Sustainable Home Building

Socially and Environmentally Conscious Furniture Design - Botanist by Orange22

The Botanist Blank Canvas project is the brainchild of Dario Antonioni and Brandon Lynne, whose vision is to “bring together innovators in a collaborative effort to create socially responsible products that raise funds and awareness for charitable organizations”. 2008 participants included notable designers such Yves Behar, Margo Chase, Milton Glaser, Kahi Lee, Karim Rashid, Joe Ricchio, Claude Zwelleger and Massimo and Lella Vignelli. Botanist matches each designer’s royalty to the charity or foundation of their choice.

On the environmentally conscious side, Botanist benches and nesting tables are constructed from a single sheet of aluminum, with an eye toward minimizing waste. The manufacturer uses recycled and recyclable aluminum to produce their super thin, yet surprisingly strong, modern and eco-friendly furniture.

By eschewing liquid paint in favor of powder coating with no VOCs, Botanist provides additional durability and eco-friendliness. Wood veneers harvested from sustainable managed forests are used to envelope the Natural Collection. A selection of Botanist designs and finishes may be used outdoors as well. And, if personalization is a high priority, custom colors and designs are available.

Photos courtesy of Botanist by Orange22.

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10 Sep 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Sustainable Furniture Doesn't Have To Be Dull - Eco-conscious Designs by Environment Furniture, Inc.

At Environment Furniture, Inc., the mission is to “propel eco-conscious design out of the aesthetic doldrums, creating breathtaking, environmentally sustainable furniture for a diverse array of consumers.” Wood for the construction of the modern furniture line comes from three sources: reclaimed, recycled or certified. Reclaimed wood is procured from the deconstruction of existing structures, including houses, sheds and barns. Recycled wood is obtained from salvaged boards or trees and is repurposed to produce items such as flooring and particleboard. Certified wood is sourced from forests managed in an environmentally responsible fashion and evaluated by third parties - such as the Forest Stewardship Council. In addition to creating sustainable furniture, the company is also making strides to reduce their carbon footprint by implementing recycling programs within their offices, greening the materials and lighting in their stores, and screening vendors for their environmental performance. Environment Furniture, Inc. has retail locations in New York City, Los Angeles and South Coast Plaza, located in Orange County, California.

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5 Sep 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Sustainable European Furniture – Team 7 of Austria

Team 7 of Austria has been crafting award winning, modern European furniture for more than fifty years: with a focus on sustainability since the mid-80s. The wood sourced to construct their elegant designs is harvested from government-managed forests and non-toxic natural finishes are used to complete the process. This family-owned and operated company makes each piece to order - with a keen eye for detail and quality. By combining modern design with old-world craftsmanship, Team 7 blends the best of both eras into sustainable European furniture that is as functional as it is beautiful. The Eviva Dining Table and Sideboard are currently on display at Vivavi’s Riverhouse, in New York. For more information, call 866.848.2840.

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27 Aug 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Knu Eco-friendly Furniture for Kids - American Made

Tough and eco-friendly, Knu furniture for kids features rounded edge for safety. Constructed with Forest Stewardship Council certified Baltic birch ply (whenever possible), the set is then dyed with bright, lead free dyes and finished with a high gloss low-VOC varnish. The legs are composed of steel that contains an average 40% recycled content and powder coated with an aluminum finish. And if you need a different color – give them “a shout and we’ll talk about color options”.

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23 Aug 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Exotic Hardwood Desk by John Wiggers - Forest Stewardship Council certified

Uniquely graceful, John Wiggers’ Kidney Shaped Desk is crafted from exotic hardwood that is Forest Stewardship Council certified. A long-time proponent of sustainable forestry, Wiggers has served as Treasurer and Chair on the Board at FSC Canada. In addition to being environmentally responsible, he also brings spiritual and philosophical values to his work. Winner of the Adex Platinum Award for excellence in design, the Kidney Shaped Desk is available at vivavi.com for $14,050. According to Wiggers, “The curvilinear shape and exacting dimensions of this award-winning desk are carefully proportioned to be consistent with the holistic design principles of Feng Shui and the Vastu Shastra of the ancient Vedic tradition in India.” The small, lidded box within the desk is constructed from Hawthorn; a hardwood attributed with the aromatically therapeutic property of relieving stress. Dimensions: 35" Tall x 75" Long x 30" Wide. Shown in Macassar Ebony finish and top inset with black Tuscany leather. Delivery: 18 to 20 weeks. Wiggers Custom Furniture

22 Aug 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Iannone Eco-friendly Modern Furniture Design

Philadelphia based Iannone Design Limited is a design/build firm dedicated to creating eco-friendly modern furniture. Artisan Michael Iannone holds a BFA in Studio Art and has been crafting his uniquely stylish pieces for over 6 years. By combining inlays of organic shapes with minimalist structures, he brings a playfully elegant element to his work. What makes Iannone Design’s modern furniture eco-friendly? The company uses a variety of intrinsically beautiful materials that include Forest Stewardship Council certified plywood, locally sourced materials from managed forests and sustainable materials such as bamboo and sorghum board. The pieces are finished with either low-VOC water based topcoats or natural wax finishes which are applied by hand. Laminates are Greenguard certified.

