Not that it’s ever actually gotten that bad.

Not exactly (ahem).

That (not so big and messy) pile of batteries is why I want one of these!  See, those “dead” batteries still have just a little life in them yet, and by combining the power of twelve of them at once, I could not only point out to my son that it is actually past his bedtime (and that I know he has a flashlight and a book under his covers), I would also have a place to store up to twelve batteries before making that trip to the hazardous waste center.  I love stuff that multi-tasks!

The clock will even tell you when a battery is REALLY dead.  As opposed to mostly dead.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

Seen on Yanko Design

Sometimes an object is so stunning it can’t be properly caught on camera, and that is surely the case with Pietre Preziose, the latest surfacing material produced by the family-owned Italian firm, OKITE.  Pictures just don’t it justice.  As it is composed of natural quartz and resin, the translucent Pietre Preziose fills with ambient light from its environment and becomes truly luminous.  How brilliant is that?

This OKITE product, as with the rest of the company’s line, is available in a choice of thicknesses and can be cut and edged however needed for one’s project.  In addition to the lovely stuff pictured above, the company also produces a line of recycled surfacing.

OKITE product is available in a range of custom colors, from soothing white into earthy colors through bright, saturated tones and on up into deep, almost startling tones such as Prisma Blue Capri (pictured).

Everything the company produces can earn LEED credits.  Their surfacing does not emit any gas or VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and is certified by GreenGuard Environmental Institute.  Due to its high structural strength, OKITE product does not require any substrate of plywood, MDF, or composite wood – and, as the latter often contains urea-formaldehyde resins, this is good thing.

At the end of its lifecyle OKITE stonework can be crushed or recycled to obtain concrete or roadfill.  Stonework which has been cared for properly will retain its original finish and properties throughout its use, and so can be repurposed as flooring, vanity tops, backsplashes, windowsills, or mosaics… to name just a few possibilities.

But to really appreciate just how gorgeous this product looks, take a moment to browse around the OKITE website.  It’s worth the time taken.

~ Emerald

Why not turn them into lighting?  That is what Malaysian designer Ed Chew has done.   Of his motivation for doing so, Chew says -

Packet drinks are one of the most favored soft drinks among Malaysians. We just love sipping packet drinks wherever we go and never actually bother about the thousands of boxes we discarded off after each quench, despite knowing the fact that landfills across our country are bursting at the seams.

Perhaps, it’s about time we adopt a paradigm shift in our attitudes towards making this world a better place. As for me, here’s a little GREEN step I am taking to help reducing the amount of waste going to landfills.

In the spirit of global responsibility for finding solutions to the problem, he shares his method for creating the lamps so the anyone anywhere in the world can make them too.  Now THAT is truly sustainable design.  Sharing solutions to create a better world for all.  Kudos Mr. Chew!

Seen on Yanko Design

Inexpensive, modular, and best of all, made primarily of recyclable and biodegradable materials, the Yube is the perfect sort of system for those just starting out, (or maybe starting over).

Yube is designed to be endlessly reconfigurable, and capable of being turned into a plethora of furniture pieces with the addition of accessories such as feet, drawers, doors, and shelves.

Primarily made of reconstituted sugarcane waste, the Yube panels are designed to be sturdy, but also biodegradable once they are no longer needed.  That means you don’t have to feel guilty when you finally can afford to replace your Yube desk with that authentic mid-century Eames desk you’ve always wanted.  And meanwhile, you can have all sorts of fun with the Yube.

“We think Yube is like Lego for adults.” – Jeff Greenstein, Yube President

And what could be more fun than that?

To find out more about Yube, or to purchase them online, click here.

Designed by Tord Boontje for Botanist, these lanterns from his Free Flowing series cast such amazing shadows.  The perfect backdrop for a winter time party and a champagne toast.

Even without the soft glowing light, their form remains evocative of tree branches in winter, or a golden field of wild grasses just after the first frost.

Of course, such lovely organic shapes are nothing new to Boontje, who has created many award winning, nature influenced designs from his studio in London.  This is no accidental marriage of naturalism and modernism, mind you.  To quote from his bio,…

“The Studio’s work draws from a belief that modernism does not mean minimalism, that contemporary does not forsake tradition, and that technology does not abandon people and senses. The Studio’s designs often temper edges with softness, take inspiration from nature, and employ a décor of forms and layers to engage and entice an observer’s imagination and emotions.”

I’m not sure I’m going to get emotional about this next piece, but it definitely engages my imagination…

Laid horizontally, the branchlike lines of the lanterns suddenly become the ripples on the surface of a stream as its rushes to beat the winter freeze.  Or a very stylish tray if you aren’t feeling quite so poetic.

The Free Flowing clock shows yet another incarnation of the random curves and branching of this line.  Is this a cracking hole in frozen lake, a bird’s nest, or perhaps some beautiful coral on a far away reef?  Whatever it reminds you of, it is undoubtedly a striking accessory for any wall.

All pieces in the Free Flowing line from Botanist are made of powder coated steel, which is both partially recycled and completely recyclable.  In addition, 2% of the purchase price goes to Boontje’s charity of choice, Greenpeace.

So what images come to your mind when you see these pieces?

Now two other designers have added some fresh coats of “paint” to the concept.

