Via Design*Sponge

Till the weather cools though, I’ll have to just content myself with looking at how refreshing this pretty, wooden textile stamp looks. (Design*Sponge)

This fountain would look refreshing, if only it wouldn’t fall apart the minute you add water. (Craftzine)

Love this simple and effective filing cabinet makeover! (re-nest)

Ooh!  Does Room&Board actually have organic cotton pillows from Mod Green Pod at their stores now? That would be wonderful! (GreenYourDecor)

And finally, a new use for an unloved plant.  Could the future of sustainable fabrics be the stinging nettle? (Treehugger)

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

100 years ago, before “sustainability” became a concept, before the word “recycling” even existed, a traditional American craft embodied both: rag rugs, the art of creating rugs from worn clothing & cast-off textiles.   Across the country housewives melded thrift and creativity, beauty and usefulness into functional works of art.

At Lark Textile Design owner/designer Janet Thomas builds on this legacy.  In her hands, the unintended sustainably of yesteryear has become a directed goal in the production of custom hand-woven and constructed rugs.

“Although I use new materials now for my rugs,” she says, “they are industry 2nds and cast offs.  Perfectly good for walking on but not good enough for your window coverings or upholstery.  I am a scavenger at heart and that mindset makes it really easy to fit into the context of today’s sustainability concerns.”

Textiles were an integral part of Janet’s life growing up, to the point of obtaining a degree in textile design from the University of Washington – afterward, she began making rugs for galleries and shops, then began working with designers and the wholesale market of custom home furnishings.  Of central importance to her are projects that highlight the hand-woven quality of the rugs and develop a mood and atmosphere in a room specific to each individual client.

There is little waste in the studio, for use is found even for the “leftovers” from larger projects, which are turned into smaller area rugs and sold.  The carbon impact of the business is reduced by the simple elimination of excess shipping: the rugs are made here in the United States and sent directly to the customers.  For Janet, sustainability is a natural offspring of long-term thinking that goes far beyond business practice:

“Working in a sustainable fashion just makes sense to me,” she says.  “It is not an effort, more a design challenge. Anyone who has ventured into the world of trying to make a living weaving will tell you that innovation is a must.  It is my hope that by looking at all aspects of my business in a sustainable way is not only good brain exercise for me today but helps generations to come by reducing my baggage that is getting dumped on them.  Everyone has to figure out their own way to make a difference.  What I consider to be the most important aspect of sustainability is education. There are millions of great people out there that just need to be informed.”

Lark rugs are available in high-relief or flatwoven style, of which many choices are available for viewing and order at the “Portfolio” section of the business’ website.  Along with the traditional wool, cotton, and synthetic yarns, her work may also include fabric ribbons and even suede and leather, which is particularly interesting worked into a high-relief rug.  (The latter are works of art in their own right and would make striking wall hangings.)  With custom projects Janet works closely with each client, working up a Colors For Approval card from the fabric & paint samples provided by the customer and then – if the client wishes to do a more in-depth evaluation – for a charge creating an optional 16” x 16” square sample which be used to determine how well the finished rug suits its intended environment.

The practical beauty of Janet’s work can provide the opportunity to engage a larger audience in the ideals of sustainable interior design, and perhaps further along into the ideals of mindful living.  How better to begin such a conversation than the furnishings of one’s daily life?

Lark Texile Design may be visited here.

Queries may be directed to:

Janet Thomas

Lark Textile Design
720 Sunset Pond Lane #2
Bellingham WA 98226

PH 360-527-0305
FX 360-527-0306

Image via Treehugger

I find this new take on Tatami mats fascinating. (Treehugger)

A rug made out of cigarette butts?  That might be taking recycling a little far, even for me.  (DesignBoom)

Wild furniture restoration going on at Purpose Restoration – check out the flying knives on the the kitchen cart! (Design Green)

Great flat pack plywood stool design. (3rings)

Nice, simple re-use of old packing crates as drawers.  Hmmm…  I have some old wine crates… (Unplggd)

Charming, wool felt pillows based on science book illustrations. (BoingBoing)

And lastly,…

I thought I would include my own piece for HomePortfolio.com, which started out as a post on cork flooring, but really became a plea for the Iberian Lynx. (HomePortfolio)

Have a marvelous weekend everyone!  See you Monday!

