Pretty Little Green Things

Posts Tagged ‘Office products’

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

I spent most of Sunday organizing the very large built in bookcase in our living room.  Okay, okay, we also went grocery shopping, but I feel like that doesn’t count in the list of weekend accomplishments since I didn’t actually buy any vegetables (I opt for farmers market vs. Trader Joes produce where possible).  Even though I didn’t paint, fix or install anything, our apartment feels a lot different.  I’m actually quite surprised at what a change organizing can do for the look and feel of a home.  I also tackled the mass chaos of wires underneath our desk on Saturday, having been inspired by this cool little power strip/cord hideaway box from the Container Store.  Our bookshelves and desk are officially organized and staying that way.  However, it does look like a bomb exploded in our living room since the items that didn’t make it back on the shelf are now sitting on the floor.  So alas, no pictures of my weekend accomplishments yet, but I’ll be back with more green updates later this week.  In the meantime, you’ll have to comfort yourself with the knowledge that my weekend of organization was a huge success and parts of our apartment look pretty darn amazing.

We had house guests last week and inevitably our apartment ends up a bit of a mess from the extra people and activity.  So we spent part of Sunday organizing – something that always makes me feel refreshed and clear headed after I’m done.  We live in a pretty small apartment, so a well planned and practical organization strategy is key to maintaining a neat home.  There are a few areas that I’ve nailed said strategy and a few that, well, could use a bit of help (ahem, bookshelf).  Even though we’re past spring cleaning, what house couldn’t use a bit of method to reign in the madness?  I put together eco-friendly home organization tools to help you gather, arrange and simplify your life, all while being chic and green.

1. Heirloom Recipe Card Box from Rifle Paper Co.  2. Bamboo Dry Erase Entry Butler from Three by Three  3. Campaign Storage Bench from Serena & Lily  4. Expandable gadget tray from Crate & Barrel  5. Leather trim basket from Greenhouse  6. Teak ladder with shelf from VivaTerra  7. Reclaimed root coat stand from VivaTerra  8. Vintage wood desk organizer from Redefine Home  9. Covered jars with chalk writing surface (so you know what’s inside!) from Canvas  10. Shelter caddy from Canvas

1. Vintage drawer spool cabinet from City Owl  2. Woven Ikat basket from West Elm  3. Curved rattan baskets from West Elm  4. Washed wood cubbies from Redefine Home  5. Project binder from Naked Binder  6. White Hayworth shelf from Serena & Lily  7. Reclaimed wood wall coat rack from Amenity  8. Three bin wire shelf from VivaTerra  9. Flower cork board from Three by Three  10. Salvaged wood hotel key rack from Three Potato Four

Yesterday I showed you my eco-friendly picks from “At Home” at Pier 94.  After a few hours wandering the aisles over there, I hopped on the shuttle bus and headed down to the Javits Center to see what was going on.  I was really happy with the emphasis on green design, from a huge display of products outside of the show halls to tons of vendors adding their voice to the movement.  But I’ll quit blabbing and get to what you undoubtedly want to see.  The goods!

I’ve shown you Alexandra Ferguson‘s pillows before, but it was great to see the new collection and meet her in person.  I’m loving the custom monogram options (on the bottom shelf) as well as the comic strip inspired pillows on the top shelf.  The covers are made from recycled felt from plastic bottles and are oh so soft.

I must really be a New Yorker because I’d defend our water supply to the end.  But that doesn’t mean we don’t still filter our water before drinking.  I mean, you can never be too safe, right?  But if we had one of these beautiful Ovopur filtration systems from Aquaovo, I wouldn’t even think of hiding the ugly plastic pitcher in the fridge.  Plus not only are these pitcher super chic, the technology Aquaovo uses is amazing and very eco-friendly.  Take that disposable water bottles!

