Each week, I beg my favorite bloggers and designers to hand select a beloved green product, whether it’s a finish, furnishing, or accessory. The end result? An endless anthology of aesthetically perfect products for your perusal.

This week Kelle Dame has been gracious enough to share her immaculate taste and charming creativity. Kelle has a namesake blog where she notes her inspiration, design musings, and dispenses enchanting and pragmatic advice.

Kelle handpicked a gorgeous Wooden Ammunition Crate from Hindsvik (one of the best sources for vintage treasures). While the product itself is entirely gorgeous, Ms. Dame loves vintage crates for their endless function in addition to their lovely form, “I love them and they have so many uses.” Scour your neighborhood antique stores, flea markets, and garage sales for your own versatile and delightful crates.

Kelle has sprinkled these classic gems throughout her own house (click here to drool through some creative crate ideas and a peak into Kelle’s home).

You can find Kelle sharing her real life projects on her blog (the inspiration is deliciously palpable) and sharing her bits of nesting on Facebook through her design and organization service.

The post Handpicked: Kelle Dame appeared first on EcoSalon.

Each week here at EcoSalon, I beg my favorite bloggers and designers to hand select a beloved green product, whether it’s a finish, furnishing, or accessory. The end result? An endless anthology of aesthetically perfect products for your perusal.

This week we are graced with the presence of Francine Gardner, from Art De Vivre and Interieurs. Art De Vivre is “a blog dedicated to the full enjoyment of life and all it has to offer.” Interieurs is a design studio and lifestyle store that will make you drool, brimming with style – a mixture of modern and found industrial gems. The eye candy is almost unbearably gorgeous.

This particular piece of aesthetic overload, the Industrial Credenza/Console, is a functional furnishing made of reclaimed components. The furniture, accessories, and lifestyle products from Interieurs are lovely – and they’re just the beginning. Salivate through the Interieurs Project Portfolio, or peruse the Inspiration Gallery (click on “View all inspirations” to linger through the stunning images).

(A special thank you to Ania Palermo from Interieurs for her keen eye and beautiful product suggestions.)

The post Handpicked: Art De Vivre & Interieurs appeared first on EcoSalon.

Each week here at EcoSalon, I beg my favorite bloggers and designers to hand select a beloved green product, whether it’s a finish, furnishing, or accessory. The end result? An endless anthology of aesthetically perfect products for your perusal.

This week we will meander to India with Gagan from Of Peacocks and Paisleys. Gagan was born and raised in India, where she grew up with an innate sense of appreciation and value, and an early distaste for waste upon moving to the United States (in India, nothing that can be repaired or salvaged is ever thrown away).

Gagan has selected a handful of Indian handicrafts that she wants to bundle up and carry home with her during her next trip to India, “because they pack so much color in light, fold-able, and carry-able sizes.” These gorgeous items are handmade with materials on hand by Indian artisans. The gorgeous Wildflower Wonderland wall hanging (detail shown above) is woven of sari and kurta borders (click here for a glimpse of the full patchwork tapestry).

The lovely Gagan couldn’t leave India without a couple of Indian folk art paintings. Vidushini’s United Forever II depicts the union of the creative forces in the universe in the unique Madhubani style (on the left). Brajeswar Pattnaik’s Sailing II (on the right) is painted in the traditional Patachitra style (crushed stone colors on tussar silk).

If you want to peruse a little more Indian folk art, this website will satiate your craving. You can catch up with Gagan at her blog (don’t miss her graciously hosted, beautiful home tours).

The post Handpicked: Of Peacocks and Paisleys appeared first on EcoSalon.

Each week here at EcoSalon, I ask my favorite bloggers and designers to hand select a beloved green product, whether it’s a finish, furnishing, or accessory. The end result? An endless anthology of aesthetically perfect products for your viewing pleasure.

This week I am honored to host Kim Derby. Does Ms. Derby’s name sound familiar? It should, dear reader. Kim was previously an editor at EcoSalon, and now we are graced with her words once again (check out her past posts and clever conversations). Kim has an immense talent for molding her keen wit and discernible style into amusing and informative articles.

Kim has handpicked a collection of charming little pieces of artwork.

“They’re quaint, clever and petite. I’m a big fan of ‘less is more’ and clear the clutter, but in my opinion there’s rarely too much art,” says Kim.

I agree completely. Deana Bracken, the director of Green With Glamour, designed this vivid and vintage artwork. From left to right: Black Cat Wallpaper Silhouette ($55), Scottie Wallpaper Silhouette ($45), and Boxer Fabric Silhouette ($65).

