eco-chic design

reclaim your workspace

Originally I was attracted to SMC Furnishings by the reuse of discarded saddles in their may lounge chair that I saw at ICFF earlier this year. But since I love more streamlined minimal design I really like their pw stool/tables that play with contrasting lighter and darker wood. They almost look like metal combined with wood at a first glance, but the beauty is that they’re made out of antique long leaf hard pine and African wenge wood or hickory.

SMC Furnishings is a small New York based company that produces handcrafted and eco-friendly furniture. In fact 90% of their wood comes from waste and recycled sources like reclaimed building timbers or locally sourced trees downed by storms, disease or nuisance issues. The company’s commitment to a sustainable work environment shows in their philosophy of no waste. In 2004 they converted three early 19th century barns in the Finger Lakes region of New York into a workspace with low impact on the environment. Every piece of leftover wood is re-milled until it can’t be re-cut anymore and even then it’s used as fuel to heat the facility. I love companies that live what they preach and I applaud SMC Furnishings for implementing sustainable practices into their furniture as well as workspace. Luckily a lot of their eco-friendly benches or stools look great at any lobby or retail store that will hopefully inspire more sustainable business practices in other companies as well.

an organic summer detox

The organic eucalyptus sea therapy bath by 100% Pure was the closest I got to visiting the beach this weekend thanks to my summer cold. It’s certainly not how I envisioned my 4th of July weekend, but at least I was able to spend it in eco-modern style. 100% Pure is a Berkeley-based organic apothecary that produces skincare and makeup products without any synthetic chemicals, chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances, artificial colors, harsh detergents or any other unhealthy toxins. Instead they are 100% natural and 100% vegan except when there is honey involved.

100% Pure organic eucalyptus sea therapy bath is made with crystallized kelp from an organic seaweed farm in the Brittany Coast of France instead of ordinary sea salts. It contains 60 different minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and amino acids that replenish, nourish, detox and heal. Organic peppermint essential oil stimulates circulation and organic eucalyptus essential oil strengthens immunity and eases decongestion. The packaging looks as pure as the ingredients. It’s made from recycled plastic or glass and is completely recyclable. Another favorite of mine is the 100% Pure honey almond organic body scrub that’s full of powerful anti-aging antioxidants and vitamins. I never thought I could get a summer glow by staying at home. Other 100% Pure products include organic shower gels that look as vibrant as freshly pressed juices and color cosmetics made with fruit and vegetable pigments. Just reading the ingredients reminds me of my grocery list when I try to eat really, really healthy.

a bold statement about sustainable prefab

Daniel Libeskind’s latest prefab The Villa has many cutting-edge angles when it comes to design and sustainability. It’s designed in such a way that light floods into the home through its large floor-to-ceiling-windows in unexpected ways and looks stunning from the outside. Libeskind calls The Villa the most sustainable house of the world in a video on his website. He mentions that it has the highest sustainability components in the world in regards to insulation, geothermal power and solar energy. The Villa is largely constructed in wood and clad in zinc. It has been getting mixed reviews in regards to sustainability, but to me it’s a symbolic statement about the future of green design. Of course the design of The Villa by Libeskind puts style over sustainability in terms of scale with its 5,500 square feet. It entails a grand central room, 4 bedrooms, a family room, multiple bath and restrooms, office and multi-purpose rooms in the basement. No doubt that The Villa questions the traditional definition of prefab, since it’s neither affordable for mass production nor economic in terms of scale. But it also calls attention to creative options that are out there for eco-modern prefab homes and I consider it more of a sculpture about sustainable design. Do I think that every sustainable prefab home needs a rain shower that rises 4 meters above the ground and provides the perfect mix of water, mist, light and fragrance? Certainly not. Does it sound amazing? Absolutely.

green your coffee addiction

My first encounter with the eco-friendliness of the French Press was last fall when it was mentioned in Barbara Flanagan’s book “Smart Home” as one of 98 essentials for scaling back. That’s when it dawned on me that my Bodum Chambord French Press is way more energy-efficient than a traditional drip coffee maker.

