Office Style – Fabulously Green

Category archives: Office Style

DIY DESIGN | Secret Salvage Yards

19Mar08

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.

Filed under Furnishings, Furniture, Interior Design, Kitchens+Baths, Lighting, Materials+Finishes, Office Style, Recycled, Vintage| Tagged clawfoot tubs, Eco-friendly, Recycled, salvage one, salvage style, Tile+Stone, vintage furniture | 4 Comments

FURNITURE | Where to Buy Vintage Tanker Desks

28Jun07

We’ve reported on these retro tanker desks before, and have found several other companies outside of L.A. offering these popular, rehabbed mid-century originals. All of these shops offer several styles and a dizzying range of custom colors.

First up is Minneapolis-based Past Present Future. PPF offers a range of desks, credenzas, storage and seating, available in restored “as is” finish like this double pedestal tanker in original steel.

Although this single pedestal tanker is quite pretty in pink:

My favorite is this double pedestal in aqua blue:

DIY RESOURCE:
For a real “steel” try snagging one on Craig’s List and rehab it yourself. You can find step-by-step photo instructions on how to refinish a tanker desk yourself at Twelve Stone.

WHERE TO BUY:
Bergen Office Furniture
127 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10001
212.366.6677

Thistle & Crowe
3109 Selwyn Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28209
704.858.2345

Espinosa Furniture
2352 Venloe Dr
Poland, OH 44514
330.757.3177

Sonrisa
7609 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
800.668.1020

Retro Office, Inc.
9526 Ann Street
Santa Fe Springs, CA. 90670
888.501.5660
Tip: There’s an online color customizer tool to design your own.

Filed under Furniture, Interior Design, Office Style, Refashion+Refurb, Vintage| Tagged Eco-friendly, tanker desk, Tanker desks, vintage desk, vintage modern furniture | 6 Comments

DIY Style File | Office Wall Art

03May07

Here’s a pretty resourceful design idea I spotted on Curbly: how to turn your collection of business cards into wall art. It’s an especially great project if like me, you’re in a design-related field and have collected bunches of stand-up-and-be-noticed cards. Or if you’ve abandoned your rolodex for a PDA.

READY, SET, DESIGN
* Sort cards by color, texture or theme. Look at them as a whole to see what kind of large scape print you can create with them.

* Turn them around. Some cards may have more designer appeal upside down, sideways, or on their backsides–begging to break out of the “same old, same old” mold.

* Cut, crop, or shred. Some cards exude more character when they’re cropped in dynamic ways. Think circles, lines, squares. Bring out your inner David Hockney.

BE DIFFERENT
* Consider designing a series of small pieces rather than one large piece.

* Mix the media. Admit it: you’ve been dying to do something with that new cover sheets on those pesky TPS reports. Ah, yeah.

* Layer it. Marker work on top could be fun–especially if you have a large number of white cards. Glue a few together to create some depth and pop.

* Get wordy. Arrange them into your favorite quote or word.

SHOW IT OFF
We’d love to see your designs or post your favorite office DIY project here. We won’t tell your boss. Really.

Filed under Budget Decor, Office Style, Stationery+Cards, Unique| Tagged curbly, Eco-friendly, Office Style, Reusable, Stationery+Cards | 8 Comments

Fab Green Deal: THINK Chair

01May07

The Steelcase Think Chair is about as close to perfection as it gets in an office chair. From now until May 15, Fab Green readers can get a 10% discount.

Praised for its sleek design, cutting edge ergonomics, and environmentally conscious materials, the Think chair is so comfortable it just might give you the extra boost you need to get through the workday.

Awarded the 2006 Business Week Gold Industrial Design Excellence Award, Steelcase partnered with William McDonough’s design group MBDC to create one of the first “cradle-to-cradle” chairs in the business (meaning eco-friendly from birth to rebirth). It’s beautifully crafted from 44% recycled materials, 99% recyclable, and produced with no PVCs, lead, mercury and other known toxins. Designers and architects will be happy to know the Think Chair qualifies for LEED credits as well.

