Handpicked: The Goods Design

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.

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 2 Sep 2010 | 3:30 pm EDT

The Seattle Landscaping Service Is Available

A Seattle landscaping service can make a difference and help increase property values. Some believe that there is no better way to increase the value of a home than to invest in a professional landscaping service. Even if a person has no intention of selling, many find that landscaping makes a house feel more like a home.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 1 Sep 2010 | 3:15 pm EDT

Bondage Ropes and Coastal Bliss

I wish I could tie August around my wrists, carrying the satisfaction of whimsical sunsets and anticipation of impending fall with me year round. There is something about natural rope that insinuates the nautical splash of coastal bliss that only summer can nurture. Go ahead, get tied up and roped into these gorgeous commodities.

Clockwise from top left: Haus Interior Rope & Nickel Accessories, SHINE Rope Artwork, Tanya Aguiniga Unraveled Cotton Rope Necklace, Simplemente Blanco Sisal Knitted Pillow, Anthropologie Coiled Rope Knob, and Tanya Aguiniga Jersey Knot Bracelet.

(Top images from Marie Sturges and Mel Yates.)

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 1 Sep 2010 | 2:00 pm EDT

German Shepherd: The Best Dog You Can Get

There is nothing cuter than a puppy but have you considered the type of puppy that you want gamboling around in your home? With so many dog breeds to be found you should see which of these dogs will be very faithful to you. Well this question is easy to answer. The German Shepard puppy can be trained to be not just a companion but to also for the various tasks that you may have.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 1 Sep 2010 | 9:06 am EDT

Beautiful Gardens With Landscape Design Massachusetts

There is nothing more beautiful to the eye than gazing on a garden that is beautifully landscaped. The arrangement of the flowers, the shrubs and the trees is so artistically done that they are like an oil painting. This is what has happened wherever landscape design Massachusetts has worked on a job. These are people who are very well trained in the area but are devoted to producing beautiful results.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 31 Aug 2010 | 3:50 pm EDT

Chromatic Theology: Yellow

Never underestimate the power of color. Each post in this series will explore an individual hue, but the characteristics of the topic color can be translated into tints and shades. Keep in mind that the effects and emotions we discuss are most prominent and intense in pure, saturated color. (In case you need to catch up on color, gather basic knowledge and catch a glimpse of red with the inaugural post.)

Basking in the warm glow of gentle yellow is a perfect way to continue the Chromatic Theology series. To some extent, the distinctive attributes of yellow will be present in color variations – mustard, butter cream, saffron, sunflower, etc.

YELLOW is a strong warm color, with pleasant and optimistic emotional content. Yellow is the least problematic color, a cheerful and non-aggressive hue. This jovial color is highly-reflective, producing expansive characteristics reminiscent of sunlight. Soft tints of yellow (butter cream and pastel pineapple) serve as great background colors – active with mild stimulation.  Inviting yellow into your home is like ordering a glass of house wine, safe; you may not swoon for the taste it leaves in your mouth, but at least you won’t hate it either. Yellow is simple and amiable, and every now and then – unexpectedly brilliant.

Come back next week for a drop of refreshing citrus - orange.

(Photographs from the portfolio of Twig Hutchinson, Mel Yates, and Christine Rudolph.)

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 31 Aug 2010 | 3:30 pm EDT

Floating Pond Plant: What It Can Provide

A pond is a body of water which can be natural or man made. Many of the natural ponds abound with floating pond plants and other living things. Man made ponds have floating pond plants and other organisms but the existence of these are generally dependent on the makers of the man made pond. There are numerous advantages of having a floating pond plant in the pond and these will be reviewed in the following paragraphs.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 31 Aug 2010 | 10:37 am EDT

What You Should Consider Before Buying Greenhouse Lighting

Gardening is a very popular hobby especially among homeowners, which means the over-thirties to be honest. A nice-looking garden certainly does make a house look better. However, bedding plants and fruit trees can be fairly expensive, consequently a lot of gardeners want or already have some form of greenhouse so that they can propagate plants themselves and grow more exotic flowers and fruits.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 31 Aug 2010 | 10:29 am EDT

Green Crush: Recycled Tire Trugs

Whether hosting a casual summer cookout or stashing your sandals and towels after a trip to the beach, the Recycled Black Garden Trug from Spanish company Fiel is versatile enough to handle it all. We love that this flexible bucket is made from polyethylene used for manufacturing tires and comes in several sizes.

It looks durable enough that it could last for several years, even stored outdoors and exposed to the elements (after all, tires are made to withstand harsh winters, spring showers, and everything in between). We can totally picture this trug sitting in a hallway to collect dripping umbrellas, in a cute little shed to hold gardening tools, or at a backyard BBQ filled with ice and cold drinks.

