Here’s a fast and fabulous furniture idea from Blueprint Magazine, one of my favorite but sadly discontinued design source. Closet storage cubes come together to create a coffee table and storage unit.

How-to instructions and sources are still available on the Blueprint website, but it’s easy to figure out how it’s done — and design your own variation.

TRY THIS

Sure this storage sectional makes a handsome coffee table, but why not try turning it into a display shelf, wall partition, end tables or additional seating?

ADD YOUR OWN FAB GREEN TWIST

Create your own two-tone masterpiece using eco-friendly, healthier low or non-voc paints by Yolo Colorhouse, Benjamin Moore, or Fine Paints of Europe.

Prefer prints or patterns? Try these:

• recycled newspaper (see our post about newspaper as wallpaper
• gift wrap (see our post about Fish Lips Press and their oh-so-beautiful, oh-so-earth friendly wrapping papers)
• vintage wallpaper (see our post on Second Hand Rose)
• vintage fabric (see our post on Refab Cushions for some hot sources)

Happy Spring! Even in balmy Los Angeles we must deal with a light shower now and then. In fact just last night. And while no one really talks about umbrellas and the landfill let’s face it — we’ve all (Fab Green included) have thrown away our share of cheap, black umbrellas in our lifetime.

How the folks over at Brelli pondered the idea of designing a sleek, earth-friendly umbrella remains an interesting mystery but the results are fabulous. Launched just in time this Spring, the Brelli is a beautifully sheer little number that shelters you while protecting the planet from further waste. Sturdy and sustainable thanks to a bamboo frame that will withstand the gustiest of winds, and a material that is 100% biodegradable.

The Brelli is sold in limited distribution through Fred Segal in Santa Monica, Jussera Lee in New York. However, you can order one via the Brelli website. Available in two sizes, the Brelli is priced between $28 and $38USD.

Via Inhabitat via Ecofabulous

Shabby chic less the shabby. This weekend project works great on cast-off dressers, sideboards, desks, and tabletops. If you don’t already have a piece in your own pad to experiment with, try hunting down a gem on Craigslist, a local flea market, Goodwill or garage sale.

A Green Twist
Finish it off with a hip, healthier paint option like Yolo’s Sprout Collection (for modern, spring-inspired colors), Benjamin Moore’s Aura, or Fine Paints of Europe (for rich, historically-derived colors). Other companies like Pantone have started offering non-VOC or low-VOC paints and primers as well so it’s much easier to go high style and fume free. The few extra dollars per gallon is worth it for the health and environmental benefits.

Video Podcast Instructions

Prefer written instructions? Check out the complete post by Chris Gardner on Curbly.

Check out our full list of DIY Design ideas here.

A-listers like Anne Hathaway and Gwyneth Paltrow do it all the time: wear diamonds or vintage couture on loan, on the Red Carpet. Borrowing rather than owning has its charms, and now we in the real world can dress like Cinderella for a night thanks to a new online couture-for-rent boutique Bag Borrow or Steal.

The Shop: Bag, Borrow or Steal

The Bottom Line: The Netflix of fashion. Instead of renting the Devil Wears Prada, you can actually rent Prada. Or Chanel, Gucci, Versace, Kate Spade and hundreds more. Clutches, earrings, belts are all guaranteed authentic and you rent by the week or month.

The Skinny: Crystal clear site navigation makes browsing and renting a snap. You can search by designer, style, color, or price point. You can either borrow as a guest or a member (which for a monthly rate, gives you 20% off all borrowed items). A free return shipping package allows you to drop it in a mailbox and voila — it’s returned.

At prices starting at $15/week for Coach, red carpet fashion has never been so accessible and so fabulously green. If you love it, you can “steal” it (i.e. buy it).

Wishlist: We’d love to see the shop adopt a carbon offset program like the Carbon Fund for its shipping and returns. As well as consider donating a portion of proceeds to a non-profit like Dress for Success.

Best bets: Perfect place to find designer jewelry for a wedding or black tie event.

The perks: Borrowing is more fabulous than buying — easier on the wallet and the planet.

RELATED POSTS:

>>Sunday’s “It” Store: Zanisa

>>Hot Shop: EcoTobi Reviewed

Sweet dreams are made of this: modern, botanically inspired linens that just might be healthy for you. One of my favorite decor designers Amenity Home has gone completely organic. Nice going!

They also have introduced their once-custom order Muir Bed as a regular offering. Mid-century inspired, it’s made from mostly reclaimed Douglas Fir, finished with non-VOC stain, and is made by local artisans here in Southern California.

You can view the entire line of organic bedding, wall art, and nursery linens at the Amenity Home website. To learn more about the benefits of organic cotton check out this great primer on organic cotton at Treehugger.

Related Posts:

>>Fall Sample Sale @ Amenity Home

>>Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

>>See more posts on modern green beds and bedding

Photo courtesy of Salvage One

Sometimes the most precious pieces are ones are those you find in unexpected places. The antique mirror you scored at a flea market, the Phillipe Starck chairs you got for $69 each at Hotel Surplus Outlet, the handsome used Eames Lounge Chair knockoff bought on eBay for $50 (yes, it’s true. The lounger is in my friend Michael’s apartment and what I wouldn’t give to steal it away). If you have an eye for spotting a diamond in the rough, you might consider checking out another insider source: salvage yards.

What’s so special about salvage yards?

