Green Large Format Photo Printing

The more I delve into the emerging landscape of eco-friendly resources, the more I find some real gems that are worth considering. Came across this resource on the ASID group on LinkedIn:  Green Photo Print  


What's great about this is that not only do you get some great artwork to complete a room design, but you are also not contributing to the "pirating" of digital imagery that is so prevalent these days because either (a) you can select images whose copyrights have expired or (b) you can upload your own images that you have taken.


Best of all, they have a terrific manufacturing process that is sustainable, recyclable, and uses low VOC ink.  Pretty cool, huh?  I've requested a price list to see how they stack up price-wise.


One drawback on the eco-friendly front for my California friends:  these guys are based in Massachusetts so you will have to weigh the downside of shipping across the country against the benefits of their manufacturing and materials.  One way to offset that might be to do several orders at once and combine the shipping.

What do you think of this?  Has anyone heard of a similar service on the West Coast?  Please let me know if you've heard of one.

Green Kitchen Design Competition Entry

Thought I'd share with all of you the competition entry I'm submitting this week for the Student Career Forum that will be held at the SFDC on March 4th.  The entry requirements for this Northern California chapter of the NKBA competition are here, if you're interested in the problem to solve. Meantime, here are the boards I'm submitting along with some detailed photos.  Hope you like it!  Would be honored to hear your comments.  P.S.  Totally digging those cerulean/peacock blue Viking appliances. Aren't they awesome?

Objectives and design statement

Entry must be submitted on only two 18" x 24" boards.  Lots of info for not a lot of real estate!

Board #1:  Two-pt perspective of the kitchen area, the design statement, and the floor/mechanical plan.

Board #2: 2-pt perspective of the family room, appliance and furniture specs, cabinet and mechanical legends.

 

 

Detail of kitchen rendering.

Detail of family room rendering.

 

The Beauty of Eco-Haus

OK, so where have I been?  Literally, I've been cranking out design school projects and going to my internship at one of the  SFDC showrooms like nobody's business, and have had little time to focus on this blog.  Hope to rectify that during my semester break!

Metaphorically, I've clearly been out to lunch because I've only recently become aware of Ecohaus, the green building supplies and home materials store that's been around since 2006.  The San Francisco store opened this past May and it's chock full of everything you'd need to make your next remodeling/design project more eco-friendly.  Think of it as Home Depot with a conscience! 

That said, there do seem to be some noticeable absences in their inventory:  with Title 24 such a huge factor in California, why don't they carry efficient lighting?  Their countertop line doesn't include Vetrazzo, a local provider of recycled glass engineered solid surfacing.  There are likely good reasons for the omissions and with this store so new, perhaps they are still lining up additional suppliers.

This is a minor quibble, I think, given that they are certainly promoting the right idea in making these supplies more generally available. I'd be curious to know if anyone out there has purchased anything from Ecohaus, both homeowners and designers alike.  How was the experience?  Do they give trade discounts to designers and builders?  Please share your stories.

Meantime, you can check out their fan page on Facebook to have the latest and greatest news about the company and shopping specials delivered to your newsfeed.

More Flea Finds

Went to the Candlestick Antiques and Flea Market again today.  Not as many vendors this time around which I find a bit distressing; could mean there aren't enough people attending making it tough for these folks to make money.  But be that as it may, there were still some gems among the knick-knacks.  Here are some photos of what I found. Let me know what you think!

 Pottery, particularly in groupings, always adds warmth to a room.  Love the shades of green in these very simple designs.

 Fantastic collection of kilim rugs at this booth, in a huge range of colors.  The earthy tones and geometry of this one caught my eye.

 Spruced up with some new paint and this could be a great addition to a baby's room to hold decorative pillows, stuffed animals, or antique dolls.

 OK, nothing terribly special about these glass beads, but I just love the colorful display!

 Don't you love metal sculptures made of found objects?  This artist uses old tools to create these creatures.  Nice garden addition.