Tell us! Where and how would you use this handy little trug? What other uses can you think of?

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 30 Aug 2010 | 9:50 pm EDT

Stolen Salt-Soaked Pine

Robin Luciano Beaty stole my dream. Every designer and artist (and random person off the street with even a hint of creativity) dreams of having a studio; somewhere to be inspired, create, and pretend that reality television is not a reality. A space flooded with natural light and natural materials. A place to get art supplies under your fingernails and maybe even a slightly luxurious place to lounge and linger. The studio of Robin Luciano Beaty has been plucked from my dreams and delicately dropped in Byfield, Massachusetts.

The custom barn Ms. Beaty built has a significant semblance to the structure that stands in my reveries, including every little detail and all of my favorite elements – antique typewriter, rustic coffee table, tufted upholstery, graphic pillows, exposed beams, a charming corner stove, and a healthy allocation of consideration for our dear Earth. Just like all the spaces that settle in my imagination, she even remembered to include a sprinkle of matter reminiscent of Morocco. (Granted, there were no chickens in my dream, but since they roam free in my neighborhood, they may as well roam free in my studio.)

Robin Luciano Beaty is a fine artist – her medium of choice is encaustic painting. Intrigued by the notion of encaustic painting? Me too. Immerse yourself in the “sublime and unpredictable” medium utilizing beeswax and pigment on Ms. Beaty’s website. Peruse her portfolio while you’re there – her gorgeous studio is only the beginning of the beauty Robin creates.

This studio is a combination of beautiful choices including salt soaked pine and cellulose insulation. This structure is not simply a place to paint and create with wax, it houses natural light, a place to slumber, ample office space (with ample Apple products), and casters on all furniture to accommodate change of function and the fickle charisma of artists.

If you are as smitten with this studio as I am – take a field trip over to the original article on Apartment Therapy. Tanya Lacourse has written informative words about the structure’s green solutions and has generously shared the abundant sources. Oh, and the original slideshow includes 49 pictures. Seriously, 49 photographs to admire. Take another field trip to Robin Luciano Beaty’s blog to see the details of the entire building process.

(Images by Violet Marsh Photography via Apartment Therapy.)

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 30 Aug 2010 | 2:56 pm EDT

Indoor House Plants – Get Life To Your House With Indoor House Plants

BRING LIFE TO YOUR HOME WITH INDOOR HOUSE PLANTS

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 30 Aug 2010 | 2:37 pm EDT

Metal Plant Stand: Reviews On Plants Stands

This site offers many different kinds of plant holders, both outdoors and indoors, this includes wrought iron or metal, wooden, tiered plant stand and other types, including corner plant stand and more. Incase you are not having enough good ideas for your personal home dcor and you have a good deal of unused floor area, why not try to have a small-scale indoor landscape garden. It will not only make your own home so exotic but it is also one way of appreciating and expressing to others your enthusiasm and just how much you care nature.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 30 Aug 2010 | 9:28 am EDT

Solar Garden Ornaments Add Light And Charm

A quick way to add both light and charm to any garden is by adding solar garden ornaments. These little LED lights can brighten up a dark corner with whimsy and because of their solar energy can work where you cannot add an extension cord.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 30 Aug 2010 | 6:58 am EDT

The Foundations Of Gardening With Organic Gardening Techniques

Organic gardening is the practice of growing natural herbs, vegetables, berries, and as well as other plants without having to use man-made pesticides or fertilizers. The central focus is to operate in harmony with nature to provide edibles in addition to flowers without negatively impacting the environment or our health.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 29 Aug 2010 | 2:19 pm EDT

Orchid Care Guidance

If you have bought or are thinking about buying your first orchid then be careful. Once you have that first one you will ignite a passion, that passion for orchids that many people have and keep for the rest of their lives. But this passion isn't enough to make your orchid survive. You need to know a little about orchid care.

Source: Organic Vegetable Gardening | 29 Aug 2010 | 11:09 am EDT

Friday 5: It’s a Mod, Mod World

The new season of Mad Men has us jonesing for graphic prints, mid-century furniture, and other Sixties-inspired styles. Numerous designers are riffing on that theme, creating pieces that exude a Mad-Men-meets-modern-day vibe. Here’s how we’d style a Mad Men-inspired living room.

1. Rennie Sofa from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams (price not listed, pictured above)
So sleek, so sexy, so versatile. We love the grid-tufted back and the hardwood frame. We can totally picture one of Don Draper’s secretaries perched demurely on this couch, but it also feels modern enough for today’s urban loft.

2. Fresca Area Rug from inmod.com (starts at $89)
As Mad Men enters the mid-Sixties, we’re seeing more bold graphic prints and fewer staid, conservative pieces. This hand-tufted wool rug is the perfect expression of that more aesthetic. Plus, its colors complement the couch.

