My memories of high school are not what you’d call nostalgic. In fact, you couldn’t bribe me with eco-gifts and organic treats to return and relive the nonsense of it all. Despite the oodles of teen angst, I did manage to graduate with a strong B average while spending most of my time playing sports or hanging out at my locker.

Which brings me to today’s cool, clever décor object of desire. The Basket Locker is made of four found and refurbished locker baskets, colorfully painted and placed in a solid, steel frame. It measures 14” L x 26.5” W x 26.5” H and would be perfect for the playroom or a kid’s bedroom, or even a home office or studio.

Find it at Uncommon Goods for $550. I see a spot for it here, across from my vintage drafting table – both have steel frames and a rough, vintage feel.

When I was a child, I religiously watched every episode ever made of “I Dream of Jeannie”. Every time she lounged on piles of plush pillows inside her bottle, I remember vowing to, one day, furnish a room that was sofa-free. Although I’ve long since outgrown this plan, I still like the idea of non-traditional seating arrangements.

The innovative giant bean bags available at Waste are the adult equivalent of this childhood dream. Made from recycled car upholstery, these pieces are both unique and eco-friendly. They’re also easily portable, so you can cuddle up in your living room to read a book and then go out on your deck to watch the sun set in ultimate comfort. (Call Waste for pricing and click here to see more colors, patterns and uses.)

We try to showcase a range of furniture genres here at EcoSalon, offering an eco-shopping option as well as eye candy galore for all. And I’m usually pretty adept at pegging a style when I see one.

The best way I know to describe the raw, natural and hand-crafted aesthetic of Moe Design Studio, is raw, natural and hand-crafted. Or, I could call it country with a modern twist; rural with a city edge.

Most important, it’s reclaimed.

Andrew Moe opened Moe Design Studio in New York in 2003, after a curious path of personal, spiritual and career exploration. His furniture speaks to a certain maturity and steadfast confidence – this designer has a vision, and it includes the environment.

Moe makes his furniture using wood he’s gathered from abandoned buildings, like tobacco warehouses or textile mills. Each piece is one of a kind, custom-made and can be altered according to a client’s needs.

The 2009 Oslo Collection, Moe’s newest, is made exclusively from hardwood beams salvaged from dismantled buildings around the U.S. Sturdy, sleek and expertly crafted down to the smallest detail, this collection is simple, elegant, and eco-centuries away from the likes of Ikea. Check out the dining table (detail above), chairs (image below) as well as the writing desk, side table (top image) and breakfast table.

The website sums it up best: “Close to a billion board feet of wood are removed from buildings in the U.S. every year. By reusing”¦we reduce the impact on our landfills, eliminate the need to harvest trees, and are reminded of the simple beauty inherent in old wood.”

Saving trees is simply elegant.

Moe Design Studio donates 3% of its annual profits to AIR, The Alliance for International Reforestation.

Poor little plates, unwanted, unloved and discarded. That is, until Daddy Warbucks, or rather Christopher Jagmin gets hold of them. Then the magic happens.

Jagmin finds his “orphans” at estate and garage sales and flea markets. Any shape, size or pattern will do. A complete “makeover” follows that involves cleaning, polishing and the application of a 24K gold decal. Then to the kiln for firing.

Intended as art objects rather than place settings for your next party (with older, found ceramic plates there’s no way to know how they were made), Trudy Recycled Plates ($29 each) are adorably different and one-of-a-kind.

I’d use them to serve my boyfriend’s favorite cupcakes, or for a display of 2 or 3 candles on the coffee table. I’m sure you could think of something creative to do with a recycled treasure like Trudy.

To order, contact Christopher Jagmin and specify what you’re looking for – he’ll do his best to meet your needs.

Are you ready for the next verse in my ode to EcoEtsy? This week, I found handmade décor for your walls, tabletops and shelves you’ll love.

I’m a big fan of rustic furniture, but it’s much more difficult to find decorative accents with the same raw appeal. The Eco-Friendly frame in Tuscan yellow (shown above) is finished with VOC-free shellac to retain the natural appearance of the (sustainable) wood.