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20 Aug 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Self-contained Vertical Garden Sustained by Rain Water Harvesting - The Vert

Designed by Ontario College of Art and Design student, Michael Tampilic, the Vert is a self-contained vertical garden terrace that stores rainwater for irrigation. The Vert is connected to a downspout; water then passes through a filter and is stored in an ample tank to water plants over an extended period of time. To prevent debris and mosquito larvae, the filter box contains a micron mesh screen. Cotton wicks pull stored water up - through capillary action - to nourish the plants. Any overflow from the tank is diverted back through the downspout.

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15 Aug 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Sofas and Sectionals by Green Designer Robert Craymer - Stylish and Green!

Robert Craymer believes “think forward, think change, think green” and his line of rcgreen sexy, stylish and green sofas and sectionals does just that. Elegantly eco-friendly, the cushions and pillows are crafted with fabrics such as cotton, linen, bamboo and hemp. Frames are made with FSC certified wood, springs and steel are formed with recycled steel; non-toxic glues and stains are used to complete the process.

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13 Aug 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Kenneth Cobonpue Uses Sustainable Materials to Create the Voyage Bed

Award-winning Phillipine designer Kenneth Cobonpue is inspired by the richness of nature. He translates that inspiration into exquisite furniture designs using sustainable materials such as buri and abaca. The voyage bed is one such creation. Constructed with hand woven buri (palm leaf spines) or abaca placed over a steel frame and tied with abaca rope, the cocoon-like bed conjures up visions of lush, tropical destinations. The Voyage Collection also includes a coordinating nightstand. Infusing modern design with natural fibers has earned this designer recognition both in his homeland and abroad, including Asia’s highest award – the Design for Asia Award of Hongkong. Kenneth Cobonpue and his work have been featured in a number of prestigious magazines such as Architectural Record, Elle Decor, Metropolitan Home and Time.

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8 Aug 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Sustainable Bamboo Shelving Units by Brave Space Design

Constructed from sustainable bamboo, the Stagger line of shelving units from Brave Space is designed with irregular and asymmetrical openings that offer multiple possibilities for displaying treasured objects. In addition, The Stagger Server can be purchased with modular cabinets that provide closed space within the unit. Other options include grooved wine storage and a hanging glass rack, making this low shelving unit an ideal choice for the kitchen or dining area.

The policy at Brave Space is “to optimize our use of materials, thereby minimizing the amount of waste and scrap.” Plywood is constructed of 100% bamboo with emission free adhesives. The shelving units are finished with an organic herbal oil treatment and a non-toxic water based finish. Brave Space Design

1 Aug 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Modern Furniture from J.Persing - Material-efficient Ply-bent Method Requires 87% Less Lumber

By utilizing a technique known as “ply-bent”, J.Persing designs curvaceously streamlined, material-efficient modern furniture that is often molded from a single piece of wood. The result: as compared to conventional wood furnishing, 87% less lumber is required for construction. Ply-bending (or molded ply) techniques have been available for over a hundred years and have been explored by such noted modern designers as Aalto, Eames and Danko.

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31 Jul 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Reclaimed Wood Furniture by Cliff Spencer

Talented and eco-minded furniture maker Cliff Spencer seeks out reclaimed wood to repurpose into his clean-lined custom designs. One of his regular salvaging grounds is Napa Valley, where he reclaims oak staves discarded by commercial wineries. White Oak staves are used during the fermentation process to impart flavor when wine is aged in steel vats rather than traditional oak barrels. This process results in the ½ inch thick staves being stained completely through by the grapes; thereby creating a rich, warm tonal range that is truly natural. The darkest stains are the mark of Pinot Noir and the lightest are from Pinot Grigio.

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28 Jul 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Eco-Friendly Bathroom Furniture by Luke Works

Luke Works has created a line of eco-friendly bathroom furniture exclusively for bluehouse.com. The Katharos Collection of wall-mounted vanities and countertops is hand crafted from sustainable bamboo and recycled concrete (30% post-consumer proprietary blend). These sleekly elegant vanities are available in three base models - one 36” width and two 48” widths. Three countertop colors and two cabinet finishes allow clients to select personalized combinations that reflect their individual style.

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21 Jul 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Emeco Recycled Aluminum Chairs: Built to Last 150 Years

With an estimated lifespan of 150 years, Emeco’s recycled aluminum chairs, bar stools and tables are intended to avoid landfills. These sleekly designed products can contribute LEED points to a project in category #4.2 through the use of recycled content, post-consumer recycled material and post-industrial recycled material. The 80% recycled content is split 50/50: half is post-consumer soda cans and half is post-industrial manufacturing scrap. If the product is shipped within 500 miles of the Hanover, Pennsylvania plant, LEED credit #5.1 for regionally manufactured materials is applicable. And, aluminum doesn’t emit VOCs!

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18 Jul 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

Award-winning Green Children Furniture for Play Area - Skyline Design

An innovator since 1983, Skyline Design has now chosen to focus their energy on creating environmentally conscious products. Greenplay, their line of green children furniture for play areas, is made with recycled, renewable and low impact materials with low or zero VOC emissions. Skyline’s Intent Statement expresses; “We are committed to the creation of beautiful, long lasting products that are healthy for both our children and our planet.”

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18 Jul 2008 | Green Furniture | Comments (0)

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