Pretty Little Green Things

Posts Tagged ‘Accessories’

So it turns out that working a more than full time job, catching up with friends and needing lots of extra sleep to keep this pregnant lady moving does not make for a prolific blogging schedule.  All the more reason to have an organized life, that’s for sure!  On my end, this weekend we moved our desk and reorganized our living room at bit in preparation for the baby.  Oh and I recaulked our bathtub.  I have tons of projects in the queue for the next few months, but all in all, a productive weekend all around.

Last week I brought you a few tricks to organize your house with labels and hooks, two things I find so useful to keep all the little things in place.  This week, I’m continuing the organization bug with container storage and tips to organize your life.  I find there are always things around your house that don’t have a proper place, which is why I’m a big fan of bins, crates, baskets and anything to help keep all those little odds and ends in place.  I find they’re especially useful in small apartments where you don’t have the closet space that you might in a larger house.  

1. I love using crates to hold everything under the sun since they’re easy to find and not very expensive.  These are from Three Potato Four.
2. Entry benches are a great spot to store shoes, umbrellas, hats and gloves.  I love this set from Serena & Lily.
3. These Larder Shelves from Greenhouse could be a great extra storage spot for the kitchen, bathroom or home office.
4. In addition to crates, I use tons of baskets to hold everything from blankets to household items.  I especially love these woven African baskets from Viva Terra.
5. Corralling those remotes is an important step to making your living room feel clutter free.  Use an extra flower pot or lacquer box like the one here.
6. If you don’t have a cabinet in your kitchen for cutting boards & baking pans, organize them with an extra paper sorter as shown here from Real Simple.
7. Lidded baskets and bins are great solution because you can stack them.  And with pretty ones like these Felt Boxes from Branch, no one will ever know what you’re storing.
8. Perfect for blankets, ottomans with space on the inside are another great incognito place for storage.  This storage ottoman with casters is a large option from Crate and Barrel.
9. Keep those inevitable extra plastic bags nice & neat in a tissue box as seen from Real Simple.
10. Here’s another basket option for those of you who like a more structured option. Leather Trim Basket from Greenhouse.

If you’re anything like me, as much as I try to go digital, we still collect tons of paper.  From mail, family calendars, bank statements and to do lists, what to do with all this paper?  I love finding creative ways to arrange and hide this clutter and I’ve gathered a few ideas for you here.

1. Binders aren’t just for schoolwork – we use a binders as our filing system as a way to avoid the inevitable file drawers.  If you make cute labels or get colorful binders like these Project Binder’s from Naked Binder, you’ll be happy with the look.
2. I love this creative project from Country Living – take vintage photo albums and turn them into an accordion file folder.
3. Why change your calendar every year when you can customize a dry erase one every month.  Perfect for families to keep everyone on the same page.  Black Dry Erase Calendar from Cedar Hollow Designs.
4. Make your own magnetic message board from a vintage frame and your choice of fabric to fit any decor.  Check out the project here from Country Living.
5. Here’s a cute paper storage idea – put your mail and messages in paint cans organized on a shelf as shown here from Martha Stewart.
6. I’m a serial list maker.  Writing my to-do’s on a chalkboard rather than hundreds of post-its is a chic and eco-friendly way to stay on top of my list.  I love this Chalkboard Tablet (with or without stand) from Branch.
7. Why use boring magnets when you can make chic ones out of vintage jewelry.  Check out the project at Country Living.
8. Make your own corkboard with a vintage frame for a cute pin-up spot.  I made one for our house, but wrapped the cork with antique fabric to fit our style better.  Check out the directions from Life Hacker.
9. Instead of dry erase, you can also make your own reusable calendar from chalkboard paint as seen here with this huge wall calendar from Martha Stewart.

I hope all of these tips, tricks and products help your 2012 to be your most organized yet!

I’m not really a New Years resolution type of gal – I’m more of an avoid-the-gym-at-all-costs-during-the-first-two-weeks-of-January kind of gal.  But to be honest, even though I don’t make resolutions (because I’d rather see where life takes me and vow to do x, y or z as the need arises, say in May), it doesn’t mean this isn’t a great time of year to start something fresh.  And because January happens to be a time I like to stay in and hibernate, what better time than now to start organizing your life.

