Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean the sun has set on your Copacabana fantasies.

This shouldn’t be too difficult to imagine: you on a white-sand beach sprawled out on a cabana chair holding a strong, fruity, pink beverage in hand.

Keep that picture in mind, and cherish it. You’re going to need it to get through the long, cold winter ahead.

Thankfully, artist Heather Wells invented the Mai Tai lamp so you don’t have to suffer through winter on fantasy alone. She created this lampshade out of tiny cocktail umbrellas collected from friends and restaurants. The umbrellas are coated in a protective resin, the tips dipped into phosphorescent paint, in case you need an all night reminder of music and passion.

Available exclusively from UncommonGoods for $58.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

Lucy Norman, founder of Lula Dot, rescues cast-off materials and makes treasured objects.

UK-based designer Lucy Norman of Lula Dot upcycles London’s waste as a way of encouraging “emotional attachment” between consumers and their objects. She works with a range of materials, including the Literary Canon, which you might have abandoned in college.
When old books are sent to charity shops, they often end up being sent to landfills. Lucy rescues these would-be trashed pages and turns them into stunning ceiling art by folding each in half and creating a circular arrangement, which she then hangs around a ceiling light.

“More books are printed every year, read and discarded…[and] there is currently no infrastructure set up to recycle the paper,” she writes on her website, where you can purchase the Light Reading Chandelier for £340 in the UK.

At the risk of sounding cheesy, that’s what we call “well read.”

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

A gathering of gorgeous concrete lighting.

Since the era of the Roman Empire, concrete has been romancing our built environment by way of sidewalks and skyscrapers. Any urbanite is all too familiar with concrete jungles, but here’s a dose of unexpected concrete, formed and porous, suspended from a ceiling near you.

While the same concrete that layers your driveway can be adapted into solid little lighting delivery suspensions, the simple composite of cement, sand, and water adopts a look of industrial elegance when fitted around a light bulb. The combination of cold, raw material encasing soft, warm light is a dichotomy worth hanging.

The Heavy Light (above and below) by Benjamin Hubert is a thin walled cast concrete pendant available in a handful of sizes and finishes. Mr. Hubert (remember his cork oak wonders?) has also designed a concrete desk lamp worth drooling over.

If your aesthetic is more modern and less industrial, the Aplomb Pendant will charm you. The elegant geometric structure was designed by Paolo Lucidi and Luca Pevere for Foscarini and flaunts its personality in white, brown, or traditional gray.

Personally, I adore the pure and honest application of concrete and steel in The Real Concrete Tube by Stefan Zickert for Diffikult. The surface imperfections and texture delight my imagination.

If you are longing for the charm of a concrete pendant and you cannot possibly wait for the charisma to be delivered from Europe, give your construction skills a polish and try this project by Brigg – I will be.

One of the 2011 shelter trends is for light-emitting diodes and bare filaments to take the stage. These two trends will both have a powerful presence this year.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are an efficient and effective source of light. Most bulbs have a lifespan of 50,000 hours, which adds up to just under six years of continuous light – and all by emitting just one tenth of the carbon dioxide incandescent bulbs emit. This sort of efficiency gives me goose bumps. As this clever little light source evolves from widespread uses out in the world (such as traffic lights) into our homes, watch for aesthetic versions of LED lights to emerge.

We can look to European designers to satiate our LED craving – they have an incentive to master this light source because the European Union is phasing out incandescent bulbs by 2016. Moooi, headquartered in the Netherlands, has some glamorous and gorgeous fixtures with gleaming LEDs. Moooi’s Raimond pendant is, “a perfect sphere of mathematical ingredients punctuated by tiny LED lights”. This elegant stainless steel globe is analogous to a starry night dangling from the ceiling (and I see traces of the iconic disco ball too. We can only hope lighting designers follow in the design-conscious footsteps of Moooi and offer up more shining LED fixtures.

