Put A Cork In It

New Years Eve came and went without much of a fuss from me, but certainly in merry festivities far and wide, corks were popping and bubbles pouring. I may uncork a bottle of wine now and again, but my true obsession with this ultra-sustainable material lies in its myriad other home uses beyond beverage sealing, from decorative surfaces to functional bowls. Here's a few of my earth-friendly favorites.


100% natural cork fabric Adjust-A-Bowls come in medium and large sizes and are available through Branch Home.


Vitra's Cork Stool C from Design Within Reach.


Recycled Cork Mosaic Tiles made from cork beverage topper industry waste are durable, sustainable, and naturally antimicrobial (tiles shown are from Habitus).


Recycled cork Float Pendants by Benjamin Hubert.


The pricey but handsome mildew-resistant Cork Bath Collection from Labrazel Home.


Small chips of metallic cork make up this unique wallpaper, found on My Two Designers.


This sleek, modern kitchen with cork flooring strikes the perfect contrast.


Michael Roger Straw's Cork Sleeve for Apple's 15" MacBook, from Amazon.

Etsy Love: Flux Glass

Quite appropriately, my son and I created our New Years Intentions this year while listening to Michael Jackson's Man In the Mirror. He requested "MJ" and Man In the Mirror is hands down my favorite one of his singles, so on it went. We giggled at our cheesiness but sang along at the tops of our lungs anyway.

A few days later I was on the hunt for unique eco-friendly mirrors for a client, mindful of the approaching Saturday Etsy Love feature I'd be needing to post today, and I stumbled upon Flux Glass. All the uniquely shaped mirrors are handmade by Dennis Smith in Asheville North Carolina from upcycled mirrors. As a designer, I got particularly excited about the infinite custom options that are available. Have a look (pun intended) for yourself....


Best for those with a soft spot for California or Texas, or other interestingly-shaped states, these hand-cut, lead bordered accent mirrors would be perfect as part of a large collage wall with other beloved memorabilia or tucked in a little nook on their own. The suppressed West Coast girl in me loves the California State Wall Mirror best of all.




The Pair of Flying Bird Wall Mirrors are lovingly hand-crafted with the same upcycled mirror surrounded by lead and backed with a hanging wire, although they look just as lovely resting on a floating shelf like in the second photo above.


I love vintage signage and have amassed a nice little collection of the letter "R" which hangs above my son's dresser. (His name is Ryder, for those of you who don't know.) If I was the flashier type, I'd add the sparkle of a single mirrored letter like Flux Glass's Custom Letter Wall Mirrors to the collection.

Etsy Love: Evolving Habitat

Happy Saturday everyone! I'm excited to feature a local Long Beach, NY artisan on today's Etsy Love post. Meri Vallo's company Evolving Habitat combines her passion for designing unique home goods and following sustainable practices to leave her creative mark in this world, which is exactly what I comb Etsy each week to find. It's an added bonus to find someone who lives right down the street to shine the spotlight on.

Evolving Habitat offers several unique treasures that breathe new life into reclaimed, salvaged and found materials. While Meri's creations continue to evolve, her core offerings include light boxes and pieces made from naturally shed antlers, with new lines in clothing and other home accessories continually added to the mix. Every Evolving Habitat piece harnesses the raw beauty of nature and the creative possibilities of re-use.


The softly illuminating "Birds of Snow" Light Box makes the perfect night light, designed to bring an imaginitive thought and a beautifull scene into your mind before you go to sleep at night.


Using naturally-shed white tail deer antlers from a Texas ranch mounted onto salvaged woods, Evolving Habitat offers these one-of-a-kind freestanding and wall-mounted decorative pieces that are beautiful on their own or can fulfill a limitless number of useful functions.


Clearly inspired by Meri's intimate love of nature and her life at the beach, she creates unique Cactus and Succulent Terrariums on a custom order basis.


An example of the new clothing line from Evolving Habitat featuring pieces hand-made by creative team member Jenna Derosa in natural, organic and salvaged fabrics, this Warrior Hood is a versatile poncho in 100% linen with fine burnt out lines running through it.



An Evolving Habitat logo tote bag and a shot of their regular weekend booth at Williamsburg's Artists and Fleas where this and all Evolving Habitat's offerings can be found in person.

Etsy Love: Madder Root

Etsy shop Madder Root caught my eye this week as I embarked on my weekly search for handmade home accessories that are as stylish as they are eco-conscious. Fortunately, the pages of Etsy are overflowing with just such creations: housewares that beautify our homes while honoring Mother Earth. Sometimes choosing a favorite to feature on Saturdays is tough, but Maine-based Madder Root's simple yet delightful handprinted organic linen tea towels and cloth napkins simply jumped out at me. Their own company profile says it best:

Madder Root was born out of a passion for fabric, art, lively conversation, cups of tea and walks with the dog. We see creating and doing business in Maine as more than just a job. At Madder Root it's a lifestyle. We are inspired by our state's ocean, forest and mountain vistas and we strive to protect the environment around us with every business choice we make. From our material to our packaging we work hard to find environmentally friendly supplies without sacrificing quality.

