Site Crush: Organica Deluxe

Hello, December! It's officially time to turn our minds to Chrismukkah and pumping up the economy, eco-style. I have recently discovered and fallen in love with Organica Deluxe, a website brimming with truly lovely organic, natural, and/or Fair Trade goodies that are packaged in post-consumer recycled tissue paper. I especially love how the site offers numerous search options -- gifts by price range, occasion, recipient, etc -- to make gift hunting that much easier.
Since I naturally go right to the sale section, I quickly stumbled upon this eco-luxe gift combo of a hand-woven, fair trade, pink-rimmed silk scarf (made from silk collected in such a way as to not harm the moth!) and Antica Farmacista peony room spray (made with essential oils). The combo, on sale for $70, includes a donation to breast cancer research.

Object of My Affection: Laura Yeats Reclaimed Wood Bowl

I've got a major thing for wooden bowls. Rustic and sensuous (Yeah, I said it, and I'll say it again: Sensuous wood), organic and contemporary, wooden bowls are my idea of the perfect home accessory. So Laura Yeats is kinda my hero: Chainsawing and lathing her way through slabs of reclaimed wood, Yeats turns unwanted and diseased urban yard trees into works of beauty. Pricey? 'Fraid so. Gorgeous? Oh, yes. (Selling for about $125 and up, here).

This Just In: Amenity Does Tabletop!

I've been a huge fan of Amenity for ages now--and really, what's not to love? Using only organic and/or sustainable fabrics in eye-catching nature-inspired prints, Amenity is a green design junkie's dream come true. And now...drum roll, please...they're expanding with a new tabletop collection, holiday collection, and totes! It's far too early to share the holiday collection, but expect more on that later in the year. For now, I'm loving their placemats, tablerunners, napkins, and bags. Buy 'em here.

Sonnets from the Pillowuese (LooLo!)

LooLo pillows, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
1. With your sophisticated frills and organic material, you're the epitome of sustainable style.
2. You're biodegradable. So should the day ever come that my love for you fades (it won't! I promise), I can throw you away and know that within one year you'll be reabsorbed into the earth.
3. Your chic jewel tones are created with non-toxic dyes.
4. Soft and supportive, you're filled with Kapok, an eco-friendly fiber.
5. I could go on, but really, aren't the images worth a thousand words?

Key to a Perfect Dinner Party: Rosanna Tableware

Having had a very fun dinner party this weekend, I suppose I have entertaining on the brain. Pretty, unfussy glasses and dishes add so much to an evening spent tableside, and when I spotted some of the Rosanna pieces on Design*Sponge last week, I knew I had to share them here too. Rosanna's gorgeous Madre Terra and Cin Cin! pieces above and directly below are handmade of recycled glass.

And a portion of the proceeds of the fabulous Mondo collection seen below will go to Doctors Without Borders, an organization that provides emergency medical care to those affected by wars and disasters.

Helping Orphans, One Fab Wall at a Time

Carly Margolis, a wallpaper designer and co-founder of NY-based Cavern Home traveled to the Casa de Milagros orphanage in Peru and helped the children create designs that she then incorporated into a wallpaper print. Even the repeated geometric symbol in the wallpaper is taken from the kids' drawings--it's called the "Chakana," a spiritual Peruvian symbol. I love how all of the kids' images peek out in unexpected places from the pattern - a perfect pick-me-up for a drab bathroom! Best of all, proceeds of wallpaper purchases go directly to the orphanage. Buy here in olive, turquoise, and brown for $155/roll.

Company Limelight: naturalLEE

It gives me a delightfully warm and fuzzy feeling to learn that established companies are going green, so you can imagine the sparkle in my eye when I noticed an ad for naturalLEE in the latest issue of domino. Now savvy LEE furniture shoppers can choose the naturalLEE package, including certified sustainable wood frames, water-based finishes, soy-based cushions, and organic and natural fibers.
Not only is LEE launching the earth-friendly naturalLEE upholstered furniture line, but they've also announced they'll plant a tree each time a piece is purchased. One tree might not sound like much, but just imagine if all furniture companies agreed to a similar program!

Company Limelight: Ortolan Organic Linens

I have fallen head-over-heels for just about everything that the new Ortolan linens company has to offer. All of Ortolan's gorgeous home linens are made of 100% organic cotton and packaged with 100% recycled materials; even their pillows are filled with Kapok, a sustainable, natural fiber. I love the vintage, sometimes Art Deco-y vibe of their bedding, napkins, and tea towels. And the color combo of unbleached cotton with that surprisingly sophisticated shade of melon on the above napkin? Perfecto.

Variations on a Theme: Recycled Glass

The recycled tranSglass pieces above were designed by Emma Woffenden and Tord Boontje as part of Artecnica's Design With Conscience program. I adore how the finish and colors are reminiscent of sea glass - but I'm a sucker for anything well-designed that maintains a beachy vibe.

The sleek, recycled glass carafe set above is the perfect bedside addition to a guest room. Plus, you get to buy it from the coolest website ever: ReForm School.

I love the oversized wobbliness of this recycled glass vase (above) from Sundance - it's somehow goofy, awkward, and beautiful all at once.

These glass vases/carafes from Branch Home get the Green Star: not only are they made of recycled glass, they're processed in an electric furnace powered by wind energy. Each one is made by hand, so no two are alike. I like the idea of clustering a few together - just like this image - on a fireplace mantel or sideboard.