My second realization occurred this week when I worked on a system and life-cycle analysis of the French Press for my certificate in sustainable design. It’s amazing how many ecological and ethical consequences a cup of coffee has in regards to coffee production, energy consumption and water supply. I really hope you buy coffee that is fair-trade, organic and shade-grown to prevent deforestation. But back to my Chambord French Press that’s made out of glass and stainless steel. It’s quite ingenious in its simplicity and obviously doesn’t require any paper filters. This summer Bodum will be releasing the BEAN French Press. It has a patented new locking lid system that offers a heat seal and precision pour spout and comes in eight bright colors. The manual brewing system is still the same and certainly a much greener way to enjoy your coffee in the morning than drip brew. And it tastes way better since it keeps more of the coffee's essential oils and flavor. Now you can feed your coffee addiction without the eco-guilt.

organic makeup from down under

Wouldn’t it be great to use a stylish lip gloss that’s as organic as the fruits or vegetables that you hopefully buy? After all you’re wearing it all day and you might digest more of it than you wish. NVEY ECO Lip Lustre is a certified organic moisturizing lip color and has no parabens, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals or phthalates. Instead it contains organic beeswax that has antibacterial and germicidal properties that protect while adding shine. In addition it’s enriched with orange essential oil that leaves a citrus flavor. It comes in many colors including Amour Rose, Cristal and Temptress that make green look sexy.

Australian company NVEY ECO (pronounced en-vay ee-coh) arrived in the US in 2006 and is the green child of its parent company NVEY Le Maquillage. The certified organic makeup line consists of a careful blend of plant and mineral ingredients as well as natural botanical extracts and antioxidants. In fact it’s certified organic by the Australian Government as well as the Organic Food Chain. The product line includes eye shadows, bronzers, foundations, lipsticks, and mascaras. I’ve to admit NVEY ECO is not only a truly organic cosmetics line but also a great escape from the economic gloom to eco-glam these days.

eye-opening green beauty

I’ve always been a bit skeptical of eco-friendly mascara but tried Josie Maran’s mascara at Sephora the other day and really liked it. It’s paraben and fragrance-free and contains organic ingredients like organic Argan oil and organic Jojoba oil that are gentle on your lashes and the environment. Her website assigns symbols to every product of her natural beauty line that explain what makes them eco-friendly. Based on her labeling system some components of the packaging for the mascara are recyclable and it’s not tested on animals. It’s a fun interactive way to analyze all her products that range from 100% organic Argan oil moisturizer to Bear Naked Wipes that not only remove make-up in a natural way but also support the Natural Resources Defense Council's Polar Bear SOS initiative.

Many products of Josie Maran Cosmetics are packaged in biodegradable plastic made of corn based resin such as her blush, bronzing powder or eye shadow. I like the sleek look of the packaging even that it reminds me quite a bit of Laura Mercier’s designs. But of course I love that it’s an eco-friendly yet stylish alternative that looks great in my bathroom and purse. I applaud Josie Maran who used her background as a model in the fashion and beauty industry to create cosmetics that are eco-friendly yet luxurious. Righteously she calls it luxury with a conscience.

fun cleaning for modern eco-homes

What happens when a chief idealist and a mad-skilled scientist decide to clean their home in an eco-friendly way? They develop their own line of green cleaning products called Better Life for a safer home and a cleaner planet. The owners Tim Barklage and Kevin Tibbs were nice enough to send me their cleaning starter kit that comes in a collapsible six-compartment bag from Green Bag America made of 100% polypropylene. It’s perfect for storage and contains four different cleaners plus biodegradable Twist Sponges. I absolutely love the whimsical labels on Better Life’s bottles, since they make cleaning fun.

