The work of Corque Design is all of these and more.

This Portuguese company offers an interesting range of furniture & accessories, all crafted with cork taken from the Sobreiro (cork oak indigenous to the southern regions of Portugal).  Unlike wood, the harvesting of cork does not involve felling but merely the periodic gleaning of bark from the trees, which are left to continue growing in good health.  In addition to being a renewable resource, cork is recyclable, non-toxic and durable.  The bark is extracted manually, which involves no damage to the living tree, while the proceeding manufacturing process involves little waste and a low usage of resources.

But what really sets Corque Design apart from many environmentally-conscious companies is the sheer whimsy and versatility of its product line. Designers have lots of room to play.

Check out the modular seating system Lagarta, which can be configured to almost any whim, or the Puf Fup, a free-form seat of strung cork balls reminiscent of a bean bag gone wild.  Other options include the solid, toy-like Corqui and the more traditionally shaped frame chair, Vinco.

Moorish tile inspired another creation which can be used either as a desk or table, along with a matching sideboard.  In fact, the company offers three different sideboards, each with a distinct voice.

The theme can be carried further with cork hot bases for the dinner table, cork candelabras, even a wine frapé formed of cork.

But my favorite thing is the wall covering.  It’s simply beautiful and, through vibrant, is also soothing to the eye.  Other attractions are its natural ability to absorb noise, act as thermal insulation, and – the mom in me loves this – it is washable.  I hope more patterns are forthcoming!

In the US, Corque Design has product available at MoMA Design Store in New York, NY, and at Touch, in Los Angeles, CA.  An online store is in the works but in the meantime go check out Corque Design on the web.

~ Emerald

This is before.  Isn’t that a weird location for the sink?  Not to mention the majorly blah nature of that white and beige scheme!

So look what we did….

Talk about a 180°!  The clients had already picked out their appliances, and knew exactly what they wanted for the cabinet color (off a picture frame they had, no less).  My task was to figure out a way to tuck it all in there – without having it come off as crowded or jumbled looking – and to integrate other materials in so the kitchen still felt open and light.   It was quite the puzzle, but I think we pulled it off.  Cork flooring (which I promise is less yellow looking in person), composite countertops, and glass backsplash tile bring a lot of color and brightness into the space, not to mention sustainability.

We even managed to fit a full sized washer and dryer into the space.

Now THAT was a trick!  Kudos to Keith, the cabinet maker, for making real what I could only sketch out on paper.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

Photography: Francis Dzikowksi/ Esto

Well, while it might not be a dog, the U.M.O. is both a table and a bench, and it still just might become your child’s best friend.

Designed by the UM Project (also known as Users and Makers), it has a solid cork body and a powder coated aluminum insert. Even though it’s designed for children, I think it would add a wonderful bit of whimsy to anyone’s decor.

New this year is the colorful U.M.O2, which made its debut at the ICFF. Made by applying felt to a wood core body, these little guys sure are cute, although I’m not sure how well they would hold up to a really active child. What do you think?

Thanks for visiting,
Rachel

Penny rounds, and their design sibling “hex tile”, have been around for over a century, as anyone who has been in the lobby of the old apartment building, or the bathroom in an older home would know. Recently there has been a revival in interest for penny rounds, whether for reasons of nostalgia or the fact that just so darn cheerful looking. The great thing is, they can also be very sustainable. Here are some of my favorite looks:

image via Apartment Therapy

I’ll start out with, Savoy, a pretty ceramic version with over 20% recycled content from Ann Sacks.

Daltile makes a simple, classic version in porcelain. In this image you can really see the versatility of a tile with such a small scale.  Great for curved surfaces!

Ann Sacks also makes a beautiful version in matte glass.  I’ve seen this installed and it is just luminous!

One of my all-time favorite materials is cork, and it just happens to make some of the best penny tile of all. Cut from discarded wine corks, these tiles are sustainable in so many ways.  I’ve installed this before, and it really does work as well as they say. Believe it or not, it’s put in just like any other tile, grout and all. Just seal it with a few coats of water-based urethane and you have yourself a durable flooring that can even be used in a shower.

image via Apartment Therapy

Of course if you want to be literal about it, you could actually make penny rounds out of pennies, as was done at New York’s Standard Hotel. Penny rounds usually come pre-spaced on mesh sheets, but I have to imagine some poor installers had to actually lay these out individually.

image via Apartment Therapy

Penny tile not doing it for you? How about nickel tile? Talk about one-upsmanship, this installation is more of a five-upmanship.

Penny Rounds are definitely a fun look, as well as a nice nod to the past, but do keep in mind that the smaller the tile, the greater quantity of grout will make up your floors surface. If you have grout issues, and many people do, this look may not be for you.

I’ve seen a lot of products made from wine corks, but this is the first time I have seen anything made with the cork centers of aluminum baseball bats!  Etsy seller Quartertwenty has taken these factory discards and woven them onto aluminum rods to construct this really interesting chair.

I’m fascinated by how much texture the “weaving” of the cork disks gives the chair, even though the actual form is relatively simple.

I think the stool/ottoman is even more striking, with its exposed frame.  I’d actually like to see the chair done this way as well.  Since these are prototypes (although they are also for sale), so I hope we may see more variations on this theme at some point.  I certainly think they are off on the right track.

What do you think?

