Holley Simmons – EcoSalon

A Sheltered Life Interview with Zem Joaquin of EcoFabulous

Holley Simmons — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:09:04 +0000

To call Zem Joaquin a Jane of all trades is an understatement; the founder of a sustainable style blog, Ecofabulous, is a certified BuildItGreen design consultant, a sought-after eco expert, a contributing editor for House & Garden, Architectural Digest and 7Ã-7 Magazine, and last but not least a mother of two. At any given point her blog features gotta-have products and services for green gals in the know. Today we wrap up our Sheltered Life interview series with Zem and learn, among other things, the energy-sucks that lurk in your laundry room!

Ecofabulous is setting out to prove that sustainability can be sexy. What makes an eco-product sexy in your eyes?

Sexy is sexy, period. I am a designophile. I love beautiful lines and good proportion, complimented by appealing colors. Functionality is a must but if something looks good and works well – yet it makes you sick – how can that be hot?

What was the most surprising thing you learned about sustainable design while compiling posts for Ecofabulous?

I was astonished to learn that so many people have been duped into believing that cork trees are endangered and so few understand the benefits of this rapidly renewable bark. One of the most thrilling things on the ecofabulous horizon is a tour of the Portuguese cork forests this month. We will be documenting the annual harvest and exploring the myriad uses for the extremely versatile, durable, insulating material.

In your opinion, what’s the most important room of the house? And the most over-looked?

Maybe the laundry room. Sixty percent of the carbon footprint of a pair of jeans actually occurs after you purchase it, since the way you care for your clothing not only affects you, but your clothes and the environment as well!

Ideally use a high efficiency, front-loading machine like Electrolux’s (you can do an entire load in 18 minutes) with a concentrated, non-toxic detergent (Method’s new pump requires a 1/4 of the dose of the leading national detergent brand). Cold water loads are less damaging to your clothes, save energy and thus save you moolah! And line drying takes that one step further. If you end up taking your duds for a tumble, you’ll want to ditch plastic dryer sheets that have a combination of beef tallow (lard) and chemicals. There are plenty of biodegradable, more appetizing alternatives. I also suggest skipping chlorinated bleach and opting for peroxide brighteners that won’t yellow your whites or change the ph level of the ocean. After all, cleaning should be clean!

What is your personal favorite flea-market find?

I have a weakness for gorgeous bar carts, so when I found my solid brass ’20s stunner for under a $100 (I’ve seen similar for just shy of a $1,000), I had to pop a cork.

What does “home” mean to you?

A healthy, safe place that my family and friends know they can always go back to for centering.

What’s the simplest tweak you can make to a room that has the biggest impact (other than a can of paint)?

Throw pillows can be an inexpensive way to add drama and glamor to any room. There are numerous stylish and sustainable versions now available. Look for ones with with an organic fabric and a eco-friendly fill, like organic wool or kapok.

What are your five favorite eco resources?

Ebay
Green With Glamour
Ekla Home
VivaTerra
Eco Haus

The post A Sheltered Life Interview with Zem Joaquin of EcoFabulous appeared first on EcoSalon.

A Sheltered Life Interview with Cambria Bold of Apartment Therapy’s Re-Nest

Holley Simmons — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:06:23 +0000

Today’s A Sheltered Life interview is one I’ve been looking forward to sharing for a while now. That’s because it’s with Cambria Bold, the editor and brains behind Apartment Therapy’s Re-Nest. The defining source for eco-design is my personal favorite site for inspiration, tips and trends. Day in and day out, Cambria calls the shots on what and who you should know in the home design realm. Read on for her awesome answers and insights.

A major pillar of the Re-Nest philosophy is interweaving intelligence and optimism while communicating ways to make a difference. What intelligent eco-design products or companies is Re-Nest currently most optimistic about?

Well, we actively support ideas and companies that encourage mindful consumption, which we believe not only makes for a more beautiful, healthy and organized home, but can also help strengthen communities and foster good will among neighbors. We’ve loved seeing the resurgence in good ole fashioned sharing. We first learned it in kindergarten, and now it’s back! Sites like Share Some Sugar, B-Cycle, Neighbor Goods, Rentalic, Sharing Backyards, and HyperLocavore enable people to find and share garden space, homegrown food, backyards, tools, bikes, appliances, and other household items with people in their community, or to rent those items rather than buy them new. Another great new company that fits into this description is 1Bog, which gives people access to affordable solar power in their area by having them sign up in groups.

Here’s a random assortment of other eco-friendly products and designs we’re excited about right now:

Woolly Pockets: made of 100 percent recycled materials, these pockets allow you to create your own gorgeous indoor living walls and vertical gardens. We’ve seen them in person, and they’re stunning.

Bowery Lane Bicycles: these bicycles are handmade, from start to finish, in New York City, and considering that fact, they’re remarkably affordable, at about $595.

Amy Hunting: Her Blockshelf, which was awarded 2nd prize at the Green Furniture Awards in Sweden, is made from wood salvaged from London timber importers’ trash bins.

Studio Dunn: Based out of Rhode Island, this small studio works with a local network of artisans to handcraft all their designs within 50 miles using sustainably sourced American hardwoods. And their furniture is absolutely beautiful.

Soren Rose Gym Furniture for Mater: we think these cabinets are super cool, made of recycled gym floorboards!

What was the most surprising thing you learned about sustainable design while compiling features for Re-Nest?

When you’re looking for beautiful and functional eco-friendly products for the home, as with anything, you get a lot of bad with the good. Just because a product is made with recycled materials doesn’t absolve itself of the fact that it might just be plain – ugly! Which is why, when a creative reuse project or design is done right, it’s all that much more inspiring. Another thought along that line is this: not everything has to be made entirely from recycled or reclaimed materials in order to qualify as a sustainable design. Sometimes the most sustainable design decision you can make is to buy something high quality that you love, will have forever, and then will pass down to your children.

In your opinion, what’s the most important room of the house? And the most over-looked?

The most important room is definitely the bedroom. It’s where you begin and end each day, it’s where you spend 1/3 of your life! So it should be a restful, healthy retreat. Unfortunately, it’s also the place where one is likely to find a lot of potentially harmful and irritating synthetic chemicals and petroleum-based materials – i.e., the fire retardants and formaldehyde found in most standard mattresses and pillows, and pesticide residue from non-organic cotton sheets. Buying a new mattress is quite expensive, and might take some time to replace, but small changes can be made right away: a set of organic sheets (affordable options can be found at Target and CB2), all-natural pillows (organic cotton, wool, kapok, even buckwheat), or a small HEPA air purifier.

The most overlooked room would probably be the entryway. Yeah, it’s not really a room, but it can end up functioning like one! In addition to what you’d expect to find there (coats, shoes, bags, keys), there’s usually a whole collection of loose change, shopping bags, old magazines and mail, a gym bag or two, discarded trinkets, keepsake boxes from college, maybe even a bike or a stroller. Sometimes the entrance closet is so full of random stuff that it can’t even accommodate what it’s supposed to – namely, the coat and bag you were wearing that day. Establishing a “landing strip” when you come through the door can make all the difference – somewhere to hang your coat, drop your keys and wallet, sort your mail. A little bit of structure and organization will save you a lot of pain later.

What is your personal favorite flea-market find?
Vintage medical chart posters for a ridiculously low price. I have a thing for vintage ephemera, and these charts date from the 1930s.

What does “home” mean to you?

To me, home means warmth, relief, quiet and comfort. But home should be whatever makes you feel most like yourself. For example, if you love people and entertaining, you should make sure your home is suited to that goal, and you should make/buy/move around/get rid of whatever you need to to support what you love. As Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan (founder of Apartment Therapy) is fond of saying, “Nothing you do for your home is ever wasted.”

What’s the simplest tweak you can make to a room that has the biggest impact (other than a can of paint)

Declutter. Be ruthless. Don’t spend your money on things or trends that don’t fit you. Buy and keep only what you need and love, and be thankful for what you have.

What are your five favorite eco-resources?

Green Depot
The Brooklyn Flea
Three Potato Four
Terrain
Brook Farm General Store
Perch!
Etsy (an obvious choice, yes, but check out this post for a few of our favorite stores and reader recommendations)

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A Sheltered Life Interview with Victoria Smith of SFGirlByBay

Holley Simmons — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:14:30 +0000

As a recent San Fran transplant, I couldn’t be more thrilled about today’s Sheltered Life interview with Victoria Smith, the editor and writer of SF Girl by Bay. Part bohemian, part modern, SF Girl by Bay details tricks, tips and tid-bits on achieving that oh-so-effortless West Coast chicness.

In addition to home decorating, Victoria’s blog features art, photography and design resources and home entertaining and lifestyle stories. From vibrant before and afters, to totally unique product features, SF Girl by Bay is a feast for your eyes.

You’re a self-proclaimed “flea market queen” – and for good reason! Any tips on what to look for or things to keep in mind while scouring flea markets, garage sales, etc?

I am really not one to get up at the crack of dawn for a flea market, although I have done it! I find going a bit later, I still can discover great vintage finds, and the prices tend to drop as the day goes on – especially at the flea market. It’s a lot of work for those vendors to unload all their inventory and the last thing they want is to have to load it all back up again. So there’s usually some pretty great bargains to be had later in the afternoon. I still try to be fair – they work hard so I don’t want to take advantage, but you can get some great pieces at a good price.

What was the most surprising thing you learned about sustainable design while compiling features for SF Girl by Bay?

I think I was kind of surprised to learn that people may have not considered that vintage furnishings are a part of great sustainable design. Maybe it simply hadn’t occurred to people that by buying antiques and vintage pieces, you are simply recycling, or repurposing a piece of furniture or an old industrial cart, or wood from an old barn, that may have ended up in a landfill, and giving it a whole new life, and continuing its story. I love that idea. I recently saw some fantastic home furnishing from SÃ¸ren Rose Studio in Copenhagen, made from reclaimed wood gymnasium floors. I thought that was brilliant!

In your opinion, what’s the most important room of the house? And the most over-looked

I suppose the living room is a pretty important room – and rather than have a very formal room, I like to make my living room a cozy, welcoming space that guests will feel comfortable and relaxed in. I don’t care for an overly fussy room – I love a warm fireplace, lots of books, night lighting and comfy sofa to curl up in and have a chat.

Maybe the most overlooked room might be the kitchen. Guests tend to gravitate to kitchens for some reason, and although I like to keep mine pretty functional, I also want it to feel inviting, and stylish. I have a lot of my favorite dishes and serving pieces on display on high shelves, and an herb garden in my window which is so nice to grab from when I’m cooking. It makes me feel a little extra proud when I’m cooking to have added ingredients I’ve grown myself – it’s like an extra secret pleasure or feeling of satisfaction, I guess you’d say.

What is your personal favorite flea-market find?

I have an art-deco dining buffet that I found for $5. It was covered it gross, beige paint, and I stripped it and sanded down to a warm honey wood glow. That was a pretty great find!

What does “home” mean to you? (Feel free to tell us all about your recent Pinterest pinboard!

I definitely lean to an eclectic mix of things in my home that really have meaning for me, or remind me of where I found them, where they came from and have a bit of history, or a story to tell. On SF Girl by Bay, I recently collaborated with Pinterest, a new software bookmarking tool to help you visually remember all the great things you find on the web. We had 300 bloggers from all over the world all create their own unique ‘Pinboards’ representing what home means to them. It was really inspiring to see what each person brought to their pinboards that was unique. I think that’s how I feel about home – I feel strongly home should encourage individuality and unique, personal style. Not be some cookie-cutter look you ordered out of catalog. Home to me is filled with good friends and family, relaxing, cooking, listening to good music and great conversation. It’s not so much about the things you have, but how they make you feel about yourself and represent you as an individual.

What’s the simplest tweak you can make to a room that has the biggest impact (other than a can of paint)?

I love fresh flowers. I try to make a habit of heading to the San Francisco Flower Market on Fridays for fresh cut flowers. They’re a lot cheaper there, and again if you go later in the day, they’ll give you discount on beautiful bunches of fresh flowers. They just add great color and fragrance, and make a home feel just a little bit more special. I also cut clippings from my garden – lavender, mint, basil, rosemary and keep them in old jelly jars around the house. I like the natural look of that, and how it smells!

