What: Heritage Storage Console

Where:Vivaterra – $1275

Why We Love It: It’s got the simple lines of a classic architectural file cabinet, but with the warmth and charm of reclaimed wood and the depth of a dresser. Behind those seemingly slim drawers are six drawers with double-deep storage and two tray drawers on either side to top it off.

The console is crafted from reclaimed elm wood and celebrates the nicks, scratches, and perfect imperfections of the wood. Makes a beautiful edition to your bedroom, entry hall or dining room, and is certainly a piece that will stand the test of time.

What: Stump

Where: AllModern.com – $85 (See also Trunk – $145)

Why We Love It: So yes, we may have spent the better part of the week removing stumps from our front yard, but now we are ready to put them back in. Well, at least Kalon Studios interpretation of the ‘stump.’

Their nature inspired stools provide a welcome respite for weary bones and bring warmth to your space whether indoors or out. We also think they’d make great side tables too providing extra seating when needed.

The ‘stumps’ are cut from the green wood of a FSC-certified, USA-grown maple and ash resulting in the natural splits that run up the base. It is left untreated, in raw wood form. Each piece is handcrafted by New England craftsmen.

What: Atwood Upholstery Collection

Where: AllModern – Coming soon! $1499 – $3199. In the meantime you can find similar Gus*Modern Sectionals at AllModern

Why We Love It: Excited to see the debut of Gus*Modern’s new Atwood Collection at the High Point Furniture Market this weekend from April 2 to 7. The Canadian modern furniture design and manufacturing company is known for their sleek, streamlined, tailored aesthetic perfect for apartment style living. They also have a great reputation for creating furniture with the environment in mind, utilizing eco-friendly materials to complete their designs.

The Atwood collection has an air of refinement a la ‘Mad Men,’ but with the generous height of the arms, one can relax on this couch in any direction (our short-armed couch is jealous). And as an added bonus the ‘chaise’ can easily be switched from left to right making rearranging your room a lot more flexible. Love the blind-tufted seat, back, and arms and the softness of tapered wood legs in lieu of metal legs as seen in previous collections. All of the wood used is FSC-Certified wood in support of responsible forest management – Gus*Modern is a member of the Sustainable Furnishing Council.

Available as a chair ($1499USD), a sofa ($1999USD) or a sectional ($3199USD).

What: Dreamweave Ottoman

Where: IMAKE Studios – $1200 -$2400, available in 3 sizes.

Why We Love It: Perhaps it was because we had been on our feet all day at the Architectural Digest Home Show, but more likely we were mesmerized by the intoxicating fabrics and shape of the ottomans, but it felt like we were sitting on a cloud.

Upholstered in 100% silk handwoven by women in the villages of the Northeastern State of Assam in India, the Pure Eri III Fabric is our absolute favorite. It is so soft it feels like it could melt in your hands; the texture is so rich with the relaxed weave of a linen and the varied color of natural fibers. The effect is a luxe but loose fabric with movement and lustre; celebrating the natural beauty of silk.

The silk worms who spin these silks are considered ‘wild,’ meaning that the worms live outside not in a mill, and because of this the silk is much stronger and more durable then domesticated mulberry silk.

The ottoman itself has smooth, languid curves, that draw you in with their gentle slope drooping gradually towards the ground. The shape is based on the forms of an Indian percussion instrument called the Tabla.

What: Day Bed One

Where: Another Country – $1585-$2540

Why We Love It: As you know, we are always on the lookout for versatile designs, practical designs that can be used in more ways than one. This multi-functional day bed from the master craftsmen at Another Country works as a bed, a bench, a sofa and a coffee table. Great for small spaces than demand flexibility. Add simple lines, sustainable materials, quality design and classic herringbone and you’ve got us hooked and this day bed certainly hooked us. It’s perfect for lounging, coffee-ing and supporting guests so intoxicated by your hospitality, they choose to stay the night.

Rooted in traditional furniture design, but with a modern interpretation, Another Country’s products are built to last. They use high quality materials like solid FSC-Certified European oak finished with an eco-friendly natural wax oil makes and handcraft each piece in their workshop in Dorset. Care is taken in the design and construction phase to minimize material and time waste and most pieces pack flat to curb transport costs.

The cushy mattress is made of quality materials by the folks at Naturalmat. It features a certified organic latex core (from rubber trees) wrapped in certified organic coir (coconut fibre)

 and upholstered in Bute fabric made from locally sourced organic lambswool.

Where: VivaTerra – $249 $198

Why We Love It: Great bench for an entryway or the end of a bed. The simple modern lines of the bench are perfectly offset by the colorful tapestry of the seat, so it has a rustic yet modern feel. The frame is made from sheesham wood, a fast-growing hardwood and the seat itself is made from tightly woven fabric scraps or chindi as they are called in India. No two are alike.

If you like this style, but don’t need a bench, they’ve also used this same colorful fabric for these pieces: Chindi Mat, Chindi Folding Stool, Chindi Hamper, Chindi Bar Stool and Chindi Folding Chair.

