So, if you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you might remember this…
My office before
and this… and finally this. That was back in March of last year. I’m sorry I left you hanging. Still, I thought you might like to see the final result. Read the rest of this entry
Valentine’s Day is on its way folks, so i’ve put together a little selection of fun, sustainable gifts you can still snag in time for the holiday,… if you act fast!
Metal wall art, made from recycled aluminum cans by Transcendant Treasure. These pin up onto the wall in any configuration you want.
Love Pillow sewn from recycled plastic bottle felt by Personal Pillow. The heart is a pocket you can hide a little note or treat in.
Light a torch in your loved one’s heart with this red current scented, 100% soy wax candle from Torch Illumination.
While the name and the concept seem pure ’70s (if this bed’s a rockin’…),
the execution is most definitely not! This is the Mood Rocking Bed by Shiner International, and it has style!
I just have to say, I don’t know whether it’s the pastoral setting, the pretty draping of the netting above, or simply that I need a nap, but that bed looks awfully tempting, don’t you think?
Todays’ post is brought to you by the letter h.
Kidding. It’s a chair. Shocking for a design blog to write about a chair, right?
But this isn’t just any chair. It’s the Katra Chair by Aparte Studio of France, and it is made from a very interesting material. Read the rest of this entry
Funky. Crazy. Creative.
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.
Now, you just have to love someone who calls themselves “The Crazy Belt Lady“, don’t you think?
And just as the name implies, Leslie Dickinson is crazy about belts. Lots and lots of old belts – all woven together to form the seating for chairs she has refurbished.
I swear I see one of the of the funky black leather belts I used to wear back in college… Read the rest of this entry
Occasionally I run across something that defies description and leaves me grappling with words as one grapples with wet soap in the tub. Look at this chair:
It’s a piece of furniture. It’s a work of art. So lovely!
But do you describe it? For that matter, how do you describe much of what Tom Raffield produces in his workshop in Cornwall, England? The gentleman’s website modestly labels his product “steam bent lighting and furniture,” but there’s more to the story than that.
This is art.
The little wooden robot sits there, head cocked, arms outstretched, vacant drilled eyes staring into space. Its expression is puzzled and innocent. It looks like it wants a hug. It’s cute.
Sometimes, in the earnest seriousness of striving to live green, we forget our sense of humor. Marjolaine Poulin of M Design hasn’t forgotten… and she loves nothing better than to make other people smile, hence the little army of wooden robots marching out of her workshop in El Salvador.
Marjolaine (“Mao”) has taken scrap wood & discarded furniture and raised them both into art.
A native of Quebec, Canada, Mao splits her time between Montreal and El Salvador, always looking for inspiration. Her introduction to woodworking came in 2004 in Guatemala, where she learned classical bamboo carpentry from a Taiwanese master. Shortly afterward she began crafting her own designs hoping to promote bamboo’s many advantages as a building material in Central America.
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”
~Henry David Thoreau
"Seconds Count" by Jason Wilbur
In the face of natural disaster, where others see devastation, Joy Feuer – and the many artists & volunteers who work with her – see opportunity for transformation and renewal. Life is often about new beginnings. Since 2008 Joy’s non-profit organization, ART From the Ashes, has been helping communities and individuals rebuild from the ashes of their former lives.
The concept for ART From the Ashes came to life autumn of 2007, during one of the most destructive fire seasons in the history of California. AFTA was created to use the cathartic properties of art as a means of supporting the renewal of lives devastated by wildfire. Members travel to a disaster site and from it reclaim materials – burnt wood, ruined household goods, architectural elements, anything that inspires – to be transformed into works of art and later sold at an exhibition-auction benefitting the effected community.
Joy Feuer, photo by James Carbone
The process is deeply meaningful for Joy.
“We have seen up close and personal the powerful connection and healing properties that our art programming has on communities in Southern and Central California,” she said. “In the wake of disaster…watching what occurs to people and places, in that moment, you are there as well. Its human nature to want to help in any way possible. In the actions of ART from the ashes, we can provide resource and support to communities in need. Art provides a connection, provokes inspiration and invites hope. There are no boundaries geographically or creatively. Our desire is to honor this and expand our mission to help as many people as possible.” Read the rest of this entry
Although it isn’t a strict policy, I try not to feature Etsy sellers more than once. I’m glad I’m not strict about it, because if I was, I couldn’t show you this little gem…
Crafted in New Orleans by Matthew Holdren – whose gorgeous beds I featured back in May – the Kerlerec Desk is a pitch perfect piece of salvaged wood furniture.
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.
