Anyway, wine is a multi-billion dollar, global industry, and anything that big generates a LOT of waste.  So I thought I would share some of my favorite sustainable goods made from the remnants of the wine making process…

Elegant curves define this beautiful folding chair from Whit McLeod.  Made from used oak wine barrels – many of them decades old – this chair is surprisingly comfortable and very chic.

Here on this Fontenay coffee table, it is easy to see how the type of wine, and the length of time a barrel is used, provide a rich variation in staining.

That beautiful variation is also evident in this richly patterned “barn door” by master furniture maker Cliff Spencer, also made of reclaimed oak from wine barrels.  I so wish I had a place in my house or studio to put one!

And of course, the oak can be used to create a stunning floor, like this custom one, also by Fortenay.

There are other great materials to be reused too.  For instance, wine corks make a terrific flooring, as these sweet round tiles cut from surplus wine corks show. And yes, that’s a picture of a shower floor.  Believe it or not, these tiles install just like regular ceramic tiles, with standard thin set and grout.  The only difference is the water based urethane you finish them with once they are installed.

Yemm & Hart has gone so far as to collect used wine corks, reprocessing them into 3′ x 3′ tiles, that can be applied to floors, walls or even as a surfacing material for furniture.

And of course, no post would be complete without things made from wine bottles.  Now, I could write an entire post on lovely vases, glasses and decorative items made from bottles, and maybe I will someday, but for now I wanted you to see a couple of more unusual applications.

Here are some marvelous color block pendant lamps by Jerry Kott.  Handcut from recycled wine bottles, and then reassembled, they would look striking suspended over a kitchen island, or a stylish wet bar.

Another piece I just love is this sideboard.  Designed and handcrafted by Blue Moon Bottles from recycled steel, glass and wine bottle punts (the bottom end of the bottle), it looks so pretty and yet truly useful at the same time.

To really appreciate how pretty the punts look in this table though, you have to see them with a little light coming through.  It reminds me a bit of the stained glass windows made from cut bottle bottoms that were at a Mexican restaurant I ate at as a kid.  They absolutely fascinated me.  Ah nostalgia… I have a sudden craving for cheese enchiladas now!

So, do you have a favorite piece of furniture, decorative piece, or building material you’ve seen made from the remnants of winemaking (and drinking!)?  Please feel free to share it in the comments below.

Meanwhile, just so you know, I’m on vacation.  Not a “throw all cares to the winds, sipping margaritas by the pool, can’t be reached by cell phone” type of vacation, but a little time off nonetheless. So I hope you won’t mind the brevity of my writing for the next several days.  I have some serious relaxing to do.  Maybe with a glass or two of wine in hand…

image via Shelterrific

Here are some really CUTE pillows from recycled materials, by Alexandra Ferguson. (Shelteriffic)

West Elm’s new line of FSC certified office furniture, designed by students at Pratt. (Inhabitat)

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)

The first U.S. Certified Passive House, in Louisiana of all places. (Treehugger)

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)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Stranger Furniture is proof that deeply sustainable can mean deeply beautiful.

When the roughness of bark and the “imperfections” of natural wood are respected and used, when the natural, intricate grain of a board is allowed to shine forth in all its beauty, when the source tree “speaks” for itself, the results are tangible.

William Stranger’s work encompasses not just cabinetry and tables but also humbler creations such as lamps, utensils, and cutting boards.  Each aspect of his work supports a goal of creating zero waste.  Recycling is practiced whenever possible; scrap wood is donated to schools and other artists; even sawdust is used as animal bedding and then composted in order to minimize the shop’s impact.  As the artist explained, these business choices spring from a commitment “to an evolution that will take us beyond sustainability.”

That journey began shortly after the studio’s opening in 1987 with a commitment not to use wood from tropical rain forests.  Later, under the influence of furniture maker George Nakashima and inspired by the Cradle-to-Cradle principals of McDonough and Braungart, William’s work and life both came to reflect a philosophy blending art, deep ecology, and an utter respect for man’s place in the natural world.

He feels strongly that wood is “a precious resource that must be used responsibly.”  Accordingly, his primary source of lumber is urban salvage: trees that are blown over or cut down due to disease or construction, and then milled on site or at the arborist’s yard.  This is important, as otherwise these trees would just be burned or go to clog local landfills.

At the shop based in Pasadena, outside of Los Angeles, CA, William has access to tree species normally found all over the world, including black acacia, claro, walnut, camphor, carob, and elm.  He is also careful to use salvaged and “found” objects, and to use renewable resources such as bamboo.

