Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for stopping by to check out my blog.  Sustainable interior design is both my profession and my passion, and I always love sharing my knowledge with you.  Unfortunately, I wound up in the hospital for several days earlier this week and have had to leave you, dear readers, in the lurch.  I won’t go into details – this is, after all, a blog on interior design, not medical conditions (although boy was that a nasty shade of peachy beige in my hospital room!).  Suffice to say that I am home and on the road to recovery.  I’m very much looking forward to rejoining you on Monday and sharing more great finds, as I so enjoy doing.

Of course, a funny thing happened while I was away from my blog – it wound up in the voting for The Homies Best Green Blog!  I am in wonderful company, and honored to be there.  If you are here visiting because you saw The InterioREvolution on the list and wanted to check it out – Welcome!  Please feel free to wander around in the archives, and get a taste for what we do.

Uh-oh.  My husband is starting to glare at me for “working” when I’m supposed to be resting, so I’m going to go back to lying here like a slug.  It’s my only defense.

Rachel

It’s Friday!!!  And we are in the middle of the nominating process for Apartment Therapy’s The Homies 2011!  Want to help us reach the final cut?  Click here, and then leave the following comment:

Name: theinteriorevolution
URL: http://www.theinteriorevolution.com

We’d love to be in the final 6 blogs for voting.  It’s a great way to reach new readers, so we can keep getting the word out that green interiors are the way to go!

OK, now that that little bit of business is taken care of, on to some of the fun stuff I’ve been clicking on this week:

1.  Non-toxic dyes from agricultural waste seem to be the next new thing.  Here is a program developing in Argentina.  (Treehugger)

2.  Inhabitat is launching a Green Home Expert series.  Sigh.  They didn’t ask me… (LOL)  However, they do seem to have a roster of amazing talented people!  Definitely something to watch.  (Inhabitat)

3.  I love the concept behind this uber modular shelving.  Constantly convertible, and a lovely organic form as well. (Yanko Design)

4.  This tiny house built of pallets is so charming!  And only costs about $500 to build. (Lloyd’s Blog)

5.  I die for this beautiful upcycled doily lamp.  Seriously, you have to look at this thing.  Makes me want to run out and invest in doilies (did I just type that???) (reMade USA)

6.  These gorgeous, modern glass and cork vases and lamps are reason #1,378,632 for why I wish I could attend Maison&Objet in Paris right now. (Dezeen)

7.  These adorable, organic cotton pillows are, well,… adorable.  They remind me of the Richard Scarry books I had as a child.  So sweet.  (Green Your Decor)

Well, that’s it for now.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!

We are starting up a new round of no to low VOC paint reviews, to help you make sense of the myriad of choices out there.  Previously, we have reviewed some of the major manufacturers no-VOC offerings.  Now we are going to begin taking a look at some of the “boutique” brands out there, starting with Graham & Brown’s new matte finish paint.

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My husband, as I may have mentioned, is in the wine business.  This means we have a house almost completely devoid of any wine related decor, other than actual wine bottles.

Why?  Well, if you are in the actual business of wine, then having your house scream “I love wine!”, just seems a little silly.  So, no grape embroidered tablecloths, no wine bottle chandeliers, and certainly no wine glass candles made to look like a full glass of wine (who came up with those??).

There is one bit of wine related design that I WOULD love to have though, and it is a chair made of wine barrel staves.  I’ve seen them and they are so lovely, and fairly subtle too, as wine related things go.  However, they are also out of my price range, or at least so I thought…

until I saw this beautiful chair from Etsy seller Viking1103.  It’s only $95!  Seriously, I can’t remember ever seeing one under $180 before, so that is quite the deal.

Made from the used oak staves of a wine barrel, the wood shows a rich range of color and tone on both the inside and outside of the slats.  The barrels are “retired” from use in the Santa Ynez Valley wine region, taken apart, and then turned into furniture and accessories.  If you go to Viking1103′s shop, you will see other interesting wine barrel pieces, such as a serving tray, a stool, and a side table.  Fun!

While I start the recovery process from the nasty flu bug that had me bedridden for the last week (hence not a peep from me on this ‘ere blog in awhile), I thought I’d share some images of one of the latest sustainable design trends – recycled leather flooring…

TORLYS

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Did anyone else do decoupage crafts in grade school?

Show of hands?

Yeah, that’s what I thought.  Most of us did.  Bet those projects never looked like this though!

This weeks Etsy find is a fun, funky revamp on an old desk and chair, by Etsy seller littlejoys.  Using torn up bits of old dictionaries, encyclopedias, and foreign texts, she has created a writing desk that is both charming, and maybe a bit inspirational – to those actually trying to write at it.  Either that, or distracting to those like me who tend to get writers block a lot, but never get blocked on reading what someone else has written!

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I’ll admit it.  Although I love the look of driftwood on its own, most of the time it just comes across as a bit trite when it is used in sustainable design.

But Bleu Nature, a design studio located in Northern France, has found a way to turn the trite into the sublime with their Kiinau collection of lighting.

By contrasting driftwood they collect along the French shoreline, with chrome or frosted glass shades and a stainless steel base, Bleu Nature gives the driftwood a sophisticated modernity that I find quite compelling.

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Glass is one of my favorite green materials, because its endless recyclability means that we can reuse existing material over and over again, with minimal need for new raw materials.  Although there is a not insignificant energy use involved in making glass products, recycled glass takes less energy to process than new glass, and the resulting material is, of course, inert (no nasty chemicals or off gassing).

The folks at TryCycle love recycled glass too.  In fact, after noticing the beautiful green tinge of the wine glasses at so many of the restaurants in Europe, they found out they were the product of a thriving, 100% post consumer recycled glass industry there, and so they decided to go into business bringing the wonderful items to the U.S..

How cute would these storage jars look with a little chalkboard paint label on each?  And best of all?  TryCycle’s items are all very affordable.  The large jar in the picture above, measuring 6.5″ H x 5″ W, is only $8!

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Welcome back to the Friday wrap-up everyone!  It’s been too long…

So what caught my eye this week?  It’s a short list, only because I’m short on time!  There is already A LOT going on in green design this year!

1.  10 Green Designers to Watch in 2011 is an interesting list to look at.  I would argue that some of these designers have been serious influences long before now, and I would therefore have picked a few more up and comers in their place, but everyone one of these people is worth watching! (Apartment Therapy)

2.  The before and after with the drawers is OK, but I am TOTALLY coveting that revamped mail sorter! (design*sponge)

3.  Want a fun, easy, stylish craft to do this weekend?  How about these great silhouettes in a frame?  I’m so getting out the scissors this weekend (on copies of the photos only of course!).  (Sweet Paul)

4.  A good list of what to look for in a natural pillow, in case you’re tired of all the chemicals and dust mites. (re-nest)

5.  And finally, a bit of way too adorable.  Seriously, have you ever seen a sweeter duet?

Oh!  And don’t forget to take our survey!  We need as much input as we can get, and tomorrow is the last day!

Although I am an increasing proponent for spending money on quality rather than quantity when it comes to furniture, I also well remember the days when I had both an empty apartment AND an almost empty wallet.  If you, or someone you know, is in the same predicament, then the Yube might just be their saving grace.

Inexpensive, modular, and best of all, made primarily of recyclable and biodegradable materials, the Yube is the perfect sort of system for those just starting out, (or maybe starting over).

Yube is designed to be endlessly reconfigurable, and capable of being turned into a plethora of furniture pieces with the addition of accessories such as feet, drawers, doors, and shelves. Read the rest of this entry »