Pretty Little Green Things

Archive for the ‘Art’ Category

Unfortunately our long weekend away coincided with this season’s New York International Gift Fair so I didn’t get to wander the aisles looking for new products and catch up with all my favorite vendors.  Even though I wasn’t at the show, my inbox has been full of sneak peeks and new releases.  So of course I had to share a few of my favs with you.  If you went to the show, share your favorites in the comment section below.

I’ve always loved Fluf’s reusable bags for their chic patterns and easy storage solutions.  But I’m really loving this pink Big Zip to store whatever you can think of.  I would probably use it as a travel bag, but I love their suggestion as a clutch for a night out.

I’m so happy that Coco, from the ever popular blog cococozy.com, was able to transition from design blogger to product designer.  I’m loving her colorful and graphic pillow collection as seen here from Coco’s booth at NYIGF.  Jump over to her blog to see the rest of the booth. (Photo from Cococozy)

The gorgeous handblown desk lamps come from Tempo Luxury Home Collection.  I really love the interesting shapes, unique shade system and subtle colorations.  It looks to me like these lamps are lit with LEDs, hence their title Smart Lights.

I love this new towel collection from Creative Women, perfect as a tea towel or hand towel.  The color, texture and pattern of these are just gorgeous and available soon.

Natural Curiosities has a wonderful new collection debuting at the NYIGF.  This Turot Geometric piece is one of my favorites, silver leafed to add dimension and sparkle.  Take a peek at the rest of the collection online for a bit of artistic inspiration.

Last but certainly not least is an installation shot from Christen Maxwell‘s newest line of pillows and throws.  I’m especially loving that zigzag pillow just off of center as well as the metallic linens (center).  She’s also put together a gorgeous little e-catalog full of inspiration pics of the latest products that you should definitely check out.

The people that most impress me in this world are those who can take a seemingly simple object and transform them into something so unique and fabulous, you’d never guess their product had such humble beginnings.  Case in point: Suzanne Tick.  Her woven art pieces made from dry cleaning hangers and bags are recycled art at its finest.  As the former Creative Director of Knoll Textiles, (a fabric company for commercial interiors), Suzanne is intimately familiar with looms and weaving.  For her, creating recycled art was as easy as changing the medium, not the process.  The Salvage collection is her exploration of the beauty of materials when separated & reenergized and the possibilities of the discarded & reclaimed.  Suzanne’s work debuted at Design Miami Basel in Basel, Switzerland in June with the Cristina Grajales Gallery.

Counter Balance

Hooked In

Paper Fringe

Matter

Untitled

Photos from Cristina Grajales Gallery

I’m not really a fan of the “turn recycled cardboard into furniture, lamps and other home furnishings and call it all eco-friendly” movement.  Don’t get me wrong, I think that recycled paper and cardboard are great and can be used in quite a modern way, but I’ve never really thought of them as a beautiful & chic expression of sustainability.  Well, I suppose I have to amend my statement a bit because of Struktur, a graceful room divider designed by Lena Peter.  It’s an assemble-it-yourself screen made out of 100% Kraftplex, a biodegradable cellulose fiber alternative to plastic and metal sheeting.  I really love its graceful curves and total creative flexibility.  With four different attachment slots on each piece, you can design this screen to look however you want.  It’s currently sold through Suite New York in packages of 2, 8 or 16 square meters.  What do you think about it?

Struktur screen by Lena Peter – a graceful and green way to divide a room

A close-up of the Kraftplex material

Photos from Suite NY

When a metal object is sand cast, the spill-over is normally removed as the piece is cleaned and polished to its perfect final product.  But Omer Arbel from Bocci decided to not only use this overspill, but make it an integral part of his design.  Bocci’s 19 Series is a brand new product out for them and oh so stunning.  Each piece is totally unique because the tray’s edge is formed only as a result of extra metal spilling out of the mold, which Arbel describes as frozen lava.  Arbel describes them as frozen lava.  I couldn’t have said it any better.

Sand casting in action

Two versions of the 19 Series from Bocci.  Gorgeous, no?

I love the slightly pitted texture on the polished surface.  It’s inherent to the sand casting process and I think gives the piece even more depth & texture.

I love the contrast between the rough, gritty exterior ring and the polished, reflective inner core.

In my mind, sustainable and art always go hand in hand.  The care and thought that goes behind each and every handcrafted piece of art means that it’s not a mass produced product that’s going to end up in a landfill someday.  But for me, art is even better when it not only looks great, but is made of eco-friendly materials too.  This Abstract Paper collection from Natural Curiosities definitely fits the bill.  Each sheet is made from a combo of mulberry, pineapple (I didn’t even know you could reuse this fiber!) and banana fibers taken from agricultural waste and hung on linen.  I love the subtle geometric shapes that form a really interesting contrast between the organic material and the angular lines.

Natural Curiosities only sells direct to the interior design trade, but you can find their art at many shops around the country including Calypso Home, Lillian August, Mecox Gardens and more.  Check online for a location near you.

Photos from Natural Curiosities

I was very sorry to miss Brimfield two weekends ago, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do my share of vintage sourcing on my own.  One of my favorite things about flea markets is the dishes.  In my dream house, I would have a huge kitchen with enough cabinet space for tons of antique dishes and a dining room big enough to use them all.  Sometimes though, vintage porcelain can look a bit dated.  Thankfully Sarah Cihat has taken those very same dishes and made them totally modern with her line of Rehabilitated Dishware.  This makeover goes a little beyond my expertise as a do-it-yourselfer, so I’m even more impressed that she can rescue vintage plates that I wouldn’t have even looked twice at and turn them into something I would definitely want on my table.  Now that’s the way to reuse!  Sarah also has a beautiful collection of porcelain  objects, vases and candleholders which are even more rockin’ so definitely take a look for yourself.

