Green Your Decor

How Sweet It Is: Block Printed Fabrics by Home Sweet

jennae — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:00:58 +0000

Lately, I’ve been getting the itch to do a DIY project, big or small. Making pillows is easy enough, but I think I want to do something different, but equally as simple — like making a piece of wall art by stretching fabric over a frame. When I found these fabrics by Home Sweet on Etsy, that desire sparked up inside of me again. After all, prints as beautiful as these deserve to be put on display — works of art in themselves.

Jennifer Nelson designs and makes the fabrics at her Delaware home. They are block printed by hand with eco-friendly inks, and the bold, retro-leaning patterns are right up my alley. They are incredibly simple, yet still intricate and attention-grabbing enough to make a great home decor statement. If you’re not inclined to try your hand at crafting, you can purchase a variety of products already made with these fabrics, including gorgeous pillow covers and table linens. I think I’ll start with a few small swatches of fabric and work my way up from there. I’ll let you know what I come up with.

Why It’s Green:

Patterns are block-printed onto hemp/organic cotton blend fabrics using water-based inks
Handmade in the U.S.

Price: $9-70 for fabrics swatches of varying sizes. Approx. $70/yard

How Sweet It Is: Block Printed Fabrics by Home Sweet

Beautiful Reflection: Twig Mirror from Viva Terra

jennae — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:43:18 +0000

In general, I’m not a huge fan of mirrors. It’s not that I don’t like looking at myself. It’s just that I honestly don’t spend a whole lot of time doing it. My mirror time is pretty much confined to the time I spend brushing my teeth and combing my hair. There are no last-second checks as I walk out the door or hours spent putting on makeup or even cleaning my face (I do that in the shower). That said, every girl needs a mirror for those last-second checks, and something tells me reflections in this Twig Mirror from Viva Terra can’t help but be beautiful.

It is made of recycled metal cast over real twigs. Normally, something like this would be much, much too rustic for my taste, but the slick black finish earns this mirror my seal of approval. At 10.5″ x 11″, it is the right size for hair and makeup, and it won’t take up too much space on a dresser. I actually picture it sitting on a minimal white fireplace mantel overlooking a crisp living room decorated all in black, white and yellow. Acccessories as simple as this one are what help make a room look “finished” and well-put-together. And if I could ever gete my mother to clear her mantel clutter, I might just be able to illustrate that point in real life…

Why It’s Green:

Made of recycled metal cast over real twigs

Price: On sale for $35 (aff)

Beautiful Reflection: Twig Mirror from Viva Terra

Eco-Eye Candy: Le Viette Organic Cotton ‘Dessert’ Towels

jennae — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:55:42 +0000

I am officially in love. Today, I found a company that combines two of the things I crave most: dessert and decorating. Le Viette makes the most beautiful, delectable-looking towels I’ve ever seen! Their organic cotton and bamboo towels are folded, rolled and otherwise cajoled into dessert-like shapes, complete with fruit adorning the tops. If you’ve ever admired diaper cakes, you’ll love these!

There are rolls, cakes, and even cups of ice cream. These would make a beautiful housewarming or shower gift — once you explain to the recipient that the delicious slice of chocolate cake in front of her is really a hand towel, that is. And the best part? They are less than $10 apiece, so you can make a huge impact with your unique, green gift without spending a lot of money.

Am I the only one who’s drooling?

Why It’s Green:

Towels made of organic cotton and bamboo
Towels are never bleached or treated with chemicals

Price: $7 to 8/ea.

Eco-Eye Candy: Le Viette Organic Cotton ‘Dessert’ Towels

Subtle Tribal Influence: Organic Village Diamond Bedding

jennae — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:49:40 +0000

My husband thinks it’s absolutely insane that I can spend hours on end looking at bedding options, furniture and decor and never get tired of finding new pieces. It’s why he likely regrets the decision every time we make a trip to Ikea or Pottery Barn. But no matter what he says, I just love hunting for new finds that will spice up our living spaces. I can’t help myself, and that’s why I’ll never tire of sharing my finds with you. For example, I’m sure I’m not the only one who will appreciate this organic Village Diamond duvet cover and sham from West Elm.

