I'm always impressed with the quality of products available on Etsy for such a little amount of money. Take for example these fantastic 11" x 17" pillow by Bark Decor. It's printed with eco friendly water based inks, and sun exposed. So yeah, it's green. Even better though is the fact that the hand drawn design looks AMAZING. All that for only $34.
Make sure you check out the rest of the goodies by the dynamic sister duo Bark Decor.
These bike fork bottle openers are quickly making their way around the internet, and with good reason. They are attractive, utilitarian, and assuming the fork used was no longer useful for actual bike riding, green. Designed and made by Evan Hawkins you can pre-order now from Etsy.
Colorado just keeping turing out talented companies making good use of the beetle kill pine. Azure Furniture seems to be at the top of the pile. They have partnered with local sawmills to produce furniture grade level pine with the trademark beetle kill blue gray color. That coupled with some solid furniture design and woodworking skills means that they have a really impressive collection of furniture.
What is a "soak salver", exactly? It's designer Sharif Pendleton's term for the common coaster, though his laser-etched bamboo creations are anything but ordinary! They feature graphic patterns like plaid, argyle, houndstooth, and geometric repeats - all treated with a special sealant designed to look better with age. Check 'em all out here.
As you know, we're big fans of wood toys here at GRM, so when I spotted these charming toys from Just Hatched I couldn't resist sharing them with you! With a focus on nature, each set is handmade from either Poplar or Birch, then painted with AP Nontoxic paints and polished with natural homemade beeswax. So far, you can have your pick between a wooden leaf puzzle (6 leaf shapes: Oak, Beech, Ivy, Dogwood, Maple and Cottonwood), bear set (2 bears, cave, rock, and tree), or a veggie set (Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, Potato and Carrot)!
I fully admit that I probably keep my toothbrushes way longer than I should. These bamboo handled toothbrushes from Anthropology have the month on them to help remind you when it's time to switch. Besides being a pretty great and practical idea, they look amazing. I'll take a two years supply please.
With a reclaimed redwood face and a birch plywood body, these modern bird houses from Nathan Daniels are nothing short of, well, adorable! They're available in a whole slew of styles and color combos, so be sure to check out his Etsy shop for more!
I haven't quite decided yet if this is a bad idea, or a brilliant one. The "Adjust-a-Bowl" soft cork bowl is made from 100% cork fabric. No, I have no idea what that means, but here is a description of what it feels like. "...it's smooth, warm, and pliable – almost leather-like – though it's made entirely from cork." Generally speaking I really like cork, and this sounds like it would be pretty cool. Anyone seen one in person?
I'm not quite sure why bamboo hasn't caught on more for kitchenware. It seems like a great idea, affordable, good for the environment, and able to be made in any color. Take this set of 5 bowls for example. Made from a bamboo composite. they come in natural shades of gray, blue, green, yellow, and burnt sienna. All that for $28.
When I first saw this modern glass water bottle by Takeya, I did a double take. At first glance I thought it was the Kor One. But looking closer the design is quite different. While I think I still prefer the looks of the Kor One, the Takeya is the winner for me for one simple reason. Glass. I hate plastic water bottles, even BPA free fancy whatever plastic. I still prefer drinking water from a glass container. The Takeya has a silicone sleeve over it to make it more grippy and comes in blue, green, white or black.
I cannot tell you just how much I love this hanging planter from Potted! It's perfectly mod, perfectly hip, and, well, just plain perfect! This curvy little ceramic number is available in White, Aqua, Orange, or Avocado and comes with an 18" steel cord for hanging. At 12" in diameter, it would look pretty swell on a tabletop, too (the hanging cord is removable).
Back when I was regularly obsessing over Japanese Ofuro bathtubs I did a lot of reading on hinoki, a type of cypress that is used in traditional Japanese woodworking. Ultimately I decided that making a tub out of hinoki wasn't affordable or practical for me. A tissue box on the other hand, is an entirely different issue. This hinoki tissue box is simple, beautiful, and it turns out very practical. Hinoki naturally has a wonderful smell (think cedar) and natural antibacterial properties. Just the thing for the next time you have the sniffles.
One of the things I love about "design" is that it can be applied to everyday objects that often seem mundane. Alessi invited three three young designers to reinvent the light bulb, and this is what they came up with. Almost as nice as the Plumen light bulb. Like the Plumen, it will unfortunately only be available in the UK
OK, so I'll be the first to admit that I have absolutely no idea what "spun aluminum" means, but apparently that is what these little guys are made of. What I do know is that they come in 4 lovely colors (orange, white, turquoise and mustard) and that because they are made of metal, they will last a lifetime.
While these kami pots/vases from ett la benn look like beautifully sculpted ceramic or concrete, they are really made of paper. 100% biodegradable cellulose to be more correct. From the pictures on their website, it almost looks like they are made through a paper-mache process, using metal as a solid structure. Whatever the process, the end result is nothing less than stunning.
More pictures available at ett la benn
Oh man. I want one of these in a bad way. Urbio's new Urban Vertical Garden is a current Kickstarter project and consists of modular planter units. The pots and panels are made from "eco-plastic" and attach to each other using insanely strong neodymium magnets. You can also mount individual pots to the wall without the modular panels. Overall, I think it's a pretty rad idea for those with limited outdoor garden space or for people just wanting a unique method of incorporating plants in their homes. Urbio needs to reach its Kickstarter goal by the 10th of May, so if you're interested in helping this product get off the ground check out their page for more info.
LINK: Urban Vertical Garden by Urbio
[via Plastolux]
More pics and a video after the jump!
Textured wall tile aren't anything new, but it is always nice to see some new options. While Inhabits Wall Flats are made of bamboo pulp, the WallArt tiles are made from sugarcane stalks that are left over after raw sugar is extracted. The end result is the same, a durable, sustainable, and biodegradable wall tile. Pricing is not announced yet for WallArt tiles, but I would expect it to be similar to others on the market. Check out WallArt's website to see all 12 patterns.
I absolutely love the idea of a community of modern homes. When you add in environmentally responsible and affordable I almost get all tingly with excitement. That is exactly what is going on 3 miles east of downtown Austin. The SOL Austin community of 40 homes range from 1,000 to 1,800 square feet and prices start at $190,000. Not surprisingly it looks like half the homes are already sold. Despite the fact that I'm very jealous of Austin modernists right now, it is encouraging to see attractive modern green homes being built that don't break the budget.
I only have one question: Is it available in an adult size?
About:
Hut-Hut Kids is a playful reinterpretation of the rocking horse. Available in 5 FSC Certified sustainable materials (Bamboo, Black Locust, Black Walnut, Cork and Maple) or in 100% Recycled sustainable resin in 5 candy-bright colors: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and Pink.
Hut-Hut Kids by Kalon Studios available from Bobby Berk Home: $125
We posted about Sol's fabulous work last year, but she recently finished a great new spot for "Save My Oceans" that is definitely worth a viewing (or two). So, sit back, enjoy, and have a happy weekend!
LINK: sollinero.com