Eco-Friendly & Green Living Blog

Another glowing idea from Duffy London: art that illuminates!

These luminous pieces can brighten any room. The canvas is made from 100% cotton (from sustainable sources); the frame, from FSC-certified wood; and the print is illuminated by long-lasting low-energy fluorescent bulbs. So, while art can be pricey, at least it doesn’t come at a high cost to the environment.

Available at: www.galerie-co.com

Price: $185 (small, 65cm x 65 cm), $595 (large, 90cm x 90cm)

Presenting some exciting products for your wall-to-wall eco overhaul!

CLD Pure Wallpaper

CLD PURE wallpaper (Carey Lind Designs, Crown Wallpaper) covers your walls with natural, non-PVC product. These stunning, subtle solids and loud patterns are printed using low-VOC water-based inks so you can breathe easy in your own home.

Price: $80–$100 per roll Available at: www.crownwallpaper.ca

Bamboo Wall Flat by Inhabit Living

For a touch of texture, try these bamboo wall flats by Inhabit Living. Made from 100% bamboo pulp with no chemical additives, these tiles are a wonderful way to make your walls pop! They’re also 100% biodegradable. Customize your look with placement (you can rotate, mix and match the tiles) or paint colour (eco-friendly paint, of course).

Price: $86US per box of 10 panels (each panel 18” x 18”) Available at: www.re-modern.com

Milk Paints by Homestead House

Toronto-based Homestead House is all about natural products and cultural heritage – we like! Great for indoor or outdoor use, these milk-based paints are made with natural ingredients and pigments boasting Canadiana names like Voyageur Red and Rideau Blue. They’re 100% biodegradable, durable, and only take about a ½-hour to dry! (We really like!)

Price: $37.00/1 lb Available at: http://homesteadhouse.ca

Aren’t these wall decals supersweet? And the best thing about them is, they’re made from fabric!

Most wall decals are vinyl or PVC, which is anything but eco-friendly, so these are a great choice if you’re into being green. Since they’re made from fabric, they’re washable, plus, if you stick them up in one spot and change your mind, don’t worry – you can move them around.

They come in all sorts of themes – the ones above are Forest Critters for Boys ($75), but there are more below. They’re made by a company in Australia whose motto is Charmed, I’m Sure, and I certainly am!

Available at: www.saplings.ca

Dinosaurs, $75

Oh Dear, $75

Winter Dress Up Dolls, $45

Twitter Birds for Girls, $45

Build a Tree, $105

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Cannot say enough about the work that Boomerang Paint is doing!

The Quebec-based company takes unused paint and stain (even the hardened stuff!), reformulates it and repackages it, then sells it in a recyled plastic container. In 2008, the company recycled some 4,000,000 litres of paint.

About 1%  new material is added to ensure good quality re lustre levels (which are low across the brand), viscosity and drying time. The finishes are washable and the alkyds can be used on exterior surfaces, including wood.

The Boomerang paint colour palettes are shown below; the selection, not surprisingly, is somewhat limited, but for a lot of people who are racked with indecision when faced with thousand of paint chips, that will be a total bonus!

Price: approx. $15

Availability: For a retailer near you, click here.

Do you have a pretty product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email me at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

I got my new Essentia latex mattress on Tuesday, and I’m simply loving it so far! It’s natural memory foam and compared to my old spring mattress, it feels like sleeping on thick gel, if you can imagine that. It basically moulds to your shape, in the most comfortable way imaginable. I’d heard that it takes some time to get used to memory foam, but that hasn’t been my experience at all. It’s like a cosy cocoon, in a non-cloying, non-warm way (it is summer after all!).

The mattress is great because:
• it’s made of natural latex, which doesn’t off gas
• it’s glue- and adhesive-free
• it’s entirely biodegradable
• dust mites can’t live in it, so it’s great for anyone with allergies or who suffers from asthma
• if you’re allergic to latex, the processing of the latex destroys the proteins you’re allergic to, so no worries!
• the unbleached organic cotton cover is made with organic dyes and is removable for cleaning
• it’s green – and how happy that makes me!!

