These aren't exactly modern design, but many vintage doorknobs are just lovely, whether they are marble or glass or beaded brass ovals. It's a shame to see them languish unused but here's a great use for them. You can use them for wine, olive oil, or those glass jars that you've collected that are missing the stoppers. Cork reinforced with a hardwood dowel. Each bottle stopper is unique.
Made from 100 natural beeswax, these beautiful candles are color coded according to the chakras. Sold as a pair by color. Red, orange, green, yellow, blue, indigo, and violet. 9 3/4 in. high.
The chair of the future? Let's hope so. Made from bioplastic manufactured from corn and reinforced with flax fibers, the chair is also biodegradeable of course. It was designed as a collaborative effort between an engineer and scientist, both associated with network 12+12, a Danish cooperative of scientists and designers.
You've heard of cork flooring? Well now there's a cork wall covering. Think of it as cork wallpaper. Great for bathrooms and playrooms. Washable, with a paper backing.Made by Vida Cork, a Portuguese company that employs sustainable practices.
Eco-friendly yoga mats are designed to decompose in landfills and are not made with toxic materials such as PVC. Instead, they are made from TPE (Thermo Plastic Elastomer), PER (Polymer Environmental Resin, or natural rubber (not considered biodegradeable).
Made from recycled rubber both you and your pet are sure to love these placemats. In two sizes, mini and jumbo, and two colors, black and white. The perfect present for your dog. Woof!
Eco-chic shopping totes made by the Australian company Envirosax are taking the world by storm. Determined to stamp out plastic shopping bags, the owners came up with a bag that is waterproof, lightweight, and tres chic. Don't leave home without one!
Ah...my good friend Smile Plastics. Here's another good use for this material made from detergent bottles and other waste plastic--in addition to wonderful park benches and countertops of course-- environmentally friendly furniture. This particular line is made from FSC timber and recycled plastic sheeting.
Its proper name is Tierrafino TPaint, a textured paint made from clay. Applied with a brush or roller it can be used on any interior surface suitable for paint. Colors range from white to ochre to red, green, and gray. 100% natural and promotes a healthy environment inside the home.
Made from a thin sheet of sustainable, eco-friendly cork, this accent lamp with its simple design definitely has a retro look to it. Rubberwood base. Rubberwood also called parawood, is considered an environmentally-friendly wood because it comes from trees cut down at the end of their latex-producing cycle.
This elegant heron hose hanger for the garden almost has an art deco feel to it. Made from recycled materials, simply attach it to an exterior wall and wind up the hose. From David and Patsy Britton. Each piece is handmade and a unique design.
Designed by Valerie Doehler these totally cool, sleek, and eco-friendly handbags are cut and made from sheets of recycled tire rubber. Perfect for the eco-fashionista! Three different styles and two sizes, small and medium.
This is a great idea for a home office. It's attractive and made from a sustainable and extremely versatile material--bamboo. A terrific alternative to the ugly plastic chair mat. Even better is that this bamboo chair mat rolls up so it's easy to maneuver. Now, all I need is an office chair on wheels...
The newest product from EnviroGlas, the makers of recycled glass terrazzo tiles is EnviroMODE. EnviroMODE is made from recycled porcelain tubs, sinks, and toilets. It is used as a material for countertops and flooring. Durable and easy to maintain, this product is available in hundreds of colors from neutrals to red, blue, and yellow.
These twig placemats are reminiscent of those matchstick bamboo shades everyone had in their apartments in grad school. Made of natural (what other kind is there?) twigs and stitched together with fern and cotton thread. Brown, coffee, and chestnut. 18.5 in. x 13 in.
A beautiful hand poured soap dish made from 90%+ post consumer recycled glass. From the artisans at Fire & Light Originals in Arcata, CA, a company that started as a partnership between the Arcata Community Recycling Center and a group of local investors who wanted to develop an innovative plan for using crushed, recycled glass, but is now privately owned.
Cute fish coasters made from recycled rubber. Great for outdoor entertaining, pool parties, and kids! Set of 4. Each fish coaster measures 3.25 in. W x 4 in. L
This chocolate coil bamboo room divider from Chiasso looks good enough to eat, well not quite but almost. Made from vertical strips of sustainable bamboo, it's classy enough for the contemporary home and funky enough for that mid-century modern look too.
