Pipe Dreams

Some people are so damn creative. This wall unit and desk made from industrial plumbing fixtures featured on Remodelista today is the epitome of clever creation. And it's a beauty too. It is the product of the creative hands at Houston-based design firm Analog/Dialog. If you are as ambitious, step-by-step instructions for something similar can be found on The Brick House. I love the $200 total investment, but the head-ache sounds like it has a higher price. I was curious to see what else the tinkerers out there were making with plumbing fixtures, and here's what I dug up:


The shelving in the lobby of the iconic Ace Hotel in Palm Springs that inspired The Brick House DIY project.


A much less rigid, sculptural approach from Akke Functional Art.


A desk found on Apartment Therapy by and for Oat's graphic design studios.


Found on Curbly, these light fixtures were conceived by MESH Architects. Adapt the lessons from this DIY Plumbing Fixture Lamp tutorial from Man Made to throw together your own, or find pre-made versions on MESH Architecture's Etsy shop.


Also on Etsy, Stella Blue Designs Etsy Shop has an array of wall-mounting shelving and other storage solutions made from industrial plumbing supplies, including this smart corner shelf.

AT's Design Showcase 2011

I love to support independent designers and unique ideas. (Especially over the mass market products created in the Walmart board rooms of the world!) The eponymous home site Apartment Therapy runs an annual Design Showcase giving exposure to dozens of such designers, which I suppose is slightly more impressive than me showcasing cool things I found here which get read about only by my sister and mother. :)

The voting for Apartment Therapy's Design Showcase 2011 closes Friday September 30th, so head on over to AT and vote for favorite. And while you're at it, please help me decide between the oh-so-practical Prop (currently #2) and the beautiful Shilpa Rathi vegetable-dyed organic cotton bedding collection (currently #3). Everyone I know with an Apple laptop could certainly use the Prop but the planet as a whole needs more organic cotton products ASAP. And anything to nudge out the current #1 product, The Ultimate Cat Scratcher/Lounger. The world does not, I repeat, does NOT need a(nother) luxury cat bed/scratcher.


One more thing, if I could vote for a product that didn't make the top cut, it would be the Chipmunk Turntable by Joel Scilley, which is neither that practical or eco-friendly but it's just plain rad-looking.


Currently #2: The Prop by Nicholas Pajerski & Justin Brouillette


Currently #3: Belize/Chaurus Duvet Cover Set by Shilpa Rathi


Please do not vote for The Ultimate Cat Scratcher/Lounger shown here.

Monday Color: Robin's Egg Blue

I'm not sure if I'm inspired by the official commencement of Spring today or if I have one of my clients (loving wife of Tiffany & Co's CEO) to blame, but I'm currently falling back in love with the sweetly vintage and always cheery hue of Robin's Egg Blue right now. It imparts a simple happiness in each of the rooms and products below. It can do its thing in a kids room in a more sophisticated way than pastel blues but is vastly popular with adults as well, working seamlessly into a number of different decor styles. A robin itself boasts subdued brown or rust feathers, but lays brilliant blue-green eggs, the color of which has carried the branding for an enduring luxury goods brand and graced brilliant interiors for decades. That's a powerful egg.

















Images above:

1. Accents of Robin's Egg Blue are fun, yet soothing in this eclectic bedroom posted on Apartment Therapy, San Francisco.

2. A daring kitchen from Coastal Living, via Make Room for Living.

3. A group of mismatched dining chairs become a happy set in vibrant Robin's Egg Blue, via Tater Tots and Jello.

4. A tree silhouette on Robin's Egg Blue walls is both sophisticated and fun in this little girl's room, found on the Style Decor blog.

5. Brigitte Desk from Bungalow 5 in light blue.

6. Lacquer Napkin Holder in Robin's Egg Blue and Gold, by Entertaining with Caspari

7. Haviland "Laque de Chine" in Gold and Light Blue

8. Available in storage pieces, beds, bunks and more, the Robin's Egg Blue in Alexander Julian's Cottage Colours Collection is totally charming.

Vote for Baby Green!

I know it's not flashy. I know I've got a lot to learn. Baby Green is still, well, a baby.

You see, as a novice blogger, I've focused only on regularly infusing these posts with ecologically-conscious design information and ideas. I have neglected to learn how to upgrade the appearance of my blog, add advertising and punchy navigational widgets, and I really ought to post my story of how all this came about and the resulting mission, but right now I'm taking it one post at a time. And that's it.

As the evolution unfolds, it's been heartwarming to have your support with a few inquisitive comment postings, some loving pats on the backs, a Homies Award nomination, and a solid amount of votes. But we're waaay behind. So please show your support for the new kid on the block, the less-established but well-intentioned, the stumbling baby trying to pull herself up onto standing legs for the first time.....and vote for Baby Green by Thursday Feb 3 6pm EST. If you've already voted, please get your like-minded friends and colleagues to do the same.