The geometric diamond pattern is inspired by traditional African block prints. My husband and I have a lot of African art (albeit in storage), but I’ve never liked the idea of Safari-inspired bedding in our room. This subtle pattern would be a great way to bring our taste into the bedroom without making our bedding too bold. The diamonds and muted color scheme also give it a modern edge that could also be interpreted as having a Scandinavian influence. In other words, it’s a lot of styles wrapped into one package, much like my taste

Now if I can find an eco-friendly version of the headboard and fluffy throw pillow shown in the photos, I’ll be happy.

Why It’s Green:

Made of 300-thread-count organic cotton percale

Price: $19-99

Subtle Tribal Influence: Organic Village Diamond Bedding

Abstract Art for Your Floor: Recycled Felt Rug

jennae — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:46:56 +0000

Am I the only one who is frustrated by the idea that so many home builders and apartment communities insist on installing wall-to-wall carpeting? I understand that it is the most cost-effective flooring option, but I’d rather have stained concrete than carpet. In fact, I’d prefer to have almost ANY flooring surface. If, like me, you’re stuck with carpet, at least for the meantime, you’ll be happy to know that it is completely acceptable to put an area rug on top of a carpet. It will help to define your sitting area and, as a bonus, cover up any unsightly stains on the carpet below. I’m always inspired by decor that is brilliantly colorful, but still subtle enough to work with lots of decorating styles. This beautiful recycled felt rug from Urban Outfitters is one of those pieces.

From afar, it looks like a brilliant piece of abstract art, with colors mixed seamlessly together. Up close, it is just as flawless, though I imagine it will be a little fuzzy to the touch in person. It is available in three colorways, all equally beautiful, though I’m partial to Quarry Sunset (red) and Quarry Turquoise. The process used to create the design is called Lamontage. The fibers are locked together and compacted so they become tightly woven, and no two rugs will be exactly alike.

The rugs are made of recycled acrylic felt, as opposed to natural wool felt, so I wouldn’t recommend them if you have chemical sensitivities. And much like all the other housewares at Urban Outfitters, it would work best in a smaller space, since it’s only 3.5′ x 5.5′. But if those conditions work for you, this is a great option for a unique rug that will make your room shine, even if it is covered in carpet.

Why It’s Green:

Made of recycled acrylic felt

Price: $148

Abstract Art for Your Floor: Recycled Felt Rug

Simply Delightful: Wool Felt Pendant Lamp by FELT Studio

jennae — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:45:15 +0000

Finally completing our long-overdue patio makeover has left me itching to start another decorating project. Of course, this is complicated by the fact that we aren’t living in our own home and therefore don’t have as much free reign as I would like to go on a decorating spree. So I’ve settled on trying to convince my mother of more subtle changes. For example, she could hardly complain if I replaced the outdated, builder surplus light fixture over her dining table with this beauty!

The dining table has its own nook carved out in the kitchen, but because of the lighting, it has never really felt like a true dining room space. This beautiful felt creation could help fix that in a flash. Made by FELT studio, it is made of 100% wool felt that would otherwise be thrown away. It’s not a huge fixture, with just a 13″ diameter on top and 11″ on the bottom — really more of a pendant than a chandelier. But that’s a good thing, because this isn’t a huge space, and I’m not sure if my mother would agree to something more substantial. Of course, there’s always the little issue of price…

Why It’s Green:

Made from 100% wool felt die-cut waste material

Price: $396

Simply Delightful: Wool Felt Pendant Lamp by FELT Studio

Gritty, but Gorgeous: Parvez Taj Bamboo Artwork

jennae — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:45:32 +0000

I really have a thing for graphic, visceral artwork that is a combination of the literal and the abstract, so I love the artwork of Parvez Taj. I featured him once before for his gritty, urban artwork on eco-friendly kirei board and he’s back at it again with new sustainable art. I am no less impressed by his latest work, a full series of prints on bamboo ply.

The new series includes a variety of pieces with kid-friendly motifs, like beautiful images of frogs and parrots. The more “grown-up” images include grungy cityscapes and groups of penguins. I’m personally infatuated! Is it possible to have a crush on a piece of art? lol

Why It’s Green:

Printed on bamboo with no added formaldehyde
Printed with no-VOC, solvent-free UV inks

Price: $78-498

Gritty, but Gorgeous: Parvez Taj Bamboo Artwork

Green How-To: Customize Bamboo Blinds with a Graphic Freehand Paint Job

jennae — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:39:50 +0000

For years, I’ve been dreaming about having free reign to decorate a space as I pleased and actually putting my ideas for customization into action. Apparently though, that requires a couple of things, the most important of which is having our own home where we can decorate as we like. Doing a suprise patio makeover for my mother was one of very few times over the last few years when I’ve been able to take a decorating idea from concept all the way through to creation, and I loved every second of it. But by far, my favorite part of the new patio space is the custom-painted bamboo blinds that cover up the ugly storage nook where the lawnmower lives. I had the bright idea to paint the blinds with a simple floral pattern after seeing how Nicole Balch over at Making It Lovely painted a gorgeous rug directly onto the floor of her front porch — when she was nine months pregnant, no less. So here’s how I turned a pair of boring, but functional bamboo blinds into the focal point of my mother’s patio.

1. Decide what you want to paint before you start

I knew the design would have to be simple if I had any chance of actually being able to paint it freehand, without the benefit of pencil sketching. The textured surface of the bamboo blinds made sketching impossible, so I had to have a clear idea of what I wanted the design to look like before I started painting on the blinds. I created a pencil sketch on paper of how I wanted the flowers to look. The pattern was simple enough, so I moved on to the real thing.

2. Lay the blinds flat and straight

Bamboo blinds have a tendency to shift if you’re not careful. In order for the design to look the way you imagined once you hang the blinds, you have to ensure that they lay perfectly straight on your painting surface. If you don’t, the design can end up seriously distorted once hanging.

3. Paint outlines first, then fill in the blanks

I used a very thin artist’s brush to paint the outlines of my flowers onto the blinds, then went back with a wider tipped brush to fill in the pattern. Because bamboo blinds have gaps between each bamboo twig, the fine-tipped brush would have made for a loooong process. The wider brush made the filling in much easier, and creating the outlines first meant I could stand back and check the progress of the design as I was going along. In fact, I seriously considered leaving just the outlines because I loved the look, but I figured it would be more substantial and impressive if filled in the flowers.

4. Let them dry for several hours

We actually let them dry for a full day before hanging them just to make sure the paint wouldn’t drip, but in the Georgia heat, I suspect we could have hung them after about 2 hours.

5. Hang them and admire your work

We hung our blinds in a very non-traditional space. For one thing, they are outdoors. But they are also not even on a window. They’re hanging from eye hooks in the patio roof. But no matter where you choose to use your blinds, be sure to take a photo so you’ll always remember what you did. Like I said, this simple project, which took me a total of about an hour to paint, has turned our cluttered, unused nook into concealed storage and my favorite part of the patio space.

Total cost: $80.76

Radiance Imperial Matchstick Rollup Shade, $34.88/ea. (Walmart)
Artist’s paintbrushes, Approx. $4 (Home Depot)
Behr outdoor paint sample, Approx. $4 (Home Depot)
Biodegradable plastic dropcloth, Approx. $3 (Walmart)

What do you think of this project? Does it seem easy enough to attempt on your own? Have you done any similar customization projects for your home or someone else’s? I’d love to hear about them! And if you have any green decorating projects for any part of your home that you’d like to share, you can submit your project information and photos for a chance to be featured right here at Green Your Decor!

Green How-To: Customize Bamboo Blinds with a Graphic Freehand Paint Job

Finally, Green Outdoor Pillows: Comfort Earth pillows from Target

jennae — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:00:32 +0000

Remember how I said I couldn’t find any eco-friendly outdoor pillows when I was sourcing products for my patio makeover? Well, guess what I found when I walked into Target just three days after buying a set of 3 non-sustainable outdoor pillows from Home Depot? Green outdoor pillows.

I wasn’t able to find these pillows at their website or find a website for the manufacturer, Comfort Earth. However, the product tags say that the fabric covers are made from recycled nylon and polyester waste, and that it is recyclable up to 10 times over. The pillow fill is also made of 100% recycled plastic bottles.

The pillows were on an endcap display in the Target seasonal outdoor decor section if you’d like to see them for yourself.

Why It’s Green:

Made of recycled, recyclable fabric and 100% recycled fill

Price: $19.99/ea. (may vary by location)

Finally, Green Outdoor Pillows: Comfort Earth pillows from Target

In Heaven at Go Green Expo, Atlanta

jennae — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:36:05 +0000

I keep promising myself that I’ll start attending more green events so I can become better aware of new products, advancements and innovations as soon as they are on the market so I can share them with you. I had my first opportunity this past weekend at Go Green Expo in Atlanta. I was able to walk through the exhibit halls of the Cobb Galleria Centre at my leisure taking in all the great green products and companies that the city has to offer.

I was happy to see exhibitors from many companies that I recognized, like Kleen Kanteen, Simple Shoes and Wow Green cleaning products. But also learned about lots of great new products for the home and green living in general, as well as local retailers like ecoEmporium that focus specifically on green products. Mostly, I was just happy to be in the presence of so many people who truly care about the Earth as much as I do. Thanks to my failure to pay attention (and failure to actually read the schedule instead of just giving it a cursory glance), I missed all the panels, including the keynote by actress and eco-advocate Mariel Hemingway, but I still learned a lot while I was there.

My husband and daughter went with me, and while spending three hours in any one place is tough for a 3-year-old, we had a really good time. My daughter missed a chance to meet Captain Planet, and she was pretty disappointed by that, but there were other things to cheer her up. The highlights of the day? Sitting in an itty bitty Smart ForTwo car and a remarkably fuel efficient Honda Insight, and watching mini me attempt to climb a rock wall and cheering hubby as he reached the top. I made connections with reps from a lot of awesome green companies, and I’ll be sharing some of those with you in coming weeks.

All in all, I’m really glad we went, and I’ll be looking out for more green events to attend in the Atlanta area. Know of one that’s coming up? Feel free to leave it in the comments or submit it for consideration! And if you’re in the Southeast and at all interested in green living, Go Green Expo will be in Charlotte, NC from October 2-4. It’s worth seeing for yourself. You can see more of my photos from the event in my Flickr photo set.

In Heaven at Go Green Expo, Atlanta

Green Rooms in a Box: Patio Makeover Revealed!

jennae — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:01:21 +0000

I’ve been excited about bringing this Green Room in a Box from an idea to reality ever since I first posted it. It’s amazing how easy it is to get sidetracked on a decorating project. If it took my husband and I 2 months long to complete a patio makeover, I can imagine how long it would have taken us to do a kitchen!

To be fair, we wound up making cosmetic changes that we hadn’t anticipated, like buying bags and bags of mulch to prettify the planting beds and just generally make the front of the house look a lot better. That blew a giant hole in our original budget, so it took us longer than expected to re-budget for all the accessories we wanted to get. Coincidentally though, my mother returned from the Virgin Islands yesterday, so we were able to do the “big reveal” for her before I do it here for you, and I’m happy to say that she loved it! Click on the thumbnails above to see more photos of the finished design. RSS and email users, you may have to click through to the site in order to see the gallery.

Just so you’ll remember where we started, the original “before” photo is shown above. Most of the items we planned during the Green Room in a Box reveal did end up in the final design, with a couple of exceptions. So here’s the final shopping list and some notes:

Radiance Imperial Matchstick Rollup Shade from Walmart | $34.88/ ea.; $69.76 for 2 | Made of bamboo. I hand-painted the flowers I originally envisioned onto the shades. What do you think of the result? I plan to post a tutorial on Monday.
Recycled Green Lemonade Carafe and Glass 5-Piece Set from Walmart | $19.98 | Made of recycled glass.
3 Piece Acacia Bistro Set with Cushions from Walmart | $148 | Made of FSC-certified acacia wood.
Coir Coastal Doormat from Target | $14.99 | Made of coir, which comes from discarded coconut husks | We changed the color scheme of the room, so this one no longer made sense. We also wanted one that was a little bit more affordable, so we opted for this simple, but colorful design from Target.
Solar Lights from Walmart | $4/ea.; $16 for 4 | Solar-powered | They aren’t shown in the photo because we haven’t yet figured out how to actually get them to work, but we did buy them (Not available at Walmart.com; Only in stores)
Sheraton Low Deep Seating Chair from Walmart | $146/ea.; $292 for 2 | Made of FSC-certified Eucalyptus wood.
Plantation Patterns Outdoor Pillows from Home Depot | $12.49/ea.; $37.47 for 3 | The pillows we originally wanted from Sears were no longer available when I finally went to order them, so we got these from Home Depot instead. The online price is $30 for a set of 2, but in the store, we paid $12.49 per pillow. And remember how I said I couldn’t find any eco-friendly outdoor pillows? On Monday, I’ll reveal how I did find some…2 days after I had bought these pillows and all the matching accessories
Plastic Planters | As I mentioned my mom had 2 of these for a few years. We painted them and added flowers to really spruce up the space. And as you can see, we added lots of other potted plants, herbs and flowers. Actually, my husband did. I may have the eye for the design, but I do NOT have a green thumb
Recycled Plastic Sunburst Rug from Bambeco | $35 | Made of recycled plastic | As soon as I saw this rug and how beautifully it coordinated with the pillows we chose, I had to have it! In the product photo on the Bambeco site, the rug looks purple. In person with an up-close view, it looks purple because the rug is made of a combination of red and blue woven plastic. It still looks great though! | BONUS: Use coupon code “gyd09” to get 20% off any order from Bambeco!

TOTAL: $633.20 | The final cost is about $20 higher than it was originally intended to be, and with supplies (a few cans of spray paint and a small paint sample, a pair of hedge clipper, etc.), the total cost (excluding the mulch) is probably right at $700. Not bad, eh?

So what do you think of the final design? We still plan to paint the front door black (if my mother will let us) and stain the concrete patio so it looks like the dicoloration is on purpose…lol. Leave your compliments comments below!

If you are a new reader, you may want to consider subscribing to Green Your Decor via RSS or email newsletter to make sure you don’t miss the other great rooms in the “Green Rooms in a Box” series! Also, follow me on Twitter to find out how you can get a customized Green Room in a Box for free so you can turn your “before” into a beautiful “after”, or purchase a room design consultation now at my steeply discounted rate!

Green Rooms in a Box: Patio Makeover Revealed!

Drunk on the Sound of Music: Pure Malt Speakers from Pioneer

jennae — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:30:39 +0000

Putting together the eco-friendly man cave for the Green Rooms in a Box series the other day reminded me of two things:

How much I love my husband, because I really want to give him a room like that when we have our own home, and
How integral our electronic toys are in our everyday lives

Most interior designers worth their fee will tell you that your TV shouldn’t be the focal point of any room. But the fact of the matter is, that way of thinking is a bit outdated. These days, TVs, stereos and other electronics are a big part of our lives, and it’s not always possible to hide them for the sake of a beautiful, magazine-cover ready home. So you have a couple of options. You can hide that big-screen TV behind a piece of art or a folding screen, or you can buy your electronics with aesthetics (and of course the Earth) in mind, so you don’t have to hide them.

I’ll try to present you with more options for beautiful electronics here at Green Your Decor, since it’s unlikely we’ll all forgo our TVs and computers when decorating. These speakers from Pioneer Electronics are a great example of beauty and Earth-friendliness. The speaker boxes are made from reclaimed oak whiskey barrels. Soaking the wood in whiskey gives the speakers a beautiful oak patina and, apparently, a deep, mellow tone. This may sound like nothing more than a gimmicky claim, but all the tech reviews I found claimed there was a noticeable improvement in sound quality over traditional speakers.

I know my husband would get a kick out of knowing where the speaker boxes came from. Of course, if you like building things and happen to have some oak whiskey barrels laying around, you could probably make these speaker boxes yourself. But since neither of those applies to me, I’d consider these a great buy, perfect for a music lover.

Why It’s Green:

Speaker boxes made from reclaimed oak whiskey barrels

Price: $299/ea.

Drunk on the Sound of Music: Pure Malt Speakers from Pioneer

Step on It: Eco-Friendly Decorative Coir Doormats

jennae — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:27:15 +0000

This is the last hint I’ll give before I finally reveal the patio makeover you’ve all been waiting for so patiently. One of the very last things on my shopping list was a doormat. Yes, it is completely functional, but there was no reason I couldn’t hold out for one that is also beautiful and green as well. I did a lot of searching on the internet for sustainably-made doormats.

For the most part, that will either mean they are made of coir, which is made from discarded coconut shells, or recycled rubber. I wasn’t fond of the idea of recycled rubber, so I’d been looking for coir. These mats caught my eye early on, but it turns out that none of them worked with the final color scheme of the patio decor. Still, they are so beautiful that I had to share my find.

Available in 3 colors schemes with 3 patterns for each colorway, these heavy duty coir doormats are definitely something special. And the best part is the price. At just $17 apiece, it would be reasonable to buy more than one to switch out your mat as your mood or outdoor decor changes. It’s really hard to say which colorway is my favorite, what with the graphic floral and damask patterns and elements on each, but I think I’m leaning toward the blue series. Some of the patterns are currently sold out, but there are enough others to go around.

Why It’s Green:

Made of coir

Price: $16.99 per doormat in the red, black & white and blue colorways

Step on It: Eco-Friendly Decorative Coir Doormats

Reclaim to Fame: White & Silver Damask Wood Frame

jennae — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:47:18 +0000

I may or may not be in the minority on this one, but I have real soft spot for damask prints. When I first created the header and background graphics for Green Your Decor, my immediate instinct was to use two different, but complementary, damask patterns. I have since switched to a new design, but I’m still captivated by any home decor that makes use of such a classic style in a contemporary way. This wood frame is a perfect marriage of old and new. The frame is made of reclaimed lumber from old buildings, and it is covered in a silver/white graphic damask that makes it an instant standout.

I love the patina of old wood for small pieces like this, because it is incredibly organic and elemental, and at the same time, strikingly contemporary. I’d say that is a pretty good description of my overall decorating style. I can’t say I’d be terribly excited about paying more than $50 for a 4 x 6 frame, but if you caught me on a good day with a little extra dough in my pocket, I might be sold. Because with my new Nikon D40 digital SLR in my hands, there are lots of photos I could see fit to add to this frame.

Why It’s Green:

Made of reclaimed wood

Price: $52

Reclaim to Fame: White & Silver Damask Wood Frame

Beauty with a Twist: Mango Wood Flowing Vase

jennae — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:59:25 +0000

There are a lot of things I love about having been born and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands, not least of which are the year-round warm weather and beautiful, white sand beaches. But some of my favorite memories are of fresh picked, organic fruits from the trees in my own back yard. From what I remember, we had avocado, papaya, pomegranate, coconut, genip and mango trees, along with some passion fruit plants.

At the time, I wasn’t very appreciative of being able to pick these fruits fresh whenever I wanted them, but looking back on it, we were really living the life. Now, I can only wish for a mango tree in my back yard like the one I grew up with, which was so huge and full, I could reach it from my second story back porch. So in tribute to my beloved mangoes, which I can now find only occasionally at Kroger or the farmer’s market, I’d love to bring home this vase.

Beside the fact that the twisting, curvy shape literally speaks to me, this vase from Uncommon Goods is made of sustainable mango wood. Mango wood is sustainable because the trees are allowed to live out their natural, fruit-bearing life. They are harvested for wood only when they no longer bear any fruit. I don’t remember our mango tree being quite this beautiful, but then again, it’s hard to pay attention to the bark of a tree when you’re busy wiping mango juice from your cheeks.

I also couldn’t resist the urge to show you what mangoes look like on a tree when they are ripe for the picking. If you were wondering how I could possibly be gushing like this over a mango tree, these beautiful, red, ripe grafted mangoes should answer your question

Why It’s Green:

Made of sustainable mango wood

Price: On final clearance for $39.95 (aff)

Beauty with a Twist: Mango Wood Flowing Vase