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How-To: Make Your Own Firestarter

casasugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:30:34 -0800

November is an ideal month for lighting a fire in your fireplace. A crackling fire adds a cozy ambiance to a dinner party, and it's also a perfect way to kick back and enjoy a romantic evening with your honey. Nobody likes to fuss with getting a fire started, though, especially when you're entertaining guests.

To find out how to make your own firestarter from recycled materials,

Guess What This Building Is Made From?

casasugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:00:09 -0700

This Buddhist temple was constructed from over 1 million of these items. Can you tell me what it was? (Check out the color for a clue.)

Guess What This Is Made From?

casasugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:00:46 -0700

This pretty floral design was constructed by artist Mark Langan from a recycled material. Can you tell me what that material is?

Casa Verde: A Self-Contained Home

casasugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:15:09 -0700

Today, I'm hanging out with other eco-minded folks at West Coast Green, a green building conference that explores ways to make all structures more sustainable. I'll be snapping pics of some cool furniture pieces too, so tune in next week to see what I've found!

This year at West Coast Green, one home that everyone is eager to check out is this house made from five 40-foot-long shipping containers, which combine to form a 1,700-square-foot, 2-bedroom home. You wouldn't necessarily know that the home is made from shipping containers just by looking at it though. The company responsible for building these houses, SG Blocks, prides itself on its expertise in converting something that once sat on the deck of a ship into a functional, well-designed home.

For more photos of real-life SG Blocks homes,

Guess What This Is Made From?

casasugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:45:56 -0700

These washcloths are made from a reclaimed item. Can you guess what it is? (Hint: It'll keep you cozy.)

Guess What This Hammock's Made From?

casasugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:00:54 -0700

The fabric for this hammock is made from a recycled material. Can you guess what it is? (Hint: At one time, this fabric held something thirst quenching.)

Cool Idea: Nick De Marco's Garbage Chair

casasugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:30:27 -0700

Artist Nick DeMarco from California College of the Arts designed this chair for a sustainable production furniture class. His XS chair is essentially a shell that can be filled with any excessive item you have around the house — from bottles and cans to old clothes or newspapers. He wanted to draw attention to the reality of trash, and how it can be reused. The chair was presented at the ICFF in New York this month, as part of the Sustainable Design For Mass Production exhibit. While I think the project works on a conceptual level, I can't imagine even the most eco-hippie communal homes filling their living room with such furniture.

For a video of Nick describing his project,

Casa Verde: Recycled Lanterns

casasugar — Mon, 26 May 2008 05:36:00 -0700

These recycled iron lanterns ($14.95) from CB2 are darn cute. They're made from iron sheet brand packaging that still shows its original logos, type, colors, and patterns. They would look lovely displayed in multiples, strung across the perimeter of a backyard or at a garden party, and I think these lanterns would also complement a beautiful ethnic print dress. Are you a fan, or are they too kitschy cute for you?

In the News: An Inspiring Outdoor Space

casasugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:15:28 -0700

Since Summer is soon on its way, it's natural to think about creating functional, beautiful outdoor spaces where you can entertain and relax. In a recent LA Times article by Debra Prinzing, a family does just this, using repurposed, recycled, and found objects. Greta and Mike Jarvis, along with their daughter Annika, were tired of the awkward, unused backyard at their Manhattan Beach home, so Greta, an adept flea marketer, decided to transform their 30-x-40-foot backyard into something more family friendly. They started by getting rid of a small, underused grassy area, as well as their unused hot tub. By expanding the doors that led to the backyard, they also made the space more accessible.

To see what materials they used,

Casa Verde: Michelle Brand's Eco Designs

casasugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:15:01 -0700

Artist Michelle Brand designs ethereal lights, room dividers, and light shades out of a completely unexpected material — the bottoms of soda bottles.

In her artist statement, she says

The root of my interests lies in sustainable waste management. At present it has manifested itself into a designer-maker practice. I have designed an aesthetic and decorative fabric from which most people in the Western world would perceive to be waste/rubbish. The fabric is composed of plastic drinks bottle bases, which have been cut, sanded, and then tagged together. I love seeing design opportunities where most people only see problems

If you're in Manhattan next month, check out Michelle's work at Haute Green, along with the work of other sustainable designers.

Source

Love It or Hate It? Transglass Recycled Vase

casasugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00:31 -0700

The Transglass Recycled Vase (starting at $38 each) was designed by Emma Woffenden & Tord Boontje, and is made from recycled wine and beer bottles. Do you love it, or does it look too much like a frat house decorating strategy to you?

Love It or Hate It? Transglass Recycled Vase

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Coveted Crib: A Recycled Treehouse

casasugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:15:16 -0700

Yesterday I told you about Dan and Marsha Phillips and their organization The Phoenix Commotion, which helps build affordable, recycled homes for low-income people. These homes prove that recycling can be beautiful. For proof, take a look at this artist's treehouse, which was built by The Phoenix Commotion.

Cool Idea: Renew a Table . . .With Tape

casasugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:00:39 -0800

Designer Johan Bruninx showed off his excellent idea for restoring furniture, Paperskin (Plakbanterie), at the Design Academy Eindhoven graduation show, held during Dutch Design Week 2007.
The artist writes that

The objective was to upgrade the value of old material by using brown eco tape in a crafty way, similar to the art of marqueterie. By creating patterns with the tape one gets an aesthetic quality and a change of identity. We move from functional to ornamental values. From low to high, from packaging to an haute couture skin. Because of the association with marquetry the paper skin becomes like wood… the ultimate disguise!

