Who: Stray Dog Designs – Chattanooga, TN

What: Artichoke Lamp

Where: Stray Dog Designs – $625

Why We Love ‘Em: Such a playful and fun accent piece. This lamp has texture, spunk and the carefree spirit of the tropics. Perfect for a beach retreat or to add some color to your room.

Each lamp is handmade by artisans in Haiti and made of papier mache from recycled materials. You can leave the base white or go for a pop of color with your choice of 15 different paint colors, all low-VOC, ranging from the bright Bahaman Sea Blue pictured to a cool African Violet to the sharp contrast of a basic black. All bases are paired with a white paper shade. Other items in their collection are crafted from repurposed tin, glass and even cement bags.

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Who: David Trubridge, Cicada, NZ

What: Floral Pendant

Where: YLighting; $500 with free shipping on orders over $50

Why We Love ‘Em:

we love the innovative blend of art, nature & function…

we love the mesmerizing way the light filters through the organic pattern…

we love the way we can’t quite figure the design out – is it a web of hands, roots, petals, flowers or is that the point? to signify interdependence…. Click to continue »

Who: Bambeco; Baker, WV

What: Soji Modern Solar Lanterns

Where: bambeco.com; $39 & 15% off your purchase with code: ecobungajune; 9″x9″ available in pure white, pearl motif or mineral motif

Why: Based on the intricate hand folded shade designs of architect Poul Christiansen, these hard plastic soji lanterns are perfect for outdoor entertaining. Mix and match patterns to create a festive setting and with no outlets or cumbersome cords required, you can cluster them in the trees or string them along the patio with ease.

Powered by solar panels absorbing the sun’s rays during the day and providing a warm glow as the sun goes down and the amber LED lights switch on. And for those in the sun deprived northeast  who haven’t seen the sun for the past week, not to worry, the lanterns come complete with AAA rechargeable batteries for those less than stellar days.

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Who: Bed, Bath & Beyond; Union, NJ (HQ)

What: Solar Patio String Umbrella Lights

Where: Bed, Bath & Beyond, $29.99. Be sure to track down one of their 20% off coupons before you purchase.

Why: The perfect summer accessory, a handy string of  eight hand-blown glass bulbs runs on solar powered LED lights, so you won’t have to replace this very often. The discreet solar panel rests on top of the umbrella soaking up the rays all day so once night falls you will have a well lit retreat for end of the day aperitifs. And surprisingly simple solar strings of lights are not that easy to find, this one is just right.

Who: Designed by Rebecca Asquith; Wellington, New Zealand,

What: Nautilus Pendant Light

Where: Y Lighting, $660, Natural only (Red Stained, Red Mahogany and Yellow Stained  not available), 11″W X 18″H

Why: Such a well executed take on a timeless design, the nautilus–1 million years and counting.  For those with a weakness for marine inspired designs,  the Nautilus Pendant is sure to be a favorite. And the unique design is a welcome reprieve from a market saturated with paper lanterns….. Overlapping strips of plantation grown Australian Hoop Pine Plywood are banded together to create the outer shell of the nautilus. Only when lit are the signature orange stripes of the Nautilus are revealed.

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Who: Lights Up! Brooklyn, NY

What: Soiree Table Lamp

Where: Design Public, $150

Why: Since 1985, Lights Up! has created lighting that makes a statement without shouting. Minimalist by nature, the designs display clean lines, unfussy hardware with interchangeable beautifully patterned lampshades designed by Thomas Fernez of Thomas Paul. You can mix and match the shades with a variety of bases and ceiling mount options to create a lighting fixture that suits your space and aesthetics. Urban Sherp’s favorite? The sleek resin base pictured above paired with Fall ’08’s black ginko lampshade. Perfectly modern. And the good news, soon these lampshades will be available in 100% PET recycled plastic! When it came time to source a new supplier of the linen and silk used for the lampshades, owner Rachel Simon took the advice of her nephew to consider more eco-friendly materials. So keep an eye out for a greener shade.

