Ecological Furniture

It is possible to lead a “green” lifestyle right down to the furniture in your house. While shopping for ecological furniture, two important factors to consider are materials used and manufacturing techniques.

Choosing furniture made of ecological materials is probably the most obvious way to buy ecological furniture. Recycled or reused wood, steel, leather, or other fibers uses existing materials, and water-based glues and stains reduces added chemicals that can be harmful to both you and the environment.


Bamboo has been recognized and praised for being the fastest growing woody plant in the world, while proving to be very durable yet lightweight. Cork is also regarded as a sustainable and environmentally friendly building material. Cork is the bark of a species of oak tree that can be harvested without damaging the tree. The bark grows back over time, and can be harvested several times throughout the tree’s life. Cork is also easy to recycle and is very fire resistant.


Choosing furniture based on manufacturing techniques is also a method of choosing ecological furniture. Some furniture companies minimize waste by only producing custom-made products on an individual basis, thereby eliminating the need for a warehouse and eliminating the possibility for un-sold furniture. It is important to think about every step in the manufacturing process.


To minimize your ecological impact, think about where the wood, leather, or other fibers in your piece of furniture were grown or processed, and how long and under what circumstances they made their way to your living room. Did they travel across the country? Across the world? Choosing local materials from local craftsmen can reduce your carbon footprint.

Thinking of a few simple factors in your next furniture purchase can make an impact on your quality of life and the health of the environment. What will you buy next?

By Anne Consroe

Ecological Beds: Bora Bora

Ecological furniture and japanese style bedAnte and the structure The ante is realized in tamburato with chassis in wood massello of fir, covered with panels in plywood impiallacciati in walnut aniegré. In the Structure the panel is in MDF E1 class. These materials allow to offer the characteristic principles of lightness, stability and resistance. The backs are in multilayer with thickness 6 milimeter, impiallacciati in walnut aniegré and mounted and joined. Its use of the multilayer, thanks to its peculiar igroscopicità, concurs with superficial the backs do not swell or crumble even if with contact with humid. For more information go to Mazzali.

Ghost Chairs

Three hundred of Philippe Starck's transparent Ghost chairs sparkled under chandeliers in front of this year's Interior Design Show in Toronto. Forget office-style stacking seats. This was function with a heady dose of fashion."That chair is the perfect expression of what's going on right now," said Calgary-based interior designer Monica Stevens, who had flown into town for the recent four-day event. "It's a bergère, but it's acrylic. It's a sign of the times. It's the minimal shape, but it's luxurious."Call it nouveau traditional. But there's nothing staid about this new interior design aesthetic. It's about reinterpreting tradition from a contemporary perspective: A Louis XVI chair becomes thoroughly modern in clear polycarbonate; a wallpapered den looks perfectly 21st- century with a wallpapered ceiling, and an otherwise low-key sitting room reverberates anew with lemon walls.David Shah, trend expert with international publications such as Textile View and Viewpoint, called the mood "glambaroque" in a recent Newsday article. "It's an eclectic mixture of colour, pattern, shape, material. . . . It's about clutter. It's about putting lots of things together; it can be rococo, baroque, mixed with something personal. It's full of surprises. It really harks back to the excesses of the 19th-century boudoir. It's a new smore: http://www.dexigner.com/jump/news4474.html

Float

Float is designed and manufactured by the German mathematician and designer Max Longin. Urban and sensual: float - an innovative bed. Uncompromising and extravagant: the appearance of float is minimalist and playful at the same time. Seemingly floating the sleeping plain is held by the wooden rods and stainless steel bows. The bows themselves rest in oak cones. The construction of the bed is based on the idea of the central point of rest to which everything leads in a pliable and soft way. The bed can be dismantled into several parts. The separate parts of float also form the transportation case. You couldn't be more ecological! Innovation till the tips of your toes: For the connection between the wooden rods and the steel bows simple and effective elements have been developed.

Ball Chair by Eero Aarnio 1966

The Ball Chair - or Globe Chair as it's called sometimes - was designed by using one of the most simple geometric forms - the ball. Cutting of a part and fixing it at one point Eero Aarnio comes to a remarkable result - a completely unconventional shaped chair:
A Ball Chair is a "room within a room" with a cozy and calm athmosphere, protecting outside noises and giving a private space for relaxing or having a phonecall. Turning around its own axis on the base the view to the outer space is variable for the user and thus he is not completely excluded from world outside.
The Vitra Design Museum notes in his brochure on the Ball Chair miniature: "It is something between a piece of furniture and a piece of architecture and at the same time embodies both the mobile and the established, the fixed." - You'll find this miniature at the Vitra Design Museum's Shop.

Art Furniture by Design

Art Furniture by Design is about uniquely designed, fine hand crafted furniture. Furniture which reflects a passion for clean simple and elegant design. Furniture whose design is inspired by the finest crafts people of the 19th and 20th century. Art Furniture by Design is about respecting strict principles of craftsmanship and the love of labor. Exploring craft design, the most predominate characteristic is the lack of frivolous decoration for the sake of adornment. Form is indeed function. With this in mind, there are many avenues of design to follow all of which lead to an honest expression of purpose and a statement of ideal. A well designed piece of furniture should not just occupy space, it should define space. Each furniture piece, regardless of what it may be, is unique and tailored to the wants and needs of the client. Every piece of furniture is begun from a drawing with the clients ideas, needs and aesthetic preferences addressed.

The New Leggera Bathtub from Ceramica Flaminia

The new Leggera bathtub from Ceramica Flaminia is a design that will arouse curiosity in all who see it. Resembling a crisp white cloth held taut by four invisible hands, the Leggera stretches out invitingly… the vision of designer Gilda Borgnini. The lightness of the design, and the thin surfaces of the bathtub allows for a sense of freedom from the usual boundaries. The outside and inside of the bathtub are less marked, melting into one another with a sensation of airy relaxation. A stainless steel shower pole pierces through the porcelain effortlessly, as if it were indeed cloth. The tub’s shape and dimensions are ideal for reclining to your full length, undisturbed by the normal restrictions (even if you are very tall), and are likewise also perfect for containing any splashes from the shower. Soak and shower to your heart’s content in the new Leggera bathtub by Ceramica Flaminia.

New Design Classics From Finland

Despite producing well over 50 different furniture models, the Finnish design company Artek, is perhaps still best known for the distinctive furniture, lamps and textiles designed by the renowned architect and designer Alvar Aalto.

Whilst puritans might say that Alvar Aalto’s designs should be enjoyed in the original naked wood in which they were designed, Artek is continuing the Aalto tradition by re-issuing his designs in a variety of bold new styles. lifeiscarbon® love several of the recent Artek releases such as the Artek Classics in primary colors and their new sustainable Bamboo range. Given our liking for all things monochromatic, we especially love the recent Artek White and Artek Glossy Black collections. Take a look below at some images from each of the collections and read more about the Artek company:

Continue reading "New Design Classics From Finland" »

Eco Furniture Design

As indicated in Furniture Style "Anxieties about globalization have sparked greater consumer interest in the provenance of manufactured goods. The Internet has facilitated consumers’ ability to determine which brands are proving to be good stewards of the environmental and human capital they employ." In the year 2008 sustainable businesses are proliferating all around us. To honor earth day, I am inaugurating the first installment of the Furniture Design Gallery's monthly profile of design excellence in sustainable furniture.

At Green Designs, Green is more than just a name. Green manufacturing means creating designs that endure - structurally and artistically - to last for generations, without harming either the environment or the people that make or use them. Our work is done using domestically grown solid wood, logged following sustainable forestry guidelines. Whenever possible, our manufacturing waste products are recycled or repurposed.

Attaining the summit of great design requires the seamless integration of aesthetic beauty with brilliant function. Great design reaches the highest level of sustainability by continuing to provide pleasure and comfort for your lifetime and for generations to come.

For more information and the complete online showroom go to Green Designs.

Ekornes: Comfort, Quality and Design

Ekornes introduced the Stressless® recliner in 1971 . Meticulously developed and designed to provide your body with the ultimate in comfort and support while sitting upright or reclined. This revolutionary design has made Stressless® the ultimate recliner for the past 35 years. For decades we have been committed to our comfort philosophy while continuously refining and improving every detail. We continue our pursuit of perfecting the ultimate seating comfort of Stressless® recliners and sofas today. The innovation of the Stressless® PlusTM System is integrated into our line of chairs, oveseats and sofas. Offered in both high- and low-back sofas, Stressless® offers individual adjustment of each seat for a personalized comfort. Ekornes. The Innovators of Comfort.

