The sun is out, the grass is green, and the birds are singing.  I’ve got total Spring fever.

Judging from the colors for their EMU Re-Trouve line, I’d say so does Coalesse!  Aren’t these seats adorable?  There’s no other word for them.  With their tongue in cheek retro style, these would look at home in just about any setting. Read the rest of this entry »

All images via Design Artist - Shawn Soh

Artist and furniture designer Shawn Soh has created an enchanting place to tuck away your books and other treasures.  A part of the Design Artist collective in South Korea, Shawn was inspired by childhood memories.

“I remember
That I folded narrow and long paper
And stuck it between the branches of a tree
That memory
Led me to embrace a tree
The tree with books forever chatters
Before I knew it, the books became the tree
In full blossom with sprouting leaves”

Read the rest of this entry »

Reduce, reuse, recycle…  Reduce, reuse, recycle…  Reduce, reuse, recycle…

When you work in the field of sustainable design, you hear that set of words so often it becomes almost meditative.  Ohm…..

But what do those words really mean when it comes to sustainable interiors?  How do they differ from some of the other “re” words, such as reclaim, or re-purpose?  Why are some more important for one product, but practically meaningless for another?

Allow us to try to help you sort it out.  The following is a list of some of the most common “re” terms used to describe sustainable materials, along with our own notes as to why and when it matters.  (All definitions are from Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary 11th ed., unless otherwise noted.)

Reduce - “to diminish in size, amount, extent or number”

There is a reason that ‘reduce’ is the first word of the holy trinity of green words.  It is, after all, the most basic and important concept.  Every time we remove something from it’s natural state of being, there is an impact on our planet.   The less we take, the more stable our planet becomes.

Although designers, by the very nature of what they do, must specify “stuff”, that stuff doesn’t have to be as resource intensive.  Imagine the difference in the amount of material used to make a simple, light weight, wall mounted shelf system, vs. a set of heavy, built-in bookshelves.  This principle applies to every imaginable product, but is often overlooked by both designers and manufacturers as an aspect of green. Read the rest of this entry »