This year will also bring more exposed lighting filaments on display. Interior electrical sculptures encased in pristine bulbous glass houses will lend an industrial glimmer to spaces. As you know from our previous discussions of 2011 shelter trends, this year design is concerned with honesty and the essential framework of objects – so it seems fitting that the functional components of light bulbs will be on display. Plus, with the undeniable attraction and allure of LED lights, we’ll take this year to visually drool over the incandescent bulb (it may all but flutter away soon). In the past, light fixtures have existed to hide light bulbs, this year, the bulb and filament will proudly shine uninhibited. Industrial chandeliers and utilitarian lights will reign supreme. West Elm is embracing the trend by offering specialty light bulbs, so your exposed filaments can have vintage flair (yes, I admit, I love these bulbs).

Don’t miss the rest of the 2011 shelter trends.

(Thank you to Julie Beun of The Ottawa Citizen for introducing me to Moooi.)

(Images by Nicole Marnati for Moooi.)

The light is on and someone’s home. This was once a sure signal for would-be criminals who might be deterred from a brightly lit space in the days of mindless energy use. Crime experts have warned us that a dimly lit residence sends the message the owner is on vacation. While most crimes occur in daylight during the summer months when people aren’t home, those desperate to break in at night can find harbor in a dark front lawn with dense bushes – a frequent hiding space for intruders hoping to remain inconspicuous until getting in and out with stolen valuables.

But in these days of doing our part to curb phantom energy waste by switching off and unplugging, we are left wondering if going dark is dangerous. A growing number of cities have been cutting back on street light usage to save on the electric bills and energy use.

Lights out San Francisco, an eco advocacy group campaigning for energy awareness, has targeted downtown buildings – urging owners to switch off non essential lights and appliances every night to make the city the first dark skyline in the country. It was estimated that as much as 15 percent of energy consumed on an average Saturday night can be spared by turning out lights for just one hour. You can imagine the savings from a blackout every night.

While the goal can spell a greener planet, the notion doesn’t sit well with all homeowners, including women living alone who have relied on street lights, as well as their own lamps and ceiling lights to provide an added sense of security. Even if it is simply the flickering lights of the holiday tree, the warm glow seen through the window can make us feel we aren’t really alone. So what’s the happy medium?

According to self-proclaimed crime doctor – Chris E. Mcgoey – there are steps we can take to light up more efficiently and guard our homes with other measures that don’t require draining resources. In terms of the lighting, which he deems necessary for both the interior and exterior of a home, he highly recommends buying inexpensive light timers and using them daily – establishing a routine neighbors can observe and detect when something is off. He tells us the exteriors should provide 100-feet of visibility to your pathway and door.

“Typically, you want to use light-timers near the front and back windows with the curtains closed,” he says. “The patter of lights turning on and off should simulate actual occupancy. It’s also comforting not to have to enter a dark residence when you return home. The same light timers can be used to turn on radios or television sets to further enhance the illusion of occupancy. ”

He also advised lighting the exterior and perimeter of your home, using timers to show the appearance of occupancy at all times, including common area lighting on apartment buildings using timers or photo-cells to shut off at dawn. He adds that security lights with infra-red motion sensors are cheap and serve as a good alternative to an exterior porch light or side door light.

Beyond the lighting, here are other security precautions you can take allowing you to be a good green citizen who feels protected:

1. Improve doors and locks, including securing the garage door (a favorite point of entry); According to Consumer Reports, nearly two-thirds of burglaries involve forced entry, so why make it easy? Install solid metal doors at all entrances with heavy duty knobs with deadbolt locks with a dead lock mechanism to prevent slipping with a shim or credit card. Use a heavy-duty, four screw strike plate and a wide-angle peephole.

2. Sliding Glass Doors require Secondary Blocking Device: These doors are vulnerable but can be secured with a wooden dowel or stick inserted into the track to block movement. During the winter, nailing these doors shut can also be effective.

3. Close Windows and Install Anti-Lift devices: Open windows seen from the street are also inviting to burglars looking for a way in. Use secondary blocking devices on these as well, ones that comply with fire codes (i.e. screws halfway into the upper track).

4. A good alarm system property installed and maintained: These systems deter crime, according to a study from Rutgers University. Make sure response calls are up to date.

5. Be a good neighbor and stay vigilant for others: The National Crime Prevention Council urges us to get to know our neighbors, even in these days of disconnect with humans while we stay connected to our computers. Bring back those block parties, work together on improvements, form a caring community in your cul-de-sac. Call your neighbors if you see something suspicious or hear of any thefts in the neighborhood. Offer to collect someone’s mail if they are away or to help in other reciprocal ways. In other words, the old fashioned methods of making our homes safe still work the best as we work together to spare dwindling resources.

