That’s because you don’t know about Ecor yet…Founded by noted architect and environmental designer Robert Noble, Ecor takes the idea of corrugated cardboard to a whole new level.  Relying solely on discarded material such as old newspapers, cardboard containers, and agricultural fibers, Ecor creates the new from the old.

Still exploring all the possible uses for their product, Ecor is currently making furniture, partitions, structural panels, table tops and more.  Available in a variety of thicknesses, including a flat panel product, the possibilities are almost limitless.

As part of their continuing product development, they recently launched the ECOR-YourCOR program, which will recycle a companies white paper waste into panels, furniture, or other products.  They can even integrate that companies logo and artwork directly onto the panels or products during fabrication.

So what do you think you would make from Ecor?

Image via re-nest

As cute as they are, it’s really the organic cotton fabric that makes my day.  It’s from a nice list of eco-friendly fabric sources I saw on re-nest.

Next up – a lamp made from it’s own cord, maps as wallpaper, and the craziest way to make toilet paper ever!

Image via 3 Rings

This lamp has been all over the design blogs lately, and rightly so.  A very clever use of the power cord to create the lamp itself.  You can see how it’s put together here.

Image via The Steampunk Home

Some great images of old maps used as wallpaper, from The Steampunk Home.

And now for something completely different,… a machine that turns office paper into toilet paper (I kid you not).  As seen on BoingBoing.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Image by Rinne Allen via Interior Design "Cindy's Salon"

Seen on the Interior Design Magazine “Cindy’s Salon” blog, this lovely little cafe looks so cheery with its blue and white color scheme, and open spaces.  But what really stands out are the marvelously refurbished chairs…

Found at local thrift stores, the chairs at the Little Building Cafe were all in need of some serious TLC.  Each one received a whimsical refurbishment, and now they wear their individuality with pride.  I LOVE that pink shoe form as a leg!

Image by Lincoln Barbour via Design Sponge

Design Sponge showed the fantastic office space of Parliament, a design firm in Portland, OR.  Urban rustic to the core, this space is truly inspiring.

Image via Design Sponge

Also seen on Design Sponge was this very simple, straightforward, and ultimately stylish LED task light, the Clamp Lamp.

Image via Treehugger

And today we wrap up with a chair that uses the concept of wrapping to provide an easily updated style.  Extremely light weight at only 15 kg (33 lbs), the LYTA chair has an exterior upholstery that can be changed in only 5 minutes!  Click here to see how it’s done.

So,… are you organized yet?  Have those mountains of paperwork found a home?  If not, you might want to consider going “paperless”.

Of course, there is no such thing as a completely paperless office, but there are many things you can do to reduce the amount of paper you generate or store.  Today we are going to look at some online solutions, as well as a company that takes all your paperwork and makes it disappear.

If you’re not familiar with the term “cloud computing”, you soon will be.  Cloud computing, also known as internet computing, is simply a program that runs on a remote server, as opposed to something that must be loaded onto your computer to run.  A major benefit is that these programs can be run regardless of your operating system.  It also frees up space on your hard drive, which is always nice, even in this day of the TB (terabit).  So here are some “clouds” you might want to consider…

Remember the Milk is an online to-do list program.  This popular program does a great job of keeping track of your to-dos, as well as send you reminders when the time comes to get things done.  It also integrates with Google Calendar, and is supported on the iPhone.

If you’re looking for a better way to manage your projects – and the people on them – Basecamp makes collaboration simple. You can share files, track time, schedule milestones, assign projects, and make to-do lists, to be shared, or kept “private”.

If you need a way to manage your contacts, leads, and proposals, Highrise gives you plenty of tools, and a centralized place to store them.

image via Studio I.T.

So new the paint is stil drying, Studio I.T.’s Studio Webware is an cloud version of their popular interior design accounting system.  Best part?  You pay on a month by month basis, which means there is very little upfront cost, and updates are done automatically.  As the information isn’t up on their site yet, you’ll need to contact Studio I.T. to learn more about availability and training sessions.

Now, that is just a small sampling of the programs that are out there, and I would recommend exploring several before making any decisions, but the number of such programs, and the way they will bring us ever closer to an actual paperless office, is astounding.

Of course, it’s all very for a smaller company to use these products, but what about larger firms, or the large commercial clients of larger firms?  How do they manage to reduce their bulging filing cabinets, and generate less paperwork in the future?

