eco-chic design

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.