Monday Color: Burnt Orange

When I was school-aged or reporting to a corporate office in my early 20's, Mondays were dismal and long. Now they are one of my favorite days, launching all the possibilities of a fresh new week, on the energizing tails of some weekend downtime.

I want to start honoring my love of Mondays with a weekly inspirational post focused on color. Anyway who knows me won't be surprised that the first color I've selected to feature is burnt orange. This has long been my favorite hue for its dramatic presence in sunrises and sunsets, and because it's the color I see when laying under the summer sun on a beach, eyes clenched shut beneath the powerful rays. I imagine that I'm not seeing the backs of my eyelids but rather the color of my true self.

Images above:
1. a winter sunset in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
2. 'Wings' the piece I just bought from my new favorite photographer Alicia Bock
3. orange dahlias, a vase of which bring me unbounded joy

Sensual and warm, burnt orange is a beautiful accent hue in just about any room and pairs especially well with its cool toned color wheel opposites: the blue family. Here's a few inspirational interiors and a few burnt orange decor finds:















Images above:

1. image from Metropolitan Home, via elledecor.com

2. a loung area in a modern Atlantic Beach home I completed in 2007

3. image from decorpad.com

4. image from hgtv.com

5. Atlas Collection bedding by Calvin Klein, available through Neiman Marcus.

6. Madeline Weinrib's Brooke rug in orange

7. simple, modern orange pendant by Bruck, available at Lighting Direct.

Raise a glass!

Why do we as a country only recycle about 1/3 of our glass containers when, according to earth911.com, "every ton of glass that is recycled results in one ton of raw materials saved to process new glass, including: 1,300 pounds of sand, 410 pounds of soda ash and 380 pounds of limestone."? That's a clear environmental benefit, if you ask me (no pun intended!).

Well, perhaps we just need to see more of the inspiring new forms discarded bottles can take. Here are a few of my favorite beverage glasses, all made from 100% recycled glass:


Another reason to love a cool bottle of Aranciata....it reincarnates beautifully! Stemless Wine Glasses Made From Recycled Aranciata Bottles are $40 for 4, available through Etsy.



I've coveted these sandblasted Umbra+ Frosine Reclaimed Glasses from Green Depot for quite some time. A set of 4 is $38.95.



These 13 oz tumblers look just like their conventional counterparts but are crafted from 100% recycled glass. Luigi Bormioli Recycled Glasses - Set of 4 is only $24.99.



I'm obsessed with the flying, floating freedom of birds and their presence continues to pop up in my home decor. These etched Hummingbird Recycled Glasses (14oz) by artist Alfredo Garcia-Lucio are $39.95 for a 4-pack and certainly belong in my cupboards.

Greener Whites & Darks

When you throw on your favorite T-shirt or super soft sweats, did you know that you may also be snuggling up to layers of nonylphenoxyethoxylates, phthalates, linear alkylbenzenesulfonates and chlorine bleach? In the late 60's, bodies of water fell victim to a mysterious green sludge that was eventually proven to be phosphates from laundry detergents. These toxins were phased out, thankfully, but a long list of difficult-to-prounounce chemicals still remain in conventional detergents, along with petroleum-based surfactants and synthetic perfumes, posing risks to our water supplies, skin, and respiratory systems. With the eco-friendly brands removing stains and odors just as effectively as the old alternatives, isn't it time to consider a switch?

(Yes, I too see a pattern developing here.....laundry-related posts on the weekends. Well, at least I'm speaking from first hand stain-conquering experience.)





In a product sector that does not require ingredients listings, Seventh Generation's commitment to transparency is noble. In fact they have created a downloadable smart phone application and pdf version of their comprehensive Label Reading Guide, a glossary for the exhausting list of tongue twisters you find on most product labels. Available in three natural scents, Seventh Generation's Natural 2X Laundry Detergent



Shaklee's Fresh Laundry Concentrate also meets vast green cleaning criteria, plus it rivals the big conventional names in spot-treating stains for a true all-in-one product.



Method Laundry Detergent also makes the list as one of the few phthalates-free formulas on the market and is super-concentrated to ensure the least amount of waste. They claim 50 squeaky clean loads from each bottle, available in four different natural scent options.

Take comfort - behold the perfect glider!!