Looking for a truly original, retro-modern wall hanging? GreenWorks artisans salvaged scraps of car interiors on their way to the landfill for their Recycled Seat Belt wall art assemblage, a modern weave of metallic strips that shimmer subtly.

Passing food around the table at big meals might become an outmoded tradition if the Turnadaisy butler keeps on spinning. Place your delectable dishes on this functional piece, and all of your guests can fill their plates with just a whirl.

]]> http://www.ecosalon.com/ecoetsy_favorites/feed/ 0 http://www.ecosalon.com/katherine-sturgis-designs/ http://www.ecosalon.com/katherine-sturgis-designs/#comments Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:00:31 +0000 Amy DuFault http://www.ecosalon.com/?p=9443

It’s great to hear women’s entrepreneurial success stories.

Katherine Sturgis fits into one of her own.

After working for several years in corporate fashion, buying and merchandising mass-market items, Sturgis came to a conclusion: big business simply wasn’t for her. Instead, she opted to follow her passion and be more creative in the confines of her own home.

Utilizing “Disparate elements and materials to create pieces that are playful, elegant and above all, wearable,” Sturgis says, she creates chunky sterling silver chains entwined with silk thread, strands of vintage rhinestones, and strings of hand-painted leather.

The result is a one-of-a-kind bracelet representing your individuality and a designer’s success story.

We caught up with Katherine to see what her new life was like.

Do you just love your new life as a designer and not as a buyer or merchandiser?

I love being creative and working with my hands every day. There is more stress in taking all the responsibility, but it is worth it.

How does that past life affect what you’re designing now?

Working as a buyer and merchandiser gave me a wonderful foundation to work from. I learned a lot about the business behind fashion and the designs. I also learned a lot about building a collection and thinking about how pieces will work together to create a story.

You mention your pieces are “glammed-up friendship bracelets.”  Is this where your inspiration started?

I first made the braided wrap bracelet for my best girlfriends, which they then named friendship bracelets. I loved that idea.

Who are you designing for?

I am designing for myself first. But I also design for people with an eclectic sense of style who want pretty jewelry for every day wear and all occasions. I think beautiful things should be worn as much as possible – not only for special occasions. My grandmother once commented that no one wants to wear rhinestones every day. My immediate response was, “I do!”

Does discovering an interesting vintage material inspire you?

Absolutely. I love walking through flea markets. Seeing beautiful pieces gets my mind spinning. It is exciting to work with older things because you have to adapt to the materials and to what is available.

Do you follow trends or make your own?

I think big, sparkly jewelry is very on trend right now, as is mixing materials. I certainly fit into trends on those terms.

When it comes time for a green refresh, you can fill rooms with vintage and sustainable furniture, embellish tabletops with recycled décor and spice up your walls with a couple coats of milk paint. But how can you reduce waste as you revamp your living space? All it takes is a little imagination to solve these common redecorating dilemmas:

A fresh finish isn’t enough to save your dresser. The wood is warped and it takes at least ten minutes to get the drawers back on their tracks every time you need a sweater or a pair of socks. There’s no way you can sell this on Craigslist, but you don’t want to send it to the landfill, either. Easy fix: just sand down the drawers and repaint them to create stackable storage units for displaying books and objet.

As much as you love the pattern on your cracked kitchen tiles, their dilapidated appearance is far past wabisabi. Instead of tossing them, spruce up your garden’s stepping stone path with the broken pieces for an artistic touch.

To let in some more natural light, you replaced your opaque curtains with something sheer. Well, you don’t have to be a master tailor to make use of your old window treatments. As long as you can sew in a straight line, you can easily transform them into fabulous new throw pillows – and if they don’t technically match (say you’re replacing multiple window treatments), that’s fine, because grouping them can look really cool on a sofa or bed. If the curtains are high quality, upcycle them into dressy wraps or tablecloths.

You finally decided to give your no frills neutral-toned bathroom some much needed color, and that means new accessories. But, what about your old set? You can use your tumbler as a pencil holder for your desk, transfer your hand towel tray to the foyer as a place to stash your keys and recycle your shower curtain into a stylish table runner.

