Hot Reclaimed and Recycled Materials!

If you have a weak spot for reused, reclaimed, and recycled in architecture and interior design, you have to check these out!

• The M + E Collection from EcoDomo is made entirely with recycled materials, blending stones, glass and recycled leather - the Recycled Leather is made from leather scraps taken from tanneries which produce leather for car seats and others.

• The free form, organic design of each Bear Creek Glass handcrafted ocean bowl makes it a spectacular focal point for any bath. 100% recycled glass.

• A warm, rustic and very hip way to serve up a compact fluorescent (or incandescent, your choice). Laser cut steel over mica. Made by Eleek from recycled steel square bar stem and 100% recycled cast aluminum canopy, shade rings.

• Mirai collection was designed by Matteo Leoni for Warisan. Fully built in Recycled Teak wood, derived from demolished old houses, bridges, phone posts, etc. The line features 2 beds, nighstands, drawer's chest, as well as desks, bookshelf, sofas , coffee tables & outdoor items.

• These Asian Art Imports palm lamps are made from recycled palmwood. The heights range from 4' to 7' tall. Each piece possesses an individual character.

• The Debris Series Recycled Ceramic Tile features over 112 glaze colors, contains over 60% recycled materials, and is made by Fireclay in their U.S. Northern California sustainable factory, creating one of the most beautiful, sustainable ceramic products on the market.

• Custom made lighting by Function + Art - variable options: size, finish, glass drop length, ceiling or wall mount. Made from recycled steel and glass.

DIY Eco Storage Ideas

You might have scoured the internet for Eco-friendly storage options only to find that they are scarce and often pricey. Fear not, if you are handy you can reuse some common 'useless' items to make your own storage containers. Of course, these are just a few ideas - use your imagination and your local salvage yard to come up with even more creative options!

Large Capacity Recycling: Are your recycling containers so small you have to empty them nearly every day? If you have the space, make a container out of some used burlap bags. You can get some free or at very low cost from your local coffee roaster. Just make a frame out of 2x4s and place the bag in the middle, roll the edges over the frame and secure them with large tacks.

Under Bed Storage: I have come across many old dressers that are just too ugly to be placed in a visible space in the house. Often though, they are very well made. Sometimes out of sturdy and high quality hardwood. Find a new use for old dresser drawers by attaching some casters to the bottom and "voila!" - you've got yourself plenty of under bed storage. Great for dorm rooms by the way!

Bedding Storage: Use an old wine barrel with lots of character to create a unique storage space for extra pillows, comforters, and bedding. Just make sure it is clean and use an old sheet to make a liner bag. Easy as that!

General Organization: Give new life to old wooden crates by creating a fabric liner that will prevent things from falling out. A myriad of things can be stored in these. Organize your craft room, your kids' art supplies, or the glass jar collection (you know, the ones you don't want to recycle just yet because you keep thinking you'll find a use for them).

Storage for the Small Things: You know what I am talking about. The small things you find all over your house that do not have a place of their own. The greeting cards from friends, the tape and scissors, pens and pencils... Just use some old shoe boxes and cover them in fabric, there is no end to the possibilities!

Mythic Paint Review

My affair with Mythic Paint goes back about a year and a half ago. I was pregnant with our first child and browsing through a pregnancy magazine I spotted an eye catching advertisement. Naturally I went online to find out more about them. I was excited to find non-toxic paint to say the least. In January of 2009, being nine months pregnant, I invited Mythic to host a Lunch 'n Learn in our office at Rob Bramhall Architects. I was more than impressed and decided that I will never paint with anything else in my life, period.

After our daughter was born we put off painting our living room for a long time because of finances. This past August though Mythic was kind enough to send us some paint to try and I present to you my account of the truly legendary Mythic Paint.

After

Before

The Buzz: So what makes Mythic so special and how come it stands apart from other paints? If you are new to the 'indoor air quality' scene, I'll fill you in. Your average paint contains a multitude of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Yes, they also contain known carcinogens. Why would anyone make paint that causes cancer you ask? I honestly don't know - but the same question can be applied to everything these days. Like why do they use pesticides on our food if it causes cancer? Or why are most cleaning supplies cancerous as well?