Meet the CANdle, by the design team at twenty5ive…

And Pouring Light by product designer Yeongwoo Kim.

Resembling a can of paint, twenty5ive’s aluminum CANdle utilizes LED lamps to create a lightweight, durable, portable light fixture.

Intended for use as either a spotlight, or for ambient light, the CANdle is also suitable for outdoor use.

The Pouring Light Lamp by Yeonwoo Kim is a stylish and sustainable take on the classic desktop task lamp.  By using phosphorescent material in the “liquid” portion of the stand, the light given off by the interior LED can be stored in the material, and then continue to glow after the lamp is turned off.

Both of these fixtures are in the conceptual stage, but both speak to the possibilities inherent in the burgeoning realm of LED technology.  With their relatively small size and significantly lower temperatures, LEDs are already revolutionizing lighting design.  Let’s hope we continue to see such wonderful, innovative products hitting actual market shelves soon.

Note – Both of these products were found on Yanko Design, a terrific blog for keeping up with new and creative design solutions.

Although I have to wonder a bit at the idea of styling a fireplace to look like a woodland conflagration, I gotta admit, Steeltree, by talented Italian designer Paolo Grasselli, is very cool.  Or maybe I should say “hot”?  Either way, it does appeal in a wicked witch sort of way, don’t you think?

Of course, you don’t have to go with black.  There is a downright cheerful green, and an innocent looking white to choose from as well.

By using a refillable, non-polluting bio-fuel insert, the Steeltree can be used anywhere in a home without need for a chimney.  A single refill can burn for up to 6 hours.

With its sculptural good looks, the Steeltree fireplace will look decorative even when unlit.

Currently available through the Italian company Horus.

image via Yanko Design

Combining the green design communities love for the efficient use of materials with the energy savings of flatpack design, these three dimensional pieces made of a single sheet of recyclable metal are all the rage.

Here we see the Qbik steel lamp, designed by Enrico Zanolla and Andrea Di FIlippo for Miniforms Spa.  With its boxy form and heat releasing perforated top, this lamp has a very modern industrial feel.  But folded metal can also look a bit softer…

Somehow, Los Angeles based designer Brooke Woosley has taken a single sheet of aluminum, and given it lightness of form that belies its heavier nature.  Inspired by origami, the Oru table has a glossy white auto finish top, with a matte blue underside.  The folds are created using a water jet to cut perforated lines along which to bend the metal.

A similar technique of perforation was used to make the folds for the Noshi Stool by Designloop, although here the material is laser cut steel.  Unlike the previous pieces however, this one is in production and available for purchase ($243).  Cute, handy, and very, very durable, the Noshi also comes in grey and black.

Mosaic “wallpaper” by Trend USA

1.  Recycled glass takes only 50% of the energy to produce that virgin glass does.

Oceanside Glasstile

2.  Recycled glass  can be made into any form, color, or shape you can imagine.

Bedrock Industries

3.  Glass is truly recyclable, meaning it can be recycled over and over and over again without losing quality.  Paper and many metals can only be recycled a certain number of times before they become unusable (in their original form) due to contaminants or loss of structural integrity.  Plastic is even worse, as it can only be downcycled, meaning it must be converted into a lesser form from the very beginning.

Stone & Pewter

4. Recycled glass is versatile.  It can be used anywhere that ceramic tile can be used, such as walls, countertops, showers, fountains and pools.  It can even be used for flooring.

Hakatai

5.  Every ton of 50% recycled glass saves 250 tons of mining waste.  Imagine the savings when it’s 100% recycled!

Sandhill

6.  Recycled glass is inert, meaning it won’t affect indoor air quality, or add contaminants or chemicals to the interior environment.

So have I got you interested?  Good!  Now, here are a few more things you should know before you run out and replace that grubby old bathroom countertop:

• The post consumer recycled content of glass tiles can vary anywhere from 100% down to about 30%.  Most companies make the information available to you on their website or in information sheets and catalogs, but if you don’t see it anywhere, don’t hesitate to ask.
• Even though recycled glass takes a lot less energy to produce than virgin glass, there is still a significant amount of heat and energy needed to reform it.  Check with the company you’re considering to see if they have any programs in place to either reduce or offset the energy they use in production.
• Recycled glass is BEAUTIFUL.  That being said, it’s typically made using processes that allow for some flaws, bubbles and other quirks of production, so you should enjoy a little “character” in your tile.
• All of the recycled glass tile companies I have highlighted above are located in the United States, although a few of them actually manufacture in other countries.  If you are in another country and know of a good local source for recycled glass tile that you would like to share, please let us know in the comments below.  I love hearing about new sources for good things.

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.

Coalesse also has a handsome, if ghostly, take on classic living room furniture, in the EMU Ivy collection.  Created out of powder coated steel mesh, these pieces are certified SCS Indoor Advantage Gold, and use a minimum of materials in their construction.  The steel is also a minimum 31% recycled content, and is 100% recyclable.

The, ahem, “brightest” idea has to be these great EMU Ivy footstools.  They are designed with a photovoltaic panel in the top that powers 5 LEDs underneath.  With a convenient carrying strap at the side, they can be moved around anywhere you need a little light.  Brilliant!

So are you ready for Spring yet?