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!!!

The Hut-Hut Kids is the old fashioned rocking horse taken modern, sustainable, and sleek.  Designed and produced by Kalon Studios, and available in five FSC certified woods such as black walnut (shown above), bamboo, and even cork, this seat’s simple styling gives a kid’s imagination room to grow.  So whether they want to say “hut hut” (giddy-up to camels) to a trusty steed with one hump or two (or maybe a horse, pony, elephant or tiger), they can create their own adventure as they wish.

So what about those of us who have already grown-up?

Kalon makes a version for us too!

One of the things I find most intriguing about the design is how Kalon took the grooves the 5 axis CNC machine created as it cut the wood for the Hut-Hut and turned them into a decorative, yet useful, element for the seat.  By doing that, they figure they saved 75% of the machine resurfacing time (and energy).

For kids who like their world to be extra colorful, Kalon just released a new version called Hut-Hut Kids Resin, made entirely of 100% recycled resin, available in 5 cheerful, kid friendly colors (the green is not shown here).  Utilizing the same great form as the wood version, it is currently available for Christmas pre-order at 25% off the $125 price!

Think of it.  You won’t even have to worry about having to borrow an extra battery or two out of the TV remote just to get it to work once Santa drops it off.  Not that that has EVER happened at our house.  (cough)

Anyway, wine is a multi-billion dollar, global industry, and anything that big generates a LOT of waste.  So I thought I would share some of my favorite sustainable goods made from the remnants of the wine making process…

Elegant curves define this beautiful folding chair from Whit McLeod.  Made from used oak wine barrels – many of them decades old – this chair is surprisingly comfortable and very chic.

Here on this Fontenay coffee table, it is easy to see how the type of wine, and the length of time a barrel is used, provide a rich variation in staining.

That beautiful variation is also evident in this richly patterned “barn door” by master furniture maker Cliff Spencer, also made of reclaimed oak from wine barrels.  I so wish I had a place in my house or studio to put one!

And of course, the oak can be used to create a stunning floor, like this custom one, also by Fortenay.

There are other great materials to be reused too.  For instance, wine corks make a terrific flooring, as these sweet round tiles cut from surplus wine corks show. And yes, that’s a picture of a shower floor.  Believe it or not, these tiles install just like regular ceramic tiles, with standard thin set and grout.  The only difference is the water based urethane you finish them with once they are installed.

Yemm & Hart has gone so far as to collect used wine corks, reprocessing them into 3′ x 3′ tiles, that can be applied to floors, walls or even as a surfacing material for furniture.

And of course, no post would be complete without things made from wine bottles.  Now, I could write an entire post on lovely vases, glasses and decorative items made from bottles, and maybe I will someday, but for now I wanted you to see a couple of more unusual applications.

Here are some marvelous color block pendant lamps by Jerry Kott.  Handcut from recycled wine bottles, and then reassembled, they would look striking suspended over a kitchen island, or a stylish wet bar.

Another piece I just love is this sideboard.  Designed and handcrafted by Blue Moon Bottles from recycled steel, glass and wine bottle punts (the bottom end of the bottle), it looks so pretty and yet truly useful at the same time.

To really appreciate how pretty the punts look in this table though, you have to see them with a little light coming through.  It reminds me a bit of the stained glass windows made from cut bottle bottoms that were at a Mexican restaurant I ate at as a kid.  They absolutely fascinated me.  Ah nostalgia… I have a sudden craving for cheese enchiladas now!

So, do you have a favorite piece of furniture, decorative piece, or building material you’ve seen made from the remnants of winemaking (and drinking!)?  Please feel free to share it in the comments below.

Meanwhile, just so you know, I’m on vacation.  Not a “throw all cares to the winds, sipping margaritas by the pool, can’t be reached by cell phone” type of vacation, but a little time off nonetheless. So I hope you won’t mind the brevity of my writing for the next several days.  I have some serious relaxing to do.  Maybe with a glass or two of wine in hand…

Image via Design*Sponge

Here is a great corkboard craft for those wanting to keep track of where they’ve been, or where they plan to go.  (Design*Sponge)

I really, REALLY wish I could visit this amazing Medieval castle being built in Burgundy, France.  They are building it using the technology of the time, sans the harsh labor conditions I’m sure. (Craftzine)

Here is a must read for anyone in the design community – “Is Design Ready for a Re-think?”.  (re-nest)

I can’t be the only one who thought “Is that a pagoda?” when I saw this rendering of Nationwide Homes new Eco-Cottages. (Inhabitat)

Love these beautiful prints for Paper Cloud’s organic cotton placemat and napkin sets. (Green Your Decor)

And finally, a good review of the best of Dwell on Design 2010.  Sadly, not from me. (Inhabitat)

But first, don’t these kids look completely thrilled with their handy work?

Image via Build Blog

From Build Blog, the same blog that brought you the great overview of couch cushion architecture, comes a critical analysis of cardboard forts.  Truly a must read.

So, on to ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair), which took place last weekend in New York.

First, here is a nice overview of some of the standout pieces seen at the fair. (inhabitat)

Apparently there was some terrific student work too.  (Treehugger)

And lastly, a whole lot of cork showed up in all kinds of ways at ICFF this year.  Maybe I was too hasty when I said I thought this was going ot be the year of cardboard! (Treehugger)

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