How much greener could this all-Canadian company be?
• each mattress is hand made, with the liquid latex poured into a mould and cured, so minimal waste is produced
• Essentia’s website is stored on a windpowered server
• Essentia is a member of 1% for the Planet, an organization that funds green initiatives worldwide
• until Mar. 5, 2010, owners of hybrid and electric vehicles get a 20% discount on all Essentia sleep products. Woohoo!

The mattresses are available online, but if you live near the factory/showroom, which is just outside Montreal, you can try them out in person there, and now there’s also a brand-new store in Toronto, so if you live there, check it out!

Available at: www.myessentia.com; West Laval, Que,
888-764-4116; Toronto, 647-348-0321; Costco (Pure and Classic 8 models)

Price: from $1,299

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As I was eating my brekkie this morning, it occurred to me that a lot of my posts have focused on bedding. Why? I wondered, and realized it’s because I’m obsessed with naps! So once again, here’s a sleep-inspired post!

This country-look quilt from Pottery Barn is perfect for summer-time easy living. Just toss it over the bed in the morning when you wake, and the bed is made and you’re on your way!

It’s hand-made of organic cotton with Porcelain-blue piping and reverses to solid blue, if you want a quick change in looks, and has 100% cotton batting. The shams have a different print on each side, and everything is machine washable.

Available at: Pottery Barn stores, www.potterybarn.com

Prices: $72 (standard sham),$88 (Euro sham), $429 (Queen quilt)

SUPER CHIC IDEA If you have an old quilt and the edges are fraying too much for you to use it on a bed or even hang it on a wall, try this idea:
1 Centre the least worn portion over a twin-size wood headboard
2 Wrap the edge around the back of the headboard
3 Staple it in place (pad with cotton batting underneath, if you like).
Makes a very cute headboard for a kid’s room!

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I have a thing for crisp, clean white bed linens and Restoration Hardware’s high-quality bedding is among my favourites.

This organic Italian 200-thread-count percale linen has a lovely added touch – it’s embellished with satin stitching in Chocolate, Flax, White, Celery, Sky or Silver Sage (clockwise from bottom left). Beautiful!

Available at: Restoration Hardware stores or online at www.restorationhardware.com

Price: from $89 for a standard sham, $269 for a full/queen duvet

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Scatter a few of these seahorse pillows around your home for a nautical look that’s sure to brighten up your summer!

These pillow covers from Humble are 100% organic cotton twill and are printed with non-toxic water-based inks in (clockwise from top left) Metallic Gold, Navy, White and Tomato; custom colours are also available. Each is 18″ square; inserts are sold separately.

And if you really love the motif, splash out on a matching tote, also made of organic cotton! It measures 18″ wide x 15″ high x 5″ deep.

Humble has all kinds of other home decor items on offer through custom orders: table runners, draperies, bags and pouches and other goodies!

$1 of every sale goes to the Coral Reef Alliance to help protect coral reefs all around the world. Visit www.coral.org for more information.

Available at: www.humble.bigcartel.com

Prices: $34 US (per pillow, inserts not included), $22 US (tote), $22 US (bamboo insert), $46 US (kapok insert)

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So pretty! These 20″-square cushion covers are a lovely way to change up your decor for the summer.

They come in four simple but stunning colours (from top) – Natural, Sea Spray, White and Clay – are knit from undyed organic cotton, and are machine washable, so no worries when it comes to care.

Perfect!

Available at: www.westelm.com

Price: $29 US each

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Trying to find an environmentally friendly crib that’s also good-looking? The Sam Collection of kids furniture from Muu is now available in Canada!

With the incredibly versatile interchangeable panels, you can switch up the look of your child’s room in a flash as they grow, and as their tastes or yours change. Plus, the furniture is made from locally sourced hardwood from verified sustainable sources and formaldehyde-free MDF made from certified recycled wood fibres.

Addendum: In August, 2009, it was announced that Muu’s Sam Collection had been selected as a finalist for the 2009 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). Congratulations!

Price: from $449

Available at: Princess and the Pea, Edmonton, www.theprincessandthepea.ca; The Mom Store, Calgary, www.themomstore.ca; Inhabit, Vancouver, www.inhabitshop.com; www.muukids.com

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