Every nursery needs the perfect, sink-in-and-say-aaaaah chair. Storytime, 3am feedings and baby's first attempts at mobility are all more comfortable with the perfect upholstered piece to climb into. Having designed spaces for expecting parents for the past 6 years, I've only found a few models that didn't scream GLIDER! or that weren't covered with toxic ultrasuede and excessive stain-guarding chemicals. Modern rockers by Q Collection Junior and Duc Duc led the pack with their non-toxic finishes and sustainably harvested woods. And now the trendsetters at DwellStudio have introduced two glider styles into their line that look enough like a chair to live in any room, but provide all the comfort of a traditional glider.




The Thompson and Savoy Gliders are available in 8 fabrics and take 6-8 weeks to produce. They are crafted from sustainable hardwood that is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and covered in 100% cotton or natural linen. The glide mechanism is made from recycled steel. Both are a reasonable $1190.

http://www.dwellstudio.com/thompson-glider.html

http://www.dwellstudio.com/savoy-glider.html

Mobile home

Hanging a mobile over a newborn's crib is a time-honored decorating practice to develop baby's visual skills and capture attention through gentle motion. Plus they look really cool.

Black and white, surprisingly, stimulate an infant's visual senses the most out of all colors. But any mobile with dynamic motion (meaning that the hanging parts twirl independently and all parts constantly shift in a captivating visual "dance") creates a soothing focal point for baby during the many hours spent in their crib. I personally think they should also be visually pleasing to mom and dad, so I am posting a few of my favorite unique mobile styles here:


This adorable mobile from Petite Collage features a tree with a few friendly critters, all in laser-cut, sustainably harvested bamboo. $46

http://www.petitcollage.com/mobiles/mobiles


Having flown in a hot air balloon for the first time last year, this inspiring piece from Flensted Mobiles brings recalls the floating sensation of pure airborn freedom in me. $47

http://www.allmodern.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=FMS1035&refid=FR81-FMS1035


I have adored everything from the Adrift line by designer Brian Schmitt for years. This calming cluster of organic lines is my favorite (actress Ana Ortiz had the same opinion, selecting it for the Brooklyn nursery I designed for her). Prices start at $148.

http://www.schmittdesign.com/mobiles/index.php


Meeting the black and white criteria in a quirky way, this mobile (also from Flensted Mobiles) instills the lesson to stand out from the masses at an early age. $32

http://www.giggle.com/eng/product/sheep_mobile/30107


This laser cut walnut veneer mobile from ige designs brings nature indoors, inspiring a love for flora and fauna at an early age. $65

http://www.grow-kids.com/product.asp?name=modern-birds-of-a-feather-mobile&pfid=GRO00411


This dreamy cascade of real feathers was the one that inspired my search for unique mobiles that were inspiring and stimulating in an artful way. $125, one of a kind.

http://www.shopafterall.com/category/mobiles

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

Laundry Day

It was laundry day today, a common ritual in a house with a little boy who sweats in or soils every garment almost instantly. The only difference in today's laundry routine was that I decided that the woven wicker basket I use as a hamper in my closet needs to retire to life as, well, a basket, and it's time to purchase a real hamper. And what better distraction from house chores, than online shopping?!? Well, I fell in love with a lidded, woven model and then saw the price tag: $120!! It's a hamper, not a handbag! So, I decided that today's post should run down the best hampers I proceeded to uncover, all of which are under 20 bucks.


Natural bohemian vibe, for any age: Daisy Crunch Can by Umbra $19.99


The look of a woven material, without the price: Square Resin Hamper by Honey Can Do $19.99


Soft colors, clean lines: Shake Up Hamper by Homz $19.98


For a hip nursery or dorm room: Camo Bongo Bag by Redmon $14.99


Natural canvas and warm wood: Wooden X-Frame Hamper with lidded canvas bag by Honey Can Do $18.97


For those who like to keep darks and lights separate at all times: Aluminum Frame Double Hamper by Whitmor $19.99


Something for every kid's taste: Tiddliwinks' Hamper Collection $19.99

New kitchen tools that are planet-friendly and FUN

Your kids get to play all day with fun, colorful toys that delight their senses. Why can't you have the same fun while being eco-conscious and getting three square meals on the table every day?? Now, you can!! Feast your eyes on this new collection of kitchen tools made from "an innovative recycled wood and plastic blend that can be recycled" by Boston Warehouse. The grater and pizza wheel are my personal favorites from the 10-piece collection. Play on!!

http://www.kitchenkapers.com/the-greens.html

Green Home Bible for 2011 "Planet Home" is out now..

