Back to the Beauty of Re-Purposing...

Being a girl originally from Texas, anything dealing with or pertaining to horses always captures my heart. The horseshoe has truly become an icon of the American West and is seen in everything from tattoos to wall decor. Regardless of the application, a horseshoe can introduce a humble and inviting feeling into any space. I will forever love items that remind me of my birthplace and history in the great state of Texas. Back to the point, in the ever-advancing art of re-purposing, any material can be manipulated to perform a new function. Case in point..... I am proud to introduce the Horseshoe Chair.

 
Even more interesting than the material it is made from, this chair has such a unique shape and overall contour to it. The contrast of the positive and negative shapes in the chair only enhance the interestingly shaped materials. These chairs were designed and hand-welded together by the artisan, Bruce White. Bruce spends many hours painstakingly hand-selecting horseshoes to pair together similar shapes and thicknesses to create these one-of-a-kind chairs. After being hand-welded, the chairs are treated and powder coated before being ready for purchase. As I explained in more detail in an earlier blog, powder-coating is a process similar to spray-paint, but is environmentally safe and benign. Powder coating is a method that many artisans and manufacturers have adopted over the recent years in order to do their part in protecting the environment and the ozone layer. Each hand crafted chair is truly a work of art that would add character and a sense of sustainability to anyone's space.

(Sidenote) Quirky With a Capitol "Q"!

Ever see an octopus? Ever see a chair? Now have you ever seen an octopus chair? I didn't think so. This is the definition of a "statement piece". This true work of art took three years and many craftsmen to complete. This whole idea, however, was thought up by an artist named Maximo Riera. Maximo has designed an entire "Animal Chair Collection" with these works of art that have been manufactured to be collector's items and conversation pieces in one's home. The striking realism and scale of the octopus contrasts sharply with the traditional and timeless lines of the chair front. From behind, there is no sight of the chairs, just a large and incredibly life-like octopus statue. From the front, it looks as though an octopus has just decided to engulf the chair.

Though somewhat frightening at first, this replica of the deep-sea creature is only meant to reflect the beauty in all living things. At first glance this chair may seem odd and unsightly, but when examined further, this chair is truly a wonderful work of art. The attention to detail and uncanny realism of the octopus is the focal point of this stunning piece. Even without the life-like octopus on the back of it the chair is a comfortable and classic chair that anyone would look forward to propping their feet up in. The stark, black color of the monochromatic chair does nothing but highlight the details of the artist's hand. The semi-glossy exterior material (made from a rather convincing faux leather) creates a dimensionality and sophistication to this beast of a chair. Regardless of the initial reaction, upon further inspection this chair is truly remarkable.

On the Subject of Dogs...

Who doesn't love to dress their dog up with the cutest collars and leashes? Our dogs (usually) don't wear clothes, but they do wear their collars all day, everyday and by-golly they should reflect their silly little personalities! Though collars say alot about the dog, they say more about the owner. This adorable line of sustainable and fashionable dog collars and leashes by Aroo Studio is worth the couple of extra dollars. Though slightly pricier than your average collar at Petsmart, these collars and leashes are not only available in a vast variety of collars and patterns, but they are also made from 100% hemp!

 

Hemp is a natural and rapidly renewable resource. Hemp is a resource that is very similar to that of cotton, but easier to grow, harvest, and maintain. This makes hemp a rather reliable substitute for the ever-popular cotton. Hemp also has stronger fibers and is much more resilient than cotton. This is a popular material used in sustainable clothing and other textile products. These collars can roll around in dirt, mud, and grass at the dog park and are easy to clean in a sink with soap and warm water. Sustainable and easily cleaned? Sign me up! With more pattern and theme options than I have frankly ever seen for dog accessories, these charming items are perfect for the dog/environment lover like myself.

(The squirrel and acorn pattern has proven to be the most popular style for Aroo Studio since being introduced in the Fall of 2010. I know that my sister's dog, Addy, whose favorite past time is chasing and screaming at squirrels would absolutely fit this style well! Who says that our dogs can't be fashionable and fabulous while saving the Earth?)

In the Spirit of the Last Post..... 100% Reclaimed Dog House!

Introducing the 100%  reclaimed K9 Module! This sustainable dog house from the international company, kitHAUS, has dog lovers everywhere seeing "green". This stylish little abode is a conversation piece in anyone's backyard. Can't afford to buy a sustainable house that will pay for itself in 5-10 years? Who can these days? Why not settle for the next best thing and let your beloved Fluffy enjoy the lap of eco-luxury!