Thank you for following along with me this week.  I’ve enjoyed the change in blog scenery and I hope that you’ve gotten some benefit, or a least a laugh, out of the deal.  Before I go, I wanted to leave you with some inspiring images of antique furniture on the high market.

We spend a lot of time scouring flea markets for objets d’art to put in our store.  When we first started going it was a bit confusing.  Everything we saw either seemed to have endless potential or was just a bunch of old crap.  We really had no idea what we were looking for.  But then we began to ‘hone our craft’ and suddenly things were a lot clearer.  I honestly don’t know how that happened.  It was like we showed up one day and just knew…

But for the sake of having something relevant to say, I’m going to focus on the part after we just knew.  Here are some pointers for finding great deals at a flea market:

1. Give a moment to anything that grabs your attention.  After a while things start to blur and you feel like you’ve seen it before (if you frequent the markets you probably have seen it before) but if it makes you turn your head, go take a look.  It may be a shiny gem hidden in the rubble. 

table supposedly from Bob Hope's estate

2. Inspect carefully.  I’m a fan of old stuff and I like a little bit of character.  In general, antiques and things produced before the 50s were constructed by hand and used higher quality materials.  After that, products were produced quickly and cheaply using molds, plastics and wood veneers.  If that’s what you’re into then great.  If not, then just be sure to take a closer look at items you are interested in.  Look at seams, edges and just general wear and tear.  And ask the seller about information they may have on the item.

3. When buying furniture: keep in mind that if you’re bringing someone else’s furniture into your home it’s gonna need a bit of work.  Even if that simply means a good cleaning (fabric and cushion foam holds germs and dust mites) you’ve got your work cut out for you.  Wipe everything down before you bring it into the house.  Soak any removeable cushions, pillows, etc. and plan on reupholstering anything over 10 years old.  This can get expensive, anywhere from $200-800, so budget that into the value of the item.  Even so, if you get a great new couch for $800-900 it’s still a pretty good deal, but just bear that in mind.

4. Have an idea of what something is worth before you start bartering.  Of course you can’t really know unless you’ve researched it.  If you want to do some research, the antiques roadshow website is a great resource.  Otherwise, get a sense of what something is worth to you.  If you want it, what are you willing to pay for it?  If you feel like you’re being swindled, walk away.  There are some great vendors out there and some not-so-great ones.  You aren’t obligated to buy anything you don’t feel is worth the price.

5. Enjoy the experience.  Being outside on a nice day is great for the spirit.  Be inspired by things, a bit conservative with your cash, but overall just have a relaxing day!

I endorse the concept of reuse so very much that I want to provide more ideas on the topic of designing a kitchen with a reuse philosophy. Let’s go through some creative uses for items which might be cast off otherwise.

Furniture – I’ve used a sofa in two of my kitchens for seating at the dining table, both of which had been recently put out of use elsewhere in the home. The sofa must be elevated to be at the correct dining height. A new use for a sofa which may not fit elsewhere due to a recent move can add great comfort in the kitchen. I will never not have a sofa in my dining area; comfort in the kitchen is a requirement for me. And, of course, it does not have to be a sofa. Oftentimes, there is room for an upholstered chair of some sort in a lovely nook. Refinishing family heirloom dining furniture and chairs is a great way to keep green. I used my mother’s mid century Danish modern dining table in my breakfast room for some years and felt warm and fuzzy every time I looked at it, also admiring its authenticity.

Lighting – ANY type of lighting can be used in kitchens and I love using sconces in a kitchen. Sconces placed at each side of a window adds a charm that is just unexpected in a kitchen. Too many sconces? Consider reusing a pair in the kitchen! Again, seeking out light fixtures in antique or thrift stores adds an authentic feeling to the kitchen and a sustainable design element.

Countertops – Sometimes we are faced with odd pieces of furniture. Before donating or sending a piece to the green trash pickup, take a look at the countertop. Can it be reused as a desk top in the kitchen? Likewise, for small sections of countertop, look at the salvage areas of marble fabricators. Another great idea is to find a piece of stone with an aged patina, probably way back in an antique store where it is just waiting to be reused, giving it new life!

Antiques – Speaking of antiques, a freestanding armoire can serve as a wonderful kitchen pantry. At the flea market in my area, I actually look at the bedroom dressers and armoires for inspiration as kitchen storage. Be open to the reuse of a piece which is commonly used for other rooms but which just might be perfect for the kitchen.

