FEEL MORE HUMAN

Another one I have been meaning to talk about is Feel More Human. I really like this site. It's not making itself out to be 'greener than thou' but does say that it hopes to make a little bit of a difference. I also love the fact that the products are so stylish and modern or 'meaningful modern' as they like to call it. They also have a modern flea market where you can post furniture for sale. Only problem is this site is US based and I live in Ireland. Here are some great products from the eco friendly section, branches rug, ailanthus, knu lateral file, rekindle coffee table, zebra critter, lions, tigers & kittens..oh my

GREAT IRISH ECO BLOG

I have been meaning to blog about Nicola Elizabeth Jones now for a while. She runs her own holistic interiors and feng shui business in Dublin. Her blog is a great resource for anyone wanting a more sustainable home. Nicola also has a fab greener home blog on greenme.ie. This lady is a one woman blog machine. Go check them out!

NEW WEBSITE LAUNCH SOON

There has been a severe lack of posts now since May. I have been mad busy and also took a wee holiday for a friends wedding in Greece. I am currently working on a whole new site so things may be a bit random for a while. Apologies x

MARKS & SPENCERS

M&S are one of the high street retailers leading the way in their effort to become green. You can read all about their Plan A on their website here. Below are a few of my top picks from their organic and fair trade ranges. My favourites are the Erin and Twiggy organic cotton eco shoppers (Erin and Twiggy’s faces look great as graphic prints) and the Fern sofa and chair. Finally a high street retailer has come up trumps and produced an environmentally friendly sofa and chair. They also stock products such as the Bamboo duvet, organic cotton towels and some great organic cookbooks. Check out their Greener Living Shop here.

PEDLARS ROCKS

I love Pedlars website especially the vintage section so I have done a round up of my current interior favourites. As a former graphic designer I still hold a torch for anything with type so these original London Underground signs and printers blocks make my heart skip a tiny beat. The vintage Station Clock is an eternal classic and the retired Hovis tin planters are ingenious and sentimental all at the same time. Speaking of ingenious, check out the recycled bike chain bottle opener and the set of lids to fit used jars. Recycling heaven.

FASHION EVOLUTION

Rosie from re-dress has emailed to pass on the details of the Fashion Evolution Party. Looks like an excellent night....see you there!

FASHION EVOLUTION PARTY in association with M&S
"Ethical Fashion-You Are What You Wear"
Thurs April 24th
Doors 8pm sharp
The Button Factory, Temple Bar
Tickets €12 from http://www.tickets.ie/
SPEAKERS:
International Fashion Designer & 2007's No. 1 Ethical Hero Katherine Hamnet
Mike Barry Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for M&S

STAR LITTLE THING,TIGER EMPIRE, DIRTY EPICS, JB THE DEEJAY, STEVE REDDY

HEAVEN IS......

…Misterrob's latest Bird Lady II print.

I have a slight obsession with Rob Ryan's work and am such a frequent browser of his Etsy store that it could be construed as stalking. Ryan works his magic with paper and words to create amazing pieces of art. His latest Bird Lady II is one of the most exquisite pieces of illustration I have ever seen. The man also gets top marks for being environmentally friendly by printing this most recent piece with water based inks on wood free paper. Check out his work on his website and blog.

HOUSE AND HOME

A big thank you to Eimear, the Editor of House and Home for the mention in the 'Green List'. The focus of this month’s fantastic House and Home is environmentally friendly design. There are great articles on people such as Brian O' Brien of Solearth, Johanna Harmala of Valoearth and Laura Farrell of Scudding Clouds. If you are interested in eco friendly design and where to source it then this is the issue for you my friends. Also a massive thank you to Paul the photographer and Rosie at Cultivate for letting us take the photos there and disrupting the whole place in the process. Cheers.

DARCY GOES ECO

The actor Colin Firth and his wife Livia have opened an eco store in Chiswick, London. Firth, his wife and two partners have renovated the shop building to high eco standards and hope to be up and running with solar panels and a roof garden in the very near future. The store stocks eco products, furniture, accessories and books over three floors. There is a consultancy in the basement where you can get advice on interiors, energy efficient appliances, solar energy etc. Their website should be up and running soon and I for one am looking forward to browsing. Fingers crossed for a Dublin branch soon then.

