Jacob Ruch has a knack for bringing out both characteristics in his work.  Curbside cast-offs, salvage yard finds, construction refuse – all find a place at Reason Furniture Design, where the proverbial sow’s ear is transformed into… you know.

The company is named for Jacob’s great-uncle, Reason Ruch, who was, according to the artist, “extremely independent and self-sufficient, an excellent craftsman who could make wonderful things with very limited resources.”  Jacob strives to make his business emulate those qualities.

“Having limited resources eliminates the option to be wasteful,” he said.  “The inspiration I see in salvaged materials stems from an inherent aversion to waste.  For years in the construction industry, this instinct led me to drag old materials home from job sites.  Urban backyards and basements saw my own limited resources transformed into furnishings for the shabby apartments that I called home.”

What he calls his “first successful design” came in 2005, when he took some scrap wood on hand and combined it with salvaged glass to create a table for his apartment.  Its assembly took place literally in his own backyard.

Materials and inspiration come from the oddest – and most humble – of sources.  One piece, the Windfall Table, was gleaned from a fallen claro walnut tree.

“The termites got to it before the sawyer though,” he recalled.  “It was pretty far gone, but I’m not easily discouraged.  I filled the tunneling with resin and created a curved base to complement the slab’s gentle bend.”

Such adaptability is typical of Jacob’s work.  He has learned to not simply make do with what others throw away, but to do very well.

Most of his material comes from New York City construction salvage.  In his projects he has used reclaimed wood from water towers, floor joists, planking, doors, plywood, and even furniture cast onto the street.  This willingness to experiment has also led to dipping his hand in the “Pandora’s box” of upholstery work.

The artist’s creativity is showcased by three tables pictured on his blog: one fashioned from a found redwood garden gate, a second topped with old formica countertop samples, and a third project where weathered redwood decking was reborn as a set of matching table and benches.

That thoughtful excellence carries through into all his custom work.

“I design simple, honest and useful forms that celebrate often modest materials, and favor natural finishes that need not be protected and preserved in order to endure.  To me, objects that show the wear of good use are often more beautiful than their virgin counterparts.”

And although environmental concern is not spoken aloud on Jacob’s blog, the latter features links to organizations such as the salvage surplus building supplier Build It Green! NYC and San Francisco community resource The Bike Kitchen, both of which are actively working towards bettering life in their home cities.  His philosophy and the sourcing of the materials created by his company proclaim where his heart lies.

Jabob’s work is constantly evolving.  And what does he have in mind for the future?

“While pursuing new forms, whether independently or through collaborative commissions, I continue to arrive at designs worth duplicating,” he asserts.  “Through the production of these ideas, I hope I can keep REASON accessible to the modest folks and lifestyles that inspire my work.”

~ Emerald

I might also need this lamp!  Created out of 300 of those classic “It’s our pleasure to serve you” coffee cups (though I fear they were not used), by designer Christian DuCharme, this fun lamp hangs at the Lafayette Espresso Bar + Market in New York.

Lovely, no?

I’m off to brew that much needed cuppa joe now.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

Originally seen on Inhabitat, images via CollabCubed

This African inspired stool/bench/child’s seat is a good case in point.  Made by Etsy seller StephanieHubertDesign out of reclaimed NYC water-tank redwood & Douglas fir, it is both solid and graceful in its design.

I wonder how old that redwood is?  The city of New York once required water tanks on all buildings over 6 stories tall, and although they are only required in certain areas now, they can still be seen all over the city.  The reclaimed wood is certainly nice to look at when used for furniture!

Stephanie Hubert Design is a new seller on Etsy, but she has several other sustainable benches to look at, as well as some intriguing lighting.  Check out her shop here.

These beautiful Valley tiles by ModCraft are a perfect example of an old color looking new again. Although brown glazed tile was ubiquitous back to the 70s, paired with today’s crisp white fixtures it feels completely fresh and exciting again.  Doesn’t the luminous quality of this particular glaze highlight the dimensionality of the tile perfectly?  Gorgeous!

Industrial designer David Clark’s passion for modern, handmade tile shows in the striking modular designs he creates in his Hudson Valley barn studio.

By reusing clay and glaze to reduce waste, and packing of of their products in recycled cardboard and cornstarch peanuts, ModCraft strives to reduce their impact on the environment. All of their tile is lead free, and made of non-toxic components.

ModCraft also makes a line of cute salt-and-pepper shakers, and some handsome porcelain lighting, amongst other great things you should check out.

So, what 70′s color do you find yourself looking at in a new light?

All images via Lonny Magazine

I have to say, the photography and interiors only get better as time goes by.  Love the pink and turquoise hues shown throughout the issue.  Wait, did I just say I love pink???  Ah well.

image by Patrick Cline

Although all the features are wonderful to look at, there was one article in particular I’d love everyone to read.  “Family Tradition” isn’t described as a “green design” how to, but it might as well have been.  In it designer Angele Parlange shows off her absolutely amazing New York apartment, and discusses how growing up in her family’s centuries old New Orleans home has given her a love for the eclectic aesthetic.

image by Patrick Cline

Isn’t it fun?  And this isn’t even the best image!

