Who: Dinah Coops; Seattle, WA

What: Tablemats & Coasters

Where: Dinah Coops -  Tablemats – $35;  Coasters – $12

Why: Looking for a fun and sustainable way to dress up your table? Try these simple, modern and colorful designs from Dinah Coops. She hand silk screens each one with her signature combination of organic images and whimsical doodles. Fun to mix and match colors and prints for an artfully inspired table setting, that would look equally at home on your walls.

And the canvas for this table art is none other than Paperstone, the same material we coveted for our kitchen countertops.

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Who: Maine Float-Rope Company – Waldoboro, ME

What: Down East Doormats

Where: Maine Float-Rope Company – Large $79.95 & Medium $49.95

Why We Love ‘Em: Penny Johnston is one of our new heroes (and as a fellow Mainer, we couldn’t be more proud!) When she saw neglected barns left for ruin, she salvaged the boards and turned them into spectacular tables. When she saw a need for stone, instead of mining for granite she worked with local Mainers to reclaim stones from abandoned fields and quarries. So it was no wonder that when she learned that Maine lobstermen were being forced to replace their float ropes with more expensive silk ropes she found a practical, economical and environmentally friendly solution.  That just ‘Mainers being Mainers’….. Click to continue »

Who: Plywerk – Portland, OR

What: Plywerk – Custom Plywood Photo Mounts

Where: Plywerk – ranges from $6 – $800 based on size & finishes

Why We Love ‘Em: First saw these on a visit out to Portland, Oregon and were instantly impressed by their streamlined and modern look. Such a great alternative to traditional custom frames.

Plywerk’s custom framing is a sleek and eco-friendly way to display your personal photos and artwork. Simply send them your photos and Plywerk will mount them on their plywood panels. Or order blank panels with a pre-applied PH neutral adhesive to mount your own artwork. Great way to showcase your art. Click to continue »

Who: Two’s Company - Elmsford, NY

What: Bar Harbor Knot Door Stopper

Where: Two’s Company – $55 in navy; also available in natural at  Uncommon Goods – $40

Why We Love ‘Em: Must be because it is still the middle of winter up here that we have been even more obsessed with all things nautical. Now if only we had a door that needed propping against a warm ocean breeze, this navy knot would definitely be our stopper of choice. The natural jute fibers are rugged enough for indoor or outdoor use and the 3lb weight of the hefty knot easily anchors the heaviest of doors. Of course, living in a city, we don’t have many doors that need propping, so we’ll be using ours as a bookend. Click to continue »

Who: Merida Home; Boston, MA

What: Rhythm Wool & Paper Rug

Where: Merida Home – $500 – $2800 (depending on size & border selection)

Why We Love ‘Em: Very exciting news – Merida is now selling a selection of their sustainable rugs online, direct to the public making it that much easier to get your hands, or feet rather, on their amazing collection of sustainable floor coverings! And when it comes to the art of rugmaking, the design team at Merida are true pioneers.

They are fearless about exploring innovative materials and techniques to push the envelope in textile design. In this case, they paired richly dyed wool with naturally colored paper fibers to complement the chevron pattern by playing up the contrasts in color, visual depth and texture for a final product that is completely unique.

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Who: Children Inspire Design; Phoenix, AZ

What: Multi Language Number Wall Cards

Where: Children Inspire Design – $19 for a 5×7 set  or $32 for an 8×10 set

Why We Love It: print*pattern*paper has a new name (Children Inspire Design), a new website, and a new collection of prints. The new prints have the same playful, colorful collages we have come to expect from artist Rebecca Peragine, but the new Number Wall Cards let you share the gift of language with your child.  The cards are available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Swedish, so you can choose a language they know or introduce them to a new one. Click to continue »

Who: urbancase; Seattle, WA

What: The Subway Cushion

Where: urbancase – $120

Why We Love It: Now this is a throw pillow that guys can really appreciate. Inspired by a German military blanket he discovered at a Berlin flea market, metal worker, sculptor and furniture maker Darin Montgomery transformed an item intended for military use into a very cool luxe modern accessory.  Printmaker Rachel Illingworth added the finishing touches with the embroidered yellow and teal train based on a Berlin Subway train.

The pillows are hand sewn in Seattle using salvaged German Army blankets made of 100% wool (you’ll find the letters BUND on the back of the pillow which means ‘federation’ in German – an ode to its origins) and 100% all natural organic wool filling.

And check out our personal favorite from urbancase for a happy happy hour…. Click to continue »

Who: Balanced Design; Providence, RI

What: Shade Pillow in Linen,  16″x16″

Where: Contact sales@balanced-design.com to order – $75 (Subscribers to The Find get 25% off all pillow purchases)

Why We Love It: After a trip to Paris 10 years ago, graphics designer Melinda Cox realized two things; one Europeans lived a far more eco-conscious lifestyle than most Americans, and two, that eco-friendly design doesn’t have to be dull. Since then she has created a gorgeous collection of eco-friendly, vibrant and modern accents for the home.

The Shade Pillow, with its stylized leaf graphic, is available in red, blue, purple, and yellow, each with the reverse pattern on the back so you can change things up with a quick flip. Click to continue »

Who: print*pattern*paper (now Children Inspire Design); Phoenix, AZ

What: Numbers Poster

Where: print*pattern*paper - $32 for 11×14 & $42 for 18×24 (check out the Alphabet Poster too!)

Why We Love ‘Em: The Numbers Poster from the print*paper*pattern collection is one that kids and parents alike can appreciate. Can’t you just imagine how much fun the little ones will have counting up stack of turtles, eggs in a nest and birds on a wire while proudly pointing out the corresponding number?

Reminiscent of Eric Carle, designer Rebecca Peragine arranges scraps of newspapers, magazines, wrapping paper etc. to create her whimsical collages. Reproductions of the original collage are then printed on 100% recycled paper using soy based inks. The prints are packaged with recycled and biodegradable packaging. Click to continue »

Who: Humble; California

What: Greyhound Pillow

Where: Supermarket; $79 in assorted colors; custom colors upon request; or pillow case only for $34 direct from Humble

Why: California artist Kristie Thinnes draws her inspiration from the sea and her greyhound, Nikki, who is the muse for this abstract graphic pillow. A fun touch of whimsy for the dog lover or for anyone who appreciates a good design and optical illusions.

Designs are handprinted on 100% organic cotton using water based inks.  The high quality vegan fabrics, batting and dyes  are hypo-allergenic, moisture resistant and pesticide free products.  The pillows are stuffed with a very sustainable material called Kapok which is a natural fiber harvested from the seed pods of the Kapok tree grown in the South Pacific and Central America.

$1 of each purchase is donated to the  Coral Reef Alliance.