Saving Grace by Adrien Rovero @ Droog
A line from the bio of Adrien Rovero states that he observes “everyday life with humour and distance” and that he “captures iconic situations and infuses them with poetry.” If so, the Swiss-based designer couldn’t be more perfectly suited for working with Droog, the masters of quirky and thought provoking Dutch design [whose name incidentally means “dry” in Dutch, cheekily referring to their sense of humour].
Dry, indeed. A humour that I’ve been appreciating for years, ever since falling head over heels for their 85 Lamps fixture during my studies at Parsons. I was tempted to sneak that industrial masterpiece into every project I worked on, but I did restrain myself and used it only once… and then opted for many of their other playful pieces. I could have been a Droog sales rep in design school — either that or Karim Rashid’s publicist. My architect professors know how much time I spent admiring both.
Of course, I’m now waiting for Rody Graumans to come up with an eco-friendly version of 85 Lamps — perhaps radically pared down and completely outfitted in energy-saving CFL’s. A mini eco version would be sweet.
For now, I’m more than happy to fill my Droog quota with Adrien Rovero’s Saving Grace collection, a series of clever lampshades that are actually shaped around the contours of CFL’s — both the lightbulb and tube versions. They’re made from sandblasted glass and emit a soft, warm glow.
Rovero explains that his goal was to “take advantage of these bulbs and their amazing shapes”, allowing us to “discover the form of the tube through the glass.” A successful case of form following function, but with an eco twist. Who says green can’t be quirky?
Michelle Brand: Flower Power Chic
I first heard about eco product designer Michelle Brand last year, when she showcased her work at hauteGREEN in New York and the green blogosphere was buzzing about her beautiful and clever designs. No doubt there will be a resurgence of interest in Brand now, as her dramatically sweeping Cascade chandelier has a full page feature in the current issue of Interior Design Magazine [pg. 110, for you fellow print mag enthusiasts].
So what makes her creations so green and so clever? Well, have a good look at the photos that I’ve posted and see if you can guess what those dainty little flowers are made of. Glass? Nope. Painted ceramic? Guess again. Resin? Negative.
What you’re seeing are the bottoms of recycled plastic soda bottles. Genius, right? It’s almost too good to be true. I should know, as I’m constantly scouring the design universe, looking for truly successful reincarnations of just about any tossed out material on the planet — and I’ve seen a lot of clunky and hideous transformations [but hey, eco points for trying, that’s a given]. So to see something so elegant and sophisticated made from ordinary used soda bottles, just blows my mind.
The talented Manchester-based Brand begins by collecting and disinfecting the discarded bottles, followed by the removal of the bottoms using a machine. Then she hand trims each one using a surgical scalpel. This ensures that there are no rough edges left on the petals of the newly formed plastic flowers. She then takes the shapes and strings them together using “transparent price-tagging connectors”, giving her creations a very light and ethereal look.
Brand’s bottle decor goes beyond lighting to include hanging room dividers, wall treatments, curtains and more. In the U.K. they are available at The Greenhaus and at the Lisa Fontanarosa Collection in the U.S. Of course, if you’re lucky enough to own Brand’s Cascade, Green Design Girl would encourage you to outfit it with an energy-efficient CFL, upping the green status even further on this masterpiece of recycled chic.
The sweeping Cascade in broad daylight.
An illuminated view of Cascade.
Cascading drama.
Brand’s Flowerfall used as a window treatment.
A view of the price-tagging connectors that are cleverly used to string the shapes together.
[Top Photos: Blossom hand painted in green + blue; illuminated using LED’s]
“Until the sun shines out of your ass, use an energy efficient lightbulb instead.”
Reason #46857969 to love British humour.
Even better, the closing voiceover is done by actor Martin Freeman of the U.K.’s The Office.
Of course, GDG has talked about using CFLs in your lighting fixtures before
…but has never been quite so cheeky about it.
Yeah, so I went there. How could I not?!
