I’ve been a bit under the weather today.  Not that there is actually anything to call weather where I live right now.  It’s nothing but blue skies and a light breeze.  But anyway, weather or not (get it?), I am happy to share some of the interesting finds on the web this week.

image via Scandinavian Kitchens & Design

Speaking of blue, isn’t this blue and bamboo kitchen lovely?!  Such a nice color combination. (Scandinavian Kitchens & Design)

I kid you not – this product is called the “Blow Sofa”.  Well, it is descriptive at least. Still, visions of “Less Than Zero” come to mind.  Did I just date myself?  (Inhabitat)

Nice little list of 4 affordable online independent art sources (re-nest)

OK. If you read this blog with any regularity, you know I like things made from wool felt. So this post title certainly caught my eye – “FUZ – Affordable Felt For All!” (Design Green Blog)

And finally, Mark Frauenfelder found a treasure trove of funky things, like this geodesic home prototype, over at the Henry Ford Museum.  Hmmm, I might just have to make a pilgrimage to Detroit. (BoingBoing)

We’ve got the typical “June Gloom” conditions going on this morning in Orange County.  Overcast, breezy, even a little drizzle now and then.  Hard to imagine that Summer vacation is about to start…

Of course, that means my son will be bringing home loads and loads of old school papers, most of which we really don’t need to keep.  Perhaps we should get this multifunctional paper shredder/coffee table?  Actually, with the way things are going for BP in the Gulf, they might want to invest in a bunch of them for all their executives soon.  Just sayin’.  (Design Sponge)

Sadly, I point you now to the final installment of the Cardboard Fort Architecture series.  This scholarly set of posts has been full of architectural achievement and analysis the likes of which you rarely see.  OK.  Actually, it’s just damn hilarious – and the kids are SO cute! (Build Blog)

So what do you think about the recent study claiming LEED certification does nothing to ensure the interior environment isn’t still toxic? (re-nest)

I was so happy to see my friends at L.A. Box Collective mentioned on Inhabitat!  If you are in SoCal, you should check out their new show. (Inhabitat)

The new issue of Lonny is here!  Now if I could only get an iPad to read it on, my life would be (almost) complete. (Table Tonic)

And speaking of iPads, if I ever do get one, this is what I’m going to put it in. (Inhabitat)

That’s it for now.  Wishing you a blissful weekend!

I think the simple, whimsical form of the new “Spring” tabouret is absolutely lovely.

Designed by Dutch designer Erik Jansen for the Belgium based furniture company Wildspirit, this piece utilizes the flexibility of bamboo strips to great advantage, providing a seat that looks surprisingly comfy despite the hardness of the material.  The use of the lighter, natural color of bamboo is also rather refreshing, as opposed to the more commonly used caramelized hue.

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What do you get when you take the most recycled material in the United States*, and pair it with one of the most rapidly renewable materials in the world?

If you are furniture designer Bill More, you get beautiful tables like this…

Constructed using steel and bamboo, the Ventralis coffee table is one of two striking table designs available through More’s Forged Elements furniture line.

Says More:

“Since I started designing and building furniture over ten years ago I have been conscious of my environmental impact. I always search for used materials and recycled ingredients to work with. Unfortunately, when you need to produce a consistent, high quality product, this is often a great challenge. So when I inevitably have to use new materials, my conscience makes me feel uneasy. I see bamboo and steel as lesser evils, since even new steel is created from a good percentage of recycled content and bamboo grows like a weed. I am constantly searching for new ways to lessen my impact as a craftsman.”

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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 a myriad of reasons I won’t go into, this has been a crazy week.  I’m looking forward to getting back to a more regular posting schedule next week, with lots of very cool design to share with you.

Meanwhile, here are some of the items that caught my eye across the internet on those rare moments when I had a chance to look.

image via inhabitat

Inhabitat has a story about how Fashion4Home is taking votes on which pieces they should put into production from their new line of bamboo furniture.

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I thought it would be fun to take a little walk through the world of Etsy, the premiere website for finding handmade goods, and see what a search for “sustainable table” came up with.

image from michaelarras

First up is this fun cocktail/coffee table by Michael Arras.  Created from multiple free form circles of bamboo plywood that are joined together using mortise and tenon joints, it has a a nice, organic feel to it.  Made to order for $699 with a 3 to 4 week lead time.

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Here are six stylish and sustainable countertops that have it all over granite:

"Floating Blue" by Vetrazzo - Joel Puliatti, ©2008 Joel Puliatti for Vetrazzo, puliattiphoto@yahoo.com.

1. Recycled Glass Terrazo – Terrazo is an age old method of creating hard surfaces by combining aggregate, such as marble chips, with concrete.  The resulting material is poured into place and smoothed out using grinders and polishers. Companies such as Vetrazzo, Enviroglass, and Icestone have taken this method and replaced the stone aggregate with pre and post consumer glass chips, creating eye catching surfaces. Read the rest of this entry »