Ecosalon

Decor - A Date with Ecology

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:30:00 -0700

For those of us who haven't succumbed to the Palm Pilot or Blackberry, it's time to shop calendars and datebooks for 2009. I found some cool green options for your kitchen, home office or desk at work that contain images and information to raise eco awarness. Yes, you have a date with ecology. Take a look:

From Calendar Club, helpful reminders every month that our planet needs saving. The 101 Little Ways to Save the Planet is a pocket wall design, $21; The Living Green is a daily desk calendar, $14; the Deluxe Ecological calendar for the wall contains panels that put us in touch with the cycles of nature and the seasons, $15.

Soy-based inks on cotton paper are used to produce 12 gorgeous sheets of soft, seasonal illustrations in this delicate Letterpress Calendar (below) from See Jane Work, $35.

We've hooted plenty at EcoSalon about the artistry of the Night Owl Papergoods products, and it extends to the sustainably harvested wooden calendar (below), featuing the medallions and other illustrations of the company's talented artists, $31.50 at Delight.

Downloaded onto your desktop, the wallpaper used as a monthly calendar enlightens little computer users about everything from Human Rights Day to what polar bears like to eat. You can find it at Eco Kids. (Shown at top.)

Decor - Tiki Modern: Carrying a Torch for Polynesian Panache

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0700

Okay, Listen up Daddy-O's. Raise your coconut shells if you've grooved on the following: The Tonga Room at the San Francisco Fairmont and its sporadic fake rainshowers; The Audio-Aniamatronic Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland; And any of the surviving Trader Vic's Restaurant (Beverly Hills, Vegas, Emeryville).

If your hand is up, then it wasn't the grub (rarely is) but the kitschy props (nets, fish, spears, bamboo, totems) that floated your Bahama Mamas. Let's face it, jungle fever has a place in design, as resurrected in the new decor book, Tiki Modern, by Sven Kirsten.

First of all, you must click on the book at the Taschen publishing site because it pulses to the crazy-like sounds of the Sixties tiki pop beat, complete with exotic bird sounds. You'll be swaying and snapping your fingers as you preview pages reflecting primitivism in the modern world, from the animal print revival to the shack-like backyard bar.

The author, a music video director and tiki artifact excavator, hunted down props for his productions and emerged as the country's reigning tiki style expert. One of his unearthed treasures, the two-story high fireplace (below) at the Kahiki Restaurant in Columbus, Ohio in 1961.

Kirsten illustrates how the retro craze (who could forget the bar and bongo lounges in the Gidget movies?) has caught the wave in current trends of mid-century modernism and the opening of tiki-style bars from the beaches of Waikiki to Tokyo.

Mural of Vintage Tiki Iconography

Witco Studio Wooden Tiki Artifacts

It's also great fun to hop on the jungle cruise tour of the real McCoys, like Hugh Hefner's Chicago Playboy Pool and Elvis Presley's Jungle Room assembled by the house of Witco (above) . If you're like me, this imagery will not just wax nostalgic but have you craving something tall and cool to wet your whistle. For inspiration, check out Tiki Drinks by Adam Rocke. Like Tiki Modern, it packs a punch, and then some.

Decor - A Tall Pair in a Quiet Corner

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0700

It's no mystery to any of you that I love to brighten my home with as many flowers as possible, which, of course, means plenty of eco-friendly and vintage vases. I've featured stylish varieties made from sculpted ceramic, frosted recycled glass, bamboo shaped like a flask and more, but, I've never posted about one like this: the Square Tapered Water Hyacinth vase. Instead of adorning your tabletops with colorful buds, you can fill these extra tall pieces with branches or stems and group them together in a lonely corner. Not a fan of these? Check out the sleek stem vase, a collection of mango wood vases and the hanging vase that Mike, Susan and Kim discovered. (Available at Natural Territory for $220- $300.)

Decor - Message in a Pillow

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0700

Teens are getting the message: Our planet needs saving and we must stop trashing it. The future depends on it.

But just in case they need a reminder, Pottery Barn Teen is selling Eco Message Pillow covers ($32 to $39) directing young environmentalists to "add a positive message to your lounge and make a positive imapct on the earth."

Hey, it works for tee shirts and bumper stickers, so why not room decor?

One tree will be planted by Trees for the Future for every pillow purchased. As to be expected, the pillows are made of 100% organic cotton with a very sweet applique designs.

While the pink and green motif will appeal more to green girls, the blue and orange might have a place in the teenage boy's hideout. There may even be a spot for the caring cushions in a grown up room.

Decor - Pure Green Plaid

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0700

There's nothing more fetching than a ruggedly handsome man in a little tartan kilt. The original 007, Sean Connery, is a grand example. Great Scot! May I fasten that giant safety pin for you, Mr. Bond?

I'm personally mad about plaid, probably because I wore so many wool jumpers as a young lass. Home design, too, is pointed towards Great Glen as the patterns we adore take the high road. Here's a peak:

Nomad Cube from the eco-furniture collection at Crate and Barrel, $199, available in orange, green and gold colorways. Great for propping your feet or for storing your bagpipes.

An assortment of plaid rugs from Tuvalu Home, $28 to $195, sizes go up to 6"x9". Use to warm up the study.

Snuggle up to Track's Plaid Blanket (shown at top) found at Branch Home, a contemporary play on plaid with a modern orange grid on white; and it also comes in an optional black weave, $498.

Dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair on this cozy 100% wool plaid pillow from Urban Outfitters, $38. Freestyle Plaid cotton sheeting from Pottery Barn is Oeko-Tex approved, $28 to $119. More mellow, the Coyuchi Birch cotton plaid weave sham and duvet, $25 to $300, at Dax Stores.

