It's a cover-up

Books to inspire: The New Artisans by Olivier Dupon

With the DIY crafting trend gaining momentum worldwide, The New Artisans by is Olivier Dupon is a timely, must-have for all arts-and-crafts buffs out there looking for inspiration or for people who simply love beautifully made objects. What a treat!

Adeptly capturing the new mood - a return to the unique and the artisanal - Dupon showcases designers and makers who use craft techniques rather than mass-production methods to create unique, covetable objects.

Some pieces have been created from scratch, some are old things put together in novel ways, and others are upcycled from the growing mountain of abandoned objects out there, a consequence of today's throwaway culture.

In itself, the book is beautiful, a massive lush tome of 300 pages that is a pleasure to pick up and leaf through. Featuring 75 designers from all over the world whose products are available online – you’ll be sure to find a few favourites yourself.

It is also an excellent reference guide for your own crafting, including an invaluable directory of products, divided into categories: art, ceramics, furniture, glasswork, jewellery, lighting, metalwork, paper and woodwork, stationery, tableware, and textiles.

More than 800 colour photographs illustrate the huge variety of design work available — knitted scarves, handblown chandeliers, wooden table lamps, delicate paper flowers, handthrown pots and jugs, beaded necklaces, embroideries, and more.

Enjoy!

The New Artisans sells online from Amazon and Thames & Hudson.

Pictures c/o Amazon,Thames & Hudson,Cool Hunting and Hi Arts

Barter sites to swap your stuff

We are all trying to do our bit through recycling, reducing waste and reusing wherever possible. You can also tick the environmentally conscientious box by vying for an ever-trendy upcycled number or by purchasing from companies that show a level of environmental awareness (see IKEA's Never Ending List).

For a hat-trick of ideas here's how you can get stuff as well as get rid of stuff free of a guilty conscience (whether for the environment or your budget!). I bring you a list of sites where you can trade stuff for other things, get rid of unwanted items (without adding to the landfill problem!) or exchange them for a bit of the old hardback - or all of the above. 

1. Freecycle: I've used this myself and it works. Freecycle allows you to list items you are looking to get rid of, look through items others have on offer or list what you are after. It's all free of charge and works on a regional basis.

2. U-Exchange: This is old school bartering - often for services. For example, when I went in to have a look a woman in Canada was offering boarding for horses in exchange for being able to ride the horse. A man in the US wanted to exchange carpentry services for any kind of transport, from cars to bikes. This also can be filtered into regions and is essentially free, with the exception of large vehicles, boats and property exchange where there is a nominal one-time fee.

3. Swap.com: Here you are asked what you have to trade and what you are looking for in exchange and then Swap.com matches you up as closely as possible with an appropriate candidate. This is also free and works best on a local level. Swap.com has 1.2 million members!

4. ThredUp: Their tag 'Where moms like you swap children's clothing and toys online' kind of says it all. When you join, you are sent 10 boxes which you fill with clothing as and when your children outgrow them. If someone wants them, you post it to them. If you want a box you pay $15.95 plus $5 to ThredUp. This is US based only.

5. PawnGo: OK most of use would probably steer clear of a pawn shop; there's such a stigma attached to them! But via PawnGo you can get cash for goods all online or even take out short term loans on the back of expensive items you own. Of course, they have to fit into a FedEx envelope...

If you found this helpful, other posts that may also be of interest to you are Places to source IKEA when there isn't one near you, How to save 70% on a sofa and Design tips for a recession.

Credit: Mashable

Design-It-Yourself: Upcycled vase thanks to Luzia Pimpinella

Yea! Today's blogpost comes from Germany's very own blogger extraordinaire, and the creative mind behind the much-loved Luzia Pimpinella. Nic, the-woman-behind-the-blog, is über creative and has a wonderful eye for detail. She always includes breathtaking photos - the kinds I wish I could take, and captures the essence of that vintage, nostalgic, 50s-inspired look many of us embrace. Needless to say, we were sehr, sehr flattered she agreed to write a post for us.

For this Design-It-Yourself project, Nic takes us from plastic yogurt drink pots to beautiful spring vase. Thank you Luzia Pimpinella for sharing your creativity and ideas with us! Take it away Nic:

Take the empty plastic bottles and a glue-gun and glue them together in a bunch.

Like this one for example.

Measure off the outline of your bunch of bottles and add 2-3 cm for some overlapping of the "fabric belt" ... determine the width as well.

Cut some fabric straps for the outside and the lining according to these measures. Look for some matching embellishments like ribbons and/or lace. You will also need a pretty button and a piece of elastic cord for the closure.

Sew up the outer fabric straps, fix the embellishments with stylefix if you like.

Then sew the ribbons to it.

Sew up outer fabric and lining right to right side. Fix a loop of elastic cord between the fabric layers of one short side.... Leave a hole to turn-over on the other side.

Minimize the seam allowances and turn over the fabric.

