Caroline Olsson’s Turn light, inspired by artisan craft in her native Norway.

We’ve often featured Scandinavian creativity on EcoSalon, but it’s usually Danish or Swedish. Now the Norwegians are claiming their portion of the design smörgåsbord.

At this year’s London Design Festival, a whole separate space was dedicated to designers from Norway. One of these was Caroline Olsson, whose pieces are beautiful, simple and functional; modern, but referencing tradition.

Her latest piece, Turn, is a lamp with a screw to switch on and off the light, adjusting the brightness by turning the handle. This twisting dimmer looks like an old-fashioned vice, and Olsson says she was inspired by workbenches used in wood workshops in her native country. Turn is made from untreated birch and hand-blown glass, which gives it a natural, solid feel.

Curious, which won the Blueprint Award for best new product at last year’s London design fair, is a two-in-one light which can be used either as a retractable reading light, or a mood-creating table lamp. When closed inside its box, the shade of the lamp works as the box’s cover, with a soft glow emanating from inside. Olsson got the idea from old wooden pencil boxes.

These are sneak previews of tomorrow’s products: Olsson is looking for a company to manufacture her lights. But with the buzz caused at London’s design show, for a second year in a row, we don’t think we’ll have to wait too long to have them in our houses.

The post Elsewhere in Scandinavia, Caroline Olsson’s Artisan Inspired Lamps appeared first on EcoSalon.

Ever wish you could fly south for the winter like our favorite feathered friends? Spending several months of the year in some sunny, beachfront locale may be out of the question, but with these five finds, you can create a warm, welcoming oasis that combines clever details with elements from nature.

1. Twig Birdhouse from Terrain ($18, picture above)

Crafted from natural twigs, this birdhouse beckons the birds to your garden, providing a charming shelter and a chic outdoor accent.

2. Peepsie Print from Shine by S.H.O. (price not listed)

We love the vivid colors and rich detail of this print, taken from the perspective of a “bird’s eye view.” It’s also signed by the artist and limited edition, so chances are good that your guests haven’t seen it before.

3. Salvaged Wood Nesting Tables from VivaTerra ($258)

Cluster these nesting tables together to save space or spread them around the room for extra table space. We adore the juxtaposition of modern steel, salvaged wood and varying heights.

4. Little Modern Birds Pillow from Etsy ($50)

Organic cotton twill and water-based ink makes a whimsical addition to your living room or bedroom decor. And the unusual proportions of this pillow combined with the cute design make it an instant focal point.

5. Sort Sol Lamp from Anthropologie ($298)

Recycled glass gets a stylish twist with hand-painted papier mache birds. We can totally picture this dreamy lamp perched on a bedside table or adding a playful touch to a living room.

What do you think? Which piece(s) caught your eye?

The post Friday 5: Feathering the Nest 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’s delightful pick is from Laila Kaldestad, who created the Norwegian design blog Harmoni og Kontrast (Harmony and Contrast). Her current lust is this whimsical Norwegian Forest Pendant by Cathrine Kullberg. Laila praises the delicate details and simple shape, “I love it, it is made from natural birch veneer”¦ and it’s Norwegian.” The blonde birch pendant is available through Huset for $750, a reasonable price to pay for a soft glow of light filtered through a forest motif.

On a side note, don’t let the Norwegian text on Harmoni og Kontrast dissuade you – the blog is full of drool inducing content. Let Google Translate serve as your personal interpreter.

Interested in sharing your obsession? Leave a comment and I’ll contact you.

The post Handpicked: Harmoni og Kontrast appeared first on EcoSalon.

Dutch designer Daniel Schipper has fashioned a pendant lamp out of recyclable white or transparent plastic. We dig the lamp’s modernity and versatility (it could just as easily light up a living room, office, or bedroom), but we’re even more fascinated by Schipper’s business model. He’s calling it the 100×100 lamp because he only plans to make 100 lamps and sell them for 100 Euros each. Production starts once pre-orders reach 100, and customers aren’t charged until then.

It’s an interesting concept, but it means that customers will have to wait indefinitely to receive their 100×100 lamp. On the flip side, it also means that Schipper doesn’t have to worry about footing the bill for production costs before he knows if there’s enough demand for the product.

So, what do you get for your 100 Euros? A lampshade, frame, transparent electrical wire, and a stainless steel lamp socket – which customers assemble themselves. But we’re guessing that most customers aren’t concerned about the price tag or the possible wait time, because they’re thrilled to be supporting an indie artist and getting a limited edition (not to mention eco-friendly) lamp in the process. Samples are on display at several locations in Amsterdam.

The post The Crowdfunded Lamp Makes Eco and Financial Sense appeared first on EcoSalon.

Designers will often refer to a house as having “good bones”. When a home has strong, clean design, there is little need for clever efforts in the decor department. You can choose elements, colors and objet to enhance the strength of the home’s character, but there’s no covering up. Of course, sometimes we have to make do with an imperfect home: a baffling window placement, a challenging room size, an engineering oddity. And rather than be frustrated, we can take the wabi sabi view of living and look for ways to strengthen “the bones” and feel comfortable with flaws.

River stones are one organic way to help create strength and balance, whether used to hold candles, hang towels, embellish your doorstep or add a decorative touch to a house plant. Featured here is a favorite of mine: stacked from large to small, smooth and substantial stones form the base of the eye-pleasing Stone Cairn lamp from sponsor VivaTerra. (I think it would look beautiful a symmetrical, modern space, too.)

The post Stones to Strengthen the Bones appeared first on EcoSalon.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: it’s time for some more of my top EcoEtsy picks!

Sustainability is just as important as style to the team at Jalex Studios. Their unique Mango Modern lamp is crafted from, yep, you guessed it, mango wood. Made from a recycled hard disk drive, even the subtle metal lining at the top of the lamp’s base is eco-friendly. These designers sure are resourceful.

I never thought a piece of pottery could so authentically capture the beauty of Appalachian Mountains, until I saw the Amber bowl. Its striking details are created from imprints of rose leaves from this beautiful region.
You would think after so many servings of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, I’d be sick of its scent. Call me a glutton but the irresistible aroma of the Pumpkin Pie soy candle is…well, irresistible. Plus, it comes in an upcycled glass tea cup, so you can enjoy steaming cups of chamomile after your candlelit evenings.

Keep it up, Etsy!

The post EcoEtsy: Our Latest Finds 'n Favorites appeared first on EcoSalon.