Keep Calm Gallery

There's something about graphic art that I'm into right now. I think this is because its unconventional and makes you pause, especially if its among a vignette of other more traditional wall hangings, such as photos or paintings. I especially like these gems from the Keep Calm Gallery in Britain, established in January 2007 by Lucas Lepola and Hayley Thwaites. "We founded the online gallery as a result of our passion for typography in poster design, British heritage and the medium of screen printing." I think what I love about these particular designs so much is that they represent to me a blend of vintage (in character) and modern (in design). And what's even better: they're hand silk-screened and printed on recycled paper! Enjoy!

This one is the most famous, and somewhat overdone...but I still like it. It's said that it was originally a war poster from London, advising Londoners not to panic during attacks - imagine!

My favourite! I have a variation of it in my kitchen.

From a British advert slogan.

Designing Green on Vancouver Island

This home features a few green building techniques that emphasize how easy its becoming to build green and maintain style and comfort. Even though this isn't necessarily my taste as its a little cold, I like the blend of concrete and wood that creates an urban country feel. I also like the abundance of oversize windows which allow you to minimize the need for decor, as the great outdoors creates the perfect backdrop.

The concrete walls create 'thermal mass', meaning that they store heat in cold weather, and are cool in warm weather. (I have to admit though, I really don't like this sofa! The fireplace, on the other hand...)

Again, the concrete floors were outfitted with radiant heat coils; this is more efficient as its not working really hard to heat 'dead air'. Also, the concrete works really well to store heat, therefore you can heat your home at a lower temperature. Finally, heat rises!

The abundance of windows allow for passive solar heating, and keep energy costs down by allowing in plenty of natural light. Make sure they are well insulated though (e factor), so heat isn't escaping through them. Love the reclaimed fir beams.

This is a neat feature: see the chain suspended from the eaves in the background? This is actually attached to the gutter, channeling rainwater down to the garden. Natural irrigation!

all photos: Wish

Eco-DIY: Trash to Treasure

For this weeks DIY, I thought I'd feature a few found items that simply needed a good eye and some creativity to restore. I found these really neat pictures of 'dumpster dives' gone fabulous from Canadian Wish magazine. The article asked staff members to document their favourite pre-loved peice, and what they had done with it. The results are incredible, and an inspiration for all of us that love to repurpose. (I LOVE the lamp!)

Vintage Krug Chair Before:

After:

Vintage Lamp Before:

After:

Knock-off Tulip Table Before:

After:

Get this Look Eco-Style: Reclaimed Bedrooms

This week for Eco-Style I chose this bedroom featuring this fab reclaimed wood bed. I've always had a soft spot for beds like this, as to me they're a perfect blend of rustic and modern. The reclaimed wood ensures they're eco. Find out where to get the items you need to create this look at home below.


Note: the owners of this amazing room, Jennifer Hall and Rob Grand, are also the owners of Toronto Grassroots Environmental Products, a green lifestyle retailer. I admire them as they were one of the first to bring an eco-retail store to Canada. In fact, green living stores have been slow to come to Canada. My own retail location, Sustain (set to open this April), will sell green building, reno and decorating products, and will be only the fourth store of its kind in Ontario.

photo credit: Canadian House and Home

The particular bed shown above is from Toronto based Urban Tree Salvage. The company uses trees taken down by the city, and uses them to create one-off furniture such as these beds.

Get an 100% organic mattress at Green Sleep.

Get Organico bed linens from Crate and Barrel.

Area Linen Shop carries natural wool blankets in several colours.

Get really cool pillows made from vintage/reclaimed material from Canadian company Ouno Design. My favourites are made using vintage neck scarves! They also make bedspreads out of them.

To complete the look, you can make your own glass lamp, using any glass vase and a simple lamp kit. However, please note, when working with electricity, please be very cautious, and enlist the help of an expert if needed. Get directions here.

Another Amazing Bed by John Houshmand:

Vintage Friday - Saarinen Tulip Table

I enjoyed my earlier post of Tolix so much it inspired me to create a regular feature on my blog called 'Vintage Friday'. Granted, many of these iconic designs are still in production so you can still buy them new, however, you can easily source an original classic. There are often certain pieces you really love, an Eames lounger or a tulip table, and the pursuit to find an original can be a years long pursuit. In my opinion, that just ensures that you really want it, and it gives you a sense of pride and joy when you finally find it. And of course, vintage is always eco. So, every Friday, pop by to see what new iconic design I've featured, and enjoy the pursuit to find one of your own that you love.

So, for my first official Vintage Friday, I've chosen the Tulip table, which is really enjoying a revival right now; you can find one in virtually every issue of Living Etc., for instance. I remember my grandmother had one for the longest time - if I only knew where it went!

The Tulip is flexible: mix and match with chairs, go rustic or contemporary. It also comes in varying tops, from marble to wood.

A little history: design by Eero Saarinen in 1950's midwest America. Saarinen emmigrated to America in 1923 at the age of 14. While studying art, he became friends with design icon Charles Eames and Florence Knoll, who would go on to produce the Tulip through her firm, Knoll Associates. Post-war industrial advances such as moulded plastic allowed Saarinen to create the flowing, organic lines of the Tulip table and chair. Otherworldly in the 60's, it later picked up many design awards and became one of the world's most coveted designs.

It comes in many different sizes, from eight person to small side tables.

Pair it with other classics, such as these Eames chairs.

Twenty2 Wallpaper

I'm keepin' on with colour! Wallpaper has been enjoying a huge comeback ~ This time, though, without the nasty PVC and VOC's that make your home so unhealthy! Even better, now they're committment-phobe friendly, as new wallpapers are easier to put up and take off, so you don't have to live with it for 20 years!

(The photo that inspired this post. Get an eco-friendly sofa like this at CB2)

That said, new wallpaper companies are cropping up everywhere with decidedly fashion forward motives - from traditional damask, to mod geometrics, to grasscloth in virtually any colour. Twenty2 is just one of these, but they deserve a nod for their bold patterns. Why is it green? The company uses PVC free paper and grasscloth with water based inks, and is recyclable when its outlived your fancy. At $171/roll, however, its best reserved for accent walls.

Designing Green - Concrete Kitchen

In keeping with my colourful theme this week, I chose this kitchen for designing green Wednesday. Concrete countertops are a no-fail eco standby; they always look fabulous, whatever the setting. They are fully recyclable, {and usually fully recycled}. They've been critiqued as 'cold', but I couldn't disagree more. The motled texture and subtle imperfections make it wonderfully personal and unique. I'm usually a fan of white and concrete, but I'm loving the shots of pink in this particular kitchen. It adds life and movement. It also read 'colourful' without being overwhelming. I also like the transition between wood and concrete flooring; people are usually afraid to do that, but done right, its well received.

photos: Living Etc.

Eco-DIY - Birch Bark

There's something about birches that everyone (or at least I do) love; they are so naturally chic. Everytime I pass fallen birch branches on my dog walks in the woods, I'm always thinking what I can do with them. Usually I plunk them in glass vases, which always looks nice. However, here are a few different projects if you feel like being more crafty.

These birch tealight holders were made by a good friend. She simply took fallen birch and drilled out a piece large enough to hold a tealight. Voila!




Again, find a fallen birch branch, and bore out the center. Drop a small glass inside and you've got a gorgeous bud-vase.



{Oh, and then there are these from Viva Terra: not exactly natural, but no less chic. For the city gal who can't just 'pick up' some birch: }



Both are made with recycled aluminum.


Hurry! These vases are 50% off!