Iron the fabric strap carefully and stitch a seam close to the edge... Close the hole to turn-over with this step.

Then go to the flower shop and come back with some SPRING at last! :) Have fun!

Like what you see? Visit Luzia Pimpinella here (she writes in German and English - impressive, eh?). And if you're wondering where she found those gorgeous ribbons, well she has a shop too!

Dank so sehr, sehr viel Nic!

Number 13 - lucky for some!

Coincidentally, just when I was writing about Small Eco Houses and feeling we can make a difference, I came across number 13 on Ikea's Never Ending List. That's a list they compile of things they are doing to help us all reduce the impact we are having on the environment. What a pleasant surprise! They recently redesigned one of their bestselling ranges so that it now comes flat packed. I know what you are saying: flat pack? Ikea? Hardly new! But in this instance it is.

Number 13 on their list is the recently redesigned Ektorp sofas and armchairs. By flat-packing them they take up less room during transportation and storage. Not only is this more environmentally friendly but, according to Ikea, it also makes the Ektorp range more affordable, without compromising on quality.

Throw a Bemz slipcover into the equation and you up your green points even more: replacing the slipcover is a far better option for the environment (and your pocket) than bunging it on a landfill. And the best part? There's no need to sacrifice on individual taste as there are over 170 fabrics to choose from for the Ektorp range at Bemz. The photos in this post give you a small taste of the spectrum of choice.

PS If you are planning on picking up a new Ektorp sofa or armchair at Ikea, did you know you can buy it without an Ikea slipcover? That way there's no need to wait to get your Bemz cover.

Beautiful buildings: The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh

For over a year the west entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens, known as the John Hope Gateway, in my home town of Edinburgh, has been closed due to refurbishment of the building located at that entrance. It's finally complete! And it was definitely worth the wait.

Edward Cullinan Architects have successfully paired natural materials, stone and wood, with glass in an uncompromising and impressive way. The combination enables the buildings to blend into the surrounding natural landscape while somehow still standing out with their breathtaking splendour. Here are some photos which will hopefully inspire.

Built of timber, glass and stone the Gateway cuts its impact on the environment with a range of renewable energy systems including biomass fuelled boilers, rainwater recovery, and a roof mounted wind turbine.

Aside from the buildings themselves, the exhibits and interactive sections were highlights for our little family. If you are ever in Edinburgh, include this on your to-do list!

Photos c/o Edinburgh Archtecture, Edward Cullinan Architects and The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh

Facebook HQ

If you are so social media savvy that you read blogs like this one, chances are you also have a Facebook account. Bemz even has a FB Page where you can read all about what we and our fans are doing. But have you ever given any thought to FB HQ?

If you'd asked me to describe Facebook employees, I probably would've put my money on IT-types, inevitably sporting retro t-shirts and baggy jeans, right into the latest gadgets and super tech savvy but not too concerned with design. I was wrong! 

The designers in charge, Studio O+A, used the FB website to communicate ideas and get feedback from the 700 strong workforce, as well as keep them informed of the progress. Pretty impressive!

Oh, they have those RAR Eames rockers! Just what I want for my children's room...Sigh

The site was an old industrial building that formerly housed a lab. It was the first commercial project completed under Paolo Alto’s 2008 Green Building Ordinance. This means they used as much as possible of whatever was already in place from existing architectural features, to lab equipment and benches that had been left behind by the former tenants. Some components were even repurposed for use in the new office space.

They also used high recycled-content carpet and energy-efficient lighting.

Industrial lamps, concrete floors, graffitied walls, a cafe - this is no ordinary office.

"Meet me in the conference room behind the green stripy wall."

They very cleverly attacked the problem of such a large workforce sharing one large space by color coding the offices according to the different teams within the open plan area. The bigwigs sit centrally to encourage accessibility. Brilliant!

And they incorporated many communal meeting areas to encourage communication. There was also something about skateboards, ping-pong tables and basketball hoops, but that goes without saying in California I think.

oh Canada!

Judging from their offices, I'd have to say those Facebook people are pretty stylin'.

But I was right about the jeans and t-shirts...

Photos c/o Dezeen

The ultimate tree house

Check out this home made of whole trees. Not only is it super eco-friendly, it's also architect designed and most importantly, beautiful. Architect and 'inventor' of Whole Trees Architecture, Mr. Gundersen uses small-diameter trees as rafters and framing in his airy structures, and big trees felled by wind, disease or insects as powerful columns and curving beams.

First of all, a whole, unmilled tree can support 50 percent more weight than the largest piece of lumber milled from the same tree so these whole trees are more efficient. Secondly, when the trees are left whole, they sequester carbon, a ton and a half  for every ton of wood to be exact. Compare that with producing a ton of steel which releases two to five tons of carbon. Thirdly, these passive solar structures also need very little or no supplemental heat.

And if all that weren't enough, Gundersen's method is even beneficial to the forest as taking small trees from a crowded stand allows the remaining plants get more light, air and nutrients.

