A lovely new kitchen, made of reclaimed materials, that looks absolutely classic. (re-nest)
GE has unveiled their latest technology in super efficient OLED lighting. (Inhabitat)
It takes 5,000 cocoons to provide enough silk for one kimono! And this guy is raising the caterpillars, spinning the silk, and weaving it all by himself. (BoingBoing)
And finally, the most adorable ad, made on a whim by an 11 year old girl, for Harmony Art organic cotton fabrics. Seriously, somebody hire this girl! (The Journey is the Prize)
Recently making its debut at BKLYN Designs, this collection instantly won accolades, including the Inhabitat Editor’s Choice Award for best Kid’s Design & Newcomer. And why not? After all, not only are the pieces crafted entirely from sustainable materials such as FSC certified, no added formaldehyde plywood and soy based glues, but their great graphic punch is based on that icon of green – the tree.
SAGE in Design’s president and founder, David Lasher, has taken recycling to a sophisticated new level with the Raul Bench. With a seat constructed from a mixture of 100% recycled newsprint, old corrugated cardboard and agricultural fibers, all sitting on a base made of 89.5% recycled steel, this is furniture with serious sustainability in mind. Read the rest of this entry »
Philadelphia based design firm, Iannone Design, has for several years been making some of the loveliest sustainable contemporary furniture I’ve seen. Their 2010 collection, about to debut at the ICFF in New York, is full of new, stylish, yet whimsical designs that have already caught my eye.
Luckily, it’s not my eyes, or yours for that matter, that need adjustment to look at this great B-Bit armoire. The butterfly is purposefully pixelated and rendered in squares of several different wood veneers. Open it up…
I came, I saw, I…, only stayed for a couple of hours. Yes, AltBuild, aka the Alternative Building Materials & Design Expo, was smaller this year. In fact, I would say almost half the size it was at its zenith a couple of years ago, which I’m sure is just another indicator of how our economy has affected the building industry.
That being said, there were still a few cool things to look at, like the work of L.A. Box Collective…
After a week of computer woes and petty jealousy towards all the bloggers that got to go to Milan Design Week (maybe if I start saving my pennies for 2011 now?), not to mention an Earth Day spent scrambling to get caught up on all the work those same computer woes caused me to get behind on, it’s nice to be back to the blog. Maybe spending a little time telling you about neat stuff I saw on the internet this week will get me back in the groove.
So, here is one of the first things I saw written about from Milan this week. Tokujin Yoshioka’s “Memory” chair. Created from recycled aluminum, it changes shape every time someone sits in it. (Inhabitat)
To see more amazing furniture, lighting and products from Milan Design Week, check out Inhabitat’s “Best of” slide show. (Inhabitat)
Here are some cool wildlife portraits made from old topographical maps. This one is actually from last week, but too lovely not to mention. (BoingBoing)
I love this wallpaper using old newspapers to create a grasscloth look. Fairly expensive, but for the right room it could be stunning. (Design Green)
Love this rustic yet very modern take on the picnic bench, using brightly colored enameled aluminum and FSC certified redwood. (re-nest)
I love well thought out design solutions, especially when they are both stylish AND sustainable.
Case in point, this lovely little vanity by Waterfall Bathroom Furniture. Designed most especially with children in mind, the “The Mailbox” vanity is made in Canada of FSC certified wood, and comes with a matching footstool that tucks neatly underneath. Available in 13 different low-VOC finish colors, to match most decors. You can even order it with your choice of either a Caesarstone or a 3-Form countertop.
Plantation shutters. In California, where I’m based, they are the window treatment of choice for most contemporary homes. But even the most eco-sensitive people I know have had to compromise their sensibilities in order to have them. Sustainable options have been rare, and often expensive.
Thanks to a new “British Invasion”, there is now an affordable, attractive, environmentally friendly solution for Plantation shutters. Read the rest of this entry »
Well, it’s been a busy week, and I haven’t had a chance to post as often as I wanted to, but there’s always next week, right?
Thank you so much to our guest blogger this week, Susan of Susan Serra & Associates. Due to her MANY other commitments, she was only able to offer us two posts, but they are great ones! You can see them here, and here. We hope to have her back at some time in the future, so she can tell us more about greening the kitchen!
On a more somber note…
Image via Treehugger - SFI certified clear cut; Steve Ringman, Seattle Times
Treehugger writes about the ongoing debate about whether the USGBC should accept SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) lumber as well as the more stringently regulated FSC certified wood. I’m going to write my two cents worth on this next week, but for now please feel free to read my post about why FSC certification matters on HomePortfolio.com.
Next up, the death of the incandescent bulb at Toshiba, a challenge from Green Your Decor and Sylvania, and a toilet that, um, separates your, um… oh just read it! 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.
The increasing popularity of sustainable and locally made goods has permeated into the design world especially among furniture designers/makers. While the idea of creating furniture locally in a sustainable manner has been around for decades within the furniture community, it is more often than not, a new idea to the everyday person. As more large scale and local furniture manufacturers label their products as being made from sustainably harvest wood, this label has different levels of meaning and can be confusing.
To help you navigate through the terms and make informed decisions about your design purchases, I am including a brief description of terms used to describe sustainably harvested wood commonly associated with furniture making. While all descriptions listed are sustainable, I’ve put them in the order of what I consider to be the most sustainable especially within my personal design processes. Note: as always, the more local the source of sustainably harvested wood, the better. Read the rest of this entry »
The interioRevolution is a design blog devoted exclusively to sustainable interior design. Through product reviews, guest blogs by experts in their fields, special features and spirited discussion, the interioRevolution provides new knowledge and expands the dialogue on sustainable interior design.