These are forgotten pieces of mid-century modern furniture, perfectly good kitchen and bathroom fittings, abandoned fireplace mantels replete with mosaics of cracked paint, and collectible flotsam covered with abstract, oxidized patinas.” - Christopher Brown, Senior Editor, Dwell

Thanks to Christopher Bright’s post on his favorite salvage yards, I parsed out a few favorites of my own to share:

Salvage One: Chicago, IL

The crème de la crème of salvage style can be found at the Salvage One store in Chicago. Lots of collectible furniture, lighting, as well as architectural elements, vintage sinks and clawfoot tubs. With so many pristine pieces, it seems a shame to call them salvage.

OLD GOOD THINGS: Manhattan, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Hallandale, FL; Scranton, PA

Old Good Things has a good selection of handcrafted tin mirrors, and decorative tiles.

EARTHWISE, Seattle, WA

Earthwise gets more into salvage materials (like the wall paneling above) but also offers a good selection of tiles, doors, wrought iron and antique tin mirrors. The website pretty easy to search for items (we’d love to see a “view all” button). There’s also a “Fun” section for those looking for inspiration on how to design with salvage.

Ohmega Salvage, Berkeley, CA
Nice layout of categories, lighting is broken out by decorative period. Seems to be the most user-friendly website of the bunch
Gems include tiles, doors, cabinets, metal lockers, display pedestals from art museums.

HOW TO MAKE IT MODERN AND FABULOUS:
If you’re new to salvage style you may want to start with these ideas: mirrors, ceramic tiles as coasters or tabletop decoration.

Cast iron or brass floor registers: Powdercoat paint them white, black, silver, peacock blue, or a fire engine red and hang them as wall art.

Natalie Portman makes her debut as shoe designer for retailer Té Casan. Her line of high style heels are animal-friendly, and 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Nature Conservancy. Bravo girl!

Abigail Doan of Inhabitat serves up some fabulous recycled and upcycled collections by indie designers. It’s about luscious layers this season.

The Vintage Fashion Expo is on this March 15-16th weekend in San Francisco. You might score a vintage Gucci bag, or a make out with an haute vintage Hermes gown like the one Angelina Jolie wore to this year’s Oscars.

Vintage Fashion Expo
Nob Hill Masonic Center
1111 California St.
Regular hours: Saturday 10:30 AM - 6 PM, Sunday 11AM-5 PM, tickets $10.
Early buying takes place Saturday from 9 - 10:30 AM, tickets $20. Students with I.D. are admitted free on Sunday.

Visit the website for ticket information.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area this March 14-16 weekend and love modern design and architecture, don’t miss the 5th annual Caboom Show: the largest showcase of independent, contemporary design on the West Coast. On the list of special home tours includes one project particularly close to my heart and had the opportunity to work on: the Residence for a Briard designed by Sander Architects.

Three years ago, the clients Thomas Small and Joanna Brody threw down a gauntlet: to build the greenest house that had ever come out of the Sander practice. They wanted a house that was modern, green, and Briard-friendly (a very, very, large dog).

On a very tight budget. The challenge called for innovations on many fronts: beginning with the use of prefab components for the frame of the house, to our experimentation with materials. Insulation made from recycled denim jeans, wall boards made from sunflower seeds — surprisingly gorgeous enough to leave exposed sans paint. We had even talked about using cheap red wine to stain the concrete floors.

Whitney Sander, the principal, found his design inspiration from a painting by George Braque. I remember in my second week of work, being sent off to research Venturi roofs (to promote “natural” A/C) and every possible green product under the sun. It was the crash course of a lifetime — and was in part, the foundation of knowledge I used for the birth of Fabulously Green (thanks Whitney, Catherine, Thomas and Joanna).

Green Strategies and Materials:

• greywater system (for capturing used water and reusing it for landscape irrigation)
• passive heating and cooling strategies
• a cistern to capture rainwater for watering landscaping
• recycled denim insulation, bamboo flooring, Marmoleum, structural steel frames from recycled steel

To see the house in person, sign up for the Saturday Westside House Tour. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Related Links:

• For tickets and home tour registration visit the Caboom V website
• Homeowner Joanna Brody blogs about the designer’s challenge at G Living

Much has been abuzz about how “green is the new black” and yet, greening your personal style still ain’t easy. Over the next few weeks we’ll post some reviews of sites where you can find a range of designer brands offering “look good, feel good” fashion. You can also recommend us your favorite fab green shop here.

The Shop: EcoTobi

The Bottom Line: Nestled inside the Tobi website, EcoTobi is a micro world of high style for Sex and the City or Entourage types. Personal stylists are virtually on hand offers a boost to help your answer style questions.

The Skinny: Easy site navigation on both women’s and men’s sections. Excellent selection of organic beauty and skincare products, with a smaller but well-edited, established list of designer labels. At this posting, store leans more skincare than fashion for now, although we expect that will change.

We’d love to see fashion and skincare categorized separately to make shopping easier. Prices are high end, but occasional deals can be found in their sale section.

Brownie Points: Props to EcoTobi for pushing a skinny, zero carbon footprint in partnership with Carbon Fund, and for its use of packaging made from recycled materials, and soy ink printing.

Best bets for guys: A pretty deep selection of graphic tees. Organic, non-toxic denim options a plenty too, though price tags still run high.

Best bets for gals: Some cute dresses, tops at various prices.

For Fabulously Green Readers
Fab Green readers save 20% off your next purchase. To redeem it, just enter FASHION20 at checkout.

These jackets by Canadian designer preloved are ideal for guys who like kickin’ it old skool. The line of urban style outerwear gets its edge from salvaged sweaters and crafted into one-of-a-kind pieces (you can actually see the process unfold on video from the homepage). Who knew that dumpster diving would look so totally righteous?

Most of preloved’s offerings are available in their on-the-ground stores in Canada, but I did happen to spot these coats online at Olio United. A few are currently on sale and perfect for spring.

For more on preloved’s womenswear, check out our previous post.