The wood is carefully chosen and worked with the individual nature of the material in mind.  In the design process William is influenced by the structure of trees, buildings, and animals.  He tries to balance the rough beauty of the raw material with the necessity of shaping it into an intentionally crafted form.  Furniture is made in small batches using as much handwork as possible and held together with strong traditional joinery that allows the pieces to last for generations.  The natural beauty of the wood is preserved and enhanced with a finish of non-toxic linseed or tung oil.

According to William, there is an inherent interdependence between object, designer, maker, and environment, and this belief is clearly evident in his work.  Looking at the latter, one can almost feel the energy of the artist there breathing in tandem with the original spirit of the wood itself.  It is a juxtaposition of nature and artifice. The boundary between art and design is eliminated, and the viewer feels an urge to be still, to attend, to be drawn in by each unique piece.

It’s also home to the Martha’s Vineyard Furniture Company, whose specialty is making beautiful, sustainable pieces like the reclaimed barn board table above.  Part of their Agrarian Green collection, the Tisbury Dining Table is made to order in either the Antique Walnut finish shown above, or in the lighter Old Growth Oak with Driftwood finish.   There are also options for a turned leg, tapered leg, or even a breadboard extension!

Several of the pieces in the line, including the Lagoon Pond Kitchen Island above, allow for custom, environmentally friendly milk paint colors and finishes as well.

If you happen to be one of the lucky folks who get to while away the summer in Martha’s Vineyard, you should stop by Interiors Studio in Vineyard Haven where you may see examples from all three of the sustainable furniture lines Martha’s Vineyard Furniture offers, including the Many Shades of Green line, made of no-VOC painted Hevea wood (seen above), and the Olive Street collection of upholstered pieces.  For those not quite so lucky, all of the furniture is available online through their website.

So how did this company come to be?  Well, when you have an interior designer, an environmental consultant, and a retired business owner, all in the same family, it almost seems inevitable doesn’t it?  Says the company website -

“The beautiful Island of Martha’s Vineyard was the inspiration for our furniture. Each piece of furniture is named after a place on the Island and each color selected for our painted furniture is a reflection of how we see life on Martha’s Vineyard.

We think “Islanders” and “Wash-a-shores” alike would agree.”

Well, I’ve never been to Martha’s Vineyard, but if any of you dear readers have, please let us know what you think in the comments.

100% recycled leather floors?  Totally sexy!

If you’ve ever wanted to impress your snooty acquaintances, surprise your treehugging friends, and talk your spouse (or client) into something they won’t think of as being too crunchy granola, TORLYS Leather flooring may be for you.

Made from the unused leather trimmings leftover from the manufacture of boots, jackets and belts, Torlys Leather flooring shows how elegant reclaimed materials can be.

Installed as a floating floor, the planks requires no adhesive to assemble.  That, coupled with their no added formaldehyde construction, makes them a good choice for better IAQ.  They have also met E1 Formaldehyde emissions standards, as well as California Public School Section 01350.

The individual planks of Torlys Leather are backed with a layer of cork, which assists in noise dampening and negates the need for an underlayment.   Don’t like the sound of the herd of elephants people walking around upstairs?  This might be the flooring for you.

Now you may be thinking that a leather floor sounds pretty delicate and easily damaged.  Well, while I haven’t reviewed the actual wording, Torlys does state that they give a 25 year warranty on their product.  Best of all, they have designed their floor to be reinstalled up to 3 times.  So if your love for leather ever wains, you can always pull the flooring out and give it a new home with someone else.

So what do you think?

That being said, there were still a few cool things to look at, like the work of L.A. Box Collective…

I’m planning on a whole post on this great group of wood artisans soon, so I won’t get into too much detail.  Suffice to say, their exhibit asking you to match which raw, reclaimed wood was the source for which beautiful piece of furniture, was by far the most interesting and fun space at AltBuild.  Thanks Leigh for answering all my questions and showing me how much I still need to learn about wood!

I was also pleased to meet Sarah from Pacific Coast Teak, the U.S. importers of ProTeak, which I posted about a while back.  They had a nice display of some of the beautiful kitchen carts made from the FSC certified teak lumber.  Really lovely.

I’m going to have tot ake a closer look at this Woca oil I ran across.  It looks like a nice line of wood oils and stains that are extremely low odor and non-toxic.  Have any of you, dear readers, tried it before?  I’d love to hear what you thought of it.  I’m especially intrigued by the “color oil” stains.

Here’s an idea.  Take fast growing, FSC certified softwood, and then use a non-toxic technology to give it the properties of more durable hardwood.  That’s what the folks at Accoya have managed to do with their exterior grade product.  I saw a sample, and it really is quite remarkable.

And, last but not least, I give you the EnviroLoo – “a new American-made solar heated evaporative human waste system”!