I'll resume normal posting tomorrow, including some inspiring and innovative new products from my swing through the New York International Gift Fair.

For now, I leave you with a manipulatively sweet photo of my son and 6 reasons why you should take 1 minute and vote for Baby Green in The Homies:

1. Because you like my blog
2. Because you are my friend, relative, neighbor, co-worker or secret admirer
3. Because you love a good comeback story: In 2010 I was near-bankruptcy, but I stayed in the ring determined to embody any timeworn adage about never giving up
4. Because you like to cheer for the underdog: Baby Green is David to a half dozen Goliath blogs
5. Because you care about our earth's well-being and want to be active in a massive cultural shift on how we consume, think, live, design and raise our children like I do
6. Because I told my son, Ryder, he could have the $50 prize if we won but he, without thinking, said "No that's OK, we can find someone who needs it more and give it to them"



VOTING IS EASY!

* First, go to Re-Nest's voting page for The Homies contest and scroll all the way to the bottom of the page where you are directed to "register" or "sign in" in relatively small text If you are not a member of Apartment Therapy or Re-Nest, you will need to click "register" and create an account, inputting your email address, a user name and a password. Don't check next to the daily email boxes if you don't want to receive any future mailings from the sites. The only email they will generate will be one you'll receive immediately to confirm your registration.
* Once you receive the email, click the imbedded link back to Re-Nest. Click on The Homies 2011 link toward the top of the page and you'll be sent back to the voting page.
* Click the circle next to Baby Green and then click "Answer Survey" to have your vote counted. And that's it!! Easy!!
* For the true democratic experience, you can come back to the page anytime and click "Show Results" to see how Baby Green is doing.


All love,

Amanda

Mi casa

I am so thrilled to announce that Apartment Therapy's green living site Re-Nest featured my humble abode a few days ago. Please click here for the posting: http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/green-tours/amandas-serene-long-beach-bungalow-green-house-call-136902

For my loyal blog followers ;) here are all the photos from the house tour, plus some extras!!



After entering the bright yellow front door of my bungalow, this is the first room you see, awash in white walls and pops of avocado and celedon. The green and white palette and the framed photos of undisturbed rain forests bring me back to nature every day. The bench is a slab of reclaimed wood from an old lower Manhattan building.



We remove our shoes upon entry so the storage bench was essential. All my son's books live in this bookshelf; we purge regularly or borrow from the library to keep the collection manageable.



Free of any clutter, rugs and excessive artwork, the narrow living/dining area features just a sofa, wall-mounted credenza, and dining set. The tables are both made from sustainably harvested teak and the pendant lamp is made from white-painted bamboo strips.



The top photo is a view from the front room, this is a view from the kitchen.....but it's all the same stuff. :)



The framed work on paper by Jimmie James was the only piece of art I had hanging in this house for a while. If you look closely among the abstract brush strokes, there is a rough sketch of a house and words that read "happiness is a good home." I must emphasize that it says "home" not "house;" there is a profound difference to me.



This is my home office with budget-friendly IKEA furniture and walls covered in grass cloth. In addition to being an interior designer, I specialize in home organization. But if I don't 'walk the walk' at home, I can't help my clients. Staying organized fuels my productivity and provides necessary calmness in every day.



My tiny bedroom has only enough space for a bed and two makeshift nightstands. The framed sun prints were the result of a project my son and I did one relaxing Summer afternoon. The energy of that sunny day still lives on in them and I smile every time I see them.



I kept the palette light and serene; I wanted to feel like I was waking up in a hut on a little island every morning. The leaning ladder further supports the exotic vibe and gives this feeling of infinity when I lay in bed looking at it, reminding me of how much lies beyond our walls.



An Oeuf dresser holds all of my son's clothes and old letters are a colorful, yet timeless decoration for the wall above.



Wanting to keep it simple in Ryder's equally tiny bedroom, we kept the colors calm and the wall art minimal, but fun. His collection of karate belts is beginning to take over though. ;)



Given the fact that the house is a rental, the kitchen isn't all that bad. It's clean and big enough; a few small decorative touches make it a peaceful and comfortable extension of the rest of the house. I made the powder blue formica counters work for me, not against me, and applied my minimalism here more than anywhere else. My only appliances are the basics like a fridge, oven and dishwasher (yay!), a toaster oven and a juicer. I haven't had a microwave in years and don't miss it one bit. Less truly is more.



Again confronted with the standard whiteness of a rental home bathroom, I embraced it and added only straw-colored organic cotton towels and bamboo accents. It feels like a really, really small spa in there to me: calm, clean, pure and light.

Thanks for coming over!

xx
Amanda