Authentic Decoration - No need to purchase vinyl wall decals or decorative items in big box stores made in far away places, instead, enjoy the hunt in thrift, flea markets and antique stores for wonderful items, often at a great price. Another green idea is to walk outside and borrow from nature – behold the diversity of the sculptural beauty surrounding you, an indoor reminder of the treasures of our planet.

Appliances – To save money and to procure an appliance which is already “out there” a smart idea is to rescue scratch and dent appliances. Often having just lite cosmetic issues, buying scratch and dents is a logical substitution to “consuming new”.

What about your ideas? Can you add to these? I’d love to add to the list.

I am honored to be a guest blogger for The Interior Revolution, and the area of design that I specialize in is kitchen design. I am especially excited to talk about greening one’s kitchen because there are just so many interesting and innovative ways to create a green kitchen. Today, I’d like to focus on the philosophy of reuse.

I have personal experience designing an entirely new kitchen with a (mostly) reuse philosophy. Reuse, to me, by definition, means thinking creatively, first and foremost. You tap into a part of your brain that may be programmed by default to “buy new”. That IS how most of us are programmed! You change that preprogrammed channel to “reuse”, you open yourself bit by bit to finding useful AND creative solutions for your kitchen design, and miraculously, the solutions appear!

Here is one of several interesting stories about reuse for my kitchen renovation. I purchased tiles for a room in our home, and unfortunately purchased too little square footage. The tiles sat in our garage for eight years! Suddenly, I realized that these tiles would become our countertop and part of our hood design! The tiles were heavily (but not rigidly) textured, and being an adventurous sort, I felt confident that a countertop does not ALWAYS need to be a smooth surface. I can report that (now having moved from that home last year) I LOVED the look of that countertop, and cleaning it, truly, was a non issue. Textured flooring tiles on the kitchen countertop? Why not? We also reused our cabinets and reconfigured most of the cabinetry into a new plan. We reused a sofa which was stored in an attic space over the garage and used it for seating in the breakfast area. THAT was the prized seating area for the family!

Reuse can be defined in so many ways. It can mean taking a fresh look at an object and redefining its use. This kitchen was a laboratory for me to experiment with new ideas and to give new life to older items. It was one of the most fun experiences that I have had designing a kitchen, as I took stock of my existing possessions and materials and visualized new, creative, purposes for them. Reuse does also not mean all or nothing! The cabinets that could not be designed into our new plan were used as storage elsewhere in the home or were donated. Too much or too little of something, whether fabric, salvaged tile or wood, lighting, etc. is not a negative…it’s the path to your own distinctive look, to new design opportunities. And, the kitchen was published!

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.

By carefully weaving strips of various widths together, Fire Farm was able to create a rich pattern of old and new, past and present.  And, because no two combination of strips were repeated, every sconce’s pattern was unique.

Now light filters through small gaps in the weave, as well as framing the sconce in a warm glow.  It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful and appropriate re-use of an on site material.

My shoe hugger from Arcadia

I’m just back from a fun, but all too brief trip to the Bay Area, which included a trip to the recently (re)opened California Academy of Sciences, which you’ll hear more about tomorrow.  Until I get all those images and information ready to post however, I would like to take a moment to send some kudos to the Arcadia company for creating such a helpful bit of green.

You see, a couple of weeks ago I attended a mini-expo put on by IIDA in Orange County, and had a chance to talk with Niki Valdes of Arcadia about all their efforts to create sustainable contract furniture.

The Serifina Lounge from Arcadia

After a great conversation and an invitation to tour their facilities, she offered me a… bag.  Now, as a green designer and blogger, I have amassed a heck of a collection of re-usable bags of all shapes and types, some more useful than others.  Almost all have the logo of the expo/company/product they came from prominently displayed on the side, and I often hand them back out to friends, family and others to encourage them to forgo plastic bags when they shop.  But the bag I was handed by Niki was different.  To promote their commitment to sustainability, Arcadia had taken their own scrap fabric, left over from production, and fashioned the cutest, most useful little “shoe hugger”!

Here’s what they wrote on the 100% recycled paper band used to wrap the bag -

Waste not, want not.  At Arcadia, fabric remnants previously destined to landfills play a supportive role in the interior construction of our seating products.  And now, they serve an additional purpose by becoming this nifty little bag.  We hope you enjoy the many uses for it today and in the years to come.”