Containing a minimum of 40% post industrial waste reclaimed from products that would otherwise end up in a landfill, Avonite Surfaces are SCS Certified and suitable for use in LEED. This versatile product can be used in fireplace surrounds,in bathrooms, and as countertops.
This twig jewelry stand is made from real twigs cast in recycled metal. The middle horizontal branches are removable. Inspired by nature. 9 in. W x 9 in. H, 10.5 in. L x 12 in.H
This bound album (photo or otherwise) contains 20 sheets of heavy weight black acid-free recycled paper and a recycled vinyl record album cover--complete with the vinyl record. Each album is unique. 12 in. x 12 in.
The 343 Bowling Bag is what eco-chic is all about. Made from recycled vintage magazines, Momaboma has an entire collection of bags all of them made from recycled materials including dresses, classroom schoolwork, flour sacks, and vinyl records.
I love Boris Bally's recycled metal street sign objects and now I see he has furniture as well--like this one of a kind transit chair (#139). Edges are filed smooth and rounded to provide comfort. And, for the do-it-yourself crowd, this is the perfect project because assembly is required, tools and instructions provided. 48 in. high x 16 in. wide x 21 in. deep.
These rustic, yet beautiful garden gates are made from recycled cedar or redwood and wood salvaged from barns and held together with forged steel. While they're crafted for the outdoors, there's no reason why they couldn't be used inside the house as well.
These funky retro handbags are from Red Camper, a company founded by Maura Gramzinski after she inherited thousands of travel slides from her grandfather, a spirited adventurer. All of the slides are original--except one--and each handbag is unique. 7.5 in. H x 7.25 in. W x 4.75 in. D.
These generously over-sized stemless wine glasses are made in Colombia and hand blown from recycled windshield glass. Set of 6 glasses. Amber or clear rim. 4 in. diameter x 4.5 inches tall.
This green garden light, designed by Twan Verdonck, really is a living plant--a passion flower vine in fact--that is planted in a grow bottle inside a wire sphere. Let it grow for a dimmer light or cut it back for a brighter light. Energy saving bulb. Really cool.www.dreamingreen.nl via www.insideplantslive.org
You can't get much more natural than stone. Custom made by Jim Hanson, these benches are available in a variety of styles from free-form to Oriental-inspired to classic. These natural stone benches look great in the modern garden, your mid-century modern home (think flagstone floors), or contemporary home's entry hall or indoor courtyard.
These handcrafted garden glass windows are made with antique window frames. Composed of glass and other natural objects such as sea glass and shells, and made with a special mosaic process, they are virtually weatherproof and will not yellow or fade with time, even when they're part of your post-modern gardenscape!
These amazingly beautiful recycled glass paperweights (feather pattern shown here) are the creation of UK glassmakers Andrew Sanders and David Wallace.
These exquisite exfoliating cloths are vegetable-dyed and woven using the fibers from the maguey plant, a type of agave. The size of a regular wash cloth, it shrinks to about a quarter of that size when is immersed in hot water. A wonderful alternative to synthetic exfoliating buffing pads.
Designed by Neide Ambrosio and made in Brazil, these colorful mesh handbags are worth their weight in aluminum. Made entirely from soda can pull tabs. 12.6" W x 9.1" H x 0.6" D, the strap is about 45 inches long. A must have for the eco-fashionista. Lined in silvery satin like fabric.
This minimalist table is made from a recycled stainless steel washing machine drum. In the center of the drum, a low-energy light bulb has been placed that illuminates the frosted glass tabletop. Made to order by Reestore. 400 mm (~16 in.) tall and 450 mm (~18 in.) diameter.
Come stay in a bamboo suite in Rincon, Puerto Rico (a beautiful place by the way--Rincon means corner in Spanish--and a surfers haven). The self-sustaining structure is made from bamboo and built on the concrete blocks of an existing septic tank. The treehouse hooch as it's called even uses a 12-volt solar photovoltaic cell to provide power for a small fan and reading light.