Get Excited: Reclaimed Wood Furniture Sale at The Wooden Duck!

The Wooden Duck, my fave reclaimed wood furniture store is having their annual sale this weekend! 50% off outdoor furniture, 30% off indoor stock, and 15% off custom orders from July 18-20! We have great outdoor and indoor furniture from this place...one of these days I'll take some pics around the house to post here!

Object of My Affection: Super Cute Cork Lamp!

So, at this point everyone is probably very aware of my love of all things dual-purpose. Show me something that fills a nifty two-for-one purpose, and I'm bound to show you the love. The super cute cork table lamp above is no exception. Made from sustainable cork, the lamp is a perfect way to display photos in a living room, love notes on a bedside table, or any number of to-do lists in a desk. Plus, it's straightforward shape and natural palate will fit in with just about any decor! Eco-Friendly Cork Lamp, available at Shades of Light for $145.

Object of My Affection: Flock Home Linens

Thanks, DailyCandy SF, for finding and writing-up the gorgeous Flock Home linens by designer Gina Pericini today! I'm in love with the all of the prints...hand-printed on eco-friendly materials with non-toxic dyes!

Finley's Nursery Tour: DIY and BIY (Buy It Yourself) Art!

If you'll be so kind as to turn around now, you'll see the other half of Finley's nursery. Oh, here we are. Using the leftover no-VOC Natura paint from the tree mural, I painted the two canvases above Finley's changing table. My favorite animals? Ponies and puppies. One of the many wonderful things about being a parent of a not-yet-talking child is that you get to make all of your favorite things be your baby's favorite things too. So far, so good. Finley loves her ponies and puppies paintings. No word yet on dance movies, flip flops, and vodka tonics.

Listen up! I can not take credit for anything about these paintings other than the fact that I am a decent forger. After spending weeks on the Avalisa website, drooling over the crisp, colorful, funky animal prints and lamenting the fact that I could not afford them, I finally studied a couple of the designs closely and then painted my own. You should not do this. You should buy from Avalisa. Seriously. Get over there now. (Then come back.)
I bought the lovely custom family tree print above from the talented Karen Yi's Almost Sunday Etsy shop. It's a steal at $38. Since my busted camera can't do the print justice, check out the sample print from her shop below. Super pretty, right?
The final piece of art in the room is the fab Finley ABC print from Jennifer Ramos of MadeByGirl.com. I majorly heart it.

This is where it lives:

Tomorrow? All the miscellaneous details! Pillow, rugs, and tables...oh my!

Welcome the Weekend with Goldiehome Organic Bedding!

Just in time for a sleeping-in Saturday, I was very happy to read about Goldiehome's line of eco-luxe organic bedding. Founder / designer Elana Bober used to design for Donna Karan's Home Collection, and I can see the influence in Goldiehome's soothing colors and subtle geometric and nature-inspired patterns. Want to get in on a high-thread-count sleepathon? The Goldiehome line is sold at 2modern.com (and other shops: full list here).

Via Ecofabulous.

Object of My Affection: Railroad Tie Dining Table

How cool would it be to host a dinner party on this uber-stylish table from Vivaterra? I'm a huge fan of the pairing of knotty, weathered wood with metal, and those angular leg lines keep the whole design from becoming overly rustic. The wood - a mix of pine, teak, and ironwood - is made up of reclaimed railroad ties, complete with peg-filled spike holes. Can't beat a table that doubles as a conversation starter.
Bonus points to the person who thought up those fantastic, blobby centerpieces (peat? moss?). What a unique design element - they're like tiny landscapes! Quirky pieces like those send the stylemeter of a room into the stratosphere.

The Brazilian: Environment Furniture Edition

Environment Furniture utilizes reclaimed Peroba wood from the supermodel breeding grounds also known as Brazil, crafting lumber from derelict barns and dwellings into stunning, sleek pieces like the above Santos bed. The mix of rustic and refined is purely modern, and the rich shade of wood gives the pieces a heady aura of luxury.
More faves from the collection below...

This One's For the Dogs: Whiner and Diner Beds/Bowls

Looking for a Valentine's gift for that 4-legged love bug in your life? Whiner and Diner's pet feeders and beds, made with salvaged wine crates from prestigious vineyards in California and Europe, could be just what your chic little pup or kitty has been shooting you those doe eyes about all these years. The company will even customize items with your pet's name, but I'm thinking, given the classiness of these beds (and price: $225), a monogram might be more suitable. Now if only my dogs had middle names...

Happy Holidays!

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday! Here's some last minute love for the eco stockings (felt made of recycled materials) over at RikRak's Etsy shop...

Perch Plant Orb: New Home for Herbs?

Simply irresistible.

Organize Shmorganize: The Mio Grid

Ever feel like something is missing in your home office? That a certain item, just beyond the grasp of your imagination, is waiting out in the world for you to bring it home so it can miraculously organize your life in some wonderfully hip, design-savvy way? Organization fiends, the time is upon us! I've just discovered, and naturally developed a huge crush, on the Mio Grid, a system of recycled felt wall pockets that create snug little homes for all of your office whatsits, mags, and writing paraphernalia. I love the geometric calm of it all, and that chic color combo of steel gray and hot pink has such modern, punchy charm. Want one of your own? The Mio Grid, available here for $60.