March 2, 2008
Livingstones by Stéphanie Marin at the Toronto Interior Design Show.  You may have recently seen these cushions from the South of France floating around the blogosphere, but did you know that they’ve actually been around since 2004? And that they’re eco.friendly? In a year when “modern organic” reigns supreme, Livingstones certainly made a splash at this year’s Interior Design Show. There were at least three companies featuring soft pebbles at the show, but Stéphanie Marin and Ronell Jordaan were the ones with sustainable versions. Marin’s Livingstones are made with 100% wool. From what I understand, the stuffing is made from a “natural material” referred to as “hypoallergenic polysilicone fibre” [waiting for more info on this]. What is clear is that they don’t use any chemical dyes in the wool’s mineral tints and that’s definitely a good green thing.  Given the nature trend in design this year, I can’t say that I’m surprised that these pebbles have suddenly soared with popularity. I can see these working beautifully in a variety of settings – from a Cape Cod style living room to a children’s play room. I’d even love to see them in the middle of a raw and spacious industrial loft. They could add some softness to an edgy urban space, but more importantly, they would inject a huge element of fun. These would be amazing for a loft party.

Livingstones by Stéphanie Marin at the Toronto Interior Design Show. 

You may have recently seen these cushions from the South of France floating around the blogosphere, but did you know that they’ve actually been around since 2004? And that they’re eco.friendly? In a year when “modern organic” reigns supreme, Livingstones certainly made a splash at this year’s Interior Design Show. There were at least three companies featuring soft pebbles at the show, but Stéphanie Marin and Ronell Jordaan were the ones with sustainable versions.

Marin’s Livingstones are made with 100% wool. From what I understand, the stuffing is made from a “natural material” referred to as “hypoallergenic polysilicone fibre” [waiting for more info on this]. What is clear is that they don’t use any chemical dyes in the wool’s mineral tints and that’s definitely a good green thing. 

Given the nature trend in design this year, I can’t say that I’m surprised that these pebbles have suddenly soared with popularity. I can see these working beautifully in a variety of settings – from a Cape Cod style living room to a children’s play room. I’d even love to see them in the middle of a raw and spacious industrial loft. They could add some softness to an edgy urban space, but more importantly, they would inject a huge element of fun. These would be amazing for a loft party.