I “test-sat” the Think Chair last year on one of my visits to the Steelcase showroom, and dare I say my back was so happy I think it smiled. The chair conformed perfectly to my body and gave me firm yet forgiving support unparalleled in any other chair I’ve tried. Now that I’ve reached that age where I find myself regrettably complaining about lower back pain and overload of computer work, I recently came to the conclusion that it’s worth swapping my $30 Office Depot chair for something healthier. It’s not cheap, but pretty reasonable as far as high-tech chairs go.

If you want one for yourself or your business, e-mail the Steelcase Store and ask for the Fabulously Green 10% off Think coupon code. The chair lists regularly from $649-959 depending on custom features.

Thanks to Matt Lindstrom for contacting us with this offer.

Filed under Furniture, Interior Design, Lifestyle Tips, Office Style, Refashion+Refurb, Sales+Shopping| Tagged Cradle-to-cradle furniture, Eco-friendly, Non-toxic, Recyclable, Steelcase, Think Chair | No Comments

(re)Style File: When All is Read and Done

22Jan07

My love for books spilleth over this morning. Bookish design finds and inspiration for home, office or your closet.

This wall unit by Vitra contributing designer Werner Asslinger redefines the definition of the word ‘bookshelf.’ An interesting functional mix of old materials (those outdated titles) with a modernist’s love of modular:

How Studio Asslingler puts these books in balance:

Via DesignSpotter

The Ultimate Book Bag
And if you’re a bookloving fashionista like me, it’s worth perusing the collection of book bags designed by Caitlin of rebound designs. There’s over 50 book titles to choose from including vintage Nancy Drew Mystery Series to the James Joyce’s Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man.

Alice in Wonderland Bag, rebound designs, $150

Images de la France bag, rebound designs, $150

Second Year Algebra bag, rebound designs
This bag is currently sold out (has math ever this popular?). But you can click here to request one like it.

A Novel Gift Idea: Create a one-of-a-kind bag with Caitlin from a loved one’s favorite book. She’ll craft one for you.

Filed under Bags, Fashion - Women, Furniture, Handmade, Indie, Interior Design, Office Style, Refashion+Refurb, Unique, Vintage| Tagged Changeable Style, Eco-friendly, Handmade, Indie | 1 Comment

Design Meets Cannery Row

14Jan07

Storage that doubles as a piece of wall art? The Cesaria Evora Storage Unit by GodoyLab takes recycled cans and transforms them into a wall mounted shelving unit. Originally designed in 1997, Emiliano Godoy has created many versions since. These units strike a perfect balance of industrial style and elegance.

The DIY Version: Create your own storage unit from empty paint cans or coffee cans. Peel off the labels (you may need to soak them in water first). Paint the interior (and/or exterior) a sassy color for a two-toned graphic effect.

Personally, I’ve been wanting to design a room divider from cans for my home office. Open up the bottom with a can opener and paint the interior with a low-VOC paint (in a peacock blue). The trick is to hot glue them in an arrangement that becomes freestanding. Voila–a storage divider.

Filed under Art+Graphics, Budget Decor, Interior Design, Multifunctional Design, Office Style, Refashion+Refurb| Tagged Eco-friendly, Recyclable | No Comments

Gifting Ideas: for the Modern Home

22Nov06

Welcome to the first in a series of five fabgreen gift guides for the holidays! These gift ideas are made with love for design and the planet which makes the act of giving truly special. Enjoy! And if you’ve got a great gift idea you want to share I’d love to hear from you.

Today’s Fab Five: Gifts for the folks who love their digs at home or the office. Modern, minimalist, eco-friendly style.

Art Clock by Andrzej Bialuski, $35USD
Bialuski is an independent designer and photographer based in Brooklyn who makes these felt clocks by hand (which means they’re happily biodegradable). The art clock arrives in its own gift box and is powered by one AA battery (for more green power, you can always opt for the rechargable kind). Great way to style up someone’s office or home. Five colors are available . Spotted at elsewares. Gift tip: think twice if your recipient is Chinese. Why? Some of us believe that giving a clock to someone means “your time is up.” My relatives do anyway.

Splash Umbrella Stand by Yasuhiro Asano, $75USD
Can Japanese design get any sleeker? These punchy umbrella stands will definitely make a splash at home or the office. Made of sustainable rubber and available in a bunch o’ colors. Love how diminuitive it is, and if you live in rain-deprived California like I do you can always use it as a vase. Or a pencil holder. Although for $75 you hopefully have some seriously fine pencils. Spotted at generate.