I’ve always been a fan of Bambu’s kitchen products since they’re made from bamboo, a rapidly renewable resource.  It was great to see their new products, especially since they’ve really branched out into fun bright colors.  My favorites were the cork “fabric” that they turned into flexible bowls (top pic), bright colored bowls made from coconut husks (middle pic) and cutting boards with bright edges (bottom pic).

I have also written about eco-friendly ventless fireplaces before, but I was loving the small tabletop versions from Brasa.  They have a few different models for sale, but the one above totally caught my eye.  Their fires burn clean with bioethanol, otherwise known as denatured ethananol.  And of course look chic while being green!

Canvas is one of my absolutely favorite store in NYC so of course I spent a little time (okay a lot of time) in their booth looking at their products.  How fun are those wool placemats (bottom left)?  And of course the low-fire ceramic dishware (on the right) is just gorgeous.

It was wonderful to meet Christen Maxwell and see her gorgeous products in person.  She is just as lovely as her pillows.  The new patterns & colors are wonderful as are the laminated plates (off to the left of the photo).  The linen fabric is hand-screened and the pillows are handmade all in the United States.

I was so happy to see that one of my favorite blogs has branched out into home goods.  Coco from the ever popular Cococozy is now selling chic blankets, pillows and curtains in a range of gorgeous colors.  Coco is such a sweetheart and it was wonderful to meet her in person (she’s on the left).  I wish I had taken a better picture of her & her booth, but it was the end of a full day.

Even though I’m a fan of Bambu, I was happy to see another vendor enter the bamboo kitchen product arena.  Core Bamboo sells beautiful bowls (like those shown here), cutting boards, utensils, plates and more, all made out rapidly renewable resources.  I really loved their color selection, which is dyed with cashew trees and is totally eco-friendly.

I have mentioned Ecojot before because I love their collection of bright colored whimsical notebooks & calendars.  (They even gave me a little notepad of my own because I was so excited to meet them!)  I was happy to see that they’ve branched out into a men’s line of notebooks too (pic on the bottom shows one of their styles/colors), although I liked them so much I would rather get one for me instead.  Their products are made out of 100% recycled paper and the company even donates a notebook to a child in need with every purchase of a 5×7 journal.  Now that’s eco-consciousness!

You’ve probably heard me mention Hammocks & High Tea before since I’m such a huge fan and Karen is such a sweetheart.  She’s branched out into a line of Dopp kits & bags to add to her ever popular tea towels, drawer liners and pillows.  And I loved seeing the new fabrics in person – although I can tell you my picture definitely doesn’t do them justice!

Something about these eco-friendly wool blankets from Pendleton Home Collection brought me back to my camping days.  I could definitely see wrapping myself up in one of these to cuddle with on the sofa.  They make all of their blankets out of wool (an eco-friendly fiber to being with), but the ones stacked in this picture are extra green because they’re made out of eco-wise wool, a Cradle to Cradle certified fiber.

Just look at how beautiful and organic these wood bowls handmade by Spencer Peterman are.  I love that he doesn’t finish the edges so you can really feel the quality and character of the wood.  He also makes cutting boards and salt & pepper grinders (you can see them on the left of the picture).  All of their products are made from fallen trees gathered from friends, neighbors and fellow townspeople in Massachusetts.  What a way to bring together a community!

I have to tell you that I have a bit of a soft spot in my heart for Rag & Bone Bindery.  I used one of their photo albums as a guest book for our wedding where we stuck in Polaroid shots of our guests.  My pattern isn’t available anymore, but they had tons of new and beautiful colors and sizes on display.  Plus it was wonderful to meet the owners in person and tell them how much I love their products.  The paper and covers of each album is made from recycled paper and are meant to last a lifetime (among other green creds).

Last but absolutely not least, I met the lovely owners of Three by Three.  They make something I’ve never seen before or even thought about – eco-friendly dry erase boards.  (Okay, okay not totally true since I have written about dry erase paint, but still).  The boards are made out of bamboo and coated with an eco-friendly gloss.  In addition to the large & small wall boards you see here, they also sell dry erase mail slots and to-do boards.  How smart!