Come back tomorrow for Kim’s inaugural re-introduction post. Welcome (back) Kim!

The post Handpicked: Kim Derby appeared first on EcoSalon.

Each week here at EcoSalon, I beg my favorite bloggers and designers to hand select a beloved green product, whether it’s a finish, furnishing, or accessory. The end result? An endless anthology of aesthetically perfect products for your perusal.

This week it’s the modern pacific musings of Isla Schmidt from Somace. Isla is charming, creative, and brimming with outrageous talent. She is one third of the inspired Somace trifecta (including Edward Macey and artist Kaypee Soh). The Somace blog and store have a few things in common – including fresh design, vibrant color, and sweet nostalgia laced with a dose of the Pacific (the team is located in beautiful Hawaii).

Isla has taken the time to handpick her favorite artwork from the swoon-inducing collection of Kaypee Soh. If you haven’t seen this brilliant collection yet, I dare you to pick your favorite – there are so many to love. Ms. Schmidt chose this gorgeous print of Diamond Head – the iconic Waikiki landmark, “Kaypee Soh is a genius when it comes to scale, color and texture. I just love the way he takes something we see almost every single day (which is already beautiful), and turns it into a piece of magic. His Diamond Head piece is one of my all time favorites, it’s exactly how I feel and dream Diamond Head to have been…”

Mr. Soh’s collection of artwork is already perfection – and he offers custom colors, sizes, and printing options; perhaps natural ink and dye printed on bamboo paper and framed with recycled wood suits you? It certainly suits me – I am the satisfied and gushing owner of two Kaypee Soh wonders (so you can believe me when I tell you his artwork makes me weak in the knees). Don’t even get me started on the pillows, fabric, wallpaper, and store full of lifestyle delights.

Catch up with Isla (and Somace) through their blog, on Facebook or Twitter, or even while perusing the latest issue of Sunset magazine.

The post Handpicked: Somace appeared first on EcoSalon.

In case your annual optometry exam leaves you craving a few more opportunities to bat your eyelashes, invite these lovely eye exam commodities over.  Go ahead – stare.

Clockwise from top left: The Eye Chart Pillow by Heather Lins Home is a charming mold of organic hemp.  If you prefer your pillows with a third dimension, don’t miss this Heather Lins Home creation (and yes, the pillow comes with 3-D glasses).  The Eye Chart Bubble Bath by Tokyo Milk is described as a “dead sexy” scent – if only my eye doctor conjured up dead sexy scents.  The Eye Exam Chart by Gemini Studio is hand made by layering antique paper and newsprint for vintage appeal.  If actual Vintage Eye Charts allure your attention, these spiral bound wonders by David Met Nicole are an essential coffee table embellishment.

The post 20/20 Vision appeared first on EcoSalon.

Each week here at EcoSalon, I beg my favorite bloggers and designers to hand select a beloved green product, whether it’s a finish, furnishing, or accessory. The end result? An endless anthology of aesthetically perfect products for your perusal.

This week we are graced with the presence of Alissa Swedlow, founder of The Goods Design and Swedlow Design. Alissa is just as genuinely sweet as she is wildly talented. Her blog is full of unimagined glamour mixed with practical interiors. I have a soft spot for Ms. Swedlow – I started blogging immediately upon reading her encouraging words in a national design publication; she is just that inspiring. I will forever owe her endless gratitude, as you will for the generous ideas she shares on The Goods Design.

Alissa’s favorite sustainable furniture line is (drum roll, please) Cisco Brothers. She is lucky enough to live in the Los Angeles area where they have two showrooms (go ahead, be envious). Her flawless taste has pointed toward one of my current obsessions – the pouf. This Moroccan inspired tufted dream comes in various sizes and always provides visual pleasure. Ms. Swedlow reiterates her adoration of Cisco Brothers, “What I especially love about this company (they make gorgeous furnishings, accessories, lighting, etc.) is that their furniture is beautiful. Not “˜beautiful for an eco-conscious line,’ but just straight beautiful. It goes to show that you don’t have to sacrifice style to go green.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Alissa is one to watch – be sure to visit The Goods Design for gorgeous musings and Swedlow Design for heaps of stunning interiors. And if you need a few more sprinkles of Cisco Brothers delights, try this or this.

The post Handpicked: The Goods Design appeared first on EcoSalon.