If you’re moving or renovating, you may find yourself in the market for new furniture. In the past, shopping for furniture mainly meant comparing colors, price and style, but these days many conscious consumers want to find furniture that has a low environmental impact, and the biggest element of eco-friendliness in furniture is the material it is made out of. For the most part, furniture products are generally composed of plastic, wood or metal – which of these materials is the most environmentally friendly? Unsure? Then your best bet is to check out our materials smackdown, where we pit wood, metal and plastic against one another to see how each stacks up in terms of health, environmental impact and durability. Who will win the ultimate green title? Find out after the jump!

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Post tags: "green furniture", Cradle to Cradle Certification, cradle to cradle certified, eco design, eco furniture, eco metal, eco plastic, eco wood, eco-materials, fsc certified wood, furniture material, green certification labels, green design, green materials, green metal, green plastic, low-VOC materials, recycled design, sustainable design, Sustainable Materials

It’s often hard not to succumb to the built-in stimuli of digital entertainment – especially when it’s everywhere we turn. But we often forget that there’s a lot to be had with just one’s imagination and a little bit of physical energy. So as an alternative to carbon hungry toys that ultimately tout nothing more than flashes on a screen, we’ve rounded up 6 amazing designs that do double duty as a fun toy or game and pay back to the grid. While some are humanitarian designs meant to aid areas struggling with limited resources, and others are just for good clean fun, each of these pieces turn all its human powered input into usable energy that, even in a few cases, can be applied to do a little housework! Check out our Top 6 Designs that harness the power of play!

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Post tags: designs, eco toys, energy generating soccer ball, green design, human powered, humanitarian design, jump rope, jump rope flash light, kids, kinetic energy, people powered energy, play pump, power of play, powerleap, renewable energy, rocco, sustainable design, swirl, top 6

• Murry Hill Tour: Gitesh & Thomas Stick with the Classics • London Tour: Joa's Quirky Cool Maisonette • Margaret Roach's Upstate Garden Home • House Call: Aga's Modern Interior in an Old Building • Where Can I Sell My High End Second Hand Sofa? • House Call: Jennifer & Jair's Custom One Bedroom

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GMJ Design Group LLC
West Palm Beach, FL

Teak wood is making its mark on the tile industry with this latest collection by Ann Sacks - the new Indah wood tiles are simply stunning! These traditional folk art-inspired wood tiles are a nature-lover's dream, and ditto for those who just appreciate unusual design. Available in a variety of motifs like Circles, Thumbprint, Weave, Acanthus Leaf, Banana Leaf, Horizontal Lines and Horizontal Waves, there is a style to suit every fancy. The relief patterns of these meticulously carved tiles invite you to touch, and the rich color of the wood will translate beautifully into any home. For more information, visit Ann Sacks.

Maker Faire Detroit opens tomorrow [Saturday] - the first ever held in America's cradle of industry and what many view today as a post-industrial laboratory for the future.

The two day event will be packed with inspiration and enjoyment for people of all ages and walks of life, including Maker Faire favorite The Life-size Mousetrap, hot-rodded Power Wheel racing, demonstrations on everything from circuit-bending to screen printing, rocket building and cheese making, and lots of robots. Lots and lots of robots...

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The Shoreditch neighborhood of London is hot — and the stylish Hoxton Hotel has added new 'East London' theme rooms to the hotel's offerings.

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It's a Friday, so I feel free to rail out at what I see as ridiculous or wasteful design, especially projects that get tons of blog attention for being "stunning." I don't know what Colier Sparkling Wine's eco-credentials are, but this packaging can't be green; the bizarre container the bottle comes in, "targeted to [sic] business women [sic]," looks like a carbon-fiber egg.

For God's sake look at the size of this thing. Imagine handing this big black egg to a female executive in congratulations. If someone handed this to me as a gift I'd have them removed from the premises. And what's with the egg metaphor? Also what are you supposed to do with the egg after you take the bottle out, use it as a purse? Keep it around to show guests? "Look, it splits down the middle!" This thing doesn't make any, freaking, sense!

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Calling all potential bloggers! Apartment Therapy is looking to add some new voices (and maybe a few new cities) to our coverage. Do you love interior design, furniture and all things home-related? Would you like a place to share your ideas and inspirations with a large design-centric community? If this is you and you think you'd like to join the Apartment Therapy editorial team, jump below for the details:

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Brand van Egmond combines digital photos with lighting to create easily customizable chandeliers that are a reflection of the user.

Visiting SoHo for a shopper is sort of like visiting the Louvre for an art lover — all the big names are spread out before you in one walkable place. It's crowded, totally commercial, and lots of fun if you like hopping from store to store. Although most stores tend to be high-end showrooms, there are still enough eccentric holes in the wall to satisfy the adventurous shopper. Read the full guide on Marketplace.

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Open this Namibia Credenza from Ilan Dei to reveal an "evolution revolution" of Venice Beach graffiti.