So that’s it for your peek into the eco-friendly version of the New York Gift Fair.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.  Leave a comment below and let me know which vendor is your favorite!

2011 is fast approaching and I haven’t yet bought my desk calendar.  Fortunately there are more eco-friendly options this year than ever before.  So while I’m doing my calendar shopping, I thought I’d share a few of my favorites.  Which one is yours?

Paper Source is always a go-to stationer for me.  I love the styles and colors of pretty much all the paper products they sell.  And of course since this company has a commitment to the environment, most of their products contain recycled material.  This 17-month academic calendar is made with brightly colored ink on recycled paper bags.

Also from Paper Source, this art grid calendar is printed on 100% recycled paper with 30% post consumer waste.

If planners are more your style, Ecosystem is a great option.  Their products are completely customizable so you can pick your favorite color, size and interior page style.  I love this bright pink one with the Advisor calendar system inside.  And of course their products are all made from 100% post-consumer waste.

How cute are these birds from Modern Pop?  Each calendar card is 4″x6″ and printed on 100% recycled cotton fibers.  Funny Bird Calendar from Modern Pop on Etsy.

I love that this Botanical Calendar from Night Owl Paper Goods is printed on wood rather than paper.  Each card is 7″x4″ and printed on very thin slices of sustainably harvested wood.

Ecojot also has something fun to bring out your inner child.  I wouldn’t mind writing down all my appointments on these fun calendars!

These cute cards from Sure As Blue are printed on recycled stock and when the month is up, can be repurposed into postcards.  Who wouldn’t want to receive one of these in the mail?  Minimalist Modern Calendar from Sure As Blue on Etsy.

I’ve been painting away in my apartment, but in the meantime I wanted to share this amazing SAYL Chair from Herman Miller with you.  As an interior designer, I’m constantly looking at other designers’ work for inspiration.  I’m generally drawn towards more traditional interiors rather than modern or especially futuristic.  My one exception?  Yves Behar.  His products are incredibly creative and are always pushing boundaries.  And his work always has some sort of humanistic element to it.  For those of you who might not know who he is, here’s a quick bio: Behar was trained as an industrial designer and is the founder of fuseproject, a design and branding firm.  He was the mastermind behind One Laptop Per Child and the Jawbone Bluetooth Headset and has worked with brands such as Swarovski, Birkenstock, GE & BMW Mini.

So when the SAYL Chairs from Herman Miller and designed by Yves Behar came through my inbox, I knew I had to share them with you.  I’m not sure I would use them in my own home (maybe in my someday office space), but they’re incredibly well designed and of course super cool.  Made of an elastomer suspension material, these frameless chairs encourage a full range of motion.  You can tell that the back is reminiscent of the Golden Gate Bridge from Behar’s hometown of San Francisco.  And of course in true San Francisco fashion, these SAYL chairs are eco-friendly: they’re made of fewer materials than a similar office chair, are 93% recyclable, made in the US and are aiming for MBDC Cradle to Cradle Silver, BIFMA level 2, and Greenguard certifications.  Plus at $400, Herman Miller created a less expensive desk chair that’s more attainable (compared to $700 for a similar Aeron chair).  If you’re in the market for one, they’re sold through YLiving.

What are your thoughts?  Do you like the SAYL chair?  Would you put one in your home or office?

Photos from Herman Miller

I’ll admit it, I’m as guilty as the next design blogger for being completely in love with Mad Men.  Something about the sets, the clothes, the characters, who knows.  I was, of course, watching Mad Men for the latest installment and was inspired by Don’s office to create a green, handsome and sexy room scheme inspired by Sterling, Draper, Cooper, Price.  Plus with fall now officially upon us, I figured it’s also a good excuse to plug some good office supply companies.