I’ve written posts before about office organization, but let’s face it – your office isn’t the only area of your life that needs a bit of order.  Even as I write this post, I’m looking around my house right now at the piles of magazines, random pieces of mail and purses & shoes dropped haphazardly by the door that could all have found a better home.  Living in a small apartment has taught me that not only does organization make me a happier person, it also makes me a more productive one.  So I’m dedicating this week to getting my (and hopefully your) act together with some products and sources to help keep your life a more ordered one.  Plus the best news of all – there are tons of eco-friendly & inexpensive ways to get your organization on.  First up this week are labels and hooks, two great and underused organization tricks.  I’ll be following up later this week with even more great round-ups.

One of the tricks I love is using labels for everything from spices & baking supplies to closets and cords.  Not only are labels helpful to remember where things are and where they go back to, but they can look great in the process.

1. Chalkboard labels especially good for items that often need new labels  2. Freezer labels to keep your refrigerator organized (via Martha Stewart)  3. Make your own fabric labels with a vintage typewriter (via Make Something). Even more green if you use organic fabric.  4. Days of the week pins to organize your to dos by day  5. Kitchen labels for all your baking needs  6. Turn a regular garbage bin into a chic labeled piece with these recycle labels 7. Organize your cords with toilet paper rolls. Label the outside and you’ll never have a jumbled mess again (via Real Simple).  8. Make your own spice jar labels – even better if you use recycled paper (via Martha Stewart)  9. Iron on labels with organic twill tape (via Patchwork Pottery)

To help keep entryways, coats and clothing off the floor and available for easy access, hooks are a great way to organize.  My house is sprinkled with them because I love having easy access to my everyday items.  Plus if you pick hooks that are as chic as these, you’ll be happy to put them front and center.

1. Driftwood coat rack  2. Personalized coat rack made from spoons.  This would be great for keys too so you always know which are yours.  3. Boat cleat hooks from Denise DeLong  4. Coat rack made from a vintage cabinet door  5. Hook made with a vintage book as the background  6. Three bin wire shelf & hooks (with labels!)  7. This “bath” rack would be a great place for bath robes

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.

I was stumped this weekend, trying to figure out what to get a fabulous and fashionable friend for her birthday.  I mean, what do you get for someone who has such chic taste?  After much discussion with my co-gift giver, we settled on making, rather than buying our gift.  I’ve always felt that handmade gifts are so much more meaningful that store bought ones because they take so much more time and thought.

So what did we decide to make?  An uber fashionable throw pillow with our favorite inside joke printed on top of it.  If you’ve been reading Pretty Little Green Things for any length of time, my love of decorative throw pillows most likely comes as no surprise as shown here, here and here.

To my fabric sample bin I went, looking for the most fabulous remnants I could find for the soon to be fabulous pillow.  I had saved a waterfall (all the colorways) of a metallic glazed linen from Edmond Petit which I thought would make perfect letters for our saying.  The background came from a large memo sample of black embroidered flowers from Osborne & Little.  Thanks to both manufacturers for being as fabulous as your fabrics!

These are the metallic glazed linen swatches before cutting.  I lined up all the colors in order to make sure they looked good together.  The metallic kind of reminded me of neon letters, which I thought would be a fun take for this fashion forward pillow.

This is the background of the pillow with my paper templates on top, just to make sure everything would fit.  Yup, our saying is”I like your stuff.”  I’m not even going to begin to explain here, but suffice it to say, when you’re as fashionable as my friend is, what’s not to love about all her “stuff”

The metallic letters laid out and ready to be glued.  I would have rather sewn them on, but I just didn’t have the time.  Plus the embroidered background was really thick and I was concerned I would create more problems for myself trying to add extra bulk.

Here’s the pillow before adding the letters.  Gorgeous fabric, no?  The fabric isn’t totally flat because of the puckering of the embroidery, which makes for a slightly lumpy pillow.  It just adds more depth I say!

Ta da!  The completed “I Like Your Stuff” pillow.  The size was perfect as a decorative lumbar piece.  Like a little piece of bling on your sofa.

I couldn’t resist putting the pillow on my new chair to see how it would look.  Pretty nice, huh?

The birthday girl with her brand new pillow.

My friends posing with the pillow (and husband on the far left).  Maybe I should have jumped in the picture, rather than be the photographer so I could take a picture with my creation.  Oh well, next time.

As I rule, I don’t repost other people’s blog finds, but sometimes when I see something really interesting or unique, I feel like it’s worth a second look.  I saw these white planters made from reclaimed wood from Haunt the other day on Design Sponge and was instantly intrigued.  It seems like the faceted shape is everywhere nowadays, from chairs and light fixtures to vases and trays.  We’re even looking to install a faceted bar in a project I’m working on.  But there’s something about the combination of the sleek facets and glossy white paint together with the rough wood texture that makes this planter extra special.  What do you think?