If greening your home is a highly prioritized intention for the New Year, educating yourself is an first essential step. A fellow writer, Alexandra Zissu, has collaborated with Seventh Generation cofounder Jeffrey Hollender to bring you Planet Home. This invaluable guide to living consciously in your home and on our planet can be used as either a comprehensive intro to green living or as an updated refresher course for those who have gone astray or just want to learn more. I already live in a toxin-free home and tread as lightly on Mother Earth as possible, but my evolution is dependent on keeping myself educated and inspired, especially as information, society and our planet changes every single day. Luckily for me, both "read more" and "go greenER" are both on my list of New Years Resolutions. Thanks to Planet Home, I'll be able to accomplish both at once.

To purchase, click here: Planet Home

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Dear Friends, Family & Blog Followers,

I hope that 2011 is off to a inspired, joyous start for each and every one of you. While I'm not much of a Hallmark holiday girl myself, I do cherish the turning of the calendar each year as a time to celebrate the accomplishments of the passing year, create my intentions for the months ahead and proceed forward with refreshed purpose and inspiration. My first moments of 2011 were spent in Pennsylvania with my son, my beloved parents, and my aunt and her husband, led in celebration by my five year old whose fervor for staying awake till midnight and "partying down" put all of us old people to shame. But it was a beautiful reminder of my need to appreciate and rejoice in each little moment, like my son so innocently and naturally does. Streamers, noisemakers and hats he insisted on to ring in the New Year may not be an appropriate addition to daily life, but the sentiment of enjoyment and gratitude can still be the same (and who says I can't bang pots and cheer on the inside?!).

In the spirit of the New Year, I wanted to announce the official launch of my business Baby Green and its new website http://babygreendesign.net/ Baby Green has been in incubation stages since I closed down re:place last year and has now been officially birthed, signifying the first baby step toward my calling of transformative design, home detoxification, organizing and educating.....alongside my renewed pursuit of expression through the written word (personally through this blog and commercially through all my awesome writing clients). Please forward the website link to anyone you know who needs some greening or organizing as the New Year unfolds (I'm offering sizable New Year's Resolution discounts right now!).....peaceful, purged, well-organized spaces like those below are an invaluable foundation for transformation in all areas of life.






2010 brought about profound change for me personally and professionally and I embrace the start of 2011 for all the continued evolution it will bring and all the beautiful people I will be able to share it with. (Insert confetti poppers and noisemakers here.)

With love and gratitude,

Amanda

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

Dear Friends & Family,

A pre-holiday mega-bug got the best of me this week, but I mustered up just enough energy to decorate our miniature artificial tree and make Christmas cookies for all the neighbors with my son Ryder. He begged for a "real" tree but ultimately bestowed his love on our little tree-in-a-box and announced that the only "early Christmas present" he wanted before heading off to his father's was that I feel better. True Christmas spirit, I'd say.

I am creating this Christmas morning post to wish all of our dear friends and families a merry, joyous holiday and to share a few of my favorite "alternative" trees, not to take anything away from the real cut trees that a majority of you have standing proudly in your living rooms, but to celebrate a year of slow but strong environmental changes, the true Christmas spirit that is measured in our hearts, not in decorations, and a beautiful, bright future ahead.

With all my love,

Amanda

It's a wrap.

The holiday season seems to sneak up out of nowhere each year. Weren't my son and I tumbling around in the Long Island surf not so very long ago? In an effort to sooth my denial/shock/resistance/astonishment and because a bunch of fellow parents have suggested I do so, I am embracing the season by posting a variety of green holiday tips over the coming weeks. No grinch in this house (although if I do recall correctly, he was a lively shade of green himself!).

With Chanukkah already underway and Santa Wish Lists in final draft stage, gift giving season is no doubt upon us. I am personally anti-gift wrap, favoring discarded newspapers, magazines and fabric scraps when an outer wrapping is a must. More often than not, I just hand over a gift with a smile. This year, however, I bought some recycled paper from a fundraiser at my son's school that was even printed with non-toxic inks. Friends and relatives will certainly be shocked to receive wrapped gifts from me! This inspired me to post my Top 3 favorite earth-friendly holiday gift wrap finds, giving us all a chance to green this wasteful tradition at long last!




http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/product.asp?prod_name=Recyled+Paper+Gift+Wrap&pf_id=WNW&dept_id=42200&s_id=0&




http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&categoryID=19&productID=220&cartID=1039357330




http://www.containerstore.com/shop/giftWrapWonderland/holidayGiftPackaging/giftWrap?utm_medium=feed&productId=10026364&utm_source=google_products&sku=10050497