1.  Okay, I know Don Draper is not the best father in the world, but what father wouldn’t have a picture of his kids on his desk? Misali Recycled Metal Frame from Greener Style.

2.  I’d like to think that one of those guys has a globe in their office, especially one as handsome as this.  Vintage Paul McCobb Bronze Desktop Globe from 20C Design via 1st Dibs.

3.  Guest chairs for impromptu meetings (and drinks).  Glyn Water Dining Arm Chair from Edward Ferrell.

4.  This incredible desk is what I based the entire design scheme on.  I won’t even mention the price (you might faint!).  It was designed by Bodil Kjaer in the 1960 and is absolutely swoon-worthy!  Bodil Kjaer Desk from Ciancimino (via 1st Dibs).

5.  This desk chair is absolutely what they would have used in the 1960s.  This Eames chair is the original design from Herman Miller.

6.  Any office worthy of Mad Men should be adequately wood paneled.  Fake the look with Ajiro Chevron wood wallpaper from Maya Romanoff.

7.  This table lamp fits the scheme, although it might be a tad too modern for Mad Men.  Sorry Don, I love it.  Metro Series No. 6 from Whyrhmyer.

8.  Appointments would absolutely be kept in a leather bound journal. And this one is eco-friendly to boot.  Advisor Planner from Ecosystem.

9.  And of course binders for all of their accounts.  Classic Binder from the Naked Binder.

10.  These vintage travertine bookends would make a handsome statement.  Death Valley Antique Travertine Bookends from Etsy.

I know I just did a post about paper for my first wedding anniversary, but I found these RevolveR Bound Journals through Design Milk and just had to add them to my paper collection (think if it as round two).  They’re just about the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while.  I could play with one for quite some time, so fortunately for my sparse free time I don’t have one…yet.  They’re a great way to organize yourself since you’re really getting two notebooks in one.  Plus not only are they incredible cool, fun to play with and totally unique, they’re also handmade from100% recycled paper with FSC certified bonded paper covers.  And if you live in NY, they’re local.  RevolveR, if you’re out there, start writing up my order!

If you don’t get how they work, there’s a video of someone flipping the journal around over and over again to illustrate.  The video is sort of mesmerizing so be careful not to get sucked in!

Photos from RevolveR

Don’t worry, I’m not turning this blog into a stationary site, but in honor of my one year wedding anniversary (August 14!), I decided to do Monday’s room scheme as an eco-friendly paper inspired round-up instead.  All of the notebooks, binders and stationary below are made of recycled, certified or post-consumer products (or all three!) and are made by environmentally conscious companies.  But best of all, they look great.

There are tons of eco-friendly paper options out there; it was hard to select just these few.  Next time you’re in the market for office supplies, binders, notebooks or stationary think green first and support these great companies.

1.  Decomposition Notebook from Kate’s Paperie

2.  Academic Great Big Wall/Desk Calendar from Paper Source

3.  Project Binder from the Naked Binder

4.  Table Setting Paper Placemats from Kate’s Paperie

5.  Zinnia Album from Rag & Bone (there are a ton more cover options online so be sure to look!)

6.  Things to Remember Notepad from Little Otsu

7.  Letterpress Congratulations Card from Sycamore Street Press

8.  Hemp Drawing Book from Green Field Paper Company

9.  Plantable Seed Notes from Porridge Papers

I’ve always planned that when I have children I would paint one wall of their room with blackboard paint so they could go to town and draw all over their walls.  But with writeUp H2O from Designtex, I may have to change that wall to dry erase.  This product comes in cans and is applied just like paint so you can make your dry erase board as big or as little as you’d like.  Plus, not only does it turn any wall you want into a writeable and erasable surface, it’s also green.  The paint is low-VOC and can contribute to LEED points.  I wish I had better pictures to show you, but this was all they had online.  Either way, it’s still a very cool product for home or office.

If any of you ever decide to use this in your home or office, send me your installation shots.  I’d love to see how it turns out!

Photos from Designtex