The glass cleaner says “I Can See Clearly, WOW!” and that’s exactly what happened after I cleaned my windows facing a busy Avenue in Manhattan today. Their all purpose cleaner “what-EVER” performs really well and has a clean crisp smell that’s naturally scented using only essential oils of Clary Sage and Citrus. Other products include the “Simply Floored!” ready-to-use floor cleaner and the “Even the Kitchen Sink” gentle scrubber. All Better Life products have an ingredient summary on their labels that I’ve only seen on some organic or natural skincare products. It’s no surprise since Kevin Tibbs comes from a natural skin care background. I always wondered what effect touching home surfaces has on my skin and health. It’s comforting to know that all Better Life products are free of petrochemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), solvents, dyes, synthetic fragrances and other harmful substances. Welcome to a greener home!

celebrate summer in green style

It’s time to pop the cork and toast to summer in an eco-modern way with these recycled cork coasters by Australian company Lightly. They are part of Lightly’s dEco range of environmentally-friendly products that include recycled cork and rubber placemats as well. Earlier this year the company introduced three new botanical designs inspired by patterns in nature and  blossoming flowers: Daphne Daffodil, Dahlia Daisy and Eco-sphere. All designs come in red, white, black and green. As a big fan of turning waste into something useful I was glad to discover that they are made from 100% recycled cork and rubber gathered from Australian wineries. They are heat resistant and perfect for indoor or outdoor entertaining.

What I love about the Eco-sphere Placemat/Coaster design is the playful approach to dining. The coasters pop out of the center of the placemats allowing you to mix and match colors. It’s a fun way to entertain guests and makes setting a table more creative. In addition to the brighter colors they also come in the three natural colorways tan, Van Dyke brown and slate black. The designer behind these modern eco-designs is Melbourne based Cindy-Lee Davies who launched her company in 2005. I was introduced to her work through Design Abroad, which represents other great eco-conscious designs here in the US like the Electric Firefly lightshades.

imaginative eco-furniture for kids

Greenplay’s caterpillar activity bench extension peeked my interest at ICFF last week right away with its playful approach to green design. In fact it was hard to ignore the two eyes starring right at me. It’s part of the Group Loop series and designed by Joe Fiacchino for Skyline Design. The eco-friendly children table is a creative introduction to nature for budding treehuggers. It comes in different configurations to match the size of your family or green living space and is available with or without eyes. I love the bright green color of the tabletops. But I love even more that they are made of post-consumer recycled plastic (HDPE) such as detergent bottles that are chipped up and heat-pressed to form sheets of material. The base is constructed from urea formaldehyde-free MDF with FSC-certified birch veneer. It contains no or low VOC finishes. Another favorite of mine was the submarine activity station with its big round windows that are easy to climb through for adventurous eco-kids. It’s great for future explorers or aspiring marine scientists that might help to preserve our oceans one day. The tabletops are made from 100% post-consumer composite wood. All Greenplay items are shipped flat to reduce their carbon footprint and all packaging is 30-40% post consumer recycled.

eco-fabulous shopping bags

Last week the mother and daughter team Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson were in town to promote their book “Celebrate Green!”. We had a little gathering of eco-minded women in their honor that are all part of the Savor the Success social network. I noticed that its founder Angela Jia Kim who also created the organic skincare line Om Aroma sported her very own OM-bag with beautiful stitching that said “Sexy Green Has Arrived”. It turned out that the bag was designed by Bring it in a Bag founder Rupa Bihani Shah who was also at the event. I was really impressed by the contrast of the elegant embroidery with the fun and modern sounding tagline.

Bring it in a Bag offers reusable shopping bags, wine bags and tote bags made out of the sustainable plant fiber jute. The material has traditionally been used for twine or rope and is biodegradable. All products are packaged in recycled plastic or post consumer boxes. Part of the profits from each bag sold will go to EarthShare and AIM for Seva to support economic development in India as well as more sustainable environments across the USA. I especially love her wine bags that can either hold one or two bottles and are made out of 100% premium natural jute. They would’ve been perfect for the organic bottle of white wine I brought since they make great party and holiday gifts.