It's time for tea and shorbread bisquits. Serve it all in this assortment of Scottish-inspired colletible vintage china from Railey Creek Collectibles. Includes:

Normany Plaid Sugar Bowl

Blair's Pottery Gay Plaid plate and mug

Vernons Killns China plaid yellow and brown plate and mug

Vintage yellow plaid floral napkins to cheer up your table, $52, at Rickrack.

For the shoe-free green home, let little ones pad around in these adorable plaid Weebit slippers from Ecowise. $25. They're so sweet, I'd even use them as a prop!

Decor - The Legendary Olive Tree

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0700

The olive tree has been around to witness monumental moments throughout history. Ancient Egyptians offered their leaves to the gods as symbols of benediction and purification, victors were crowned with their branches at the Olympic Games in early Greece and its sacred oil was used to anoint the kings of old. It was further immortalized through mythology, as this famous tree was the gift Athena bestowed upon the people of Attica in order to gain the patronage of Athens. And, now, you can embellish your home, grow olives and spark conversations with guests with your very own organic olive tree. Not good with greenery? The iconic Tree of Life wall hanging requires no special care. (Available at sponsor VivaTerra for $95.)

Decor - Recycled Aluminum Passes the Bar

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0700

Even more than a man, a good barstool is hard to find, especially one that is made with sustainable materials and looks good enough to pull up to your green kitchen counter or bar.

Enter Girari Sustainable Furniture, a company with a foundry and showroom in L.A. which is reproducing architectural designs the new fashioned way: using recycled materials.

Among the patterns used is the famed Seventies Tractor Stool, designed by the company's founder Eyreick Williamson. Along with the other counter and barstools, it emerges as classic heavy metal with a new green edge. The finishes are really beautiful, as well, polished in a variety of ways from silky brushed satin to highly polished mirror or hammered stone.

I love the fact that the aluminum had a former life - when you know how energy-intensive virgin aluminum production is, it's essential to only by the recycled and reused form of the metal. As the company puts it: "The stunning, sophisticated chair your friends are admiring is comprised of metal that might have supported the landing gear on a Boeing 727."

Hey, when something this hot is recycled, it's first class seating all the way.

Girari, which sells its line in the U.S. as well as in Milan and Tokyo, also produces fiberglass stools and chairs which are not technically green - but they can at least be recycled into other fiberglass products. (Some fiberglass models do have the recycled aluminum bases.)

Decor - Tina Spies: Cork Furniture

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0700

Last winter, Mike introduced us to the cork flooring trend, but that’s not the only way this sustainable resource is making a splash in the world of design. This fall, the stunning natural texture of this renewable material is popping up in furniture collections across the web.

The organic contours of the Cortica Chaise lounge and the supple nature of the cork it’s crafted from make for ultimate comfort and style. (Shown above; available at Branch Home for $4988.)

The team at Iannone Design utilizes an array of cork hues to create a stunning depiction of the wild. The decorative doors of their Cork Mosaic sideboard hides clutter while adding an artistic accent to your living space. (Available at Vivavi for $3400.)

As the wine industry begins sealing their bottles with plastic stoppers, Jasper Morrison refuses to let the resulting surplus of the green material they abandoned go to waste with his creation of the Cork stool. (Available at Design Within Reach for $385.)

Decor - Patterns That Make Us Flutter in Winter or Summer

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:22:00 -0700

As global warming delivers temperatures in the high 80s around much of the lower U.S., you may not want to pack up the picnic basket and hunker down for cabin living just yet.

I'd rather embrace the butterflies, since there are so many lovely patterns and accents to keep us connected to the prettiest garden bug we know. Inside or out, they let our imaginations take flight:

The Butterfly Jubilee Fabric from Mod Green Pod is 100% organic, featuring our winged friends in bold shades on an elegant field of gold. You can capture the look on your walls, too, in the hand silkscreened paper of the same design.

Mr. Squirrel chases butterlies on this sweet floor pillow from Amenity filled with eco-fibers and naturally retro-inspired, $110.

Modern and glassy, when you buy this butterfly plate from Plates with Purpose you are doing a service to not only your guests but also the Forbes Hospice. $88.

Butterflies seem to land on lots of vintage tableware, including this Seventies Daher Deocrated metal ware serving dish from Lorenz Studio at Etsy.

These gold butterfly Corelle dishes seem to fly out of Etsy and other sites that sell them. Highly collectible, you can still locate this bowl at Mimi's Back Porch. Fill with poporn and rent Butterflies are Free.

Observation and reflection: sit back in your garden chair while reading up on butterflies and taking notes about how to stop climate change. The recycled paper journal ($150) is fromMarcopoloni.

While you're at it, donate a little extra something to butterfly conservation.

Decor - A Very Fetching Greenrrroof

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Okay, so you've been working on making your house more eco friendly. You've changed the light bulbs, put in a water conserving shower head, bought energy efficient appliances, and stopped leaving lights and heaters on all over the house. Now it's time to tackle the doghouse. After all, it's only fair to let your dog live green as well.

Thanks to Sustainable Pet Design, it's now pretty easy to do. Their
Greenrrroof Animal House provides an eco-friendly and pet-friendly home for your furry friend. Built with untreated recycled red cedar wood, zero-VOC paint, and beeswax waterproofing, it's just the thing to turn your pooch green. The green roof, with it's miniature garden, not only looks and smells good, but also is a healthy choice for the pooch. Built on a vertical slant, the green roof provides insulation (against temperature and sound), filters runoff water which can be caught in the dog's water bowl, and filters dust
and particulate matter.

The Greenrrroof Animal House can be custom sized to your dog and, if you live in California, pre-planted. Anyone living outside of California, however, can only order an unplanted doghouse, but Sustainable Pet Designs will send you plant recommendations for your region.

Check out Luanne's post on feline eco housing options, too.