How creative can you get? Here are a few more ideas: Old placemats and doilies can make clever wall collages. Rather than throw out old vases and pots that you no longer use in the kitchen, group them on the coffee table for an unusual artistic statement. Spruce up dining room chairs by painting them different colors. Let us know what you’ve done to refresh your space for free!

Image: thisisbossi

Known and adored for his kinetic modern sculptures, paintings and avant-garde mobiles, Alexander Calder was also an eco jewelry maker long before anyone knew what that meant.

During his lifetime, the American artist produced some 1,800 pieces of brass, silver, and gold body ornaments, using wire he twisted into wearable art. Like the stunning flower necklace below, these were often embellished with found objects such as beach glass, wood cuttings, ceramic shards and pieces of mirror.

About 90 of his inventive designs are on exhibit at the “Metropolitan Musuem of Art” in New York beginning December 9th and running through March 1, 2009. Calder Jewelry is the first museum presentation dedicated solely to the artist’s extensive jewelry designs.

According to his bio, the young Calder began collecting copper wire in the streets back in 1906 to adorn his sister’s dolls. That lead to the creation of gorgeous, modern baubles in the 30s and 40s which, like his other installations, were inspired by trees and branches and other shapes and objects found in nature.

Word has it he made many of the necklaces, earrings, bracelets and brooches to give as gifts to his friends and family. Weren’t they the lucky ones! I get banana chocolate chip muffins from my sister but no cool, handmade art.

Among the savvy collectors of Calder’s pieces were artist Georgia O’Keefe and Peggy Guggenheim, two women with discerning eyes, to say the least. Learn more about the sculptor and see more of his fascinating jewelry at the Calder Organization.

A desire to see wood striations seems ingrained in our modern sensibilities, from the art of Rex Ray to the sleek carved furniture gliding into showrooms and onto green websites. The most skilled craftsmen have always been keen on sharing their process which often involves revealing the beauty of nature in their work. It’s a growing trend in green design, in which the materials are either reclaimed from old buildings or harvested from certified sources not endangered.

Here are a few examples of the proud wearing of the grain:

Hudson’s cedar Tahiti Stool (above) can come with a revolving base. It’s one of those pieces that ages gracefully and can even be placed outdoors in a covered spot.

The Crocus Table emerges as the new console with lovely wood grain variation in the wenge and zebra wood over birch ply; $2200 at the Artful Home.

Pottery Barn Teen’s Wood Gran Eco-Chic Floor Lamp borrows on the grain trend to make a statement in the clean green teen digs; $49.99

The sensuous lines and visible grain of the Twisty Stool at VivaTerra are mesmerizing. Just $195.

The dining set below gets grainy with Brave New Space’s Hollow Table and Chairs, $9,250 from Velocity.

The wood grain trend extends to kitchen counters, where earthy meets modern in this Vertical Grain finish from Green Building Supply.

The Otto Platform Bed from Against the Grain gives a lift to wood grain patterns with balanced geometric lines. Starts at $2495 and is available in several finishes.

Forgive me, but I never fail to get excited about pretty green things. And while it’s not breaking news that vintage is a fabulous way to shop, I can’t help but shout when something old becomes new again – especially when it’s something made with an exquisite emphasis on craftsmanship rather than mass production.

The Gustavian Vintage Bed at VivaTerra caught my eye for just that reason. The sensuous curves of its arched headboard fit perfectly with the strength of its frame. Made of reclaimed Douglas fir that grows more beautiful with age, the bed reveals all the special details of weathered wood.

The designer uses only “low VOC, water based materials and water based, non-toxic stains” on its furniture as well as water soluble, formaldehyde free glues. There’s a whole lot of eco-friendly going on here.

The Gustavian would look comfortable in a country home or the sleekest of modern abodes. Dressed in anything from these sheets to any of these, sweet dreams are only an eco-second away.

Available in sizes Queen, King or Cal King at VivaTerra for $1675 – $1775. (That’s 15% off until February 5th!)