Hanging Vines Table Linens by Lotta Jansdotter, $34USD
I spotted these on sale at Vivaterra. I first fell in love with Lotta’s work five years ago at the National Stationery Show in New York and have been a fan since. Her Hanging Vines is one of her bestselling prints. Handprinted on undyed, natural linen.

Stone Cairns + Vases, $49-55USD for a pair
Another great gift item on sale at Vivaterra. A serene, minimalist accessory for a desk, window sill or tabletop. Cairns-shaped rock traditionally evoke safety, hope and friendship. The stone vases help bring a touch of the outdoors inside when filled with sprigs or buds from your back yard.

Two-Tone Tray by Molly Kinney, $35USD
These handmade bamboo trays are sleek, serene and sustainable. Found at Zanisa.

Filed under Gadgets, Gifts+Gifting, Interior Design, Office Style, Small Space Style| Tagged Eco-friendly, Tabletop | No Comments

Futureproof/ed Furniture

17Oct06

These Oto chairs available at Futureproof/ed conjure up childhood memories of folding origami with my mother. So what happens when you take a penchant for paperfolding and apply it to say–molded beech plywood? How about a stunning collection of furniture that is clean, understated. Very eco-cool.

The Voxia line designed by Peter Karpf is the result of more than 30 years of experimenting with “the optimum simplicity in a chair, unifying space with the article of furniture.” It doesn’t get more simple (or more sustainable) than using a single sheet of wood veneer. No screws or added hardware. No toxic adhesives. Just simple, straightforward design.

Stackable NXT Chairs

Toothy-looking Vuw Stool

Stackable Eco Chair

The Fab Factor: We love the fact that Voxia is crafted from a sustainably managed forest near to the production plant. The form itself requires minimal materials to make–a real statement of less being more. The production process requires substantially less energy (catch their video here). And of course, they’re recyclable.

Filed under Furniture, Office Style| Tagged Eco-friendly, Non-toxic, Recyclable | 1 Comment

DESIGN INSPIRATION | Water Office

19Sep06

Apparently architect Tadao Ando is not the only one fascinated with using bottled water as a design material. Check out this design for the Tokyo-based office that also uses the idea of plastic bottle walls to create a different effect. Klein Dytham Architecture designed this space for the Danone Company whose main product lines include Evian and Volvic water–using their products as design material for the space.

The Concept:Translucent screens were made to create special zones for seating, and meetings in an otherwise open plan office. Empty Evian bottles were strung on wires stretching from floor to ceiling like beads on a string.The Fab Factor: Though it’s not clear if they used recycled bottles for this project, it’s got the makings of a bubbly green idea. Fab fun with recycling.More Plastic Bottles in Design and Architecture:

Filed under Interior Design, Materials+Finishes, Office Style, Refashion+Refurb| Tagged design using plastic bottles, Eco-friendly, Klein Dytham Architecture, Recyclable, Tadao Ando, unique materials | No Comments

Walls That Take a Sculptural Turn

20Jun06

Seattle-based modularArts has done it again. After introducing a stunning line of sculptural panels in 2004, we’ve been patiently waiting for the unveiling of new designs. Their latest, featured here is Bloom.

modularArts panels have graced the walls of Sony Design Center, Bloomingdales, CNN, Bellagio, Aveda and Burdine’s Macy’s.

What makes them Fabulous:
1. Made from 100% mineral composite, they’re nontoxic and contain no retardants or agents.
2. Awarded a 2004 Green Products Award by Organic Architect,
3. “Greened” their manufacturing process: waste water is recycled, and minimal plywood is used for packaging.
4. Are tactile, modern and simply beautiful.

For a fee, designers can even create your own proprietary pattern–providing unique sculptural art to a space.

Fabulously Green reports on the latest eco-friendly products that blend style, sustainability and social responsibility. A resource for designers and shoppers alike, we showcase daily green style finds in fashion, furniture, decor pieces reflecting eco-modern chic.

Filed under Art+Graphics, Interior Design, Materials+Finishes, Office Style| Tagged Eco-friendly, Modular Arts, Non-toxic, sculptural wall panels | No Comments

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