It sounds like an oxymoron - Urban Hardwoods, as in city and trees, but it's actually right on target and accurately describes the Seattle-based company that salvages fallen trees and turns the wood into fabulous furniture. Not a newbie to the field of green, Urban Hardwoods has been rescuing wood in the Northwest close to … Continue reading If This Wood Could Tell Us Its Story, It Would
Poor little plates, unwanted, unloved and discarded. That is, until Daddy Warbucks, or rather Christopher Jagmin gets hold of them. Then the magic happens. Jagmin finds his "orphans" at estate and garage sales and flea markets. Any shape, size or pattern will do. A complete "makeover" follows that involves cleaning, polishing and the application of … Continue reading Little Orphan Trudy Recycled Plates
Like it or not, our planet is stuck with leftover plastic from years of oblivious consumption and waste. But rather than complain about the pile up, why not take the matter into your own hands? Richard Liddle, of UK-based Cohda Design, did just that. He found a way to use trash to create something new … Continue reading A Purpose for Plastic: the RD Legs Chair
Frank Gehry's cardboard Wiggle Chair is a favorite of mine (unfortunately it's not reclaimed or recycled - it was the 70s and 80s, of course), and there have been many attempts since to re-create something similar, but sustainably. I have yet to see such a strong resemblance as this. The bamboo Lounge and Dining Chairs … Continue reading Lounge for a Lifetime in Bamboo
Lately I think I'm going through an earlier-than-mid-life slight case of feeling "lost". Not lost as in lacking hope, but rather the lost that sits low in your stomach and nags until you can't help but hear it whispering "Yes, do that thing you've been pondering. Do it now." This is how it happened that … Continue reading Find Your Eco in a Lost & Found Stool
Fashion this season has taken on a bright and colorful slant - it's no wonder the world of furniture design is following suit. If a beautiful blouse or a sumptuous sofa is dressed in a dazzling color, it can create all kinds of crazy - the good kind of crazy, of course. The properly placed … Continue reading The Power of Colorful (and Eco) Steel
The era of sprawling McMansions and their five-car garages is gone for good. We've recognized the need to downsize to a right-size that better serves our planet, and we're acting accordingly. Smaller homes may save energy and money, but they certainly don't provide much storage space. So now we're seeking something simple to assemble, lovely … Continue reading Housefish Has the Key to Modular Storage
I have two thumbs and neither one is green, in any way, shape or form. Nature and plush, pretty gardens fill me with joy, but don't let me anywhere near a shovel or pruning shears - tragic mishaps are likely to occur. I've been responsible for many a premature death due to my apparent lack … Continue reading One-Two-Three, Grow Me a Tree
When devising ways to save energy, lessen footprints and lower bills, thinking outside the box, or inside the house, in this case, is a good place to start. Clever and multi-functional mixed with a dose of sustainable offers the designer any number of creative combinations. From this premise, product designer Judy Hoysak dreamt up a … Continue reading A Clever Way to Grow Your Greens
The fact that young product designers just out of school are setting their sights on sustainable is truly a blessing. And they don't seem to be doing it for the money or the fame - but more as a mission. An eco-mission, that is. To them it's a no brainer, a given rather than an … Continue reading It’s Paper. It’s a Chair. It’s Paperchair.
Timing is everything. And sometimes timing is just plain bad. To wit, I recently bought a pendant lamp for my dining room, installed it and was really pleased breaking bread below it...and then I came across the petal lamp shade. Now I'm experiencing a serious case of buyer's remorse. The Petal Lamp Shade has approximately … Continue reading The PETal Lamp Shade
My grandest fantasy as a young girl included leading a life like Chris Evert or Gabriella Sabatini, which for an 8-year-old mostly meant wearing cute tennis skirts and being on TV. Although I have a great tennis game today (if I do say so myself), playing pro quickly lost its allure as my life took … Continue reading A Warm and Welcome Place to Shop
Dear readers: Sara and I stumbled across this and six days later we're still not sure what to think of it. When you come across a green product as useless as this, it's easy to be rendered speechless. Fortunately, at least for us, this doesn't last long. Here, we share our thoughts. Please do share … Continue reading Waterlogged: 2 Eco Chicks Check Out the “Eco” Umbrella Pot
Forgive me, but I never fail to get excited about pretty green things. And while it's not breaking news that vintage is a fabulous way to shop, I can't help but shout when something old becomes new again - especially when it's something made with an exquisite emphasis on craftsmanship rather than mass production. The … Continue reading Gustavian Dreams
While engrossed in one of my interior design projects, I've been known to create a room around the character and colors of a single piece of furniture. A very special chair, for example, can set the stage for a spectacular space. Or it can add that essential je ne sais quoi to a room already … Continue reading Meet Milly Rose
Whether or not you're planning a flight to a faraway land (carbon credited, of course), the Voyager Shawl offers a dose of the exotic. I can't afford to "buy now" over at Travelocity, but I can at least imagine myself zipping along a charming coastal road on my Vespa - Positano, perhaps? - wrapped in … Continue reading Venture Anywhere with the Voyager Shawl
I'm not referring to my favorite pasta dish or sports car, but rather the fabulous modern kitchen designs of the Italian manufacturer, Valcucine. Founded in 1980, they've perfected the art of the sleek, clean and simple space where we cook. But what I find even more commendable is their effort to be green. For almost … Continue reading Hip, Slick and Eco Never Looked So…Molto Bene!
The latest diffuser craze has everyone smelling up their spaces, but anyone with a sensitive snout best beware. There's nothing worse than being welcomed into a room by a thick wave of fragrance that fires up your nostrils and hurts your throat. That's why I love lemongrass. It's subtle, not too potent - just natural, … Continue reading Spread Some Lemongrass Love
I've never been good at sending holiday cards to friends and family. I enjoy keeping in touch throughout the year via e-mail and phone calls, but when it comes to spreading holiday cheer I fall tragically short. But this year could be different. I've come across a line of stationary that might just cure my … Continue reading Red (and Green) Aphrodite
It's not often that my design senses are stimulated. But there's something about Amy Adams' pottery at perch! that tickles my fancy. We first raved about her designs here and here, but there's more. Adams has a special skill when it comes to ceramics - her designs are modern, playful and charming. All perch! pieces … Continue reading A Lovely Little Perch!
Kim Derby 
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