For the full line of Ekornes recliners and sofas go to Galerie Danoise.

Highlights of High Point 2008

The High Point Market returned to the Furniture Capital of the World this month with plenty of furniture introductions and stylish home accessories in the mix. From April 7-13, buyers were able to find new items to display on their showroom floors. Here are a few of the highlights:

Part of the PaTS accessory line, hand-carved bowls, trays and stools by From The Mountain are crafted by the indigenous Yanesha people of the Peruvian rainforest.

From Palm Springs Rattan & Garden Classics, the new Windsor Collection features a beautiful dark brown vinyl wicker over the stackable chairs and two coordinating tables.

Al Fresco Planters by Palecek are woven with UV-resistant plastic in a chic mocha color and have aluminum liners to hold the plants.

The sleek Horizon sun lounge from Barlow Tyrie combines a solid plantation grown teak with Textilene sling for a modern take on lounging outdoors.

Veneman Collections’ Barrel chair is a modern-day lounge/dining piece highlighted by round contours designed for the curves of the human body.

For the complete article go to Casual Living.

La La Lamp

La La Lamp is a floor lamp designed by Helen Kontouris, made of two conic, internally opaline coated fabric shades. Noiseless IGBT technology dimmer. Small: 2 x E27 (E26 U.S.) max 100WLarge: 2 x E27 (E26 U.S.) max 150W Kundalini Lighting Design Products were conceived to create evocative and harmonious light atmospheres. These luminous bodies establish emotional relations with those should observe and experience them. Kundalini product designers include; Karim Rashid, Norman Foster and Future Systems amongst many other world renowned design leaders. Kundalini products have frequently appeared in international movie products, advertisments, TV programmes and video clips. Historic products such as the floor lamp E.T.A, the collection of lamps Shakti, the armchair Hara and recently the lamp Bokka or the Gerkin edition have alrerady become cult icons for the media world. For the full Kundalini collection go to Kalusto Furniture.

Galerie Danoise

La Galerie Danoise is Montreal's leading source for Scandinavian furniture designs in teak. Since 1968, Galerie Danoise has been furnishing homes in the greater Montreal area and now, through its newly added online store, the entire globe. Galerie Danoise selects only the finest wooden furnishings from premier manufacturers. The timeless elegance and durability of fine quality furniture provides the best value. We are proud to represent the premiere names in Scandinavian furniture design. For the full collection of furniture designs go to Galerie Danoise.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was a German-American architect considered one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture. Mies sought to establish a new architectural style that, just as Classical and Gothic did for their eras, could represent modern times. Extreme clarity and simplicity are the trademarks of his influential Twentieth-Century architectural style. Mies utilized modern materials like industrial steel and plate glass. He also developed the use of exposed steel structure and glass to define space and imply freedom of open space; Mies called his buildings "skin and bones" architecture. For more information go to Eurofurniture.

Lockheed Lounge

'Lockheed Lounge', and pattern mould, fibreglass/ aluminium/ polyester resin/ polyurethane, designed by Marc Newson, made by Marc Newson and Eckhard Reissig, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1988-1990. Chaise lounge of continuous curve shapes formed around a reinforced fibreglass shell. The lounge is clad in aluminium sheets which are beaten to shape and fitted by had with blind rivets. The lounge has three legs with slightly curved feet, one at the front and two at the rear. Full size mould for chaise lounge constructed of reddish brown coloured polyester resin and polyurethane. The mould reproduces the continuous curve shapes of the lounge and was used to make the shell for lounges.

Shakti Air

Shakti Air is a suspension dimmerable lamp, made of three plexiglas laser cut diffusers, mounted on a single structure and electrified with cable and floor plug. Designed by Marzio Rusconi. Kundalini Lighting Design Products were conceived to create evocative and harmonious light atmospheres. These luminous bodies establish emotional relations with those should observe and experience them. Kundalini product designers include; Karim Rashid, Norman Foster and Future Systems amongst many other world renowned design leaders. Kundalini products have frequently appeared in international movie products, advertisments, TV programmes and video clips. Historic products such as the floor lamp E.T.A, the collection of lamps Shakti, the armchair Hara and recently the lamp Bokka or the Gerkin edition have alrerady become cult icons for the media world. For Kundalini Lighting Design Products go to Kalusto.

