Posted March 10th, 2010 by rachelh
As every grade school child knows, a broken mirror brings 7 years bad luck,… unless you’re Eco by Cosentino.
Developed by the Spanish multi-national company Cosentino, Eco brand countertops are made of 75% recycled materials. Those materials include anything from porcelain to stone to glass. But it’s the three colors, Polar Cap, Crystal Ash and Starlight, which really stand out with their subtle use of broken mirror. In fact, although not normally a fan of shiny black countertops, I am transfixed by how much the color Starlight lives up to its name. There is no way to experience what it really looks like except by seeing it in person, but trust me, it’s absolutely lovely. And shiny. And sparkly. And,… I must have been a magpie in another life. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted March 4th, 2010 by rachelh
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 »
Posted February 26th, 2010 by rachelh
I want to thank this weeks guest blogger Christina Fluegge, of My Sparrow. Christina has a line of beautiful and sustainable furniture and accessories, and I highly encourage you to check them out on her website.
A great way to create storage that is interesting and functional is to use vintage containers.
Anything goes from wine crates to vintage locker baskets; you can store and organize your stuff in interesting and usable ways. You don’t have to hide everything away in cabinets or a closet, using interesting containers gives a space personality. In an entry way or mud room you can label vintage baskets and bins for everyone in your home, helping to keep you from searching for the keys, shoes or soccer balls just before it is time to head out the door. Be creative!
Posted February 26th, 2010 by rachelh
A great week here at theinterioRevolution!
Our very first guest blogger, Christina of My Sparrow, gave us all sorts of good tips on living with everything from plants to buying at flea markets.
Next week Wes Harding, of Harding Construction and Sustainable Solutions, will be guest blogging about the nuts and bolts of green remodeling and energy efficiency, so get out your pens and pencils, ’cause there’s going to be a test – kidding!
I’m also excited to announce that starting today, I’ll be writing a weekly blog for HomePortfolio.com called Green Revolution! I’m happy to have the opportunity to reach a new audience of design professionals and homeowners, and hope you, dear readers, will check into it too!
So in the spirit of celebration, I offer you this…
Image via re-nest
a disco ball made from DVDs!
Next up – cardboard as shelving, a suitcase as table, and an ode to minimalism. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted February 5th, 2010 by rachelh
Happy (rainy for us SoCal folks) Friday! Nothing beats the rainy day blues like a picture of some cute kids, so here goes…
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! Read the rest of this entry »
Posted February 1st, 2010 by rachelh
Crazy though it may seem, the EPA has estimated that 7 out of 10 wine bottles ends up in a landfill. Considering that over 300 million cases of wine are sold in the United States annually, that’s a whole lot of bottles not getting recycled. About 2,376,000,000 bottles a year, if my trusty calculator is to be believed.
All images via Bottlehood
While they may not be able to make a huge dent in that statistic, Bottlehood is determined to do what they can by turning some of those unwanted wine bottles into fun vases and glassware.
And if you think a wine bottle makes a good vase, check out what they’ve done with some other types of bottles… Read the rest of this entry »
Posted January 21st, 2010 by rachelh
Ever since I was a child I have had a fascination with corrugated cardboard. I loved the wiggly line running through the middle, and marveled at how strong three sheets of brown paper could become because of it. Now that I am focused on sustainable design, my affection for it has only increased.
Images via Graypants
So please join me as I ooh and aah over these fantastic recycled cardboard Scrap Lights by Graypants. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted January 19th, 2010 by rachelh
All images from Fire Farm
When the First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI asked Fire Farm to create light fixtures for the new addition to their historic Frank Lloyd Wright Meeting House, they had an unusual request. Would the designers at Fire Farm please find a way to recycle the old copper roofing from the original building into the new fixtures?
Over 50 years old, and weathered to a soft green, the original roof tiles had character to spare. Turn them over though, and the beautiful warmth shown out like a new copper penny. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted January 11th, 2010 by rachelh
(clockwise from top) "Gold Coast", "Pompeii", raw safety glass in bag
Quick story – When I was a little girl, I found some broken windshield glass in the alley near our home. My mother, being the crafty sort at the time, decided to bring it home to experiment with. Her project, as I recall, involved gluing the pieces of glass around a flower pot for a sort of sparkly mosaic effect. We’ll never know what the end result might have been, since my toddler sister decided that tempered glass would make a delicious appetizer to the lunch my mother had left the room to make. Although a frantic trip to the doctor revealed no lasting damage, the great tempered glass experiment quickly made it’s way to the trash, never to be tried again.
I’m so happy that Ellen Blakeley, artist and owner of Ellen Blakeley Studio, had better results! Just look at the amazing tiles she has created from recycling tempered glass…
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted January 6th, 2010 by rachelh
Welcome to Day 3 of Let’s Get Organized!
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
Read the rest of this entry »