Anyhow, VOCs off-gas for years after you paint your walls. I am sure you are all familiar with that 'new paint' smell as well. It can be a trigger for asthma and other ailments. With Mythic you don't need to worry about any of that. My daughter was contently watching daddy paint in her highchair. I was nearby working on my laptop, no headaches involved. Safe for pets, save for babies, and good for the Earth as a bonus. It is a major step toward better indoor air quality - which at the moment the EPA labels as one of the top five health risks in the US.

Before and After

Performance: If you don't believe me that it performs better than SW and BM paint, you can try it yourself! They now sell 4 oz sample jars to feed your curiosity. I wasn't the one painting, my husband was, but he said that it is better than other paint he used before and has much better coverage. For me though, I was sold at the non-toxic part and would have used it even if the performance was average. Not sure if you want to commit? Two words for you: sample jar.

You see, Mythic Paint doesn't just take out the toxic stuff out of regular paint, which is what other 'green paint' manufacturers do. It is the result of over six years of intensive polymer research conducted by the University of Southern Mississippi. It is completely redesigned in its makeup from the ground up, resulting in something you will not find on the market.

As a latex paint it is very easy to deal with. It washes off tools nicely (if you don't let it dry of course!). We had a drop or two on our laminate flooring, it just peeled off with no issues. Third party performance testing? Sure:
"In 2007 an industry leading independent consulting and testing laboratory service, performed side-by-side comparative tests between Mythic Paint and all other leading paint brands – both their Eco-friendly and premium lines. Tests focused on subjective performance including thickness, sheen, sag resistance, flow and leveling and gloss. Mythic Paint proved to be equal if not better than all competitors. Resistance and durability was analyzed through the industry‟s gold standard in paint performance testing – the „scrub test‟. Mythic Paint substantially outperformed by 1.5 to 8 times the durability of their competitors."

Value: I know what you are thinking, if this paint is so great, am I going to pay more for it too? Yes, it does cost more than your average toxic paint (about $50 a gallon for interior paint). Here is the deal though, in my experience and that of other people who have used it, the coverage of Mythic is superior to that of other paints. This means that you will need less to cover more. For most colors, even one coat is sufficient. You can't put a price on your health though, so this beats the value of all other paints in that aspect. They also have exterior paint. In which case you will be doing the Earth a favor by having one less house painted with toxic exterior paint.

Love their commercials, take a look!



Disclaimer:

I did not receive payment in any form for this review.

I did receive a sample of the product or service for testing and review purposes. This will in no way sway my opinion of the product or service. The review is in my own words and is my own opinion. Your results and opinion may differ.

H2O Chlorine Filtering Shower Head Review

For a long time I was aware that chlorinated water is not good for your health. Never mind drinking it, but even just showering in it isn't healthy. I just never realized just how bad it is until my daughters pediatrician recommended bathing her in non-chlorinated water to help clear up a skin condition. So I looked deeper into the subject of chlorinated municipal water while painstakingly using my Nikken Aqua Pour to make enough clean water to bathe my daughter.

You can research it yourself, but I have learned that chlorine in combination with dairy consumption causes clogged arteries in testing on rats. It is also not news that it makes skin dry and hair brittle. I'll just quote from Dr. Mercola's website: "Long-term risks of consuming chlorinated water include excessive free radical formation, which accelerates aging, increases vulnerability to genetic mutation and cancer development, causes difficulty metabolizing cholesterol, and promotes hardening of arteries. Excess free radicals created by chlorinated water also create dangerous toxins in the body. These have been directly linked to liver malfunction, weakening of the immune system and pre-arteriosclerotic changes in arteries."