To see another picture of this cool project, just

Old Furniture Given Inspired New Life

casasugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:30:16 -0800

The Chair Couture line features singular furniture re-imagined by designer Margaret Elman. The inspired Ms. Elman remakes French vintage pieces by reupholstering them in nature-inspired modern prints, often taken directly from photographs.

Each piece is individually matched to individual fabrics, and as you might imagine, this makes for an expensive repurposed chair or bed indeed. Still, if I had the extra money, I'd certainly throw down for one of these lovely, unique pieces. And if you by chance have extra money to spend, you can find out more information about your own custom Chair Couture heirloom here.
For a look at another piece, just

Casa Verde: Salvaged Fireplace Screen

casasugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:00:57 -0800

This fireplace screen ($250) from 180 Design may look refined, but it's actually made from rebar salvaged from demolition sites. And the five-candle votives in this piece are actually the bottom half of Mickey's beer bottles. This would be such a cool way to dress up your fireplace, and it would add an unexpected punch of personality to an otherwise stark interior. Are you feeling the heat from this fireplace screen as much as I am, or does it leave you cold?

Cool Idea: Silverware Chandelier

casasugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 05:01:00 -0800

British-based lighting designer Ali Siahvoshi is the brilliant man behind Fabbian’s line of repurposed silverware chandeliers. Some of Siahvoshi's previous lighting designs have used recycled hangers, plumbing fixtures, and other recycled objects for light fixtures as well.

What do you think? Do you find them as cool as I do?
Source

Love It or Hate It? Recycled Vespa Lamp

casasugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 04:13:23 -0800

I know a few Vespa enthusiasts who'd go ga-ga for this recycled Vespa lamp. But can you see yourself sporting it in your home? Source

Love It or Hate It? Recycled Vespa Lamp

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Mad Mats Recycled Rugs

casasugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:00:56 -0800

Think this rug is made of wool? Think again.

Mad Mats ($36 for 4-x-6-ft. rug) are made of recycled polypropylene (used soda bottles, milk bottles, packing), which make them great for indoor and outdoor use. Each rug is reversible and constructed with a flat weave and soft, tubular threads, making them dirt and stain resistant. Leaves, debris, and food spills are easily rinsed away with a mop or hose. Water does not get trapped, so there is no chance of mildew and they will not rot wooden decks. These inexpensive, pretty, and kid- and pet-proof rugs are also produced under fair-trade conditions.

Source

Crave Worthy: VivaTerra Railroad Tie Dining Table

casasugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:30:39 -0700

This VivaTerra Railroad Tie Dining Table ($949 for the table; $298 for two chairs) has an elegant, rustic quality that would look great in both traditional and modern dining rooms. But it's cool design is eclipsed by the cool materials used to make it: The wood is actually from reclaimed railroad ties, made out of teak, pine, and other hardwood. VivaTerra has even preserved the weathered look and filled the railroad-track holes with wood.

via Apartment Therapy: SF

Love It or Hate It? Miss Rio Ottoman

casasugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:37:04 -0700

I love the sentiment behind the Miss Rio Ottoman ($350), designed by Karin Wittmann Wilsmann and available at Design Within Reach. The wild rubber footstool is made from unworn surplus flip-flops and manufactured by social organizations that employ otherwise unemployed workers in Brazil. But I'm just not really loving the look.

Love It or Hate It? Miss Rio Ottoman

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Crave Worthy: Fong Recycled Chopsticks Lamp

casasugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 05:15:45 -0700

Just the other day, I was struck by how wasteful it is to use chopsticks; for some reason, I had never thought about it before. So it's serendipitous that I just stumbled upon these Recycled Chopsticks Lamps ($42 to $46) on Apartment Therapy Green.

The line of nine lamps, including the dark-stained Fong Lamp (left), use post-consumer bamboo chopsticks to cast a unique glow. These lamps would look great not only in Asian-inspired decor but also in modern rooms. To see all nine lamps,

Su Casa: A Fresh-Start Breakfast Nook

casasugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:30:37 -0700

I'd love to start my day in today's featured Su Casa room: the clean and simple breakfast nook in ProperGray's condo in downtown Minneapolis. (Here's how to share your photos in the Su Casa group.)

Though the rest of the photos ProperGray posted in Su Casa reflect a modern, edgy style, the salvaged doors, purchased from a Habitat for Humanity re-store, add a bit of soft whimsy here. To show off your own style, here's how to in the Su Casa group.

Love It or Hate It? Road Tested Chair

casasugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:12:32 -0700

I am a big fan of products that creatively recycle everyday objects, but I just can't decide how I feel about the Road Tested Chair ($3,700) designed by John Carter.Made from authentic "Don't Walk" signs salvaged from New York, the light-up chair actually works, using a remote control. But while I love the idea, the energy-sucking furniture seems better suited to a museum. What do you think?

Love It or Hate It? Road Tested Chair

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Crave Worthy: Greenlight Concepts Pendant Lamps

casasugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:36:03 -0700

Greenlight Concepts was born to keep old traffic lights from heading to the landfills, and we get to reap the benefits with some super-stylish lighting. The company's line of fixtures ($90 to $275) — including 8- and 12-inch pendants and "bucket" table lamps — use the glass from old traffic lights to cast a moody glow.

I like orange-y light, so I'm partial to the Yielding Yellow, though the Go Green looks very soothing. They're all so cool that I'd buy them even if they weren't made from recycled materials. What do you guys think?

via Inhabitat