BlueBird Hill

Natural Decor

AT has a nice post about decorating with nature...a great way to add some flair to your place for very little money. Rocks and doorstops, branches as coat racks, etc.

Shutter CD Rack

This is a very clever re-use project. Kulla Design takes disgarded window shutters and transforms them into CD racks.

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Small Space Furniture

from eco-friendly Italian company Tumidei Spa.

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Silhouette Leaf Portraits

In honor of earth day, we have some cool leaf silhouettes created by Jenny Lee Fowler. Just mail in a clear photo of your loved one and she creates a very unique portrait.

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Small DIY Home Office

A little nook office made from found junk including (1) an old crib mattress spring as a pin-up office organizer (2) old cheese graters and cans to corral pencils and art supplies (3) a discarded, rickety table repurposed as a wall-mounted mini desk.

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Wine Chandeliers

Clear wine spheres with a stainless steel canopy hung from adjustable heavy gauge wire. Nice re-use. Available at Stanton Home Furnishings in different sizes/price points.

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Wine Crate Recycling

Love these inventive ideas for re-using old wine crates on laissezfaire...bike box, pet bed and pet food holder.

Bamboo Pebbles

Now these are kind of fun. Would be a nice toy or used in home decor somehow. Each package contains 13 pieces of 100% organically-grown bamboo. Available at Branch for $20. 

Nautilus Light

Made from sustainable Australian hoop pine by designer Rebecca Asquith. This lamp was well-liked at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in NYC, and has appeared in lots of magazines. To get a Nautilus of your very own, go here.

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Cool Repurposing

This blog has nice photos illustrating the wonderful ways everyday items can be re-tooled and turned into something useful + beautiful. Below are a light fixture turned into a vase, a birdcage desk organizer, a suitcase 'mini closet', a water ski serving table, and everyday wire baskets as wall-mounted storage cubes.

Um Shoulder

Love this new eco-friendly, industrial wool felt bag from local Josh Jakus. When completely opened, it las flat and turns into a 3-dimensional form when fully zipped. Lots of fun.

Brushing For a Cause

Preserve Jr. toothbrushes by Recycline are made from recycled yogurt cups and partners with the National Wildlife Federation to feature different endangered animals on the packaging. Very cool. You can even get in on the recycling action by returning the toothbrush once you've used it up (with an enclosed postage paid label) for Recycline to take care of properly.

 

 

Do Your Towels Smell Like Horse Fat?

If you use Downy fabric softener they do. File this article under disturbing...WIRED magazine's "What's Inside" breaks down the ingredients in your favorite fabric softener and it ain't pretty. I'm glad I use this  and this instead. They smell really good, too. And no horsies.

Mistakes Made Beautiful

These interesting items from Viva Terra are made from soda and soup can misprints at the sheet metal factory. An industrious designer decided to create graphic letters and magazine racks out of the mistakes and the results are pretty neat!

The letters come in tall (8"-10") and short (6"-7") and start at $12. The magazine rack holds two vertical rows of stacked magazines, mail or whatever you want for $89.

Liquid Cardboard Vases

"Equal parts vase and plaything, this amazing contraption contorts into myriad shapes. The cardboard's unique honeycomb structure makes the piece extremely durable. It's crafted from natural renewable resources -with a high percentage of secondary fiber-making it eco-friendly, as well."

Very fun and available through SFMOMA for $32 - $48.

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Vaso Cork Pot

The classic terra cotta planter revived in cork from Matteriashop. Cork means it is now unbreakable, antibacterial, and won't scratch surfaces. And, cork is a great renewable resource, so you can be all environmentally responsible too.

Nubius Organics

The Nubius Organics ("blending style with sustainability")  site offers lots of eco-friendly home, kid and adult items. All are created using sustainable practices. Some cute items including reusable aluminum water bottles, wood toys, Lotta bags, and a wrap-and-mat are below.

Repurposed Balloon Art

Now who would have thought deflated balloons could be so pretty? Artist Susie MacMurray creates wall panels and other installations from deflated balloons. Pretty cool.

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Stylish Birdhouse

Created by Bomdesign in the Netherlands, this stylish birdhouse is made from recycled European billboards and found handles. Each birdhouse is a one-of-a-kind piece. Available at the fun store ReForm School for $170.

Natural Swimming Pools

Everyone knows that chlorine is toxic and wrecks your hair and skin. One solution is the so-called natural swimming pool. No chlorine and several different methods (saline, Techno Pure, Whole Water Solutions) to attain a clear, beautiful pool without the chemicals. Here are some examples from The Daily Green. Some of these look like your own personal pond or waterhole (without the slime or critters).