Find out more about this project through the New York Times or via Inhabitat. 

Photos by Paul Kelley for The New York Times

The three Rs and now a U

The Chopstick Stool c/o doornob

The importance of three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle has been droned into us for at least a couple of decades now but this eco-friendly family seems to have a new member: Upcycle. According to Wikipedia, Upcycling is the use of waste materials to provide useful products. My first reaction was 'Isn't that recycling?' Pretty much. The main difference being that an upcycled product is deemed to be of greater value than the recylced parts. 'Upcycling is the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value.'

The Carpet Sqr'd Chair c/o The Design blog

Why is upcycling so hot? It's positive effect on the environment is two-fold: it reduces waste by re-using materials while cutting down on the use of virgin materials. Upcyling is the antithesis of the consume and waste concept in society: it is a reinvestment in the environment and an embodiment of the notion that one can still contribute to the value of a resource while using it.

Upcycled table by Los Angeles based furniture designer Michael Yonke c/o Contemporist

While looking into this new trend, I found a range of examples of upcycled products, from the Carpet Sqr'd Chair (middle picture) made from carpet samples to the Chopstick Stool (top) made of steamer trays and - you guessed it - chopsticks. There are some pretty ingenious ideas floating around out there although I must say some more salvage chic and useful than others. Whatever way you cut it though - this is a trend to watch!

The term upcycling was coined by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, authors of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.

Interesting fact #9 - Fun facts about Cotton

Did you know that everyday, unassuming cotton has been cultivated in many different parts of the world for more than 5,000 years and is used as a food as well as a fiber source? Cottonseed is used as a supplement for dairy feed and processed into oil. The use most of us associate with the plant is of course for the manufacturing of fabrics, ranging from heavy industrial to fine fabrics.

The word cotton is an English version of the Arabic qtun or kutun, a generic term meaning fancy fabric. But one of cotton's original popular names was vegetable wool.

Cotton seeds are tough enough to survive travel across oceans on the wind which may explain why similar varieties sometimes grow thousands of miles apart.

Amazingly, populations separated by oceans and never in contact still managed to develop similar tools to clean, prepare, spin and weave this cloud-like plant.

And finally, did you know that US paper currency isn't paper at all... it's a blend of 75% cotton lint and 25% linen?

At Bemz, we offer over 90 fabrics in various cotton textiles for 59 styles of sofa and chair. Learn more about fabrics through our Fabric Workshop.

Credit: The South Carolina Cotton Museum, CCGGA, Associated Content

Interesting fact #8 - Amazing Linens

Did you know that linen is one of the world's oldest fabrics, dating back over 4000 years and tops the charts on eco-friendliness? Here's more on amazing linen:

• Linen, derived from the Latin linum and the earlier Greek linon, is woven from the fibers of the flax plant and is a completely natural resource.
• Even though only the very best fibers are used by the linen industry, no part of the flax plant is wasted; the left over linseeds, oil, straw and fiber are used in everything from lino and soap to cattlefeed and paper. Also, the linen fabrics are biodegradable and recyclable.

 

• The production of linen fabric uses five to twenty times less water and energy than the production of cotton or other synthetic fabrics.
• "Linens" became the generic term for sheets and pillowcases as they were once made of linen, although these are now often made of cotton or synthetic fibers. 

 

• The characteristic most often associated with linen yarn is the presence of "slubs", or small knots that occur randomly along its length. However, these are actually defects associated with low quality. The finest linen has a very consistent texture and no slubs.
• Linen is renowned for its spectacular durability and long life. The tensile strength of linen thread is twice as high as that of cotton and three times that of wool. Flax yarns and fabrics increase about 20% in strength on wetting which means linen is stronger when being washed helping it last longer than other textiles while linen textiles become softer and actually improve in comfort over time.

 

• It can absorb up to 20% of its own weight in moisture while still feeling dry to the touch; the nodes along the length of the fiber absorb perspiration, then swell and release the moisture to the outside air, thus creating a fabric self cooled by evaporation which is why linen cloth always feels fresh and cool.
• Linen is virtually lint free, non-static, non-allergenic, naturally insect-repellent and gives UV protection.

Finally a little trivia:

• The word ‘spinster’ meaning single woman comes from the day when flax was still spun on spinning wheels by spinsters. This was skilled work and single woman who had mastered the art were at a distinct advantage when looking for a suitable husband. Single women were encouraged to sit outside to spin where they could be admired by potential suitors as they passed by. As a result the word gradually became associated with single women.
• Mummies have been found wrapped in linen shrouds dating as far back as 4500 B.C.
• Casanova allegedly wore condoms made of linen. Who would've thought?

At Bemz, we offer 25 fabrics in our exquisite Belgian Linen blend for over 59 styles of sofa and chair. Learn more about fabrics through our Fabric Workshop.

Credit: Linen Club Fabrics, Pure Linen and Wikipedia.