Though the month is young, we've already seen some stunning examples of beautifully set tables to inspire the host in all of us. We have to acknowledge though, that not every party is an intimate dinner that calls for our best china and glassware; sometimes we're entertaining 20 friends with ribs and football, or 50 friends at a holiday drop-in. For those occasions when our best just won't do, we were delighted to find an eco-friendly option from Preserve...
Given the challenges of small-space living, we are always on the lookout for room dividers or screens that can help create privacy or hide a cluttered office space. Since we are equally committed to an eco-friendly lifestyle, we were delighted to find this bamboo screen to share with like-minded readers...
We're always on the lookout for creative reuse of everyday objects, and these unique stained glass windows are some of the most beautiful recycling projects we've ever seen...
We were delighted to find this playful and eco-friendly take on the ubiquitous deer head wall art. Made from recycled farm equipment parts by a former organic dairy farmer, these metal pieces would make a quirky and wonderful addition to any home...
We love the ornate and eco-friendly design of this handmade pillow, and think it would provide a graphic and textural touch in any modern space...
Driving through Bethesda this weekend, we happened upon the Montgomery Farm Women's Cooperative Market and wandered in for the first time in years. We were delighted to find that the flea market element of market is alive and well; we found ourselves roaming the grounds for much longer than anticipated, especially once we found the posters and artwork up front...
As the air develops a bit of a chill in the evenings, our thoughts turn to warming and softening our living space. Rugs are an excellent way to help transform your home from season to season, but so often inexpensive rugs are a problem for people with allergies or just sensitive noses because of their tendency to off-gas. There are lots of eco-friendly options now available, but we especially love the soft luxurious look of these rugs made surprisingly enough from bamboo...
Given our unfortunate tendency to spill at dinner, we are always on the lookout for fun placemats to help protect the finish and add some zest to our dining room table. Made from recycled rubber, these fun placemats satisfy our desire to remain eco-friendly as well as table-friendly...
We love this shoji lantern not only because it is serene and beautiful, but also because it is eco-friendly. This lantern features handcrafted mulberry paper with pressed orchid tree leaves stretched onto frames of recycled pine wood and sustainable acacia...
We love the tongue-in-cheek sunflower design of this solar powered CD player/charging station combination, but haven't found any evidence it has yet made it into production. With the CD controls and speakers on the stem, and the charging station on the base, this piece is an efficient and elegant addition to the panoply of solar charging stations available...
Lumenhaus is Virginia Tech’s 2009 entry to the US Solar Decathlon competition, an educational project of the U.S. Department of Energy supported by DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This green house was inspired by the Farnsworth House by Mies Van Der Rohe. It features glass walls facing the north and south to maximize daylight, and the fully automated Eclipsis System of independent sliding layers filters light in beautiful, flowing patterns throughout the day...
We love the idea of harnessing the power of the sun to cool our homes — it just seems so fitting! This design concept is intended to reduce dependency on conventional air conditioning units by replacing standard outlet electricity with solar power...
We are always on the lookout for ways to better utilize small urban balconies or patios, and so we love this folding greenhouse. Made of recyclable plastic, this mini-greenhouse can be folded flat for easy storage when not in use...
We love the COMPACT line from Portugese designer Pedro Gomes. Made from cardboard and recycled polypropylene, this modular furniture line is eco-friendly and sustainable...
This new design by Shanghai design student Yun Li is a unique take on a solar powered lamp. The layered device absorbs solar power during the day, then gives it off when the device is separated in two after dark....
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