Come Heaven and Hell Shelter Realizing that most people have a go-to spot for reading,adding Be Sweet’sboucle mohair throw is a cozy addition to any book nook where extra warmth is needed. Blending fuzzy and nubby with smooth and sleek,we love that it’sfittingly called the Heaven &Hellthrow and that […] heARTbeat: Jim Hodges Imbues Stones With Unearthly Qualities Shelter ColumnThe otherworldly quality of Jim Hodges’sculpturalsurfaces beg to be known. Sculpture has a physical quality that demands one be with it,relate to its scale,and contend with the human body in relationship to it in order to fully appreciate its potential. Robin Hood Wood Shelter Is Robin Hood a green icon? Not really –infact,since it appears he’dtake money off pretty much anyone,Robin Hood is capitalism in tights. But his forest-dwelling,poor-championing romantic image endures (take the latest film, for example) – and now it’s inspired a new range of sustainable […] Cabin-Spotting: 20 Perfect Weekend Retreats

Cabins that take us away from the everyday. Like a tannenbaum, a good cabin is perennial. ‘Tis always the season for the rustic getaway house, a place to deck the halls with home-made brew and extended relations. Some of the cabins featured here are too tiny for second cousins; kenmore air cleaner model 85250 The Legendary Olive Treeiwata medea airbrush cleaner msds The olive tree has been around to witness monumental moments throughout history. honeywell f100 electronic air cleanerAncient Egyptians offered their leaves to the gods as symbols of benediction and purification, victors were crowned with their branches at the Olympic Games in early Greece and its sacred oil was used to anoint the kings of […]

Pop-Up Hotel Design Upcycles Manhattan’s Empty Office Buildings Waste is waste, whether it’s food or real estate. A new pop-up hotel design concept looks for a way to turn Manhattan’s vacant office buildings into much-needed hospitality space. Vacant buildings are a constant reminder of the recent real estate crash. When the economy took a nosedive, people lost homes […] 6 Ways to Rock Polka Dots for You and Your HomeYou either love them or you hate them. We happen to love them and we aren’t the only ones. 2015 has been the year of the dots–especially on the spring and summer fashion runways. If you too love the polka dot, read on for some tips on how wear […] The second I spotted these gorgeous lights on Trendenser, images of these lovely recycled paper mache bowls lined with metallic leaf danced in my head. The silver (or gold) lining of these products provides an unexpected gleam of glamor. One of these products will provide sheen at the bottom of […]

WE-ARE-FAMILIA’s Unique Keepsake Boxes WE-ARE-FAMILIA’s global network of creative individuals from all disciplines exhibit one-of-a-kind Keepsake Boxes, WE-ARE-FAMILIA was launched in a Parisian design store in December 2007 and has grown into a collaborative, cross-disciplinary, global family of artists contributing “mementos” from found, recycled or surplus materials. Each memento is a work of art […] White (Rooms) After Labor Day While it would be uncouth to wear white shoes from now until Memorial Day, when it comes to dressing your home in floor-to-ceiling white, go ahead and stick it to Emily Post. Welcome back to your life. The Labor Day weekend is over and unless you are getting married next […] 2008 In Review: 9 Exciting Designs That Will Build the Future Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen some of the best, worst and most unusual that green architecture has to offer, from shipping container hotels to conference yurts. We’ve seen a host of exciting new ideas brought to the table – and here are a few that particularly won us […]

HeARTbeat: Vincent Breed & Matali Crasset: Glass from Wood Cuttings Cuttings is a mixed media collaboration between artists Vincent Breed and Matali Crasset. Glass as object can induce paradoxical imagery of fragile yet strong, dense yet clear, liquid and solid. Molten glass is transmuted by the magic of air, the shape of its mold, the bounce of light and color. 5 Questions Series with Anna Gustafsson of La Maisson d’Anna G Wherein we ask our favorite design bloggers, curators and forecasters what inspires them.   Anna Gustafsson grew up in Sweden, lived in Australia, then in Switzerland, and has since settled down in Paris where she writes about Scandinavian design and interior decorating. If the mention of Scandinavia hasn’t given it away […] Right Brain Terrain Says It, Simple & Green No one annoys me more than a constant quoter of clichés. Especially irksome is the motivational kind of cliché – overused, inane and just plain tired. When I’m in the midst of something challenging (good or bad), the last thing I need or want to hear is “when the going […]

Save a Tree, One Gift at a Time Are you tired of showing up to a dinner party with the usual hostess gift – a bottle of wine or basket of soaps or bouquet of flowers? Or maybe one too many times you’ve forgotten about getting a gift at all, until 30 minutes before the party starts? HBO, Whole Foods & Other American Conveniences We Can Live Without In the absence of all the conveniences that make America so cozy, Shelter Editor K. Emily Bond ponders life without microwave ovens, HBO and good lighting.  My husband, kid and I live in an ancient walled city. We don’t have a basement because, I suspect, someone’s skeletal remains are down […] Soap Nuts Startup: An Unexpected Cancer Death Leads One Entrepreneur to Start a Clean, Green Business Sponsored Ken came across soap nuts and knew he was on to something big.  Ken Marion was about to retire in 2009 when he got a stern wake-up call. His older brother Rich had died from cancer at the ripe age of just 52.

He had never smoked, led […] Of all the 2011 shelter trends, this one is near and dear to my heart. There’s something about riads, Marrakech, and Morocco that make me swoon (you can likely blame Casa Blanca). I have long been obsessed with the Kingdom of Morocco. Watching the vivid patterns and geometric shapes of […] Elevating the Mundane: The Carpet Sweeper Thanks to eco-innovations like these, your daily chores just got a whole lot sexier. Leave it to the English to elevate – indeed, ecovate – the Hoover. While certain blogs in the United States have questioned the durability and sustainability of the cardboard carpet sweeper pictured above, they are underestimating […] Positive Globalism: the Growth of Fair Trade If you’ve been shopping for imported organic foods and artisan crafts lately, you’ve probably noticed a black and white label claiming Fair Trade Certification. And maybe you’ve wondered what Fair Trade really means? Well, unlike Free Trade (NAFTA), Fair Trade is a good thing.