So why did this article in particular stand out?  Well, the longer I have worked in sustainable interior design, the more I want to shout from the rooftops that this kind of love for family history, antiques, and eclecticism is so important.  If we stop thinking that we must constantly replace the old with the new, then we can start to focus on responsibly sourced, well made goods when we actually do need to purchase something, instead of some cheap, poorly slapped together plywood thing from the local big box store.  Items made to last generations should be allowed to do exactly that, don’t you think?

Oh, and the article also has some great tips for adding history to your own home too.  So take a look and then see how you add your family traditions to your own digs!

Another lesson learned?  We in the sustainable design community need to stop promoting what we do like it was orthopedic shoes.  You know what I mean.  “This product is so much better for you”.  “If you don’t want to be hobbling around in 20 years, you need to do what we say.”  “Yes, it may be a bit more expensive, and not very stylish, but it’s the right thing to do”.   I say phooey…

and it’s thanks to Michael Kors, and this pair of kick-ass, black gladiator sandals.

You see, I packed two pairs of shoes for my trip.  One was a sensible, comfortable pair of leather flats, the perfect thing for dashing around the streets and subways of New York.  The second was the aforementioned pair of platform sandals with a 3″ heel.  So guess which ones I wore when it came time to meet with the lovely ladies of HomePortfolio.com to tour the showrooms of the NYDC?   Yep, the sandals.  And why?  Because when it came right down to it, I wanted to look good more than feel good – and I have the blisters to prove it.

So Wednesday night I sat (thank heavens for my poor aching feet) on a panel of designers discussing green design, at the Cliff Young showroom.  Moderated by the lovely, and ever so patient Lindsey Weidhorn from HGTV, we designers preached and pontificated on what we thought green design was and why it was important.  By the end of it I found myself feeling tired, and not a little frustrated.  It’s not that the information wasn’t worthwhile.  It’s that yet again, we emphasized that green design was better for you, and that designers needed to do it, because in the end, they were going to have to anyway (a point I actually disagreed with in my head, but kept to myself – it was a panel discussion after all, and not a debate).  At the end I thought, “why are we still saying the same things we were saying 3-4 years ago, and why aren’t designers really listening?”

Then it hit me.  Interior designers see green design as being like a pair of orthopedic shoes.  Safe, healthy, and incredibly boring.  Besides which, designers have enough to deal with without having to narrow their choices down to (what they think is) almost nothing when they are designing a space for a client.  Who wants to try to find a pair of sensible shoes to go with a sexy evening dress?

So I’m changing my tune, from a folk music ditty on orthopedic shoes, into a rock n’ roll rant on sexy sandals.  I don’t just want you to be politely interested in sustainable design, I want you to practically beg for it.   Now that would be a revolution!

Well, actually, I’m not leaving till next Tuesday, but I just couldn’t wait to tell you that I will be in New York next week!

I’ll be at the Cliff Young showroom at the NYDC, representing Homeportfolio.com, for what should be a lively and informative discussion on green design.  Personally, I can’t wait to see Cliff Young’s Machinist Table in its new, greener version!

So if you are a designer (or design enthusiast) in New York City, please stop by the Cliff Young showroom at the NYDC, on Wednesday, September 22nd, at 7:30 PM.  And if you’re there, be sure to say “hi”.  I’d love to meet you!

Also haunting, ethereal, sublime, and a bit luscious – all at the same time.

This beautiful line of wood veneer wallpaper from Trove, including the Alcyone design shown above, is available in a wide variety of cloth backed, FSC certified veneers, such as maple, oak, cherry, walnut, birch, and bamboo..  Any motif from their library of wallpaper designs can be chosen, and printed in sizes up to 42″ wide x 120″ high.

Because they use non-toxic, translucent inks, the natural wood grain of the veneer can be seen through the pattern, giving the design a subtle, watercolor effect.

Trove, already known for their use of environmentally friendly inks and nature inspired patterns, has really upped their green creed with this line.  A Class “A” fire-rated product, the veneer can be used in both commercial and residential projects, and there is the potential for earning up to 9 LEED points with its use.

Now, one of the bittersweet aspects of writing about amazing wall treatments such as this is that I can never use them in my own home.  You see, we have 85 year old plaster walls with a very bumpy sand texture, making wallpaper an impossibility.  So imagine my delight to find out that Trove will also make this veneer with a paper backing, suitable for use on furniture, doors, cabinetry and the like.  Oooh, the possibilities!

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.

Nicely bridging the gap between modern and playful that often exists in contemporary kids furniture, April Hannah’s debut collection hits all the right notes.

She was even kind enough to offer the grown-ups a desk in their own size.  For once parent’s don’t have to envy their kids having all the fun!

Click here to inquire as to availability.  And yes, April Hannah is based in Brooklyn.  With such amazing “trees”, how could she not be?

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…

and the well organized white oak interior can be seen.

In many of their new pieces, animals of the air provide the charm, whether it’s the pixelated butterfly, the little bird on the Trees Graphic Tall Dresser above, or…

the slightly disconcerting bee hanging out on the Dandelion Graphic Tall Dresser.

For those not as into all things flying, there are also simpler designs like Scrappers Nesting, a neat set of nesting tables using scrap wood for decorative inlay.

To see more great pieces from Iannone Design’s 2010 collection, as well as previous work, you can go to their website.