FRUITFUL

Through Design for Democracy 08 I came across designer Adam Moody who has come up trumps with his Objectify fruit bowl. I adore the shape, laser cut pattern and the fact that it is made from sustainably managed hoop pine. At first glance I actually thought it was a magazine rack so it could be multi purpose (another big plus). It comes in four easy to assemble pieces and can hold up to six pieces of fruit. You can buy it here from Vanilla Design Store. No room for mouldy looking fruit in this beautiful bowl though.

PIECES OF YOU

The excellent Inhabitat has once more brought some great eco housewares to our attention. Bridget West from Pieces Of You creates furniture, cushions, artwork and bags from recycled and ethically sourced textiles. My love of many things graphic means that Bridget's clever and eco friendly accessories have won a place in my heart. I'm such a sucker for type and textiles.

I AM NOT A PAPER CUP

So long disposable cups, I love this I am not a paper cup from DCI. Its a double walled porcelain cup with a silicone lid and can be washed safely in the dishwasher. They will be released in April at the bargain price of $20. Perfect for caffeine lovers everywhere.

HOUSE OF VINTAGE DREAMS

Who would live in a house like this? The answer is me given half a chance. Our Showhome based in South East London is both a home and a store. Elle Decoration has named it one of the hottest home shops in the UK. The owners set out to source mid century Scandinavian and British design for themselves but ended up taking it to a whole different level. Now you can visit their house and buy designs by the likes of Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner and Tapio Wirrkala. You can view all the items for sale on their great website here. Below are my top picks 60's dressing table by Interlubke, 70's spice jars, 60's Danish teak chair, Arne Jacobsen chairs, Aluminium table lamps, Teak caddies.

MODERN MARVELS

Another fantastic place for vintage goodies is the Dublin based, kirkmodern. This website is stocked full of midcentury marvels, specialising in Scandinavian and post war British design. If you're looking for fabulous interior accessories this website is a one stop shop. Below is a collection of my current favourites which includes ceramics, glassware, a 1950's sweet tin and a school poster on 'soap making'.

TOTALLY ACE

I am madly in love with the design of the Ace in Portland. It's aimed at creative types on a low budget (tick) and even has rooms with bunks for bands on tour. A lot of the former hotel built in 1912 was retained as it was under preservation and much of the materials were salvaged and restored such as bathtubs, doorknobs and signs. Other items used in the design were sourced locally in order to keep the ecological footprint down like the ingenious use of tables made of stacked books from bargain bins in local shops. Artists from around the city painted murals in the rooms so each room has an individual quality to it. There is a photo booth in the lobby and the front desk is made from a factory unit. My favourite thing about his hotel is that it has record players in the rooms and you can borrow vinyl from the front desk. Alex Calderwood of the Ace Group is quoted as saying “things that are slightly imperfect have soul” and I couldn’t agree more. Check out the equally excellent website here.

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

I was taking a short cut through Habitat to Dame St the other day and I spotted the most fantastic armchair in 20th Century Furniture. Unfortunately I couldn't stop because I was on my way to meet a friend so I didn't get the details or price (which is probably a blessing in disguise). Anyway, I looked up the website when I got home but boo hoo, it wasn't online. I did however find another few beauties to drool over.

I am loving this teak G plan nest of tables, the Charlottenburg lamp by Paul Henningson and this fantastic Danish teak dining table.

POWER TO THE PRINT

Check out these organic duvet covers and throws from design public. Love the bold print. Sometimes we all neeed a bit of pattern in our lives.

LIMERICK STYLE

Thank you so much to Maz from Style Treaty for adding me in her links. Style Treaty is a blog about fashion, interiors, food, books...basically everything that's good. Check it out here.

PRINT PASSION

These cushion covers by Fokus Fabrics are another great find on Matteriashop. I love the graphic monochrome crane print. Made from organic cotton and hemp it goes to show that you don't have to compromise on style when it comes to soft furnishings. I do so love my graphic print textiles.

LOVIN' THE LIGHT

Matteriashop set up by two friends Anu and Monica has lots of well designed and eco smart products on it's website. I absolutely love this Bloom light below. During the day it acts like a funky pot plant taking in energy from the sun. Then lo and behold, at night you turn it over and it's a table lamp. I'm such a sucker for multi-tasking design.

HOMEBUG

I have to say a massive thank you to the lovely Zee at homebug for the mention. I have been an avid fan of her blog since she started last year. The girl's got great style and a way with the words! One of the best design blogs there is. Pictured below is a new mood board she has been working on for her den. Check it out here.