Available in Spring 2008, these "green" toys are made in the USA from BioPlastic. BioPlastic is a plastic material that is manufactured from corn and other organic material and not from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. This children's tea set is part of the Green Toys line and is non-toxic, certified as non-hazardous and passes FDA requirements for food contact.
This beautiful heron is handcrafted from reclaimed copper and bronze and has gem eyes. Perfect for the garden or inside your apartment or house. Hardwood base. 27 in. or 40 in. high.
They're back with more bags! The Carrot Bag was such a success that the designers at SKN have added 4 more of these eco-friendly grocery totes to their lineup: Asparagus, Tomato, Lemon, and Blueberry. Perfect for those trips to the farmer's market, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and anywhere else you shop. 100% unbleached cotton, made in USA. 12 in. x 16 in. x 6 in.
These colorful, and tres moderne table and chair sets are not only made for kids, they are environmentally friendly too. Constructed from Euro-grade industrial plywood with a waterproof finish. Lotus, persimmon, ozone, and natural. Set includes table and two chairs. Table is 18 in. high with 34 in. diameter. Seat height is 11 in.
This cob shed, complete with a green living roof, was built as part of a demonstration project at the City Farmer Demonstration Garden in Vancouver, B.C.. Cob is an ancient building technique that uses clay, sand, and straw mixed with water to create an adobe-like material. It doesn't refer to "corn cobs", but rather "cobs" of moist earth or clay. Cob building is considered a sustainable building technique that while made from inexpensive materials, is labor intensive.
These retro-looking animal, fish, and vegetable loofahs, which are a type of gourd, are organically grown in South America. Fun for the bath or the kitchen. Colored with vegetable dyes. Fair trade, vegan, and biodegradeable.
Since The Eco-Modernist is on a bit of hemp theme these week, check out these gorgeous cloth napkins made from sustainable, eco-friendly hemp. Batiked by hand using natural dyes in fair trade cooperatives in Thailand. 18 in x 18 in squares, 7 patterns available.
This door mat is made from beach and river stones polished smooth by the action of water, glued to an indoor-outdoor rubber backing. While it may not be 100% natural, I still like this idea. Doubles as a bath mat too. Let the polished stones massage your feet! 30 in. x 20 in.
From David Brunicardi, this circular cocktail tabletop with a beveled edge is made from a material called HoneyDrip. HoneyDrip is an innovative eco-friendly plywood made from wood chips that uses formaldehyde-free resins.
You've heard of straw bale homes, right? This BC couple intended to build a straw bale home but when straw bales were not available switched to hemp bales. While more difficult to work with, there are some big advantages to using hemp bales instead. Read The house that hemp built to learn more about this alternative "green" home.
Aprons aren't designed just for suzy homemakers anymore, and these colorful aprons prove it! Made from hemp, a sustainable material, these aprons are made by hand and come in sage (green), evening haze (purple), acorn (brown), blue indigo, natural, and russet orange. 23.75 in. x 25 in.
This beautiful lazy susan is made from recycled wine barrel heads, including the original metal barrel hoop. Pine stain finish. 23 in. diameter x 4 in. high. Perfect for fall and winter cocktail parties.
These sunglasses may be a bit pricey for some people but they are oh so eco-chic! Made from sustainably harvested wood with Italian temples (the parts that go over the ears), these shades are available in three different styles. Optical quality lenses with 100% UVA and UVB protection.
These colorful spun bamboo stools are made from bamboo, a renewable resource. "Spun" refers tot he spinning process used to make the bamboo smooth and circular in shape. A groovy piece of furniture for your mod pod, er, pad.
Barkitecture, coined by Fred Albert in his book Barkitecture (check out what I'm reading to the right), really refers to the architecture of doghouses, but lambs can use them too! I love this doghouse with a green "living" roof. You can have one custom made for you or do-it-yourself.
Remember those gum wrapper chains you used to make when you were a kid? Well, here's a little something along the same lines, but for the grown-up you. Made from recycled Green Mountain Coffee Coasters wrappers, this purse and clutch are a must for the eco-chic crowd. .jpg)