Amen!!


Poppy Tea Towel


Sand Dollar Tea Towel


Set of Two Organic Linen Lupine Napkins


Set of Four Organic Linen Pussy Willow Napkins

NYIGF Eco-Highlights

Twice a year, the New York International Gift Fair takes over Manhattan's West Side. Despite the slushy streets and gray early-February skies outside, the colorful mecca of home accessories, gift items, furniture, linens and crafts was buzzing indoors. I braved the ice (and the $40 event parking lot fee) to scour the aisles for new eco-friendly housewares and accessories. I was delighted to see more offerings than ever before. Here are a few of my favorite:

Images above:

1. Cork Fabric Bowls from Bambu. They are tough enough to hold a bushel of lemons and soft enough to scrunch down for compact storage. Plus, they can be thrown right in the laundry machine for easy cleaning. (Available in March 2011.)

2 & 3. Peacock Alley's booth was definitely the show stopper. Their beautiful linens were draped over custom hammocks outside a - gasp! - fully renovated 1977 Airstream! They use the trailer, also bedecked in their fabulous wares, for outdoor trunk shows around the nation. A cozy cocoon of neutral fabrics and retro kitsch beckons warmly inside; I didn't want to leave. Peacock Alley has several organic cotton bathrobes, a line of Adriana Matelasse organic cotton bedding and bamboo/cotton towels in their collections to complement their conventional cotton and linen styles.

4. For years, Coyuchi has been one of my go-to resources for certified 100% organic cotton bedding, especially since launching their adorable embroidered George crib line many moons ago. They have since added several other baby collections and greatly expanded their adult lines of bedding, towels, blankets and more. At the recent gift fair, I was struck by their new, incredibly modern charcoal Seersucker Bumper Cover. Sophisticated, and a bit daring, I was pleased to find out that this gray has become one of their best sellers.

5. Michigan-based K Studio has been making pillows and accessories from eco-friendly fabrics like hemp and linen since 2004, each year stitching up even cuter designs than the last. Furthering their green mission, they have added Mod Green Pod's organic cotton patterns to their charming House Pillows. (Photo above is from the awesome home accessories site www.theaccessorator.com)

6. Molla Space unveiled a new, innovative, reusable beverage container simply called My PLA Drinking Can. The can is made from an eco-friendly, corn starch-based material called PLA, bearing the benefits of plastics, but without the negative effects of petroleum components on us and our planet. It is Dishwasher and Microwave safe, retains beverage temperature with double-wall construction, and as the name suggests, will biodegrade rather than adding to our landfill waste.

7. I love pretty much everything from the Urban Infant line, but I thought the Skip Rope was particularly ingenious. Constructed from 100% reclaimed mountain climbing rope that would have otherwise ended up in landfills, with soft handles also made from reclaimed materials, they prove that playtime and eco-responsibility belong in the same game!!

8. Once again, the sweetest organic cotton tees were blowing in the breeze at the Zebi booth, making my longing for another baby to clothe even stronger (like it takes much!!). Here are a few of their adorable appliqued tops available at Kitsel.

Global Recycling

The use of recycled or reclaimed materials in handcrafted goods is a timeworn tradition that spans every corner of the globe. With the ecological crisis mounting, it's never been a better time to support such creative re-use. And thanks to ecommerce, any of these home accessories can be the newest decorative focal point right in your own living room, no passport required.


India





Vibrant antique cotton saris take on new life as slipcovered cubes and placemats, both available through www.sundancecatalog.com.


South Africa



Hand-painted recycled tea bags form the intricate border of the 11" square Pya Mirror, available through www.bluedango.com.


Philippines



A common sight in many countries, discarded automobile tires are refashioned into unique and functional handled baskets, available in sets of 2 from www.atwestend.com.


Canada



Ontario-based artist, Hilary Cosgrove, repurposes old suit jackets into custom Alphabet Pillows, each one holding the whimsy and character of their former incarnation.


UK





Crafty designers in London are pushing the envelope in recycled home goods with objects like the RD4 Chair, comprised entirely of hand-woven 100% recycled plastic waste material, and this rustic Vintage Belt Floor Mat, both available from www.branchhome.com


USA





The EPA estimates that Americans produce 220 million tons of trash every year. Whoa. Fortunately for the planet, there are some truly creative artisans from coast to coast turning garbage into usable beauty like Portland-based Evotiv responsible for the reclaimed Hardwood Shelving Unit above and Brooklyn brand Domestic Aesthetic that salvages scraps from a window factory to make the beautiful Spice Block.