zeal to get everyone else organized, I sort of forgot to organize myself, so I’m running a little behind.  I promise to try to make it worth the wait!

Rachel