Green Home Finds

California Home and Design magazine has a little article on their website of 'green finds' including this cool bamboo Isometric Chair by Los Angeles-based Kalon Studios and the Biscuit Rug which is designed by Brazilian Claudia Araujo and handwoven from remnants of swimsuit material (and available here).

Napkin Catch Placemat

No more napkin rings! These cool napkin catch placemats by local Berkeley designer Josh Jakus are made from 100% recycled tire rubber and only $19. Lots of colors available, too.

Cool Storage

These neat storage cubes from Scrapile are available at Velocity Art + Design for $382.

"SCRAPILE is the collaborative work of designers Bart Bettencourt and Carlos Salgado. Seeking to create a positive environmental impact with their work, these two have developed a unique method of collecting and repurposing discarded scraps of wood from New York's woodworking industry. Since it's conception in Fall 2003, this project has continued to yield an ever-evolving line of furniture and product which by its very nature insists each piece be one of a kind."

Wine Bottle Coat Rack

Now this is interesting...$75 from Uncommon Goods.

Old Maps

Look at all the fun things they did with old maps over at Bombus! Very clever...handmade envelopes, bowls, cards and chairs.

Hanging Grass Garden

Well, this is cute. Metaphys's Hanging Grass Garden.The frame contains a tray in which you place the high-tech growing medium, made up tiny sponge balls impregnated with nutrients. Sprinkle the prairie grass seed on top, water and wait. After about a week the grass will sprout and start to grow. $60.

Spare Time Clocks

Clocks created with furniture-maker scraps. A simple, great idea and very modern/minimal.

Handmade Wreaths

These beautiful wreaths from artist haru on etsy are made from old sheet music, catalogs, and gift wrap. These 13" indoor wreaths can be hung from a green satin ribbon (included) and cost $80.

Your Own Kitchen Greenhouse

This nifty item is part of the Italia Kitchen line from Arclinea.The mini greenhouse allows you to grow herbs or vegetables year-round. Kinda unnecessary in CA, but still interesting.

Catalog Choice

Ever since the holidays, we have been bombarded by catalogs! I just spent about 15 minutes on Catalog Choice. It's the coolest! This free service lets you opt out of catalog mailings. Keep the ones you want, get rid of the ones you don't.

I am Not a Paper Cup

Decor Craft Inc. introduced a double walled porcelain cup with silicone top.  Eco-friendly and reusable.  Dishwasher safe. Will be available at the end of Feb. for around $20. Email here for more info.

Transglass from Apartment Zero

Very cool designs by Emma Woffenden & Tord Boontje:

Recycled and handcrafted -  colors are pre-sorted in shades of green, clear and brown by the artisans only. Available from Apartment Zero. This carafe was featured in Domino Magazine this month.

Stylish Grocery Bags

Carry those groceries home in style! Here are some fun canvas bags to use in place of the flimsy plastic ones. Shown below are the Eco Stump tote by smallstump for $16.50; the environmentally-friendly eye chart tote for $20 from Melissa Vest's shop; the grocery bag for elephants - where each bag sale goes towards an elephant sanctuary - $7.00 from bagsforelephants; a large market tote from the craftpantry for $12.99; and if you want to get fancy, the fully-lined $30 grocery getter from njoydesigns.

Vintage Belt Floor Mat

From Branch:

"This handsome, handmade floor mat is made of artfully assembled vintage leather belts that have been rescued on their way from waist to waste. Its rich tones, textures, and tread-friendly patina evoke the look of a wonderfully worn wood floor, albeit with a decidedly warmer under-foot feel. Each Vintage Belt Floor Mat is a one-of-a-kind creation, and as such, colors and characteristics will vary slightly from those pictured." $688.

A Local Shop :: Spring

Spring is a specialty retail store in SF specializing in green products for a healthy home. They aim to reduce exposure to chemicals, toxins, and pollutants – for the benefit of personal health and the environment. Spring is for those who wish to manage their home in a greener, safer, and healthier way.

They carry a wonderful array of home decor products but the overarching theme is products that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. It is a lofty space filled with beautiful pieces from Heath Ceramics, embroidered linen table runners and pillows, handmade Sara Paloma pottery,  Anna Sova organic bed linens, Dwell baby bedding, and many bodycare and cleaning products as well.