Category Shelter
Undecorate, Naturally: Part Three
Un-styling your space by just being yourself, continuously. I’m certain we covered close to everything there is to know about the art of undecorating in parts one and two, and it’s almost time to call it a wrap. You know the rules because there aren’t any, other than trusting your instincts. And if your instincts […]
Undecorate, Naturally: Part Two
Un-styling your space by just being yourself, randomly. In Undecorate, Naturally: Part One, we established that the new way to decorate begins and ends with trusting your instincts, choosing what you like and just going for it. There are no wrong answers. The best way forward is straight through your doubts or fears, to the […]
Undecorate, Naturally: Part One
Un-styling your space by just being yourself, naturally. Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about the undoing of decorating. Our piece last week showed us the ins and outs of this new un-style, of letting go of the status quo and allowing a space to be personal rather than perfect. You can go to […]
Windows and Sustainable Design
The evolution of windows toward sustainability. It’s something you probably don’t think about very often – windows. They tell us a lot about a building, from its age and style to how energy efficient it is. An average home may lose 30% of its heat or air-conditioning energy through its windows, which is inexcusable considering […]
6 Famous Architects and the Homes They Lived In
Architects have clients and clients set the creative parameters for a project. But when an architect is his own client, all rules and artistic limitations disappear and the result is the ultimate self portrait. Home is where the heart of an architect can fully and completely be expressed. We take a look into the hearts […]
The Historic Lassiter House Awaits Its Fate
Another historic gem from the Modernist era is threatened with demolition. The Lassiter House, built by A.G. Odell in 1952, is the oldest known Modernist residence in Charlotte, North Carolina. The original owners, who worked with the architect on the design, put the house on the market last year but it hasn’t sold. On February […]
Remade in Oregon: The White Stag Block Renewed
Portland is considered one of the greenest cities and is fast becoming a major player in sustainable fashion, food and culture. But did you know that Portland has historic architecture? It’s true. The famous “Made in Oregon” sign (image above) sits atop the historic White Stag building, built in 1907. Portland also has people more […]
Lustables: Heath House Numbers
Ceramics celebrating the unique number fonts of two Modernist masters. Heath Ceramics and type foundry House Industries have joined forces and created these stunning clay tiles ($45 each), in honor of the design genius and number fonts of Neutra (as in, Richard) and Eames (as in, Charles and Ray). Announce your house address with the […]
Gardener on the Roof: 15 Gorgeous Green Rooftops
Rooftops as sustainable, functional and gorgeous green spaces. Around the globe, more focus is being put on utilizing the vast square footage of the roof. People are creating private, green havens of relaxation or gardens that provide fresh, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables. Take, for example, the rooftop pictured below. Add a little green and watch […]
10 Questions to Ask A Hotel Before You Book
Essential questions for conscious travelers. The series Places & Spaces could inspire even the most dedicated couch potato to pack a bag and hop a plane. The destinations featured are sustainable, but what about your average hotel claiming green sensitivity? The term is increasingly overused, so it’s important to ask questions. A well-informed traveler is […]
Lumi: Pure and Natural Textile Printing
If you’re familiar with textiles and design, you’ve probably heard of screen-printing, digital printing, and maybe even sublimation. All three are printing technologies used to create pretty patterns and pictures on fabric. But I would bet the Eames chair and ottoman I’m saving up for, that you don’t know about the Lumi Process. It’s a […]
Bookmarked: Better Living Through Design
It is rare to come across a one-stop design resource with a finger on the pulse of all things cool, but it does happen. Better Living Through Design (BLTD) is one such spot. They feature products in categories ranging from travel and home renovation to furniture, books and accessories. And they tell you where to […]
Bjarke Ingels Has Big Plans for the Big Apple
The 36-year-old Danish architect Bjarke Ingels is the hottest topic on the tip of every avant-garde’s tongue. I’m glad he’s here, mostly because he uses words like symbiosis and spontaneous interaction; hybrid typology and harvest resources. There’s nothing sexier than a voracious vocabulary. And an architect. Ingels and his Copenhagen-based firm, BIG (the Bjarke Ingels […]
Art Collecting Comes to a Computer Near You
I worked for a year in an art gallery while I was in design school. The hours were great – 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday – and I got to hang around cool people and look at art all day. We sold pieces by lesser-known but up-and-coming artists, as well as stuff from greats […]
From Rusty Rail-Line to Landscaped High-Line