3. Ace Trading-midea Fans FT30-U2B Table Retro Fan in Chrome from Amazon ($39.69)
Although residential AC units became increasingly common in the 1950s, offices and homes still used table fans for a more direct breeze. This fan lends a certain retro chic to your space and  lets you stay cool sans AC.

4. Brave Space – Stagger Server from Bravespace ($2,540-2,640)
Modular, asymmetrical cabinets exude modernity. We love how you can customize this piece with closed storage where you need it. The organic herbal oil finish adds an intriguing texture.

5. Inhabit Estrella Plinko Pillow in Cornflower from AllModern.com ($60-68)
A delightful graphic print on recycled polyester gives this pillow its groovy style. The colors feel modern, but not too feminine.

What do you think? Which piece(s) jumps out at you?

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 27 Aug 2010 | 7:30 pm EDT

Skewed Seas of Deceit

I feel deceived, and you should too. Are you aware we have been lied to about the world by the world? I have always been an advocate of wall maps and the illusive idea that cartographic art pieces provide a sense of global awareness. Apparently we are victims of skewed scale and mediocre map projections (read more about this diagrammatic deception here). Take the two-dimensional lie off your wall and replace it with honest metallic seas and accurate gradient color.

The Future Mapping Company has redefined wall maps by infusing precise proportions (using an equal-area projection technique) along with brilliant gradient colors (to reduce the illusion of abrupt country and continent borders).  The result? Alternative and thought-provoking visions of our planet.  Oh, and they are gorgeous!

These global depictions are available in three different lithographic color prints on silk-finish paper.  Each Future Map is unexpectedly affordable at £25 ($39) each.  If you have an entire wall pleading for cartographic metallic, how about custom wallpaper?  Don’t miss the charismatic London Street Maps either.

(My endless gratitude to Stephmodo for the introduction to these graphic maps.)

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 26 Aug 2010 | 12:45 pm EDT

Chromatic Theology: Red

Color – seven simple hues with complex connotations. I still remember the moment I met Roy G. Biv in sixth grade science class. Mr. Biv and his mnemonic for the visible color spectrum still produce nostalgic perceptions of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This color taxonomy is an efficient way to organize over six million colors into seven simple hues. Each of the six million colors has unique characteristics, charisma, and emotional implications, but for the sake of sanity, I will relish in the over-generalization of hues and only recognize six. At the risk of offending the amiable Mr. Biv, I also plan to neglect indigo.

Color envelops life, painting every aspect of our environment, consciously and subconsciously affecting our psyche. Among the wealth of scientific studies and results, there sits a practical and applicable cup of knowledge on color. Hues communicate psychological and emotional impact. Although personal impression and perception ranges, general information can help guide your color choices. Selecting the correct color can create an interior atmosphere to suite your space, aesthetics, ambiance, and psychological needs. Never underestimate the power of color.

Each post in this series will explore an individual hue, but the characteristics of the topic color can be translated into tints and shades. Keep in mind that the effects and emotions we discuss are most prominent and intense in pure, saturated color.

Where better to start than red? To some extent, the distinctive attributes of red will be present in color variations - cranberry, cinnamon, flamingo pink, cardinal, etc.

RED projects stimulation, force, and intensity. Often considered the strongest color, red provides concentrated psychological impact. Red is like a sexy negligee for your walls, saturated red lips – dramatic and dangerous. Save red for use in active areas that can handle tension, it can be unsettling and unsuccessful in spaces suited for relaxation.

Want to expand on color a little more? Soak in the knowledge of these basic color applications. Come back next week for a flirtation with sunshine – yellow.

(Photographs by Gaelle Le Boulicaut, VivaTerra, and A Creative Mint.)

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 25 Aug 2010 | 1:16 pm EDT

Blissfully Arranged Chaos

Brace yourself. Your eyes are seconds away from falling on an interior simultaneously wearing composed white walls and a chaotic chromatic rush – radiant pockets of vivid hues embellishing a blank shell. This bold serving of design is the London flat of Liza Giles. Ms. Giles has borrowed brilliant color and feminine details from her profession as a senior designer and stylist for Designers Guild.

Ms. Giles has arranged isolated tufts of seemingly unrelated elements that coalesce for a sense of overwhelming cohesion. Each vignette is a gathering of shiny new objects and flea market charms (which, by the way, has me yearning to locate her blissful flea market resources). Once again, James Merrell‘s photography has flawlessly captured endless design details with his talented lens.

This flat literally sings to me; gushing and admiring comes easily when the space is this perfect. I still remember the first time I set eyes upon this interior. Love at first sight. Every time I devour these images I find a new detail that makes it even more endearing (like the unassuming charcoal lace quietly dangling over the living room window). I would move in immediately, forsaking all personal possessions and arriving with only one suitcase and one husband. I have adored this space on my personal (humble, little) blog more than once. I still love it.