Who: J.Good Design; New York, NY

What: Astral Chandelier

Where: J.Good Design, Price TBD

Why: I have been searching for perfect lighting fixture for my dining room–one that is eco-friendly and visually appealing proved to be no easy task. Most of the eco-options consisted of fluorescent monstrosities. I wanted a fixture that was composed of little to no plastic and instead made of more natural, and consequently, more sustainable and less toxic, materials like glass (preferably recycled), wood (preferably FSC Certified), and various metals like copper or aluminum or steel that can easily be recycled. Alas, I discovered the fabulous glass fixtures created by jGoodDesign. Click to continue »

Who: Nori Morimoto; Waterbury, VT

What: Kiku Pendant Lamp

Where: Special Order through NoriMorimoto.com, $1495

Why: I am completely smitten with this whimsical pendant lamp designed by Nori Morimoto of Waterbury, Vermont. The slender ‘reeds’ of wood curling inward create a tension that evokes a budding flower about to burst open to reveal its’ hidden bloom. As with all of his pieces, this pendant is hand made from wood harvested near his Vermont studio. Each slat carefully bent by hand to create the graceful curves. From his work, you sense that he is paying homage to his medium of choice – wood. Maintaining the essence of th wood-its’ warmth, grace and beauty. Interestingly enough, Morimoto translates to “the edge of the woods.”

Who: Minka Aire, Corona, CA (HQ)

What: Concept Ceiling Fan

Where: Crescent Harbor, $249.95

Why: After the great success with my first Minka Aire fan, I decided to fight my inner miser and invest in a quality brand. After extensive research, I settled on the Concept for my bedroom. I was limited in that I could not purchase a fan with blades longer than 48″ due to the steep slope of my third floor bedroom–ahh life in an attic and why I desperately needed a ceiling fan. I also had to buy a fan that could be adapted to compensate for the 45 degree slope. And the folks at Minka Group did not disappoint. They sell slope adapters to remedy this problem and combined with an extension rod I was all set. The slope and the DIY wiring upstairs made the installation a bit more complicated, but still relatively easy compared to most ceiling fans. We did have to use the counterweights to balance the fan blades as the fan wobbled a bit causing a clicking noise with each spin. There is still a slight rattle when on the 2nd or3rd setting, so we still have some kinks to work out, but am otherwise quite content. Of course, we installed the fan on a 90 degree day and have not had to use it since as the evenings have been so cool–just another reason why installing a ceiling fan keeps temperatures down. ha.

So, even though none of the icons are lit an eco-friendly shade of green, fans are an eco-friendly alternative to climate control.  They are extremely energy efficient, even those not rated Energy Star. The energy used to run a ceiling fan is comparable to the energy used in a 100-watt incadescent lightbulb!They effectively reduce your cooling costs by 40% when compared to energy costs of air conditioners and if you reverse the direction to clockwise in the winter time you can save up to 10% on your cooling costss as the cold air is forced upwards and the warm air is forced down.

Who: Minka Aire; Corona, CA

What: Artemis Ceiling Fan with Light by Minka Aire

Where: Lumen Light + Living – $499.95

Why: Last summer I purchased this fabulous Artemis Ceiling Fan by Minka Aire–it is gorgeous and has quickly become a conversation piece in the house, not to mention a highly effective cooling method.

Minka Aire has an excellent reputation as a manufacturer of quality products. The design of this particular fan is the culmination of years of research and development to create a highly efficient and silent motor and a  design that is simple to install, all without compromising aesthetics. No surpise that the Artemis is a Good Design Award winner.

The long vanes (58″) provide a impressive gust. I rarely need to use the high speed options to effectively cool the room. It is even great in the winter, keeping all the hot air down. My only complaint is that I am not crazy about the light from the light fixture–but at least it uses an efficient halogen lightbulb. A highly efficient fan that will help lower energy bills.

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