Images: Darkpatador; Treevillage; Jdigger; Axelharmann; jepoirrier

The second I spotted these gorgeous lights on Trendenser, images of these lovely recycled paper mache bowls lined with metallic leaf danced in my head. The silver (or gold) lining of these products provides an unexpected gleam of glamor. One of these products will provide sheen at the bottom of your treasures and the other will shed light over your gourmet meals while dangling above your dining table.

The Etco Paper Vessels come in confections of colors (white with gold, brown with copper, black with silver, etc.).

The Tom Dixon Beat Pendant Lights come in heaps of silhouettes to drop from your ceiling.

Here are two clever ways to incorporate upcycled wine bottles into your home. The Wine Sphere Chandelier from Wildflower Organics is a delicate glass globe dangling from heavy gauge wire. The Antiqued Mercury Demijohn Wine Bottles from Mothology add a bit of gleam and glamor to any space.

Looking for an excuse to imbibe a ridiculous amount of spirits? Enjoy the pleasure of at least twenty bottles of wine, add handfuls of taper candles, and you have everything you need for a sultry and flickering centerpiece. It isn’t often that preparing for a gathering is as amusing as the dinner itself. Cheers!

(These last images are by Tom Mannion for Elle Decoration – as seen on This Is Glamorous).

In case you want a bird in your dining room this Thanksgiving, but not on your table – check out these ostrich lovelies from the distant (and more glamorous) cousin of the gobbler.

The Fiela Feather Light by Haldane Martin is a vision of spherical feathers to float over your dining room (or living room, or bedroom). The drama of gentle light filtered through feathers is palpable – if only it were on the menu at my house this year.

Two dimensional ostriches have lingered around EcoSalon before and they are still stunning. The avian wallpaper from Beware the Moon (available here) is a bold way to bring a bird (or seventeen ostriches) into your dining room this Thanksgiving (and of course, being the gracious host you are, invite them to stay year round).

(Photograph Credits: Image 1, Image 2)

I have to admit, I love cork – and not just because the source (the Cork Oak tree) bears an uncanny resemblance to my last name. I love the texture, color, and possibilities this humble material offers. I love that a porous material with contrasting rich earthy substance and negative space molds into sheets of two-dimensional strength. Here are just a few reasons for you to love cork, too.

Benjamin Hubert designs a heap of gorgeous products to suspend from your ceiling. The Float pendant (a hand turned Portuguese agglomerate cork lamp) is just one of Mr. Hubert’s creations to covet.

The Phillip Jeffries Java Cork Collection is an inspired wallpaper gathering; Ebony Cork with Gold is a dream of natural cork with a gold metallic underlay. This unexpected partnership of earthy and gleam is absolutely stunning. These Balloon Shakers designed by Japanese architect Masayuki Kurokawa (available at Merchant 4) are a translucent and enlightening way to display salt, pepper, and vivid spices.

The Puf Fup by Corque (designed by Ana Mestre) is envisioned to “challenge the creativity of its user” through a cohesive, continuous string of perfect cork spheres that invites sculpting your perfect (wildly comfortable) seat.

Ever been smitten with corrugated cardboard? You’re about to be absolutely taken with recycled and scrap corrugation.

The creative gentlemen at Graypants have molded cardboard scraps into an irresistible collection of lights; some are modeled after the four largest moons of Jupiter, some are shaped like beans or bells, some resemble discs, but all are a gorgeous vehicle to cast graphic corrugated shadows across your space.

Desire the exotic allure of a rustic mount, but don’t desire blood on your hands? Hello Cardboard Safari. These elegant contortions of cardboard still require some (simple) assembly, so you will still feel like you earned the pleasure of inviting Billy, Buck, Fred, Eyan, or Robbie to take a perch on your wall (and with lovable names like that – who wouldn’t want to invite these gorgeous gentlemen over?!).

If you prefer the look of cardboard, but with the softness of two hundred thread count cotton and a sweet donation to charity, check this out.