Well, I certainly did enjoy using it for my travels this weekend, but more importantly, I appreciate the thoughtful re-use of the fabric, and the genuine effort Arcadia made to come up with a unique way to express their commitment to sustainability.  So kudos Arcadia.  I like your style!

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.

Reuse – “to use again, esp. in a different way or after reclaiming or reprocessing”

There is the old, WWII adage – “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!”  To reuse materials and furnishings in design projects can take a bit of ingenuity, but it can be done.  Most often it is either building material, such as lumber, or furnishings that work for reuse.

Recycle - “to process in order to regain material for human use”

There is no word in the world of green design that gets more use and creates more confusion than “recycled”.  Essentially, there are two types of recycled material: pre-consumer and post consumer.

Pre-consumer means the materials recycled are obtained before the end user ever lays a hand on them.  Most commonly it is waste product from the manufacturing process.  An example would be where a glass manufacturer collects all the broken glass from their facility, and then recycles it into new product.  This can often lead a manufacturer to tout their green creed by saying their product has recycled content.  However, many manufacturers already reclaim this waste in order to control raw material costs, so take the time to look at the pre-consumer content percentages for other manufacturers of similar product.  If you see that almost all are the same, then you can judge whether or not the manufacturer claiming to be green is really making any unusual effort in that direction.

Post consumer is what most of us think of when it comes to recycled products.  This is what happens to all those beer bottles you put in the recycling bin after the party.  In fact, glass is a great candidate as it can be almost endlessly recycled.  Not so for plastic, which has a very limited number of times it can be recycled before it becomes too degraded to make additional product from.  Metals, such as aluminum, fall somewhere in between as far as how many cycles they can go through and still maintain functional integrity.  Paper also has a limited lifespan in the recycling world, but it has the advantage of being biodegradable at the end of its lifecycle.

Recyclable – “material which can be recycled”*

Approach with caution!  “Recyclable” is a favorite word amongst greenwashers.  How often have you seen a company touting themselves as being green just because their product is made of recyclable materials?  The word is rendered virtually meaningless because, if given enough time and labor, most things can be recycled in at least some sense of the word.  However, it’s unlikely that most of these things will wind up in any place other than a landfill, or shipped over seas where the labor pool is cheap enough to allow for disassembly.   An exception is when a manufacturer will go to extra lengths to design a product, such as an office chair, to be easily taken apart for recycling purposes.   Still, it is best if products do not require new raw materials in their manufacture, but instead rely on recycled.

Repurpose – “to give a new purpose or use to”

Wine barrels made into flooring, wrought iron gates turned into coffee tables, vintage tea towels turned into curtains,…  The list goes on and on.  One of the main advantages to re-purposing items, other than conserving raw materials, is the significant savings in energy.  It takes a lot less energy to make a vase by cutting off the top of an old wine bottle, than it would to take that wine bottle, melt it down, and then blow it in to a vase.  It is a very simple, efficient method of material use, although labor costs can factor in a bit higher.

Reclaim – “to rescue from an undesirable state”

In the world of interior design, this is most often seen in descriptions of wood products.  So what makes the wood “reclaimed”.  Most of it has been used in structures such as barns or old homes.  Sometimes it comes from railroad ties or packing crates.  Whatever its source though, it is all decades, if not centuries, old and therefore does not require the cutting down of existing forests.  Initially one would expect that this wood would less expensive, since it is salvaged material.  However, there is quite a bit of labor involved in removing nails and other foreign matter from the wood, so that lovely grain you get from reclaimed lumber often comes with a bit of a price tag.

Rethink – “to think about again”

In their ground breaking book “Cradle to Cradle: Rethinking the Way We Make Things”, William McDonough and Michael Braungart posited that it was possible to rethink the way we make things so that they become the solution rather than the problem.  One of my favorite examples from the book is the idea for a pair of shoes with wildflower seeds embedded in the biodegradable sole.  Over time, as a person walked, they would deposit hundreds of seeds along the way, creating beauty everywhere they went.

Like any profession, interior designers can get into a rut.  We do things because that is the way they have always been done.  Perhaps if we take a moment to look at the problem anew, we can come up with exciting and sustainable ideas that create their own beauty.

Please feel free to offer additional insight in the comments!

* Our own definition, as the dictionary did not provide a separate entry from “recycle”.