Kei Ng, designer at Castor Design, shared his summer style with us: Sun or Shade?: Shade The Color of Summer 2010: Baby blue

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If Thursday’s popsicle roundup didn’t cool you down enough, Epicurious shares a Pineapple ginger agua fresca we are dying to try over copious amounts of crushed ice.

More amazing summer vegetable dish magic from Aliye and the Beachgreens blog: corn and zucchini saute with garlic infused olive oil.

We’re fans of the FDA war-era food posters, and their message can be so relevant in todays times. See a massive archive of them online here, at the beans are bullets exhibition by Cory Bernat, at good potato. Some gorgeous images we’d love to hang on our walls!

The most fabulous wedding ever? Maybe so, at Design*Sponge. It’s definitely one we would have liked to crash!

Swedish indoor/outdoor rugs. Yes, please. Via Remodelista.

If you were too busy distracted by Don Draper and crew to notice who designed Sterling’s desk, CasaSugar can tell you how to get the look: Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Loving the new office, by the way!

Eat your anime with manga farming, Tokyo artist Koshi Kawachi’s newest work. It’s our favorite category of cuisine: adorably delicious!

Thanks to Greta at Picnics in the Park, planning a pulled together party in mere hours is totally doable (and fabulous)!

Crate & Barrel’s Marimekko Sale ends this weekend. Take 20% off select patters through August 1.

Enjoy free shipping on all West Elm bedding through August 2 and take 20% off all window panels and hardware through August 23 in stores and online.

For a limited time, Pottery Barn is offering up to 20% off their best-selling bedding collections in stores and online.

Shop the final days of the July sale at Kate’s Paperie to receive up to 90% off while supplies last.

Stop by Design Within Reach now to grab an additional 20% off all already reduced bathroom and outdoor clearance items while supplies last. If you’re near Seattle, enjoy 60-75% off at DWR Kirkland’s floor sample sale.

Get organizing with The Container Store’s Organized Home Sale ending August 1. Last weekend to snag a $25 Store More giftcard at one of their home organizing demonstrations!

It's July, we're growing and we're in need of more help in our ad sales department. If you're a reader, know what we're all about and are interested in a full time job as an account executive, please read on below.

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This Week at Art MoCo: robots & donuts, digital landscapes, girls in bloom, attractive scaffolding and pigs that fly. See the rest of the week at Art MoCo after the jump.

Every Friday! Here are all the home and garden sales and events across the country — painstakingly collected by our editorial team of over 70 bloggers. This is the only place on the web where you can find them all together. Pass it on and send us your sale.

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The Huia, a now extinct bird, is featured in this cut vinyl record artwork by artist Aimee Gruar. We love that the circular shape of the original record is still implied by its grooves and center label, but the shape has been completely cut away to show the silhouette of the once-beautiful species:

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Greetings, Apartment Therapy readers. I've been tasked with the job of finding a large modern, durable, and attractive dresser for some clients. Lots of great options out there, you say. Sure, but the problem I'm having is they want all this...for $700!

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Hello Friends, it is Leslie here for July’s Color Me Pretty series. This time around I decided to explore black, white, silver, grey and yes, neon pink. I do not think I have gone totally eighties on you. I have just been a little obsessed with this color combination since I saw the cover of Inside Out magazine last month.

This magazine inspired this mood board below… and this series today!

You can sneak a little neon pink into a neutral interior and have it feel really fresh and summery with a simple pillow as an accent as shown below.

Of course it is a trendy color, which is what makes it so fun, just use it in small dosages! Handwriting, beads and tape were also brought into the mix this time around. I hope you enjoy what I have put together for you.

I love photographing chalkboard menus when I travel in Europe. It is more about the handwriting, less about the menu. Chalkboards are fun in the home and I like the idea of sketches or poems written on them, maybe even a fancy frame around their edge. Even if you are nervous about showcasing your own handwriting, go for it. That is what the eraser is for!

I have been sticking Rob Ryan’s tape on everything. As most of you know, tape can instantly personalize a plain journal or a blank card.

On my mood board I combined some Japanese tape with a little neon pink stitching to make a card. I also combined Rob Ryan’s tape with some Japanese tape to make another card.

Recycle tip: An empty food can is painted white and then spruced up further with a little note and some ribbon to hold a plant for a gift.

Craft Idea: I tried using stencils this month as well –to go along with my eighties investigation because weren’t stenciled walls big back then in the US? Do you remember the do it yourself grapevine stencil kits? Well, stencil kits are back better then ever! I loved using the kits by Ed Roth of Stencil 1. Lotta Jansdotter makes some nice larger scale stencils that I tried too. You can also check out Lena Corwin’s chapter on stenciling in her book “Printing By Hand”.

I used stencils from both Stencil 1 and Lotta Jansdotter to create images on some small square canvases. I realize I am not the best stencil student as I like to paint myself but it was fun to have a guide and the results were very fast. I did not have a stencil brush, which I think I will use next time around. I especially liked making some cards for my mood board collection on heavy paper using the stencils.

Have you tried using stencils? Any tips you want to share with us beginners?

Thank you for joining me here and I will see you again next month with a Color Me Pretty series for August! If you would like to see previous CMP columns please click here. Bye!

(images: leslie shewring)

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megan ashwell is a recent graduate from the swansea metropolitan university in wales. fresh from new designers in london and with a sparkling new website megan is all set up to begin her design career. delicate birds and florals and vintage inspired tea parties form the themes for two of her collections - as seen here.

This week’s Liqurious roundup is an interesting mix of bright and summery with dark and cool. You can find out more about each of these posts by clicking on the individual images.

(Want more visual goodness? See NOTCOT.com + NOTCOT.org)

new york based jennifer d'eugenio currently works in the field of design for children's clothing, and loves working as a mentor to other designers and college students. jennifer studied at the savannah college of art and design, and has worked designing children's (newborn/infant) clothes for target, oshkosh-b'gosh and now kahn lucas, as well as some freelance work for studios here and there.

catherine ann lewis is a 2010 graduate from the university of wales institute, cardiff studying for a (BA) hons in contemporary textiles practise. catherine's work for her final major project was called 'blodau les' (the flowers) and included a shabby chic style loveseat and several high end luxurious furnishing fabrics. her collection of hand printed fabrics and digitally produced wallpapers

chilean designer vicky zamora is planning to come to london next year to take some illustration courses and maybe some unpaid work experience or freelancing. if you like vicky's style and are looking to take students or interns in london next year then she'd love to hear from you via her blog here.

natalie turner appeared on print & pattern last year at the new designers exhibition in london. natalie has recently started an etsy shop selling her greetings cards designs.she loves colour and pattern and is inspired by anything from vintage lacework to sausage dogs.

Three legged chairs make this mid century dining set something really special. Six chairs and the table, all in good vintage condition, are included in the $600 pricetag.

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After spending much of the day packing, moving, unpacking boxes ~ and spending quite a bit of time deciding what goes where… i’m loving the Wallee for subtle wall mounting of iPads, where you can easily hang it vertically and horizontally… and comes off easily to use it in hand too! Perfect for the kitchen!!! Or as they show it on their site and their blog - in bathrooms, by the phone, inside an old record player…. see more pics on the next page!

p.s. now if only they would release the Slingbox iPad app ~ it can nicely double for the kitchen TV?

TO PAGE 2 of "The Wallee for your iPad"! ----->

(Want more visual goodness? See NOTCOT.com + NOTCOT.org)

The word "doily" just sounds old and musty, doesn't it? In reality, they're small little works of art that can be found all over at local thrift stores and estate sales. After we mentioned using them as wall art yesterday, we thought a proper roundup was in order to showcase their true modern beauty. Here are 7 ways to put them to use and get them out of the linen closet! • Read the full post at Re-Nest

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Kenroy Home
Jacksonville, FL

Italian company Evit has great ideas for tiles, that much is clear with its new collection, appropriately dubbed “Passion”. The fluid pattern makes these tiles perfect for the bathroom backsplash, and they make a gorgeous backsplash in the kitchen as well. But beyond the expected, these unusual tiles make an unexpected impression in any room: the foyer, living or dining room, and even as a feature wall in the bedroom. These chic glass tiles come in every color of the rainbow, so you can customize the look to suit your style. Available in 300-by-200-mm and 300-by-100-mm sheets, these tiles are super easy to install but look like they’re the masterpiece of a true artist – a true Passion! For more bathroom tile backsplash ideas visit Evit.

A house in the Chilean coastal city of Santo Domingo inspired and informed by Euclidean geometry.

i recently bought myself several childrens books by the fabulous dwell studio (famous for their contemporary nursery bedlinen) just so that i could admire their clean and simple graphic illustrations. there are lots of titles to choose from and they should appeal to illustration fans as well as parents. see all the titles in the series here on amazon uk or amazon usa, or to see more from the

Lots of new lighting — the growth in the number of LED options is staggering! Here are some new lamps and chandeliers rounded up over the past weeks.

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Wallpaper may have musty associations with old-fashioned, feminine interiors, but didn't you get the memo? All that's changed now. New methods of printing and designing wallpapers (ie computers and photography) have broken the medium wide open, yielding all sorts of fresh ideas. And of course, some old methods and materials, like cork, remain classic choices for any interior. Here is a roundup of the brawniest, broodiest and most manly wallpapers around.


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When Charlie Chaplin faced the frenetic pace of the factory in the 1936 film Modern Times, little did he know how insane the pace would become 75 years later when a collection of household accessories inspired by the movie would take on its name.

Brooks Hudson Thomas, owner of Specific Merchandise, shared his summer style with us: Sun or Shade?: Shade The Color of Summer 2010: Blue & Yellow Plaid

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designer stephanie ryan finds her work usually revolves around florals, and just last week she opened an etsy shop selling bright summery prints. as seen here.

...wear this roxy dress, decorate with that decoylab clock...