 LOVE these hand-painted parasols.  You could make a great semi-flush mounted light fixture from one of these that would be beautiful and eye-catching.

 Some handy trays for serving, or simply creating a nice display.  They're not old, but I thought they were kind of fun.  Perfect for the right French bistro inspired kitchen.

 These antique typewriters are simply amazing art objects. Great conversation piece in a room with an industrial design scheme.

 What is it about Mason jars that are so uplifting?  Is it the promise of putting something yummy inside, or just that their shapes are so appealing?  I particularly like the turquoise tint of the glass.  Great for storing office supplies like paper clips and rubber bands, or for storing craft items like buttons or scrapbook embellishments.  Hmm, should have bought some myself!

 Great Danish modern chair, awful upholstery.  But that's easily corrected.  Would love to see this updated with one of the bright new Ikat prints that are so in vogue.

 And speaking of awful upholstery, another classic mid-20th century chair with potential.  Wouldn't it be fun to  re-cover it with the new candy-colored shiny vinyl that's out there?  I'm thinking hot orange.

 I don't know why I'm such a sucker for architectural salvage, but so be it.  Terrific in a living or dining room used either as a pedestal for art or even on its own next to a fireplace.

 Great antique trunk!  Side table potential or an anchor for the foot of a bed.

The next show is schedule for October 24.  Check out their web site for hours and entrance fees.

Texture, texture, texture

There's something about interiors that use a lot of texture that I find really inspirational.  Give me some great looking rough-hewn beams, some fabulous woven seagrass furniture, or stone facing on a fireplace and you've got the makings of an architecturally interesting and comfortable space.  I do appreciate sleek, minimal, Euro-design, but the minute it starts to get too hard-edged, gallery-like, and reflective, they've lost me.   

So it's great to know all of these texture-enhancing design elements are available from resources who care about the environment and take great pains to ensure their processes are earth-friendly. Take Restoration Timber, for example.  They make custom flooring, cabinetry, siding, doors, and beams from old salvaged barns and warehouses, reusing wood cut down over a century ago instead of new wood.

  Eldorado Stone is a stone veneer manufacturing company of products that can be used indoors or out, and for both residential and commercial design. Their factories are located throughout the U.S., which reduces the distances of shipping products, and thereby reducing the carbon footprint, and their use of recycled materials makes them a good resource for LEED certified projects.

  

And finally, there's a site from the UK called Cyan that has an array of woven furniture for both indoor and outdoor use.  I particularly like this chair that combines great texture with clean lines.

 

 

I'm Baaa--aaak

Apologies for the radio silence--big family event this past weekend that I was in charge of pulling off which occupied an extraordinary amount of time.  A good time was had by all, but I'm glad it's over! 

But to make up for my lapse, I came across a great designer who's making chairs and tables out of old traffic signs.  His name is Boris Bally and his work is both modern and playful.   Would love to see these seating-as-sculptures around a stainless dining table, or even strategically placed along a long gallery wall. 

Do you think of these as art or functional pieces?  Would love to hear your feedback.

 

Pre-Fabulous

I've been fascinated by the strides in pre-fab housing ever since I saw The Glidehouse at the Sunset Magazine annual Celebration Weekend in 2006. Aside from how warm a modern home could be, I was impressed with the attention to green detail paid to the design. 

Could this be the solution to our empty nest goals (several years away, mind you) of having a pied a terre in San Francisco and a place near the ocean? My husband and I are both beach lovers--he's a recreational surfer and I just love the mesmerizing and relaxing beat of crashing waves--and the pricing on these pre-fabs are just, well, fabulous.  Compared to buying an existing home on the California coast, it's pretty amazing.

The folks who created the Glidehouse, MK Designs, have now created several new sets of pre-fab, ecologically sound, home plans of varying sizes.  While the pricing of these have yet to be determined, the architect is also working with Bluhomes to create some pretty modestly priced plans that are also quite lovely.  Here's just a smattering of some of the designs they're creating: