Love with Love...

I've been a fan of these Made by Girl posters for awhile... you can't imagine how happy I was to see them printed on recycled paper! I think I first saw the ABC Love in Living Etc. - congrats to Jennifer Ramos for turning her creative passions into such a great, inspiring, feel good product! Also, these wicked finds are budget friendly at $25 (except ABC Love). So, in celebration of the recyled version of LOVE, I thought I'd post a few of my faves:


(This one's my fave)

This is a new colour (steel), and a limited edition.
















To see more, visit Made by Girl or Jennifers' Blog

photos courtesy of MadebyGirl.com

Squint - Bespoke Furniture

I first saw these a year ago or so and thought - 'whoa! where do I get those?' Maybe they wouldn't fit into every home, but... if you wanna start conversation.... this'll do it for ya! I love them! I finally found the maker of these fab Alice-in-Wonderland-esque sofas: Lisa Whatmough, a former sculptor and painter, founded Squint in 2005, in London. She originally created a piece to showcase her antique fabric collection (more recycled ingenuity - I love it!), but found that the combination of period peices and vibrant fabrics created a whole new world of whimsy, and voila! So, I've found these pieces are a little out of my budget (sorry guys), and although you could get one at Barney's, New York, (I couldn't find a price in U.S. dollars, but they retail in the U.K. for at least 3000 pounds, so....) I mostly included these as an inspiration piece for an eco-DIY!. If you're tired of making quilts with left-over fabric (even though I adore quilts), try this with that awful chair everyone has sitting in their basement. I hope everyone gets a little inspired!

p.s If these are a little too bright for ya, use shades of cream, or grey.

Love this take on a vintage classic!

photos from Squint; Check it out for more inspiration!

Bleu Nature

One of my favorites...from northern France...this company is the epitome of using found objects to create something beautiful. Created by Frank Lefebvre in 1995, Bleu Nature collects driftwood on the beach and uses them for all manner of things such as lamps, benches and storage units; no two pieces are alike. They've also recently included stone (also found and weathered), leather and metal. This look should fit right in with the bleached wood trend (a look that's forever a favourite with me, no matter the trends). As this is a European company, its a little hard to find right now, however, you can look for it soon in my new green design and build store (called Sustain., opening soon in April, '09). Here are a few of my favourite pieces:

From My Portfolio

This is a basement gut job - the goal was to provide a comfy media room, and remove the not so pretty vintage carpet and faux-bois paneling (unfortunately not shown in the before pics). Hope you like!

Before:

After:

Eco-touch: the t.v. cabinet was locally made; FSC-Certified pine would have upped the ante.

Eco-touches: Sofa is made of non-formaldehyde containing foam cushions with natural cotton fabric; low VOC paint; natural wool carpet; pillow inserts are natural feather, which were responsibly harvested.

Eco-touch: the coffee table was a repurposed old, handmade, dining table. The legs were simply cut down to make it suitable.

A craft corner was also incorporated behind the sofa.

These pillow covers were handmade by myself, for Living Space Interiors. (Fabric: Amy Butler)

*Note - I can't help but feel my photos don't do justice to the space; photography is not my forte. However, practice, as I've always been told, makes perfect!

Get the look - ECO Style

photo: Marie Claire

This room is quintessentially eco - the white walls, bare floors and simple, unadorned style. I like this look for a bedroom - it's very calming. I would add, however, a small, rustic bedside table and lamp. This is my first 'Get the Look' post, but I hope they'll help everyone find that you can go eco without having to sacrifice real style.

Here's how you can get this look, eco-style:

Flokati Organic Lambswool Rug

Flokati Rugs

Rustic Reclaimed Pine Floor

Revival Flooring

Area Linens Natural Wool Blanket

Area Home

Yolo Colorhouse Non-Toxic Paint; See the Air Palette for colours similar to the above photo

Yolo Colorhouse

For an added touch, include this rustic side table, for a lamp, books, water, etc. I like this one from Toronto Urban Tree Salvage, who use reclaimed wood to fashion furniture and end tables such as this.

Urban Tree Salvage

Lastly, there are chairs out there similar to this Bertoia wire chair for cheaper, however, I recommend either a) saving for the real thing; b) finding one on ebay or craigslist; or c) my favorite, keep an eye out for one when you scout vintage stores. You have to be patient with this option, but when you finally find one you'll have a real sense of pride over your fantastic purchase.

I LOVE These...

Wow - I found these online today and I am in love. These bowls are wonderfully Canadian, and wonderfully eco! These bowls are made by Doha Chebib of the Loyal Loot Collective, in Alberta, Canada. They are fashioned using only wood reclaimed from fallen trees...a fantastic example of innovation using found objects. See more at Loyal Loot

Send me Photos of your Home...

I mentioned earlier that as an interior decorator, I want to get myself out there. Well, as part of this new campaign, I am inviting readers with a passion for design and all things green to send me your photos. I am proposing that anyone with a room/rooms in their house looking for an eco-style edit send me a photo and I'll post it and recommend sustainable options, whether your looking for paint colours, flooring, fabric, furniture, whatever, I can help! I'll include where to get it, and if possible, high/low budget options. Lets make this happen guys! Don't forget that an eco-home doesn't have to be more expensive, and your home will be healthier. I firmly believe that loving your home is really important - loving something makes you happy! And why not be proud that it's not just good for you, it's good for the Earth, too?

p.s. - this will depend on demand. My goal is to provide one makeover per week.
p.p.s - please make sure that your photos are clear, with good light. Include a caption describing what you don't like or want to change, and what your style is. I don't want to recommend anything you don't like, after all!

Allow me to introduce myself...

This is my first blog, and consequently, my first post. I'm slightly trepidatious to publish this first post, but, as I've been learning, the blogsphere is such a lovely place! It seems that bloggers are earnest and kind, so full of passion and inspiration! I mean, why not, when everyone is indulging in something they love? So, why am I here? Over the past few months, I've really been inspired by the many fabulous blogs out there...and I've been fueling my own passion too, so, why not share? I'm hoping to develop this blog into an extension of my professional life. I am interior decorator, and somewhat new at it, as of 2 years ago. I've been looking for ways to forge into the design frontier, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Why green? Well, I was initially disturbed by the consumerism promoted by my industry, a feeling that just didn't sit well. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE beautiful things, but as I came to these realizations, any object off the shelf just didn't do it for me anymore. The environment has always been a passion - living in Muskoka, having a cottage on Georgian Bay and just harboring a genuine love for the outdoors has fueled a respect and awe for nature; so it was no real hardship to begin searching for ways to green my approach to decorating. The result is a medley of hunting for vintage and antique finds to personalize and adapt in wonderful ways, getting really creative with materials, and a self-professed obsession combing the internet for new green products. As this progressed, I came to realize that decorating in an eco-manner was downright difficult in my area, hence, my new fiancee and I are opening a green design, décor and building supply store in our area! We are so thrilled, but the process has been very long... I'm getting away from myself. The REAL purpose of this blog is to prove that gone are the days when eco meant sacrificing anything when it comes to style. Look here for green style, new products, and eco DIY. You'll find that I have a real penchant for urban-rustic interiors. I love bleached out wood, rough edges mixed with clean, lots of light and splashes of colour. I look forward to sharing these passions with you! Excuse this lengthy post, but now that we're acquainted, we can get started!