H₂O International were kind enough to send me one of their chlorine filtering shower heads to try. I've been taking chlorinated showers for years and as well have been suffering from dandruff ever since I can remember. I failed to link the two together though until now. Even with just two weeks of using this chlorine filtering shower head I have seen an improvement. Of course it will take longer than that, but I can feel that even my skin is not as dry as it used to be. This will be especially important in the dry New England winters! It is especially enjoyable not to smell the chlorine anymore while showering. My baby loves taking her baths in this chlorine free water and I have the peace of mind knowing I made the best choice for her health. At the pediatricians recommendation, the combination of Fuzzi Bunz and the H₂O Chlorine Filtering Shower Head made her rash disappear.

It was pretty simple to install, you just need a wrench. It comes with the filter already in it and it will last you about 6-9 months. I enjoy the five different massage settings, you can get a glimpse of them in this video as well as how easy it is to change the filter cartridge. The shower water pressure droped a little once we installed it, I suspect that is because of the filter action. It isn't anything drastic, just a slight change. Overall I highly recommend this product for making a healthy choice for your body and avoiding all the perils of chlorinated water, especially if you have children or heart health issues.

My readers on EcoBabyz, AnV Design, and Lunch.com get a special 20% discount code for H2O International products, just click the graphic below!

Ergonomics at Your Desk

We all know that feeling - when you sit at your work desk all day and then by evening you feel so sore like you've been loading coal onto a truck with a shovel. Ergonomics at your home or work office are very important, not just for your physical health but emotional well being. There are many solutions out there to fight back ache and muscle fatigue, many companies design ergonomic chairs that cost a fortune, some more than others.

One of these devices stands apart from the rest, it is not really a chair, the BalanceBall chair is a revolution in office and home furniture. The patented design combines fitness with comfort and ergonomic back support, all at an affordable price. With chiropractic pioneer Dr. Randy Weinzoff, Gaiam developed the BalanceBall Chair as an effective tool for strengthening core muscles and improving spinal alignment - both at home and at the office. Removable 52 centimeter BalanceBall can be used for exercises on or off the chair. The BalanceBall Chair is on sale at Gaiam at the price of $79.98, plus get free shipping on orders of $49 or more - just use code AFSHP6 (expires 6.30.09)!



If you are looking for some back support in your well loved office chair, this vibrating back support might be just the thing you are looking for:

BDC: Luxury Sample Sale

The Boston Design Center is having a luxury sample sale on Saturday April 4th and Sunday April 5th! It is the only planned public sample sale for 2009. You will find great deals of up to 75% off on furniture, antiques, rugs, art, and accessories. The admission to the exclusive event is $10.

Saturday, April 4 • 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Sunday, April 5 • Noon–5 p.m.

Nesting on a Budget

In this economy, many are spending more time at home and less time out in restaurants, shopping, and engaging in leisure activities (although by the looks of mall parking lots that does not seem to be the case). But who wants to be stuck in a home that is not welcoming and makes you take every opportunity to leave? An attractive interior environment can change your mood and make for some quality family time. When your own dining room is a restaurant, the bedroom - a quaint inn, the family room - a movie theater, and the kids room like the science museum, who needs to go out?

Starting with the basics, a cluttered home is never an attractive home. The first step is to get rid of all things seldom used or just taking up space (sell on craigslist perhaps). Try to look at your home as a potential buyer would. If you do have a lot of 'stuff' that you think you need to keep, organize some adequate storage whether it is a built-in or bins in the basement - everything has to have its own place. Once you have that squared away decide what you want each room to be or feel like. You don't have to take on the whole house at once, take your time.

Once you have the 'mood' established for each room, start with color - what color facilitates that mood in your mind? If you don't want to or don't have the budget to repaint every room - work with what you have and instead use wall art and textiles (pillows, curtains, upholstery covers) to change the decor. Lighting can be an inexpensive way to completely change the mood of a room.

Here are some fun products that can help you with your interior redecorating:

blik surface graphics

PerlaAnne - hand block printed designs

reclaimed t-shirt spaghetti rug
George Kovacs Counter Weight Chandelier
Design Public window film
Windrush wall sconce

Some unique wall art suggestions: