the green home center

i finally got a chance to visit the green home center on polk street and am so glad i did! this is a very inspiring place for me because ever since i did a school project on designing a green design center i've been dreaming about being able to own one. it was fabulous to see one up and running and doing really well. the green home center is a co-op of many different green-oriented businesses from contractors & interior designers to home-related products & other services. there are cabinet makers, upholstery & rug makers, solar engineers, tile & countertop farbicators, flooring manufacturers, led lighting, and so much more. really if you're at all interested in anything sustainable for your home or office you must stop in and check them out. what's more, the people working there are extremely knowledgeable and helpful ~ not pretentious in the least, which is a relief after spending so much time at the sf design center where i'm perpetually unimpressed with the sales people's attitudes. but that is a tangent not worth digging in to.... anyway, i'm just on the cusp of starting my own green design business {admitting it here is kind of intimidating, but i'll just take the leap and say it anyway!} and spending time at the green home center was thoroughly uplifting and encouraging. i hope you'll stop in and visit them soon too. if you do please tell them studio wellspring sent you and then let me know what you think!

cross my heart

there's a london-based industrial designer genius who's recently made me swoon ~ his name is michael cross and his work is incredible.

just take a look to see what i mean......

{sprinkle is a carpet in thousands of pieces that you throw and scatter into islands of carpet wherever you want them. the pieces always land the right way up like shuttle-cocks, and their silicone bases make them stick to the floor. then when you need to clean it, you just scoop it up and throw it in the washing machine.}

{in september 2006 michael cross showed the first stage prototype of this epic project in dilston grove, south-east london. the bridge is a series of steps which rise up out of the water in front of you as you walk from one to the next, and then disappear back underneath behind you as you go, leaving you stranded with only one step visible in front of you, and one behind. the bridge ends in the middle of the water, where you find yourself totally isolated and cut off from the shore. you return the way you came. the mixed feelings of peace, isolation, relaxation and fear that the piece elicits are powerful. the project is on-going and will ultimately lead to a permanent installation in a lake.}

{in 2004 michael cross spent two weeks in the late geoffrey bawa's fairytale retreat "lunuganga" in sri lanka. there, in the flooded gardens, they began their response to the place ~ a piece which aims to bring a little of the feeling of the teeming flooded jungle into the cool western living room. cast in polyurethane the piece functions as a shelf or hanger.}

{thanks jendita for the tip!}

a chaise that rocks

i have found what i've been looking for but didn't think existed...... a chaise lounge rocker that is vintage but contemporary. sounds odd ~ but just look at this fine specimen i've found on stephen coles flickr site. danish modern styling with gorgeous lines & fine craftmanship ~ it has a walnut wood base and nubby alabaster/oatmeal colored upholstery. i am completely smitten. and ready to buy.

plus that sun ray clock and sheep skin rug would look fantastic in my apartment too. i wonder if i can get a deal on the whole lot?? wish me luck! :o)

shagilicious

the shag rug has come a long way since moustaches, visible chest hair, and mood rings were in vogue. i appreciate that it invites you to take off your shoes & stay a while. today is all about exploring the contemporary possibilities with this 3 dimensional approach to floor covering.

(luscious silk shags can be found at peddada )

(a large collection of shag rugs with interesting patterns & colors woven in ~ including 100% custom rugs ~ made at woven accents )

(the seagrass line at nani-marquina is all about the retro lush)

(urba is all about sleek, elegant shag. no that isn't an oxymoron)

(the sg poly rugs from kymo flooring are 100% polyester)

and some nice contemporary rooms utilizing the shag to add comfort & softness:

feeling floral

{an innovative home accessory: fumfum flower magazine holder first seen at the interior lifestyles 2007}

{the unfortunate thing about collecting things in a hurry over a long period of time is sometimes i save a picture of something incredible without saving the detailed info about it. such is the case here. i've searched the entire internet and still can't find the source of this photo. if you know, please share}

{little field of flowers rug by tord boontje for nani marquina ~ it's available in 3 different colors and is 100% felted wool. can be purchased for a steep sum at plushpod}

.

{the dream bag ~ kasper medin and ulrika e. engberg's dream bag is "furniture to rest in, play with or to dream away in; a dream like flower for the young and old people. close it into a bud and let it blossom when or wherever you want either inside or outdoors" more photos of this beauty are here}

{the iceland poppy from irving penn's exhibit at the pace macgill gallery in february of this year}

orange splashes top to bottom

flooring ideas:

(lonseal is one of the largest vinyl flooring manufacturers ~ they have a multitude of options for commercial, hospitality & even residential applications; eco-flooring, textured vinyls, hi-gloss sheet goods, and much more. this is their orange trolley color ~ the name, the image & the color are all so cheerful)

(this whimsical & lively rug was designed by patricia urquiola in 2004. found it at architonic)

(well-known for his contemporary furniture & textile works, patrick norguet is a young french designer who creates works of art in each carpet he designs. this is called claudine 1, and would make a bold, chic statement on any floor. available at inmod)

(this is a parquet pattern from globus cork made from 3 different shades of cork. dozens more shades and patterns are available ~ whatever your imagination can dream up. and it's guilt-free flooring since this a green-design product from manufacture on through to installation)

(forbo's marmoleum is wonderful not only for it's look and feel, but also because it's a green-design product too. i've installed it in several projects and have been very pleased with how it looks each time. 100's of colors & patterns are available, but i'm pretty partial to the more subtle shades of their sheet goods. this amber option looks great with brazilian cherry cabinets)

(i love so many of the rugs at wovenground it was difficult to choose just one to show here. this one is called "void" ~ it comes in several shapes, sizes & color ways. made from 100% new zealand wool in india, the company guarantees no child labor goes in to any aspect of their production. please jump to their site to explore their vast collection for yourself)


lighting options:

(circles and squares make a good fit with the incandescent petronilla round suspension light, designed by ernesto gismondi. its round and rectilinear diffusers in orange, blue, aqua green, gray, or frosted white acrylic are mounted on corresponding frosted white backs. the piece is joined by square table, floor, and suspension versions all at rezek)

(i am a big fan of oggetti products ~ this lovely sconce is handmade in germany)

(the gummi light looks good enough to eat. like the candy it's named for, this battery-powered led light, with a gummy bear-shaped body of solid polyurethane, comes in five delicious colors: green, orange, white, yellow, and red. it's 8 inches tall. what an adorable idea for a kid's room; just be sure to make it clear the fixture is not edible! offered up at jellio)

(it's hard to beat the babylone drum pendants. measuring 30 inches across, the high-gloss gray, orange, black, or red vinyl shades are suspended from a chrome mounting plate. contempo-retro beauty found at marzais creations, based in france)


(the carmen chandelier by melograno is elegant, vibrant, unique, and simply gorgeous)

full circle

(tufenkian carpet's tibetan rug series ~ this one is called total elcipse in orchard)

(seattle based jmilo offers this cheery water lillys rug made of new zealand wool with silk details)

(indoor-outdoor rugs from the dimensions line, with water-jet cut lacey edges, are made of latex saturated felt. by liora manne)

(the ever popular, but oh so still worth mentioning, zebra rug by martin patrick evan)


(fourth street studios' circles in silk by manhattan-based designers brad davis and janis provisor)

(jump carpet by saxony carpet company)

(the handmade mandala rug by asha carpets)

(the effervescent rug by top floor rugs can be made for you in any size or combination of colors)