What: mosspink collection

Where: brühl

Why We Love It: A cool, modular, innovative, comfortable and eco-inspired design in a variety of colors and combinations to bring a little excitement and personality to your living room. Designed by Kati Meyer-Brühl, the mosspink collection was the  winner of the  Focus Green Silver 2008 design prize and the Good Design Award 2008 by the Chicago Athenaeum. Her design draws upon natural elements, like stacking pebbles, to create furniture that is fun without being silly and functional without being boring.

The collection is available in a variety of environmentally friendly fabrics, including fast growing bamboo, in bright greens, blues and pinks or natural linen. It is also available in leather, but we prefer the eco-friendly fabrics available. The frame is built from FSC Certified wood sourced locally when possible, and covered in a low-VOC foam. You can choose from wooden legs, also FSC Certified, or aluminum legs. The cushions have removable covers for easy cleaning or replacement.

The furniture is designed with the entire lifecycle in mind – cradle to cradle. Efforts are taken along the entire process to use durable, ecologically compatible materials, to minimize waste and to recycle whatever waste is created. Using high quality materials and workmanship ensures a highly durable and long lasting final product.  Even the environmental transportation costs were taken into consideration, so Brühl now delivers their furniture on their own lorries resulting in a 25% reduction in fuel consumption and associated transport-related CO2 emissions.

For this Brühl has been recognized with the  Bavarian Environment Medal for special contributions towards environmental protection and regional development in 2002, and became the first German seating furniture manufacturer entitled to use the “Blue Angel” label as proof of environmental-friendliness in design.

Made in Germany.

What: BowHaus Dog Den

Where: DenHaus – $599

Why We Love It: So, we don’t have any pets, but we kind of want one of these pet crates for an end table. In fact, the first time we saw the BowHaus, we actually thought that’s what it was, simply a funky and modern side table with clever storage space. We now understand that that storage space is a cozy pad for discerning pets.

Traditional pet crates are sooo depressing and a blight on any room (apologies to all those pet owners out there with crates…) no matter how you try to disguise them. Thankfully there is DenHaus and their collection of designer pet crates to make Fido’s bed a more integral part of your home be it as bedside table, coffee table, or side table. And they are particularly advantageous for apartment owners where space is tight and dual functionality is key. It’s just a wonder it took this long for someone to readdress the design and give them new life.

Of the collection, the BowHaus is the only model made in the USA. It is made of recyclable powder-coated steel and packaged in recycled packaging. They are quite durable and are built to last.

Who:

What: Pratt Desk

Where: West Elm -$299

Why We Love It: The latest in West Elm’s foray with sustainable home furnishings comes from a collaboration with the Pratt Institute of Brooklyn, one of the most sustainably innovative design schools in the country. West Elm challenged recent grads to create a line of affordable office furniture using FSC-certified materials. Our favorite from the minimalist collection is this ode to mid-century modern desk.

The mid-century modern inspired desk desk features legs made of FSC-certified eucalyptus wood, an FSC-certified medium density fiberboard table top and a white powder-coated steel drawer. The slim profile makes this a great option for an office or for a small space that benefits from furniture serving dual purposes both as a desk and a dining table.

There is still plenty of room for improvement. We would have like to have seen eco-friendly finishes as well and there is much debate about FSC certification. FSC certified woods can get a bad rap because of all the bureaucracy involved in becoming FSC-certified, and often manufacturers will purchase FSC-certified materials from across the globe instead of buying from a local, non-FSC certified supplier that may employ FSC qualified practices, but hasn’t gotten through the cost of time of obtaining FSC certification. But you must start somewhere and the FSC certification has changed the way a lot of loggers do business.

What: Air Hazel Setee

Where: Structured Green – $4100 (shipping included)

Why We Love It: Perfect apartment sized setee. Love the slim lines and lack of bulk without sacrificing comfort. Truly lives up to its name, its pure and simple, streamlined and elegant and an unexpected and refreshing shape with the free from arms. Texture comes from the organic embroidery that adorns the back of the setee.

Designer Ami McKay launched her furniture collection to fill the void of stylish, sustainable and healthy furniture for her clients who were seeking chemical-free eco-friendly home environment. To achieve this, her furniture is manufactured locally using biodegradable, natural latex rubber, FSC Certified hardwood frames, organic cotton batting, renewable jute and latex webbing, non-toxic adhesives, OEKO-tex certified wool fabrics that use organic dyes, renewable and sustainable Kirei grass and wheat boards, and fast growing hemp and bamboo. Because of these high eco-standards, PURE furniture also counts towards the collection of LEED points.

Available in 11 colors: Aegean, Waves, Coffee Bean, Sunrise, Charcoal, Sunburst, Inferno, Stone, Vapor, Cloud, and Clay with or without the embroidery detail. See also the coordinating Fire Cyrilla Arm Chair by PURE and the Structured Green Fire Cyrilla Daybed by PURE.