It must be in my blood (my grandpa owned a bowling alley and my dad was, and still is, a big time bowler), cause I lo-ove the wood of bowling lanes. Manages to be polished and beautiful despite the beating it takes. I am dying to refinish our our bedroom with reclaimed bowling lanes or a gym floor (am sure my husband would have sweet dreams sleeping in the 3-point zone). In my search I stumbled across this magnificent table by Ryan Brown. Love the heavy welded legs and beam and the slick bowling lane top. It’s got a heavy industrial vibe, but also has the feel of an old barn table. Sadly, it’s not for sale, I asked…. Read more from Ryan Brown.

Who: Domestic Aesthetic – Brooklyn, NY

What: Wood Salt & Pepper Shakers

Where: On sale at guffly for a limited time for $44.99; Regular price $48 at NIMLI

Why We Love It: If only we could have a different set for everyday of the week than this would definitely be our Monday set… Simple, modern, and lovely, these two perfectly polished orbs are quite the pair. We like that they aren’t identical and that they look good on their own with or without a meal being served… Click to continue »

Who: Shimna – New York, NY

What: Liffey Bed

Where: Shimna – $3000 & up

Why: We first discovered Shimna at last year’s ICFF show and were instantly taken in by Liffey Bed. They somehow manage to create rustic pieces that are refined, elegant and modern. The Liffey Bed is a cross between a captains bed and a platform bed – maximizing otherwise lost space beneath the bed by inserted four angled drawers concealed underneath so as not to compromise the sleek spartan profile of the platform bed.

The headboard is made from one gorgeous slab of walnut that exposes all the natural beauty of the wood grain – which is really the focal point of their designs. Click to continue »

When I heard about a local school being prepared for demolition, I got to thinking about all the materials in the school that would go to waste. The gym floors, the old oak doors, the brass light fixtures, even the brick. But the fact of the matter is that salvaging these materials is costly and most construction companies don’t want to be slowed down by the time it would take to reclaim the usable materials. It made me sick to my stomach to think of all the quality materials that could have been salvaged but instead would be hauled off to a landfill. Click to continue »

Have dreamed of salvaging retired lanes from an old bowling alley for the floors in our living room/dining rennovation, so no wonder that I love this coffee table from the Second Life exhibition of sustainable furniture design. Designer/artist/furniture maker, William Stranger’s collection of furniture is made from reclaimed pieces of hardwood from blown down trees, from construction sites and in this case salvaged from bowling alleys. Great example of what beauty can be created with wood and materials destined for landfills. Waste not, want not…

The “Second Life” exhibit can be seen at the Fifth Floor Gallery in LA  from October 24th – November 14th.

Sadly Pivot Boutique in Chicago is closing its doors, but the good news, for Chicagoans, is that they are selling off their collection of very cool custom-made store fixtures. All of the items were hand-crafted by Brickermade.com using reclaimed steel and wood – industrial, sculptural and completely unique. Click to continue »

Who: PlanToys; Palo Alto, CA

What: Green Dollhouse

Where: Amazon.com – $218.08 w/furniture &  free shipping

Why: Goodbye plastic Malibu Barbie Dream House,  hello eco-dream home! PlanToys modern masterpiece comes complete with solar panels, a wind turbine, a passive solar shade, a rain barrel, a recycling center, and furniture made of recycled, natural rubber wood dyed with vegetable and soy dyes. The perfect platform for teaching your children about the beauty of green living. Click to continue »

Who: VivaTerra –  Pueblo,  CO

What:Plank Bed

Where: VivaTerra – reg. price $1,995-2,095; Now through September 30th, on sale for $1,675-1,775

Why: We love this mix of traditional and modern. The vintage, 100 year old Douglas fir planks find new life as  a contemporary low profile bed. The high backboard gives the bed a greater presence as a focal point of any room. . Equally suited for a city loft or a beachside cottage.

The planks were reclaimed from demolished buildings and hand planed for a smooth finish using an eco-friendly wax to bring out the rich hues of the wood. Available in Dark or Light finishes.

See also the coordinating Modern 6-Drawer Dresser.

Who: Yellow Owl Workshop; San Francisco, CA

What: Cityscape Stamp Set

Where: Yellow Owl Workshop; $30 for a set of 5 stamps. Other sets include Winterscape, Landscape & Seascape.

Why: Technically this falls under the “TOT” category, but these stamps are made  for kids of all ages. With these stamps by your side, all you need is a sheet of butcher block paper or a grocery bag to make stunning wrapping paper.  Or create your own unique note-cards, gift tags, even artwork.  (We are thinking of the Winterscape set for our holiday post-cards….) And when you are ready to share, the little ones can join in the fun and let their artistic energy flow.

The stamps are made of natural rubber and reclaimed maple boxed in a birch for the stamp case in keeping with designer Christine Schmidt’s eco-ethos. In addition to creating modern stamp sets, Yellow Owl Workshop is more widely known for their collection of  hand printed notecards, wedding invitations and prints for the home using non-toxic water based inks and 100% Post-Consumer recycled paper.

Who: Lala’s Pequenos; Jeffersonton, VA

What: Organic Newborn Noonie

Where: Lala’s Pequenos at Etsy; $62, enter “Urban Sherp Baby” in the ‘message to seller’ box for free shipping on any organic Noonie

Why: Honestly, what could be cuter than a little babe tucked snug as a bug into this cozy Noonie? Like a little pea in a pod…..

The Noonie is perfect for bundling up baby for post-bath cuddles and, for those of us who simply cannot figure out the ‘baby burrito,’ the cone-shaped Noonie makes swaddling a breeze.

Perhaps the best part about the Noonie are the fabrics used. Designer Alessandra Guitierez, has a great eye for quality and design and finds cool, fun and modern fabrics that you just don’t see enough of in the baby department. Better yet, they are  made of 100% organic fair trade cotton lined with super soft super luxe 100% organic sherpa with buttons made from reclaimed wood.

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