Sometimes we envision the perfect wall sconce, chair, or bookshelf that will tie a room together just so, but actually finding it can be an uphill battle. Custom Made, an online marketplace for artisans of handmade furniture and home goods, is a great place to look for someone to bring your decorating ideas to life.

Search the site by geographical location or type of furniture you’re looking for (custom cabinetry, handmade lamps, hand-carved signs, and more). Then check out the galleries of various artisans and contact them directly to discuss your individual needs.

Custom Made is filled with portfolios from people who make everything from standard fare like chairs and mirrors, to exotic humidors and custom clocks. You’ll find plenty of furniture made from bamboo and eco-friendly FSC-certified wood. For example, check out this nightstand from Denver-based Tilde Design Studio. Made of Cherry wood and coated in a non-toxic finish, it sports two handled drawers and a secret compartment behind the front-facing apron. Elegant and discreet at the same time? Love it!

If you’re an artisan, you might want to look into having your work featured on Custom Made. There’s a small monthly fee to join, but then you can post pictures of your work and let customers find you. Although Custom Made is a lot like the popular online marketplace Etsy, its main focus is connecting customers and artisans for customized pieces, not selling pre-made work in a retail environment.

Custom Made is a real gem of a website. The next time you see a home furnishing you can’t live without but know it hasn’t been created in an ecologically-responsible manner, hit up an artisan on the site and see if she can whip up something similar for you.

The post Find an Artisan to Customize Your Dream Furniture appeared first on EcoSalon.

One sign of true talent, whatever the medium, is the ability to make something spectacular from practically nothing. One man’s scraps are another’s masterpiece.

I’m talking, of course, about up-and-coming designer Dylan Gold and his latest work, Wasted.

The San Francisco-based artist worked in advertising for years before finally choosing to pursue his passion for furniture-making full time. I, for one, am thankful that he did.

The artist himself admits, “The concept [of using scraps] is not entirely new,” but Gold’s aesthetic is sophisticated and the end-result is stunning.

Wasted is the first in a series of reclaimed tables the artist plans to build. In fact, his newest creation will be ready in just two weeks. A bit bigger and a pinch harder on the pocketbook, Gold’s newest Wasted table will have a 2.5″ thick butcher block style top fixed to a steel stand. Wasted is made from 100% discarded plywood scraps from his workshop, and has a powdercoated reclaimed steel frame. The version shown measures 52″ w x 18″ d x 14″ h and would be perfect as a bench or coffee table. Available for $1150 (plus $100 shipping to anywhere in the U.S.).

If you like what you see, don’t waste any more time. Contact the artist and let him know that work is wanted!

The post Wasted and Wanted appeared first on EcoSalon.

Lacquered coffee tables, basket globe pendant lamps and revamped vintage dining chairs have joined the green home furniture brigade thanks to San Francisco designer, Kendall Wilkinson.

Her Green with Envy furniture line was conceived with high style and sophistication in mind – adding to the dramatic assembly of gorgeous original pieces and antiques at Kendall Wilkinson Home at 3419 Sacramento Street in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco.

“It was a wonderful way to defy conventional thinking on what green looks like,” says Emily Uridel of the upscale showroom. “The installation was conscious, but still glamorous, and many of the pieces have already sold.”

Here’s a peek at the some of the new eco and vintage treasures fabricated by her local workroom:

The Orson Game Table was a vintage piece given new life in the workroom with a low-VOC paint color adding sheen and modern flair.

The Maltese Chair was reworked and reupholstered in remnant fabrics and finished with a low-VOC paint.

The Charlotte Coffee Table is a sleek table constructed from a combination of reclaimed and FSC Certified wood.

The Globe Lamps ($325) were also restored using eco-friendly finishes and energy-efficient bulbs.

Kendall is teaming up with veteran New York designer Bunny Williams to represent Williams’ new Beeline Home collection at the Sacramento store. The line is mostly reproductions of Williams’ favorite furniture and antiques form years of hunting around the globe. While there is no word of eco in the line, we are all still buzzing about the possibility that Bunny will greenify some of her savvy pieces in the near future.

The post Green with Envy Furniture Collection Reworks the Classics appeared first on EcoSalon.