Eames Lounge and Ottoman

In continuous production since its introduction in 1956, the Eames Lounge Chair is widely considered one of the most significant designs of the 20th century. It was the culmination of Charles and Ray Eames' efforts to create a club chair using the molded plywood technology that they pioneered in the '40s. In Charles Eames' words, the vision was a chair with the "warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt." The result has become the consummate lounge set, timelessly blending old-fashioned comfort and visionary modernism. Pairing soft, inviting leather with the sleek form of molded plywood, the seat is balanced on a five-star, die-cast aluminum base. All parts are replaceable by Herman Miller;. This original is an authentic, fully licensed product of Herman Miller, Inc. Eames is a licensed trademark of Herman Miller. For more information go to Design Within Reach.

Tonelli Tables

Glass coffee table. 15mm thick transparent glass. Available in three sizes: 900mm x 900mm, 1180mm x 880mm or 1280mm x 680mm. Tonelli is an Italian company founded in the mid-1980s and is the result of a deep and lasting passion for research and experimentation. Tradition and technology have been brought together to forge Tonelli’s company philosophy, the very heart of which is based on the value given to design and therefore, to the designer, when it comes to enhancing the characteristics of this unique element. For more information see the full Tonelli collection.

The New Feeling of Jazz

The Stressless® Jazz is a result of more than 35 years of refining our two core values, function and comfort. Though highly contemporary, the rounded base and sleek steel frame pay tribute to our true classic: The Stressless® Jazz Original from 1971. The Stressless® continues our tradition of comfort, function and quality. The Stressless® Jazz and its ottoman can be adjusted to match your height. Adding or removing any of the three rings on the base allows you to choose between low, medium or high settings. For the full range of Ekornes designs go to Galerie Danoise.

Barcelona Chair

Designed by Mies Van der Rohe and his long time partner and companion Lilly Reich the Barcelona chair is mostly misattributed to Mies alone. It is perhaps difficult to comprehend today, but this icon of modernist style was actually designed in 1928. The chair was created as furnishing for one of Mies's many architectural jewels: The German Pavilion building at the Barcelona World Fair 1929. The twenty years leading up to the 1928 Barcelona Exhibition were a time of tremendous upheaval for all of Europe. Politically the landscape was changing faster and more dramatically than anyone could ever have imagined: Monarchies fell, revolutions raged, huge numbers of people were migrating from the Eastern block into Western Europe. Accelerating change and diversity propelled the fields of design and technology to reinvent themselves, almost entirely. Huge cultural shifts rocked Europe producing an explosion of artistic and literary creativity. For more information go to the Barcelona Chair Site.

Eero Saarinen

Eero Saarinen (1910-1961)An appreciation of the arts was instilled in Eero Saarinen at an early age. Born in Finland in 1910, Saarinen’s family immigrated to the United States when he was thirteen years old. His father was a famous architect who designed and taught at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, while his mother was a sculptor, photographer and weaver. Saarinen grew up within the community of the Cranbrook Academy, studying under his father as well as taking courses in sculpture and furniture design. It was here that Saarinen formed close relationships with fellow students Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Schust Knoll. Saarinen went on to study architecture at Yale, completing his studies in 1934; he then joined his father’s firm and became an instructor at Cranbrook. He began working with Charles and Ray Eames in the 1940s on a variety of furniture projects, as the designers shared a passion for organic shapes and cutting-edge materials, like plastics and plywood laminates. Eero Saarinen is perhaps best known as one of the most important post-war architects, although he did receive recognition for his furniture designs, most notably his “Tulip” and “Womb” chairs.

Ettore Sottsass

ETTORE SOTTSASS (1917-2007) was a grandee of late 20th century Italian design. Best known as the founder of the early 1980s Memphis collective, he also designed iconic electronic products for Olivetti, as well as beautiful glass and ceramics. For more go to the Design Museum.