That’s where companies like AMI come in.  Not only can they take all the existing documents and quickly digitize and organize them, they can also provide business process management to reduce a future backlog of paper.  All of which will help bigger companies stay organized and clutter free!

Thanks for joining us for our “Let’s Get Organized” series.  We’ll see you next week for a bumch of new product reviews!

Monday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 1 – Sustainable Desks

Tuesday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 2 – The Naked Binder

Wednesday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 3 – Storage Solutions

Thursday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 4 – iPhone Apps

Now, I know many of you may not have an iPhone.  In truth, I don’t have one either, but there is no getting around the fact that the amazing number of apps available for the iPhone have changed the way we use our phones, and could make a big difference in how we stay organized in the interior design business.  That being said, if you don’t have an iPhone, stick around for this first entry, because it’s available for other phones and your computer too!

image via Evernote

The simplest way to describe Evernote is as a note taking service, which doesn’t sound all that amazing.  But when a “note” can be anything from a snapshot you take with your mobile phone, to a screen grab of a website you’re on, to a to-do list you send yourself via email, things get a lot more interesting.  For designers, this is a major boon.  Imagine seeing something, anywhere you are, taking a picture and sending it off to a file system where you can easily access it along with notes, voice memos, web pages, lists, etc.  And everything can be filed to the correct folder automatically, once you tell Evernote what to look for.  Best yet, the basic service is free.  I’ll let their little intro video explain more…

Next up are the two iPhone apps made for color selection, Benjamin Moore’s ben® Color Capture™ (above),…

and Sherwin-Williams’ Color Snap® (above).  Both manufacturers provide these applications for free, and both work pretty much the same way, by capturing an image, allowing you to choose a specific color from that image, and then matching it to that manufacturers paint line.  The main differences between the two are in how they then interpret what you can do to integrate that color into a coordinated scheme, but those differences are fairly minor.  Of course, the application is limited by the fact that a camera is never as good at capturing and interpreting a color as the human eye is, but it sure beats carrying a fan deck with you every time you leave your office.  Free

Next up is a really useful app for interior designers called I.D.Wood.  With images and reference materials on over 50 different commonly used woods, including information on origin, common uses, and milling techniques.  Best of all for green designers, it includes a sustainability feature as well.  Price $2.99

And speaking of green, for those of you preparing to take the LEED Green Associate exam, there are flash cards for your phone. Price $19.99

Trust someone to come up with a “design a room on an iPhone” app, but since Mark On Call is targeted specifically at interior designers, it may be worth a look.  And for the price, you don’t have much to lose!  $2.99

And finally, for those times when you’re stuck in a really long, boring meeting, there is Home Sweet Home, a game where you “Create the room of your clients’ dreams with hundreds of unique pieces of furniture and accessories across dozens of homes each with their own challenging riddle. Then, with deadlines looming, direct your build team to assemble it all in front of your eyes!”  I’m not sure if the client yells at you when things go wrong, but I like that coffee is how you keep your “build team” motivated! Price $2.99

Tomorrow – Let’s Get Organized, Day 5 -  The Paperless Office

Monday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 1 – Sustainable Desks

Tuesday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 2 – The Naked Binder

Wednesday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 3 – Storage Solutions

Today I thought we could focus on some of the great, sustainable storage solutions out there.

image via Iannone Design

First up are these sustainable chic filing cabinets by Iannone Design.  Constructed of bamboo, FSC maple plywood and cork, they have touch release drawers, which allows for that amazingly smooth face front.  Stainless steel handles can be added for those wanting a more traditional look.  Best part?  The fronts double as cork boards, for those who like furniture that can multi-task.   Price $995 – $1,175

image via Legare

For those just needing a little file storage, comes this cute, FSC certified bamboo file cart from Legare.   Arriving flat packed, Legare furniture is designed to be assembled by the customer using no glue, nails or screws.  The file carts are designed to stack up to 3 high, and are quite affordable.  Price $69

Image via inModern

Another great storage piece that is assembled using no tools is the Linear Bookcase with Storage by inmodern.  Constructed from only twelve pieces of FSC certified Smartwood, this striking shelf unit has the added feature of sliding doors top and bottom, providing a nice, concealed storage area.  Price $720

Image via Housefish

For those of us prone to clutter (who me?), sliding doors are heaven sent.  If that describes you too, then check out all the great, colorful door options available on this console by Housefish.  Available in either maple or walnut veneer over FSC certified plywood, there are also ten different fun colors you can choose for the doors.  A similar unit, without legs, can be stacked on top to provide additional storage.  Ships flat pack.  Price for unit as shown above $598

Image via Cleveland Art

No place to put all those samples for your various projects?  Like the industrial vintage look?  This steel dresser with zinc drawers by Cleveland Art could be your dream solution!  Specializing in reclaimed factory pieces and other industrial cast-offs, Cleveland Art creates new furniture out of old parts.  With it’s honest, aged patina, this set of drawers would look fantastic in a design studio.  Hmmm…, maybe I should check this one out myself…  Call for pricing

Image via Way Basics

Peel and stick.  How much more simple to assemble could it be?  Configurable into a seemingly endless variety of storage cubbies, these cubes by Way Basics are made of post-consumer recycled paper with a laminate surface, all of which is 100% recyclable.  Lightweight but amazingly strong, the cubes are available in six different colors, as well as plain board.  Price for a single cube $22.99

image via West Elm

And finally, for the ultimate in low-tech, sustainable storage, there is always the woven basket.  The grasses most baskets are made from are rapidly renewable, and bio-degradable – a far better alternative to any kind of plastic bin or metal box you could use.  Plus there is something soothing about their timeless simplicity. The baskets pictured above are from West Elm.  Price $39 – $79

The solutions above are but a scratch on the surface of what is available out there.  Please take a moment to look at all the great options from these, and other companies offering sustainable solutions.

Tomorrow we will explore one of the several ways to avoid having so much to store in the first place.

Tomorrow – Let’s Get Organized, Day 4 -  iPhone Applications

Monday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 1 – Sustainable Desks

Tuesday – Let’s Get Organized, Day 2 – The Naked Binder

One day a few months ago my husband and I were doing what many couples who live together do – cleaning out the garage.  As I peered into boxes unopened since our last move 5 years ago, my husband walked up to me, arms full of empty navy blue 3 ring binders.  I think someone had given them to me when they cleaned out their garage, and they had been collecting dust in ours ever since.

“Hey” he said, “Didn’t you tell me you wanted to get all those product brochures and stuff into binders?  Well, why not use these?”

I gave him a look that is familiar to anyone who has to live with an interior designer, and said, “I can’t use those binders!  Look how plain and vinyl and bleh they are!  What I want is something stylish, but also eco-friendly.”  So he dusted them off and stacked them back on the shelf, knowing full well I wasn’t likely to find anything better anytime soon.

Well, for once at least, he was wrong!

Let me introduce you to… The Naked Binder.

Made of 100% recycled material, 97% of which is post consumer, these binders are not only attractive, but extremely sturdy as well.  So sturdy in fact that they have even survived a trip through a dishwasher!

The binders come in several styles, spine colors and sizes.  My personal favorite is the Classic Binder, with its European style finger pull,  FSC certified black paper cover and colorful cotton spine wrap.  It was the spine wrap in fact which got me so excited about these binders.  Designed to last a minimum of 10 years, the quality of the cotton wrap detail reminded me of a the way books are made.  Come to find out, The Naked Binder was started by LBS, a company that specializes in bookbinding!

An especially nice thing for interior designers is that they also have an 11″ x 17″ Architectural Binder.  Sleek!

Not content with just making great, sustainable binders, The Naked Binder is also making tabs, folders, CD holders, and these great binder inserts.

You know, with more and more vendors sending their catalogs to me in CD-ROM format, it sure will be nice to get them all organized with their business card, CD and brochure or cover letter all in one binder pocket.  In fact, I would love it if the companies just sent it to me, all ready to go in this handy pocket!   So here’s a challenge for you product manufacturer reps – be the first one to send me your catalog and information in one of The Naked Binder’s Binder Pouches, and I promise you I will do a feature blog post on your product, sing your praises for doing so, and generally just send many kudos your way.

And readers,…  If you use get any of these terrific binders to organize your office with, send us a picture when you’re done and we’ll post it here so everyone can appreciate your stylish hard work!

Tomorrow – Storage Solutions

Monday – Sustainable Desks

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