What are your five favorite eco resources? (online or national stores)

I consider salvage yards and vintage shops part of my eco sources, so here’s a few:
Ohmega Salvag
Hindsvik Vintage
Three Potato Four
Re-Found Objects
Uniform Natural

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A Sheltered Life Interview with Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge

Holley Simmons — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:11:34 +0000

This week, we continue our Sheltered Life interview series with Grace Bonney, founder and editor of Design*Sponge.

Grace Bonney’s professional experience reads like a huge stack of your favorite mags; prior to starting Design*Sponge, Grace was a contributor for Domino, CRAFT, House and Garden, New York Home, Food and Wine, In Style, Better Homes and Gardens, New York Magazine, CITY Magazine, Time Out New York Kids, Archinect, The New York Post, Everyday with Rachael Ray and more. (There’s more?!)

Her down-to-earth tone combined with her compelling sense of shabby-chic style makes Design*Sponge the approachable and entertaining source it is today. From DIYs, to before and afters, to showcases on student design work, Design*Sponge is a blog bursting with inspiration.

A note to readers: Grace types in all lower-case, which I think is totally cute and wanted to preserve for this post.

It’s safe to say that your blog helped catapult the modern day DIY movement. We love the idea of taking something old and making it new again. Any tips on easy ways to incorporate DIY elements into our homes?

thanks! it’s been such an honor to be a part of this vibrant scene of crafters and DIY-ers. for me, the easiest way to incorporate DIY elements into your home is to upgrade existing pieces of furniture. that way you’re not buying a lot of new pieces and you’re working with something that’s already your style. i always suggest people consider paint – two ways. first, consider stripping the paint OFF a piece of furniture, sometimes the natural wood (which you can finish with a nice stain or coat of clear gloss) can be way more beautiful than the paint. but, if your furniture is made of veneer or something you don’t mind covering, a decorative paint job can definitely bring a boring piece of furniture back to life.

What was the most surprising thing you learned about sustainable design while compiling features for Design*Sponge?

at design*sponge we don’t focus on sustainability in a single, focused way, but rather by embracing the idea of re-using and salvaging as much as possible. i’ve cut back on the number of “new things” posts i do, and have tried to focus on providing content that will teach and inspire people to work with what they already have. i think the most important thing i’ve learned is that it’s never too late to teach someone to act more sustainably. i get the most wonderful emails from grandmothers and older readers across the country who’ve been inspired to pick up found furniture and turn it into something beautiful.

In your opinion, what’s the most important room of the house? And the most over-looked?

i think that really depends on each person. for me it’s the living room, because i spend 90 percent of my time there. but if i had a bigger kitchen, it would probably be the kitchen. but every family is different- some people always eat out, so maybe the bedroom is their sanctuary – or maybe you have a small bathroom where you decided to be bold and experiment with a bright color or pattern and that room brings you the most happiness. i think the most important room can be every room if you decorate based on the colors and patterns you really love.

What is your personal favorite flea-market find?

vintage boxes – i’ve turned them into rolling storage units, benches, shelves – you name it – i’ve turned a box into it.

What does “home” mean to you?

the place where my husband and cats are – that could be a hotel room, a vacation spot, or our small brooklyn apartment. if they’re there, i’m home.

What’s the simplest tweak you can make to a room that has the biggest impact (other than a can of paint)?

paint is king, but fabric is the queen. a simple staple-gun-upholstery change to chairs can make a huge difference in a room.

What are your 5 favorite eco resources?

inhabitat.com (blog)
branchome.com (shopping)
ecofabulous.com (blog)
treehugger.com (blog)
dannyseo.com (blog/ideas)

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A Sheltered Life Interview With Michelle Adams of Lonny Magazine

Holley Simmons — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:46:33 +0000

We’re kicking off EcoSalon’s A Sheltered Life Series with an interview with Michelle Adams, co-founder and editor of Lonny Magazine.

As a former Domino staffer, Michelle has an eye for intense pops of color and unique objects that anchor a room. Lonny Magazine – the interactive, virtual glossy she edits – is a mecca of décor inspiration, ahead-of-the-curve ideas, and product round-ups to die for. Available to all for the low price of zip, Lonny Magazine is a resource for home design we swear you’ll fall in love with.

What are the benefits of being a completely digital publication? Did you have sustainability in mind when you decided to go digital?

Absolutely! The decision to go digital was made for a few reasons:

1. We believe that online magazines are the way of the future, and we are excited to utilize the internet to make the magazine come to life! We offer direct click-thrus which link to the products on our pages, behind-the-scenes videos embedded into our editorial, and the ability to easily reach the blogging community worldwide, etc!

2. When we started the magazine we didn’t have any form of funding, so printing the issues simply wasn’t an option. Going online allowed us to reach a worldwide audience instantaneously.

3. Living in New York, I constantly see stacks of unsold magazines on the street waiting to be picked up by garbage trucks! The same was true in college when I worked in retail and our store would literally throw away around 800 catalogs each month that weren’t passed out to customers (that is until I started confiscating them and driving them in my Beetle to the nearest recycling center!), so we’re proud to offer Lonny online for free for anybody to read – as well as the archived issues – without wasting paper and inks. In the future if we ever decide to print the magazine, it will be on a print-by-demand basis where we know the reader truly wants to purchase the issue before it is printed.

What was the most surprising thing about sustainable design you learned while compiling the eco-edition of Lonny?

I think I was most surprised by how far the market has come! There are now so many chic eco-options available, it’s incredible! When I worked for Domino a few years ago, we really struggled to find eco-friendly products that were design oriented. So when I started compiling our first green issue of Lonny, I was expecting the same challenge and was absolutely thrilled when I realized how many companies have now embraced green practices. Our April issue front of book market pages are a testament to that!

In your opinion, what’s the most important room of the house? And the most over-looked?

The most important room is the one where people gather! In my own home I like to focus on the living room since that’s where I entertain, but I imagine one day down the road when I have a family I will want to make the kitchen as cozy and welcoming as possible. And as for overlooked – I’d say bathrooms. With such a small space it’s the perfect spot to hang bold patterned wallpaper and fun art!

What is your personal favorite flea-market find?

That’s a tough one because I love shopping at flea markets. But I think I’d have to say my bamboo mirror. It works everywhere, and really helps to tone down the formality of any room, and it feels very me. (Plus I got it for $20!)

What does “home” mean to you?

Home is a place where you can be yourself. I think any home should reflect the people who live in it, and in my own home I love displaying pieces that I find while I’m traveling, favorite works of art (even if it’s a silly finger painting!), favorite books, etc., – really anything that makes me happy! When you surround yourself with the things you love, your home will inevitably make you happy and reflect your personality.

What’s the simplest tweak you can make to a room that has the biggest impact (other than a can of paint)?

Curtains. They dramatically transform a space because they add visual height to a room, make the space feel finished, and soften the lines of the walls and windows. Next biggest are rugs.

What are your five favorite eco resources?

ABC Home – socially committed home wares store
Hammocks and High Tea – sustainable home goods like graphic drawer-liners and textiles
Phillip Jeffries – textured wall coverings
West Elm Green Collection – green accents for your home
The LaundressLee Industries – earth-friendly upholstery with soy fillers for most of their upholstered pieces!

The post A Sheltered Life Interview With Michelle Adams of Lonny Magazine appeared first on EcoSalon.

New EcoSalon Interview Series: A Sheltered Life

Holley Simmons — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:46:46 +0000

Here at the Shelter division of EcoSalon, we obsess over sustainable home design, from clever DIYs using recycled materials to impeccably designed eco-kitchens. And we’re not alone! Every day, the web is flooded with inspirational ideas, aha! tips, and just plain awesome products relating to green design. Spearheading these efforts are some of the country’s most brilliant, talented, and savvy bloggers, writers and designers.

We sought out to find these revolutionaries, and are excited to present to you A Sheltered Life, our new biweekly interview series with the best home design experts around. Every other Thursday, we’ll be dishing with the web’s brightest about their favorite tweaks that make a room pop, their definition of “home,” their favorite eco resources – from websites to flea markets – and more.

Stop by tomorrow when we’ll be gleaning insight from Michelle Adams, Founder and Editor of Lonny Magazine, the lust-worthy virtual magazine delivering the sharpest ideas for your home.

And stay tuned for upcoming interviews with:

Grace Bonney, Founder and Editor of Design*Sponge
Victoria Smith, Founder and Editor of SF Girl by Bay
Cambria Bold, Editor of Apartment Therapy’s Re-Nest
Zem Joaquin, Founder and CEO of EcoFabulous

So sit back, scroll, and make yourself at home as we discover which of these women scored a fab art-deco dining buffet for $5, whose most prized possession is her stapling gun, and who drives a VW Bug.

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B. Poetic’s Lovely Hand-Made Hair Accessories

Holley Simmons — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:59:19 +0000

Once upon a weekend dressing, you found your options quite depressing, had but only lame and boring options for your hair.
While you searched, nearly quitting, suddenly saw something sitting, that looked perfect and quite fitting, fitting for up there.
“‘Tis B. Poetic,” you said aloud, “hitting the bull’s eye I swear – this is just what I wanted to wear.”

Designer Kaitlin Andorfer knows how poetic it can be to find the perfect hair accessory. B. Poetic, offers a fool-proof line of trinkets for your tresses, including clips, headbands and veils of all sizes and colors perfect for any occasion or outfit – even a wedding dress.

Each and every piece in the collection is handcrafted by Kaitlin from recycled vintage silks, linens and cottons – making them a sweet, romantic accent for your locks. She also commissions custom pieces, so if there’s a particular piece of fabric that you’re fond about, or one that has a certain significance, Kaitlin can use it to create a meaningful adornment you’ll cherish forever.

In addition to hair accessories, B. Poetic also features magnificent shoe clips, sashes, pinnable corsages and belts that make for the perfect addition to your wardrobe.

Not a single item in Kaitlin’s collection is priced over $50, meaning you’ll get a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind accessory for a great price. There’s no rhyme or reason why you shouldn’t pick up at least one.

Image: B. Poetic

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In a Bed Frame of Mind

Holley Simmons — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:46:54 +0000

Things getting stale in the bedroom? Consider changing up your headboard. But before heading to Ikea and picking up a mass-produced clunker, consider the sleek stylings of Mina Javid’s headboard decals.

Featuring a collection of mod shapes and contemporary designs, Javid’s decals give you all the impact of having an elegant headboard without all the wasted space. And at a mere $40 a pop, you can completely change the look of your room on a whim.

It’s impossible for us to pick our favorite style. We love all of them equally, from the ornate Olivia Headboard to the tried-and-true classic Wrought Iron Headboard. The decals come in a number of vivacious hues, from apple red to raspberry purple, so no matter the color scheme in your room you’re sure to find the perfect match.

When, and if, you get bored with your board, simply peal it off the wall and toss it in the trash. It’s a small amount of waste compared to most bulky headboards that would otherwise end up in the dump.

So you can rest easy at night knowing you added spice in the bedroom without compromising space in the landfill.

Available for purchase at Whatisblik.com.

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5 Best Online Organic Florists: Just in Time for Mother’s Day

Holley Simmons — Thu, 06 May 2010 21:00:12 +0000

She loves you. She loves you not. She loves you. She loves you not. She loves you!

Of course she does. She’s your mother.

This Mother’s Day, you’re likely to send mom a fresh bouquet of fragrant flowers to show her how much you love her back. But before you head to just any online florist, consider purchasing your florals from a certified organic source.

Unlike most conventional options, organic florists have strict environmental standards that prohibit the use of harmful pesticides and exploitative harvesting practices. By choosing an organic bouquet, you’re helping to improve the quality of farm working conditions, protecting delicate ecosystems, and conserving floral biodiversity. What’s more, most organic bouquets are no more expensive than non-organic varieties and tend to last longer, too.

Below you’ll find a round-up of five of our favorite online organic florists, along with reasons why you should “pick” them.

Florist: Organic Bouquet