And you thought I was only going to write about furniture and stuff…

Just launched today, Redefine Home is the ambitious and amazing interiors shop belonging to Linsi Brownson and her husband David Betz.

Filled with artisan crafts and vintage finds, there is something to please everyone.

Redefine Home sees decorating as an ongoing process, more of a cultivation of things you love and things you need.  We strive to offer a collection of beautiful everyday items mixed with one of a kind treasures and furniture designs inspired by just about everything.  We recognize that some things are a splurge and some are a steal, and we like it that way. – From the Redefine Home website

From the simple, rustic feel of this grain sack throw rug,…

to this charming print, done exclusively for them by Paper Cut Industries, there is a quite a lot to recommend.

Of course, some of you may even remember this table from a guest post Linsi wrote for us awhile back.   Yep, it’s the Bob Hope table, so named due to its (possible) origins from Bob Hope’s Palm Springs estate.  Even if it never actually belonged to “Old Ski Nose”, it has such a lovely character that it should surely belong to you!

Right now Redefine Home is offering free shipping on all orders over $50.  So what are you waiting for???

As a side note – I had the pleasure of being Linsi’s first employer when she completed her degree in Interior Design, and I am really looking forward to the day I can say “I knew her when…”.

So, congratulations Linsi!  No one deserves success more than you.

“La Bombe” is a side table, with matching hanging lamp, which feels straight out of the 70’s – in a good way.  I love the orange plastic table top (40% recycled plastic), and how it positively glows with the light from the hanging lamp.  Of course, ceiling tiles aren’t the only acoustic material Trevor O’Neil has re-purposed…This is a sofa David Bowie, circa 1976, might have lounged on.   What a great retro feel this “Dulce de Leche Divan” has, with  that mass of dark cork it’s carved from.

Trevor O’Neil works mainly with reclaimed materials for both his furniture, and his line of jewelry.  Cork is a favorite component, and I’m hoping he continues to pursue new designs with the acoustic tiles as well.

As to why he has a fascination with all things acoustic?  Well, something tells me that the this DJ console he created might give us a clue.  Utilizing the same reclaimed cork that the sofa was made from, Trevor also incorporated some discarded pine beams from his childhood home.  I think he may have raided my parent’s house for the old audio equipment!

Trevor O’Neil’s work can be found on his website, his Etsy store and at the Tojo Gallery.

Here is your Friday Wrap-up of great stuff on the web this week.

Image via Dezeen

Emeco sure got my attention with this great shot of their new 111 Navy Chair, which is made from the 111 Coca-Cola bottles worth of PET. (DeZeen)

Speaking of PET, you can pop over to HomePortfolio.com to read my post on carpeting made from recycled PET. (HomePortfolio)

I really love these beautiful, eco-friendly deck chairs from Gallant & Jones.  Definite must have for Summer lounging! (design*sponge)

Here’s an interesting list of 8 Bathroom Items to Repurpose Around the House.  A medicine cabinet into a bar? (reNest)

Are you an interior designer?  Then you, or the firm you work for, probably have a lot of outdated samples lying around.  Why not help out a student and donate them to Save a Sample? (reNest)

A fun table made of salvaged wood, with a little slice of color. (inhabitat)

If you love cardboard furniture, and even if you don’t, you should see this post on Treehugger – if only for the huge cardboard Leaning Tower of Pisa. (Treehugger)

Here’s a story about Christie’s upcoming Green Auction.  Everything from an original painting by Damien Hirst to a day on a movie set with Hugh Jackman will be up for bid, all to benefit several environmental charities. (The Huffington Post)

Wishing you a happy Easter weekend!

I want to thank our wonderful guest blogger this week, Linsi Brownson of Inspired Design Daily!  She wrote beautifully – as always.

So onto this weeks Wrap-up!

Image via Inhabitat

I don’t know why but every time I look at this image, the theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind plays round in my head.  These are in fact new energy efficient “Trex” lamps, and they are definitely worth a closer look. (via Inhabitat)

How about aluminum tiles made from retired airplanes?  You can even get them with old rivets and dings left in. (via re-nest)

A good list of 10 water efficient kitchen faucets, priced from high to low. (via re-nest)

Beautiful tile made from the waste by-products of the fishing industry (via The Thread Post)

Cute kids furniture made of cardboard, from Riki Watanabe designs first conceived of in 1965. (via Chictip)

Love this clever chair cut from one piece of plywood. (via Yanko Design)

I always advise people not to get a memory foam mattress. Now you can read why. (via Treehugger)

And lastly, although it’s not really about green interior design, Planet 100’s Top 5 Eco Contradictions is a great way to understand a little more about greenwashing.

Have an amazing weekend all!