  Though it is made from 100% reclaimed material, this is no "Snoopy" dog house. This house is fully insulated, has hardwood floors, and even has a clerestory window for maximum use of natural light! If only they made these houses in XXXL... I may be one more step closer to the dream of a sustainable home! The exterior of the dog house is made from reclaimed tin, in particular, from old abandoned and condemned trailers. They used tin from not only from mobile home trailers, but also from unused cargo and freight trailers as well. The roof of the dog house is made from reclaimed, corrugated metal. This metal Has been stripped down and re-painted to provide a "new" look from a scrap that could be over 30 years old. The wood floors in the dog house are created by staining and treatment of shipping palettes and salvaged wood planks.
Though made from reclaimed materials, this fancy little dog house will set you back a few hundred dollars. This is nothing compared to the thousands of dollars you would have to spend in order to by their human-sized sustainable homes! In the end, who is happy when their dog is not happy? If my Punkie put this K9 Module on her Christmas list, I would be sure to call in a few favors to Santa so that she could have her friends over for tea parties in her sustainable home. Nothing but the best for our pups!

100% Reclaimed House!

When one thinks of Oregon, it is often associated with friendly, liberal, laid-back, Birkenstock-wearing folk. That is probably because many of the people who call Oregon "home" fit this stereotype to a "T". Whether in the trendy Portland area or the more remote woods of the north-western state, regardless of the social class or annual income, people are truly dedicated to a "greener" living. This is true for two Oregon based organic farmers, Virginia Krakowiak and Jon Clark. These two belong to a small, local certified organic farmer's collective... which basically means in the world of sustainability and environmental preservation they are the rockstars.

Not only are they helping better the world through sustainable, organic farming, but they are also devoting their efforts to create a 100% reclaimed house just outside of Portland. If that is not good enough, they are using almost 0 electricity. That's right 0 (z-e-r-o) electricity. This means that the house is being built all by hand powered tools. Techniques that were commonplace in this country 200 years ago are now being revitalized in hopes for a "greener" America. All of the materials used to make this house have been reclaimed from different construction sites as well as salvage yards. This house is a manageable 16' x 20' or 320 square feet. Sure, that seems like an awfully small space, but this is not Virginia or Jon's year-round home. This is a second home they will live in during the harvest season. If that doesn't convince you enough that Virginia and Jon are a couple of eco-rockstars, they actually share the home with other local sustainable farmers. These people deserve a hug! Not only are they devoting themselves to a "greener" lifestyle, but they are also providing for their fellow farmers.

The "Walk-In" Closet Will Never Be the Same...

"House Hunters"  on HGTV is my not-so-secret addiction. The sheer fun of guessing which of the three houses they will pick is enough to keep me occupied for hours upon hours. Although I enjoy spouting out my opinion and usually criticism of the home's decor... I am usually sold on the "walk-in" closet. This is EVERY girl's dream (if you say it isn't then you are seriously lying to yourself). I have heard myself say a few times, "I could live in that closet!" .... Which brings me to my next point. Could you live in a walk-in closet? What if that walk-in closet was your entire house and was only about 450 square feet? Can you spare an extra 4 minutes? Good. I think you will really be intrigued by this video! (The video won't embed, so follow the link below!)

http://vimeo.com/18046996

It is truly amazing what can be done with such a small space. Even though I would love to see this "Closet House" in person, I think my claustrophobia would get the best of me! What if you were in the bedroom and the mechanical system that opened the room up failed and you were stuck in a crammed space? I would probably pass out! I think this space is used to the utmost efficiency, however, and could possibly be a trend that catches on in rapidly-growing cities such as Tokyo and New York. Though the up-front cost may be a large investment, I think the overall utilization of the small space can prove to be invaluable. This unique space has caught quite a bit of attention on the internet, and I am sure that this will not be the last time we see a space like this!

 

It's Time for A ReMix!

3Form continues to amaze me.... This company specializes in acrylic resin and pressed glass panels. These products can be used for many applications, from counter tops to room dividers to accent wall pieces. 3Form has really pushed their sustainable product line by introducing the Varia EcoResin line that is made from a minimum of 40% post consumer materials and the use for their products help aid in LEED certification which most everyone is striving for nowadays. Here is the kicker....

The new 3Form ReMix collection! This product takes leftover scraps from custom Varia EcoResin panels and mixes them together to create a unique and one of a kind acrylic panel. These panels are definitely a conversation piece in any application. This interesting item is made from 77.5% pre-consumer recycled material. The other 22.5% of the panels that is not recycled consists mainly of the binding agent acrylic material that forms the panels, and the metal clips used to attached the panels together. This material is truly a unique piece of art that starts out merely as a bunch of leftover acrylic resin strips in a garbage can!

From this state, the strips are then selected and arranged by alternating all of the different designs that the Varia EcoResin line offers. These designs are coordinated by color and then formed into panels. Since this is a new product, the ReMix collection offers 4 color variations: Blue, Dark Natural, Green, and Light Natural (pictured below). The designs can also come vertically or horizontally affiliated. Overall, this is a beautiful, recycled product that would be a dream to work with. Unfortunately, at $800 per 48"x96" panel... this is just a dream right now.