I am smitten with the sense of unintentional variety laced with deliberate eclecticism. The subtle whispers of color (through muted artwork) adjacent to the not-so-subtle shouts of color (reflected through gleaming metallic teal wallpaper) form a palatable, delicious tension. All this contrast is balanced into tranquility by the overwhelming silence of stark white walls, floors, and ceilings.

Still craving more? Gain a little more insight (or at least an additional opinion) with these features on {this is glamorous} and decor8.

(Photography by James Merrell via decor8.)

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 24 Aug 2010 | 11:00 am EDT

Does Salem's Building Disaster Give LEED a Bad Name?

Salem, Oregon is a-buzz with the news that its LEED Certified Courthouse Square building and transit mall have been declared structurally unsound. The ten year old home of Cherriots bus service and hub for local government is being evacuated as we speak. City departments are scrambling to lease office space in other buildings, and quickly move before catastrophic failure of the building threatens them.

Source: Sustainable Housing and Green Building News - ENN | 24 Aug 2010 | 9:48 am EDT

Tea and How Good It May Be

Drinking tea is supposed to be healthy for you because of what it contains. In this case let us consider polyphenols. In theory, a polyphenol has the ability to act as an antioxidant to scavenge free radicals and up-regulate certain metal chelation reactions. An antioxidant helps to regulate or clean up the cell's internal functions and so make you healthier as a result. The first measurements of healthful antioxidant levels in commercial bottled tea beverages has concluded that health-conscious consumers may not be getting what they pay for: healthful doses of those antioxidants, or "poylphenols," that may ward off a range of diseases.

Source: Sustainable Housing and Green Building News - ENN | 23 Aug 2010 | 3:13 pm EDT

Handpicked: elle oh

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 will be a slight divergence as the girl (Leigha Oaks) behind the ‘Handpicked’ series does the picking. In addition to my words on EcoSalon, I also have a blog, elle oh; this little piece of online real estate is brimming with personal musings, inspirational substance, gorgeous interiors, vivid colors, calming neutrals, lovely products, and a general dose of beauty and design.

This week I cannot stop thinking about the crème de la crème of wallpaper, Kreme (started by the creative and talented Cadee Wilder). As if the graphic delight wasn’t enough, factor in some earth consciousness and the result is pure perfection. The collection is full of alluring ombre effects, soft geometry, stunning contrast, and subtle colors. The Folk Flower paper (shown above and below) has captivated me with the charm of old world flowers. Picking just one pattern to share was agonizing, be sure to drool over the rest of the collection. And don’t miss the pillows either – baubles and woodland creatures, oh my!

Source: EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle » Shelter | 23 Aug 2010 | 12:09 pm EDT

LEED Building Standards Fail to Protect Human Health

The LEED program — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — is playing an increasingly important role in the drive to make buildings in the United States greener and more energy efficient. LEED is now the most prominent and widely adopted green building certification program in the country, with architects and developers striving to earn LEED’s coveted platinum or gold rating, and an increasing number of local, state, and federal regulations beginning to incorporate LEED standards into official building codes. But LEED — sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council, an industry group — has a glaring and little-known drawback: It places scant emphasis on factors relating to human health, even as the largely unregulated use of potentially toxic building materials continues to expand. One of LEED's major accomplishments — saving energy by making buildings more airtight — has had the paradoxical effect of more effectively trapping the gases emitted by the unprecedented number of chemicals used in today’s building materials and furnishings.

Source: Sustainable Housing and Green Building News - ENN | 16 Aug 2010 | 11:54 am EDT

Reinventing the City

Our cities play a vital role in the quest to achieve global ecological sustainability. They are the largest contributors to greenhouse gases and climate change. However, if we can achieve sustainable construction and use of urban infrastructure, our cities could become a critical leverage point in global efforts to drastically reduce emissions and avoid the social and economic costs associated with climate change, as well as enhance energy security and resilience in the face of high fossil energy prices.

Source: Sustainable Housing and Green Building News - ENN | 13 Aug 2010 | 9:57 am EDT

How to Make the Most of Solar Power

A solar panel (photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel) is a packaged interconnected assembly of solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells. The solar panel is used as a component in a larger photovoltaic system to offer electricity for commercial and residential applications. There are many methods available to try to increase their output. There is now a new entrant to the realm of solar panel accessories that is said to increase panel performance while decreasing costs. Joining solar trackers and microinverters is a new polymer film called FUSION by Genie Lens Technologies.

Source: Sustainable Housing and Green Building News - ENN | 12 Aug 2010 | 4:31 pm EDT

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