ULTIMA THULE

Well, I'm still keeping the Finnish theme. There is just so much excellent design originating from this place that I could go on for weeks (but don't worry, I won't). Tapio Wirkkala is another amazing designer from Finland. He is most famously known for his beautifully designed glass. For a long time now I have been lusting after a set of Ultima Thule glasses and jug. Designed in 1968 its frosty distinctive shape is based on the icy landscapes of Wirkkala's home country. You can pick up vintage Tapio glass on ebay and other similar sites, you just need to keep a sharp look out. Oh so pretty.

BAMBU

Artek, the Finnish furniture and lighting company set up in 1938 has always created simplistic, functional and well designed products. One of its founding members was none other than the man mentioned below, Alvar Aalto. Artek still produces Aalto’s classic designs but with Tom Dixon as Creative Director now things are moving on. Last year the company launched their Bambu range. They have kept the same simple, functional style but used laminated bamboo to create a chair, coffee table and dining table. These beauties could work just about anywhere.

FABULOUS FINLAND

Since I have been speaking about Alvar Aalto I thought I would do a round up of my favourite pieces by him. Aalto is my favourite architect/designer of all time. I have always been in awe of Finnish designers and the inspiration they draw from nature and their landscape. Aalto was one of the first truly holistic architects and designers. Here are three iconic designs by him, the stunning curving Savoy vase, the fabulous Tea Trolley 900 and the fab organic Beehive light. Beautiful, beautiful and beautiful.

VALOEARTH

Eleanor Flegg has produced a good article in the Sunday Times 'Home' section this week on ethical and fair trade furniture. One of the companies she discussed was Valoearth, whose owner, Johanna Harmala is a niece of the late, great Alvar Aalto. The company whose showroom is based near South Circular Road, Dublin sources contemporary furniture and lighting from producers who respect the environment. Their products can be viewed online at here or by appointment at their showroom.

LOST WEEKEND

The people of the 'sunny south east', especially me, are very grateful to Emily and Declan of Lost Weekend for opening their fantastic shop in Wexford. Their shop is a haven for design lovers everywhere. For me it is the lure of the vintage furniture that brings me back each time. Buying vintage furniture is considered better for the environment for a number of reasons such as cutting down on landfill and not requiring additional manufacturing. Buying furniture owned by someone else also means there is always character and history attached to it and if it is a quality item it will have a good resale value as well. Here are some of my favourite items on their website at the moment.

Treehugger has a great article on How to green your furniture if you would like further info.

ORTOLAN

Over at Design Sponge I found a piece on US company Ortolan. They make beautiful home accessories using 100% organic cotton and 100% natural kapok fillers. I absolutely love the graphic patterns and illustrations they create. Prices start at $24 for a napkin up to $1400 for a blanket. With my January finances they way they are though, the only thing in my budget range would be a tea towel or maybe one napkin. Always nice to look though.

GORGEOUS & GREEN

I came across this Californian house over at the excellent Inhabitat site. The Beitcher Residence combines sustainable materials and the latest green technologies to create an amazing home that manages to be beautifully designed and environmentally friendly. Renewable Bamboo and Palm wood have been used for ceilings and floors in the interior and creates a cosy but contemporary atmosphere. Strawboard has been used to create the cabinets throughout the house whilst Cesar stone was used for the countertops. The large amount of glazing ensures that this home is light filled and benefits from solar energy. This droolworthy green residence truly is a credit to the architects (W3 Architects) and owners.

WHAT THE BOOK?

Continuing the book theme, here are two more books that I have always found helpful. Alan Berman’s The Healthy Home Handbook is a good choice for anyone trying to make their home more environmentally friendly. I am a big fan of books that have lots of beautiful interior shots that I can drool over and this book is no exception. However it’s not all about aesthetics, there is lots of practical advice that is expertly and clearly explained too. Great for both inspiration and information.

WHAT THE BOOK TOO

The second book is The Whole House Book by Cindy Harris and Pat Borer. This is a bible for anyone with an interest in ecological building. Cindy and Pat have both been involved in the Centre for Alternative Technology which has earned them many years of valuable experience in the field. This book covers everything from the initial site, to choosing materials and a selection of case studies. If it’s information you’re after then look no further.

SEO GOOD

Danny Seo is one of the leaders of the field when it comes to environmentally friendly homes. I bought his book Conscious Style Home a couple of years ago and I would recommend it to anyone interested in sustainable design. You can read his daily blog here. He has currently worked on a range of eco friendly products with the US retailing giants JC Penny in their effort to Go Green. Here are a few of the items that will be available in the stores.