eco-chic design

think outside the cardboard box

Who would have thought that scraps of corrugated cardboard could look this modern and beautiful? Meet the scrap lights designed by the two architects Seth Grizzle and Jonathan Junker of graypants.

I love the whole idea of taking something so mundane as used cardboard boxes and turning them into a functional piece of art that doubles as a light. My favorite design is the very symmetric and circular light entitled “disc” since I’m a big fan of anything simple and clean. Especially during the winter months it’s beautiful to watch the poetic play of light and shadow that these lamps create. So what makes them eco-friendly? Simple, all scrap light shades are made entirely from repurposed cardboard boxes. Make sure to check out their scrap chairs as well that are made out of wood, paper, and cardboard scraps. I think I just got inspired to always carry my scrap book. Thank you guys for that!

modern eco-lighting

Luceplan is an Italian company that has been focused on great design and sustainability for quite some time. Their StarLed Light was developed in cooperation with the designers Alberto Meda and Paolo Rizzatto in 2001. Since then the duo also created the desk lamp Berenice LED which is being used in Renzo Piano’s New York Times Building mentioned in an earlier post.

I love that the StarLed Light is a nod to traditional candlelights with a modern twist. It doesn’t need an electrical wire since it uses three rechargeable batteries to power a single LED that generates a bright white light. This way you’re free to move around which is great for outdoor dining. Fully recharged it allows for about 4 hours of illumination. Reducing energy consumption never looked better.

design from a bird’s eye view

What I like most about these campy planters by Brooklyn based perch! is that they look equally cute for indoor or outdoor plants. They are perfect for gardens or balconies and make a great centerpiece on a table with their clean and colorful design.

These planters and all other products designed by Amy Adams are hand-made using low impact materials and processes with non-toxic finishes and byproducts. Now I just wish I could decide on a color combination. Other products designed by Amy include bird inspired ceramics like her early bird pendant light or her perch birdfeeder made of white earthenware. I like that her designs have a sense of humor about them like her vessel entitled beak, which is a quirky looking ceramic container with a beak and a tail.

for green night owls

With the days getting shorter there’s more of a need for cool outdoor lighting again. I wrote about Ross Lovegrove’s solar trees before and his Solar Buds for lighting manufacturer Luceplan are equally as impressive.

As the master of “organic minimalism” it’s no surprise that his garden lamps look incredibly sleek with their simplistic shapes and natural alluminium finish.

They light any garden, pathway or pool area without wires. Instead you simply stick them in the ground to soak up some sun. Once it gets dark the lamps automatically switch on their solar powered LEDs and make you feel like you’re farsighted for 13 to 15 hours if fully charged.

modern eco-dream houses

I’ve been a huge fan of Michelle Kaufmann’s architecture for a while, but I’ve always felt intimidated to write about her since there are so many innovative features that make her homes eco-friendly.  

Her design process is based on 5 ecoprinciples: smart design, eco-materials, energy efficiency, water conservation and healthy environment. She started her company in 2002 with the goal to build sustainable, well-designed homes that are affordable as well. Her company offers several prefab homes that include the Glidehouse™, Sunset Breezehouse™, mkLotus™, and mkSolaire™. Every home includes a sustainable floor plan, energy efficient lighting design and building systems as well as eco-friendly materials and finishes like bamboo or reclaimed wood flooring. Each home is solar ready. I also love that Michelle Kaufmann branched out into designing products like her modern and sustainable lighting vessel that doubles as a vase.

green it yourself

I guess you can tell by now that I love anything that has to do with nature or water. David Trubridge’s Coral Pendant is the result of both influences: the repeating patterns of ice crystals and the similar patterns he saw in underwater coral.

It’s no surprise that he finds his inspirations underwater since he holds a degree in naval architecture (or boat design in plain English) and lived on a boat for four years sailing from Britain to New Zealand. His work is produced in New Zealand using only natural materials. The Coral Pendant arrives unassembled to make shipping more efficient and to reduce the amount of packing materials. It can be purchased through Design Within Reach under eco-friendly solutions and is part of his 3-part pendant collection Kina, Coral and Koura.

David Trubridge’s website looks gorgeous and makes you want to pack up as well and travel around the world. You’ll find beautiful nature shots that visualize the inspirations for his furniture or lighting designs with poetic sounding names like reed, snowflake or life raft.