According to Haunt, these planters are best suited for small succulents that don’t need much depth and water. There is also no drainage in the planter, so you will need to cover the bottom of the openings with rocks so the plants do not sit in water.

Photos from Haunt

I’m the type of person who works best in a team setting.  The days when I’m collaborating, bouncing ideas off others and talking through problems are the times when I’m my most creative and inspired.  So when I was introduced to Red Clay and their democratic style of design, I knew they were on to something special.  Here’s the deal: Red Clay sponsors design competitions which are centered around a particular theme.  Designers submit products to the community (us!) who in turn vote on their favorites.  After all the votes are in, the top rated products are manufactured and sold on Red Clay’s website and Etsy store.  This process gives designers who might not otherwise have the means, the chance to sell to a larger audience.  And it gives us, the voters, a chance to decide exactly what we’d like in our home.  Power to the people!

So what types of products are typically submitted?  Red Clay’s first collection included a colorful variety of pillows and table linens that you can still get your hands on.  Their next collection will be ceramic objects, including decorative vases, bowls and platters.  If you’re an artist, get your wheels turning and submit your design!  You have from July 11 to July 22 to submit your entry.  And if you’re a member of the community, you’ll get your day in the sun to vote on your favorites after all the submissions are in.

In addition to this democratic method of design, Red Clay aims to be as green as possible with a commitment to honest materials and honest manufacturing.  They’ve even gone so far as to transform the way they ship their products with an innovative mailer.  Made from waterproof nylon on the outside and fabric scraps that had been bound for the trash bin on the inside, Red Clay has tackled that one thing that makes me guilty beyond belief about ordering online – the packaging!  These mailers can then be returned for free to be reused for the next customer or you can keep them for a small fee.  FedEx – you’d better start taking notes!

Photos from Red Clay

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.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I’m a complete sucker for maps.  On the wall, on fabric, on the computer, you name it.  For me, looking at far off places inspires me and looking at the places I’ve already been brings back some amazing memories.  So when Cath Young of Bearded Pigeon contacted me about her organic cotton pillows, I told her that she had me at hello.  These cushions are handmade by her in Australia (yay for the Aussies!) and printed on to 100% organic cotton with $1 of every sale going to Kiva.  I really love the bright colors and promise of adventure to come.  If I had one of these pillows in my house, I’d pull out my button collection and start sewing one on for every place I’ve visited.  You can purchase these lovelies at her Etsy store.

Antarctica

Canada

Australia

Chicago

Venice

Portland

Cath not only makes eco-friendly products, but she walks the walk too.  Her home in Australia relies only on sun for power and rain from the sky for water.  Outdoors her garden grows organic fruit and vegetables.  And it seemed only fitting to include pictures of the travelling pillows’ origin.  If you’d like to see more of Cath’s lovely house, take a peek at her Flickr page here.

Photos from Cath Young

As I said in yesterday’s post, we spent last weekend in Charlottesville, VA for a wedding.  We went a few days early so we could check out the town & UVA campus and enjoy a bit of time off in what we were expecting to be a charming and relaxing town.  Well, C-ville definitely didn’t disappoint in that regard, but what I wasn’t expecting was how eco-conscious the residents are.  There are tons of shops throughout the town focused on healthy living, locally produced products and organic food.  But my favorite green shop was Sustain, Inc.  Their products are colorful & chic mix of home goods, fashion and accessories all required to pass a rigorous check of their eco-friendliness.  Each item sold in the store must meet a few of the following criteria: locally sourced, made in the US, fairly traded, organic, recycled, sustainable or from an eco-conscious company.  In addition, Sustain donates 2% of their proceeds back to Kiva.  Chic & green?  Now that’s my kind of store!

A view of the store

I really fell in love with this art

Does that wallpaper look familiar?  It should!  It’s eco-friendly paper from Madison & Grow.

How fun are those rolled up rugs?

Located above Sustain, Inc. is a really nice stationary shop called Good Press Paper.  Katie, the owner, has a great selection of cards and paper as well as an impressive array of custom invitation options.  But my absolute favorite was her collection of vintage stamps that are absolutely usable for your own letters.   What better way to recycle old stamps that would otherwise end up in a dusty stamp collector’s tome than reusing them as postage?  How do you know they’re vintage?  Besides the low postage rates, they’re the lick and press type of stamp.  No stickers here!

The stamps are sold either pre-affixed on an envelope & notecard set, or…

Gathered together in a little package totaling the correct amount to send your own first class letter.  Pretty clever, huh?