[p.s.: If the letters NSFW mean a lot to you, then you’re probably better off saving this for later]
Thanx to pierreism for posting this vid:
Carrotmob is a flashmob-based movement with an amazingly simple but ingenious agenda: to organise mass purchases to companies that agree to make environmentally friendly choices.
I think that the brilliant folks at Carrotmob are really on to something. This video is SO worth watching. A fun editing job, too [watch for the hip hop spoof midway through].
“CFL’s and bourbon together at last.” Now there’s a way to motivate peeps towards green consumerism!
![Lotus Flower Chandelier @ Viva Terra in the Pearl finish.
With the nature theme popping up everywhere in home décor trends, I’m not surprised to see the return of Capiz shells, which were all the rage in the 1970’s. We’ve actually been seeing them in the jewellery realm for a while, but they’re now appearing in product designs for the home.
On account of their translucent quality, Capiz shells were traditionally used in windows and are still known as the “windowpane oyster” or “windowpane shell” to many. This time around we’re seeing these delicate shells used more creatively and often presented with a modern aesthetic in lighting and accessories.
Of course, GDG would urge you to purchase products made from sustainably harvested Capiz shells, and fortunately, we are seeing more and more of this eco.friendly practice today. According to Style Hive, the handmade Lotus Flower Chandelier’s shells are sustainable and are CITES certified [The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora].
Inspired by a pattern in a 1940’s book, these jewel-like clusters are available in two sizes and two colours [see next post]. I think that they look fabulous on their own, but could also make a striking statement if grouped together at various heights in a large open space. Just don’t forget to pop in a CFL for an eco.chic glow.
::more capiz shell products here::](http://28.media.tumblr.com/JEVcJTTe670m5x99IGDHPpKy_500.jpg)
Lotus Flower Chandelier @ Viva Terra in the Pearl finish.
With the nature theme popping up everywhere in home décor trends, I’m not surprised to see the return of Capiz shells, which were all the rage in the 1970’s. We’ve actually been seeing them in the jewellery realm for a while, but they’re now appearing in product designs for the home.
On account of their translucent quality, Capiz shells were traditionally used in windows and are still known as the “windowpane oyster” or “windowpane shell” to many. This time around we’re seeing these delicate shells used more creatively and often presented with a modern aesthetic in lighting and accessories.
Of course, GDG would urge you to purchase products made from sustainably harvested Capiz shells, and fortunately, we are seeing more and more of this eco.friendly practice today. According to Style Hive, the handmade Lotus Flower Chandelier’s shells are sustainable and are CITES certified [The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora].
Inspired by a pattern in a 1940’s book, these jewel-like clusters are available in two sizes and two colours [see next post]. I think that they look fabulous on their own, but could also make a striking statement if grouped together at various heights in a large open space. Just don’t forget to pop in a CFL for an eco.chic glow.
![Lotus Flower Chandelier @ Viva Terra in Pearl [left] and Smoke [right].
I love the dramatic glow of the Smoke finish.
:intro post:](http://30.media.tumblr.com/JEVcJTTe670m1953JQ2TtsQ6_500.jpg)
Lotus Flower Chandelier @ Viva Terra in Pearl [left] and Smoke [right].
I love the dramatic glow of the Smoke finish.
Lotus Flower Chandelier with the Vintage Douglas Fir Table and Bamboo + Wood Dining Chairs @ Viva Terra.
Here we see the Lotus Flower Chandelier in a pearl finish, hanging over Viva Terra’s Vintage Douglas Fir Table, which was made from repurposed wood rescued from a salvage yard. The eco.smart construction of the table involved the use of non-toxic glue and a food-safe hard oil wax was utilized to bring out the wood’s natural vintage markings.
The Bamboo + Wood Dining Chairs were handcrafted using highly renewable bamboo by a “small eco-conscious furniture builder whose craftsmen meticulously hand-build each chair.”
