As every grade school child knows, a broken mirror brings 7 years bad luck,… unless you’re Eco by Cosentino.

Developed by the Spanish multi-national company Cosentino, Eco brand countertops are made of 75% recycled materials.  Those materials include anything from porcelain to stone to glass.  But it’s the three colors, Polar Cap, Crystal Ash and Starlight, which really stand out with their subtle use of broken mirror.  In fact, although not normally a fan of shiny black countertops, I am transfixed by how much the color Starlight lives up to its name.  There is no way to experience what it really looks like except by seeing it in person, but trust me, it’s absolutely lovely.  And shiny.  And sparkly.  And,… I must have been a magpie in another life. Read the rest of this entry »

This weeks guest blogger is David Johnson of Sidecar Furniture.   An accomplished craftsman, David is also a member of LA Box Collective, a select group of professional Los Angeles based furniture makers, committed to environmentally conscious design and production.

To look at my furniture it’s obvious that I like Danish Modern.  When we create we can’t help but let our influences show.  Our work is a compilation of what we see and our imaginations.  Certainly as a furniture maker I’m going to be influenced by the aesthetics of the styles of the past but I’m also going to draw upon why these furniture styles can to be.

I went to The College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program, in Mendocino, CA.  The school is known for teaching a high attention to detail and balance and symmetry in design based on the work of James Krenov, Jim, as he’s known to the students.  The program is set up like a European apprentice system where students start with the basics and then make pieces under the watchful eye of the instructors.  Students must have their designs approved by Jim.  Any deviation from his design sense may be dealt with by his sharp criticism.  Rebellion is mild but highly noticed.  It’s funny to look at the pieces I made during school to know that they were controversial at the time. Read the rest of this entry »

Giveaway details follow are at the end of the post, but we suggest you read the review first!

When I first started to focus strictly on sustainable design five years ago, the pickings were thin when it came to green interior design books..  As in, there were exactly two books, only one of which was really any use.

Even as I watched the list of available books grow, I still considered writing one of my own, because I didn’t find anyone addressing the subject of green residential interior design the way I thought it should be.  Luckily, I never got around to it because Sunset Design Guides has just released the book I probably would have written (if I had the talent!).

Taking full advantage of Sunset Magazine’s wealth of images, author Bridget Biscotti Bradley has created an inspiring collection of sustainable design ideas and arranged them in her easy to understand book, The Green Home.  Assisted by a “design panel” made up of such green design luminaries as Eric Corey Freed, Kelly LaPlante, and Michelle Kaufman, Bradley makes a compelling case for the ease with which green design principles can be woven into any remodeling project. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m so excited to introduce this  weeks guest blogger, David Johnson of Sidecar Furniture!  An accomplished craftsman, David is also a member of LA Box Collective, a select group of professional Los Angeles based furniture makers, committed to environmentally conscious design and production.

David: Being an independent furniture designer/maker is no easy job. Comparing artisan or locally made furniture to IKEA or the Pottery Barn is like comparing apples and oranges. I often encounter people who question and often frown upon my time consuming methods and prices. We are so used to seeing and buying furniture made by big manufacturers that it becomes hard for one to appreciate quality, hand crafted, heirloom furniture. Rather than reading a blog entry about me defending myself and my craft, I decided to have my wife write a blog about her love of artisan furniture from the perspective of an outsider who is now a big fan of artisan made furniture. Read the rest of this entry »

Wow! Here we are, our first real milestone – post #100!  I can’t believe it’s here already.  Of course, we’ve had help the last two weeks from our first two guest bloggers, Christina from My Sparrow, and Wes from Harding Construction and Sustainable Solutions.  Let’s give them a hand!

Now on to business…

image via Green Your Decor

First up, GreenYourDecor found some pretty pillows from Gianna that are not only organic, but Fair Trade too!

Next, some new mod wallpaper from Mod Green Pod, an old-fashioned folding bathtub, and a bed made of plumbing parts… Read the rest of this entry »

Our guest blogger this week is Wes Harding, President of Harding Construction & Sustainable Solutions. He is a college instructor, general contractor, certified green home rater, and energy auditor. He can be reached at www.hardingconstruction.biz

A home has to have good indoor air quality and be energy efficient to be green. As previously discussed, air movement plays a large role in any home. There are many signs of air movement. Some are obvious, for example we can feel a draft and we can smell unusual odors. Some are not so easy to detect unless you know what to look for, such as dust at electrical outlets, dust where the wall meets the baseboard, dust on the carpet under a closed door, dirty insulation in the attic or crawlspace, and dirty heating and cooling registers. Air carries dust, allergens, and contaminants from outside (hopefully you don’t live on a busy street), your crawlspace and your attic. All of these holes in your home can effect how comfortable you may feel, how much you spend on heating and cooling, and your health.

Don’t worry, if you’re not sure where the holes are in your home, there are trained professionals that can help. Read the rest of this entry »

The sun is out, the grass is green, and the birds are singing.  I’ve got total Spring fever.

Judging from the colors for their EMU Re-Trouve line, I’d say so does Coalesse!  Aren’t these seats adorable?  There’s no other word for them.  With their tongue in cheek retro style, these would look at home in just about any setting. Read the rest of this entry »

Our guest blogger this week is Wes Harding, President of Harding Construction & Sustainable Solutions. He is a college instructor, general contractor, certified green home rater, and energy auditor. He can be reached at www.hardingconstruction.biz

Take a safety pin and stick a bunch of holes in a balloon. Now try blowing it up. Eventually what happens is you run out of breath trying to keep the balloon full of air (hopefully you didn’t pass out and you can keep reading). This same concept can be effectively transferred to our homes.

Obviously we don’t live in inflatable homes, but the holes represent areas in which air and heat (both hot and cold) can travel bringing in containments, dust, and allergens. Read the rest of this entry »

Our guest blogger this week is Wes Harding, President of Harding Construction & Sustainable Solutions. He is a college instructor, general contractor, certified green home rater, and energy auditor. He can be reached at www.hardingconstruction.biz

Baby steps are a good start!

So you’ve taken all the steps during your remodeling project to make sure what you bring in to your home doesn’t have toxic chemicals which could off gas and make you sick. You installed cabinets made out of grass, used zero VOC paints, non toxic based glues, FSC certified wood flooring and tile containing recycled content. Do you have a green home? The answer is no. Why? There is no silver bullet to green home and lifestyle, but instead a thousand silver BBs. Doing just a few green things, although very important, are only small steps. Read the rest of this entry »

I often say that interior design needs to be practical, or it’s not good design, no matter how pretty it looks. Take for instance, the issue of living with cats…

My two fuzzy lumps of lazy good for nothingness spend most of their afternoons and evenings sleeping on our bed.  I’m jealous. Read the rest of this entry »