Bring together a landscape architect, an architecture firm, New York City train rails that are unused and on the brink of demolition, and a bunch of passionate activists – what do you get? Creative, green brilliance, of course. Otherwise known as the High-Line Project. The High-Line, located on Manhattan’s West Side, is 13 miles of […]
Mi Casa Es Su Casa: Preparing Your Space for Holiday House Guests
It’s that special time of year – the time that brings (invited or not) extravagant eating, kindness and giving, and friends and family visiting. And if your people are anything like my people, they come bearing gifts and all sorts of sweet love and excitement. It warms my heart. Mi casa es su casa. I […]
Tearing Down the Past Leads to Nowhere Fast
We talk about it a lot here at EcoSalon. Conscious choices. Mindful decisions. The easiest way to make a difference and effect change in the world is to live consciously and mindfully. To try to be aware of what we buy, how (or if) we drive, where we shop, what we eat. If we’re present […]
Go Climb a Tree and Stay a Night or Two
I grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles when phones were rotary and the coolest video game going was Atari Pong. Or maybe it was Pac Man. My point being that there wasn’t a lot to do indoors after school, so we headed outside. After a quick snack, it was out the door on […]
Moss Talking
I’ve rarely been accused of being ‘at a loss for words,’ except when it comes to small talk. Inane chit-chat serves a purpose, I understand, but I’d rather just hear the silence in between. Call me anti-social, aloof or just plain boring, but my shutting up leaves plenty of room for observing, which has made […]
Autumn Inspiration: Just Don’t Say Holiday Decoration
I’m not much of a holiday decorator. I don’t spend two days unwrapping little chotskies out of bubble wrap (you know, the same ones I spent two days re-wrapping last year) and setting them up all over my home. I don’t hang hundreds of blinking lights from my roof or station large plastic figures on […]
Prefab: Sustainable and Stylish. Seriously.
The word sounds so, shall we say, cheap and chintzy? It doesn’t roll off your tongue and linger on your lips like Chateau Marmont or Fontainbleau. In fact, when I first heard the word prefab back in 2000, trailer park and double-wide sprang to mind. But then I laid my eyes on the Eames House […]
Simply Ceramics: From Bauhaus to Your House
Isn’t she lovely? There’s not much to not like about the Tac Tea Pot (image above) designed by Walter Gropius, architect and founder of the Bauhaus. In fact, it’s been called “the most beautiful tea service ever produced”. Simple, minimal, functional. What else is there? Enduring, that’s what. Gropius (1883-1969) was a genius designer of […]
The Not So Mighty McMansion. RIP.
Somewhere along the way, America the Beautiful land of the free, has morphed into Home of the big, bigger and biggest. Did it happen when no one was looking? Is it like those five pounds you gain over the holidays? Did they just sneak up on us? Not exactly. In fact, it took years. Of […]
Home Is Where the Art… Should be
I’m a down to business, cut through the clutter, don’t beat around the bush type of gal. So when it comes to the home and “collecting” I agree with Mies (van der Rohe, that is) that ‘Less is More’. That is unless we’re talking art. Collecting art is not an elitist activity, nor is it […]
Is That a Woolly Pocket on Your Wall, or Are You Just…?
I’ll get my mind out of the gutter and onto the green, where it belongs, and tell you about my latest obsession – plants in pockets. I’d heard of hanging plants and plants that are potted, but the idea of putting a plant in a cloth-like pocket wasn’t in my repertoire. That is, until I […]
Hartfelt and Fancy Free: Eco-Friendly Felt Cushions
For the record, in the US we call them pillows. Not that there’s anything wrong with cushions. In fact, call them whatever you like. If they’re soft and cozy you have my attention; make them from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles (eco-fi felt), in cool and colorful designs and I’m sold. These modern, graphic cushions, […]
Cutting Edge Concept: the Flow2 Kitchen
The kitchen could be considered the hub of a home. It’s the spot where people congregate at parties, despite protests from the hostess; it’s the place a family gathers to break bread as often as three times a day. There are all types of kitchens. We’ve shown you recycled or sustainable parts and entire islands […]
Give an Old Chair a Softer Suit with Parkhaus Pads
I lean toward the minimalist in all things design and I’m especially drawn to chairs of the modernist period. There’s nothing not to like, in my opinion, and there’s no need to alter any of the classics. That’s why they’re called classics. But who could object to a softer seat? Unless your bum is naturally […]
Cool Design Converts the Car-Addicted
I live in Los Angeles and yes, I love my car. Not because it’s a symbol of my status or a prized possession, but because I’d get nowhere without it. In a city known for traffic jams and empty carpool lanes, you’d think locals would be begging for ways to avoid our cars. Such is […]
The Look of Refurbished Lockers (Without the Hassles of High School)
My memories of high school are not what you’d call nostalgic. In fact, you couldn’t bribe me with eco-gifts and organic treats to return and relive the nonsense of it all. Despite the oodles of teen angst, I did manage to graduate with a strong B average while spending most of my time playing sports […]
