Who: DenHaus – Seattle, WA

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. Click to continue »

Who: Littlefly – London, U.K.

What: Vanity Fair Ring

Where: Littlefly – $42

Why We Love It: This is the perfect gift for literature lovers. Lifted from the pages of the classic novel, Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, comes this handcrafted ring by British designer Jeremy May. To create each piece, he carefully carves out of block of pages from a book and laminates the sheets together and carved into the shape of a heart. Through the layers, you can catch glimpses of the words of the story captured within.A high gloss finish is applied to achieve the polished look of tumbled stones.

Each piece is then packaged in the book it was carved from. Although a book is sacrificed to create each piece, it is an inventive way to memorialize a favorite book. And the final product is packaged in the pages of the book it was carved from.

Who: Ink + Wit – New York

What: Everything Counts Poster

Where: Fawn & Forest – $50, 16×20 (mat & frame not included)

Why We Love It: This is just the latest fodder for our obsession with number and alphabets poster. Tara Hogan’s “Everything Counts Poster” blends delightful graphics and a fabulous color palette (love love love the blue and red!) with an important message that all things, big and small matter, reminding us to find joy and peace and reverence for the world around us. It reads: “One Earth, 2 pears ready to eat, 3 trees to plant, 4 peace symbols, 5 high fives, 6 bowls to fill with food, 7 happy days, 8 cupcakes made with love, 9 wind turbines conserving energy, 10 cans to recycle…”

Artist Tara Hogan practices what she preaches, designing with the environment in mind. The “Everything Counts” Poster is offset printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper with soy inks and packaged in a recycled kraft tube mailer.

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Who: L.L.Bean Signature – Portland, ME

What: Mariner Leather Purse

Where: L.L.Bean – $155 on sale for $124 on sale even more for $77.50! In tan or blue (see also leather tote)

Why We Love It: So yes, perhaps we are biased because of our Maine roots (we grew up going to L.L.Bean at midnight, for a long time they had no locks on their doors because they never closed!), but we are seiously swooning over L.L.Bean’s new Signature Collection, a nod to L.L.Bean’s heritage and classic Americana. Click to continue »

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: Alkemie; Los Angeles, CA

What: Starfish Cuff

Where: eConscious Market – $190

Why We Love It: The detail and texture of this one-of-a-kind cuff is so lifelike that you can almost feel the delicate arms of starfish tentatively encircling your wrist. Reminds of us days at the beach and the magic of discovering an elusive starfish.  Love the way this oversized cuff manages to exude an organic, ethereal, art nouveau and rocker vibe all at once. Click to continue »

Who: Maya Organic (MO); Karnatka, India

What: Ma Me Pa Pull Toy

Where: Dandelion – $28; Little Green Angels - £14; (see also the Tu Tu Turtle sold by World of Good – $16)

Why: Awww, Ma Me & Pa…. love this adorable family of three, with their colorful high-gloss finish and whimsical shells that swirl as the trio is pulled along. Such a cool looking toy, that, kids or no kids, it would make an interesting display piece recalling the quality craftmanship of wooden toys of the past and sure to be passed down generation to generation.

The turtles are hand-crafted by fair trade collectives in Karnatka, India using locally-harvested, sustainable and fast growing rubber wood. The rich colors are derived from vegetable dyes and finished with lac, an all-natural resin for a non-toxic finish. Even the packaging is eco-friendly, made of recycled paper. Click to continue »

Who: Morado Designs; Fairfax, VT

What: ECO Felt Monster Onesie Set

Where: Natural Luxe – $38 (sign-up to The Find for 15% off through 12/31)

Why We Love It: There is just something so endearing about the crooked smile and  googly eyes of this super cute matching set that the little ones are sure to love. Almost as much as having a tee to match their new friend.

These eco and ‘friendly’ monsters are made from recycled felt and filled with 100% natural bamboo stuffing. The onesie is made of 100% organic cotton with a felt monster to match. Even the packaging is eco-friendly, made of recycled content.

The sets are available in six different colors all of which you can find at one of our favorite online stores, Natural Luxe.

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Who: Olsen Haus;New York, NY

What: Black Paint Splatter Heels

Where: FunkyLaLa – on sale for $74; Also available in Army

Why: These shoes are just begging to be strapped on and taken out for a night on the town… Love the quirky angular toe, sexy and modern. Each shoe is completely unique with artistically hand-splattered paint so you are sure to be the only one in the room with these sassy heels. The subtle platform toe gives added lift to this 3.5″ heel.

Elizabeth Olsen, the designer behind Olsenhaus is committed to creating shoes that are 100% vegan, she herself has been a vegetarian for 19 years and a vegan for 2. She uses alternative, sustainable and renewable plant-based and man-made, non-animal materials such as: 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 »