From Demolition to Art: Upcycled Creations by Michael Yonke
August 30, 2009
Artist and ‘upcycler’ Michael Yonke turns reclaimed wood harvested generations ago into stunning, high-end eco-friendly art and furniture. All of his designs have an upcycled material content from 90 to 99 percent and have a modern aesthetic that reaches beyond the rustic look commonly found in upcycled furniture.
The austere geometric designs paired with perfectly polished and stained wood give these pieces, which include chairs, tables, benches and wall art, a sense of sophisticated simplicity.
You can see Yonke’s work in person right now at the Atrium Gallery at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. The exhibit, “Reclaim, Reuse, Renew”, will be up until September 26th. Many pieces are also available in his Etsy shop.
Link [Upcycler.com]
Recycled Car Tire Furniture by Kitsch-U-Like
July 5, 2009
While you probably wouldn’t find these items in a Dwell-reading décor snob’s home anytime soon, this recycled car tire furniture would be fabulous in the right setting. It’s certainly unique, and a great way to keep tires from piling up in landfills. The stool is £35.00, the table £45.00.
Check out more awesomely creative recycled furniture designs over at WebEcoist.
Link [Kitsch-U-Like] via [Great Green Goods]
“The Gleaners” Make Art Out of Trash
January 21, 2009
More and more artists are creating their work out of used objects but these sculptors are literally working in a trash dump! “The Gleaners” from KQED explores San Francisco Dump’s Artist-In-Residence program, visiting with current residents Christine Lee and David King.
Gleaner noun
1 a: to pick up after a reaper b: to strip (as a field) of the leavings of reapers
2 a: to gather (as information) bit by bit b: to pick over in search of relevant material
New Vivavi Eco-Friendly Furniture Store at Riverhouse in NYC
July 28, 2008
Good news for NYC-area fans of sustainable, beautiful furniture and home furnishings! Vivavi – the brainchild of last week’s Who’s Who in Green, Josh Dorfman – has just announced the opening of their latest project – an Eco Pop Up store inside the Riverhouse, an LEED Gold-rated condo building (yep, the one where Leo DiCaprio has digs). It’s open to the public 7 days a week and it’s a veritable treasure trove of luxe modern green design.
From The Lazy Environmentalist:
Set inside a model 2-bedroom unit overlooking the Hudson River, the store features contemporary RC Green sofas and accents, the latest in luxury green lounging from Animavi, a Team 7 sustainably furnished dining room, a bedroom set featuring Okooko’s unique aesthetic and naturally made mattress, an office nook courtesy of Knu Furniture, a nursery outfitted by Oeuf, and loads of others other fabulous pieces from designers such as Amenity, Brave Space, Christian Rathbone, Iannone Design, Knoend, Larson, Lulan, Maku Furnishings, Modern Bamboo, Ortolan, Until Kara and Vers. We also feature the artwork of Sandy Schimmel who transforms tiny scraps of junk mail into visually stunning designs.
The Riverhouse is in Battery Park City, and the store is located in unit 8D adjacent to the Sales & Design center. Hours are Monday – Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 4pm.
If you live elsewhere in the U.S. and are lamenting the fact that you can’t check it out in person, head on over to the website where you can indulge in some internet retail therapy. If you aren’t already familiar with Vivavi, prepare to be blown away – it’s the kind of sexy green design that inspires poetry of love and devotion.
Link [The Lazy Environmentalist] + [Vivavi]