The before and after views.  I mean, the original pattern is oh so dainty and the end product is totally edgy and cool.

A few of my favorite designs

Photos from Sarah Cihat

I have a little known secret love of maps – world maps, state maps, city maps, you name it and I love looking at it.  Maybe it’s the promise of far off adventure and seeing new amazing things.  Or maybe it’s because I just like knowing where I am and where I’m going.  Whatever the reason, I could spend all day looking at maps.  So when I saw this beautiful artwork from Shannon Rankin, created out of maps, I was instantly hooked.  Each piece is absolutely dynamic and interesting in its own right.  Add to that a map, and well, you have my perfect art form.  I chose a few of my favorite pieces from Shannon’s online portfolio to show you, but head on over to her website to see her full portfolio.  Happy travels!

Photos from Shannon Rankin

Continuing on the theme of cement this week, I had to show you this amazing concrete late from Doreen Westphal.  It’s made from ultra high performance concrete and suspended from steel cable.  I really love the juxtaposition of the rough texture against the soft feminine lace pattern.  It something you wouldn’t expect, which is what makes it so interesting.  Doreen is the master of interesting objects made out of concrete so make sure to pop over to her site too to take a peek.

Photos from Doreen Westphal

I’m fascinated with the idea of eco-friendly art.  I mean, buying one-of-a-kind handmade pieces that you’ll keep forever are already low on the carbon footprint-o-meter.  But adding recycled bits or non-toxic inks just makes it that much better.  So when I saw these gorgeous pieces from Amy Genser, I knew she was on to something really special.  Amy is a graphic designer by training but when she found papermaking, it was love at first pulp.  Her artwork is made by cutting, rolling and layering one colored recycled paper at a time to create an almost three dimensional piece with real depth.  Some of her artworks look like topographic maps, others look like textured quilts and still others look like vines & plants entwined on the canvas.  See what you will in these works of art, I’ll just stick with “beautiful.”  Amy has shared a few pictures with us, but there are plenty more online on her portfolio so take a peek here.  She will also be featured on AHAlife on April 14, so you can check there as well to get your hands on one of Amy’s pieces.

One of my favorites, as seen from the front….

and the side.  You really have to see it from both sides to experience the depth of these pieces.

Photos from Amy Genser

Okay, so I actually went to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show all within one day, but this is day 2 of your peek into the show, hence the title.  If you didn’t see yesterday’s post of my eco-chic picks from the show, take a look here.  As I said before, the show was the best I’ve seen with a great variety of amazing products and vendors.  I can’t wait to see what ICFF brings!

So without further ado, my eco picks, round 2:

When I saw this chandelier from Andre Joyau from afar, I actually thought it was made of fringe.  That of course made me immediately walk over and check it out (I mean who wouldn’t?).  It’s actually made from bits of recycled steel wire all strung together in a spiral shape.  Gorgeous, huh?  Then as Andre and I were chatting about the chandelier, I looked down and noticed this beautiful table….

If you notice from this picture, the table is on hydraulics!!!  Gorgeous table + raw reclaimed wood + totally functional for a New York City apartment?  I don’t think furniture could get any better! (By the way, if you don’t live in a teeny apartment, you’re probably thinking I’m off my rocker right now.  But let me tell you, I’m already fantasizing about what I could put in the corner instead of a dining table.  Hello ping pong table!)

I have been following Susan Serra on Twitter for quite some time now, so it was wonderful to finally meet her and see her Bornholm Kitchens in person.  I love the Scandinavian style of her kitchens – it’s not a style I see very often so I’m always happy to find a unique cabinet option.  The wood she uses is just gorgeous and every piece is finished with no-VOC waxes and sealers.

It was lovely to see the latest collection of beautiful carpets from Malene B, and I have to say she’s just as lovely as her rugs.  What I really love about her designs is the international ethic feel they have.  I mean, if you can’t get to Africa, you should at least have some of it in your house!

How cool are these stone tables from Snug Furniture?  I love the intricate almost lacy look of the fretwork style coffee table on the left and the bold artful lines of the ones on the right.  Co-founder, Maybelline Te and Snug Furniture are also on Twitter, so if you don’t already follow them, you should!

These stools and art piece come from Artists for Humanity, a non-profit in Boston whose mission is to “bridge economic, racial and social divisions by providing underserved youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts.”  Not only does this group do so much good in their own community, but their products are made from recycled and non-toxic materials.  Plus the colorful design is totally fun and unique.  I am going to follow up with an in depth look at Artists for Humanity so stay tuned.  In the meantime, you can take a peek at their range of products on their website.

Coney Island is such a big part of New York’s history  so I loved seeing these benches from Douglas Thayer.  They’re made from cross beams that held up the iconic boardwalk.  I love that when the wood was removed, it was ripped out with so much force that the screws bent.  Instead of removing all those screws, Douglas elected to keep them and just turn them into the center so they’re not dangerous.  The wood and screw combo gives so much character to this amazing piece of history.

Last but certainly not least is this movable art piece from Susan Weinthaler.  You can’t really tell from this picture, but each of those little reclaimed wood pieces is attached via magnet to the background sheet and is totally movable.  That means you can have as many pieces of art in your home as your creativity allows.  I bet this makes for an awesome party game!