ICFF 2008: Nature inspired cork credenza by Iannone Design

This spring’s ICFF brought some stunning new treats from one of Inhabitat’s perennial favorites, Iannone Designs. The star of Iannone’s ICFF booth was this wonderful Cork Mosaic Credenza that features a charming woodland tableau formed from variegated layers of sustainably harvested cork. Its sprightly reliefs of birds, deer and branches secures Iannone’s spot as the epitome of eco-chic.

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ICFF 2008: Newspaper Chair

Dozens of rolled up newspapers found their way back to functionality in the cleverly designed Newspaper Chair by Kimberly Kulka, a student at California College of the Arts. We love the smart thought process behind this chair - store your magazines and newspapers underneath the form for added structural stability and cushioning (and storage space of course). This is one of the most inspired takes on the magazine rack idea that we’ve seen in awhile.

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ICFF 2008: MIO’s Recycled Tire Rubber Stools

Philadelphia-based design studio MIO unveiled their innovative rubber stool collection at ICFF this week. Fashioned out of recycled tires with a clean-lined steel frame, the Rubber Stool is ingeniously simple and surprisingly comfortable. The rubber seat is woven into the frame without any hardware and simple traction keeps it in place. No assembly required, just sit! Made from hardy materials, the Rubber Stool is perfect for either indoor or outdoor use.

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ICFF 2008: Flatpack Origami Table by MIO

We found many innovative designs at ICFF last weekend, but we were particularly impressed with the concept behind this beautiful table from MIO. Its streamlined form uses a waste reducing pattern that can be cut with little leftover material, and packed flat for efficient shipping. Dubbed the Origami table, the design was inspired by its namesake art form. Through an exploration of folding materials, MIO has created a functional and efficient eco-friendly structure that is self-locking and hardware free.

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ICFF 2008: Tables from Reclaimed Car Parts!

One of our favorite finds at this year’s ICFF were these beautiful geometric tables wrought from scraps of reclaimed sheet metal by Brooklyn based Nine Stories Furniture. Each table is painstakingly crafted of material harvested from old automobiles found in salvage yards. The metal is cut, formed, and pieced together into a durable patchwork that proudly displays the patina and history of its disparate parts.

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LA FELIZ: Eco-friendly Woven Furniture & Lighting

As continuation of our TOUCH | NY coverage of eco friendly furniture, lighting and accessories design from this inspired Brazilian collective, we were excited to discover the handcrafted work of Patricio Lix Klett and his La Feliz Collection. We love the organic and clean functional vocabulary of his designs, and particularly like that his latest plastic wicker creations now come in a recycled version. Part sculpture, part durable furniture and retro style lighting, La Feliz is an extremely stylish collection with a luminous personal touch.

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Kyouei umbrella holder waters your plants

Sick of rain-slicked slippery floors? Looking to take your rainwater recycling to the next level, while simultaneously improving your green thumb? This Umbrella Plant Pot by Kyouei Design offers a beautiful solution to the soggy umbrella dilemma, and allows you to turn that excess, unwanted rain water into nourishment for a plant! It’s a simple ceramic umbrella jar with an ingenious twist - watershed from your soaked brellies collects in a pot at the bottom of the vase to sustains a tiny potted plant.

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ICFF 2008: Fabulous Felt ‘Flip’ Chair by Cate & Nelson

This super smart chair design from Cate & Nelson was one of the most clever ideas we found at ICFF this year. The Oz Lowchair, by designers Nelson Ruiz-Acal and Cate Högdahl, is an exercise in design versatility. Multiple layers of felt fill the chair and can be flipped like the pages of a book to create a new color combination. Mixed or monotone, the felt ‘flips’ allow the user to adjust the cheerful assortment of colorful fabric to fit a multitude of moods.

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Sustainable Wood Light Sculptures by Nori Morimoto

Nori Morimoto’s light sculptures were on display at ICFF in a stunning booth that showcased this master craftsman’s attention to delicate details. Crafted from local, sustainably harvested wood from around his Vermont wood working studio, Morimoto’s work was a truly refreshing sustainable design find at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair this past weekend.

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ICFF 2008: Inflatable Garbage Chair by Nick Demarco

Turn your garbage into something useful with Nick DeMarco inflatable garbage sofa chair. The more trash and recyclables you can stuff into this clever chair - the more puffy and comfortable it becomes. A California College of the Arts student, Nick DeMarco exhibited his ‘XS Chair’ at ICFF this weekend. Industrial plastic sheeting filled with Oakland’s excess garbage and recyclables turns into an overstuffed sofa chair giving reuse and recycling a new face. DeMarco’s XS Chair is a part of ‘Sustainable Design for Mass Production’ presented by CCA, a exhibition of eco-chair designs and environmentally-minded ideas.

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ICFF 2008: Inhabitat Reports

Today is the last day of the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in NYC, and we are madly going through all of our photos of the furniture, products, and of course the parties from the past few days. If you missed the NY furniture fair this year, don’t fear - you can catch up on all the best new green design right here at Inhabitat. We went nuts scouring every last ICFF booth so that you don’t have to. We wanted to spare you having to pace up and down under the florescent lights of the Javitz center, rubbing your bleary eyes, wondering to yourself ‘where’s the green design amongst all this shiny shiny plastic?’ If you haven’t yet checked out our Photo Gallery, BKLYN Design Coverage, or weekend ICFF coverage, check them out here >

Here are our picks of the best green design from ICFF 2008 >

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CELEBRITY LAMP made from aviator sunglasses

Who couldn’t use more shiny, sparkling, pointless things? This Celebrity Lamp may lack subtlety, but it makes up for it with countless opportunities to check yourself out. I imagine it would also do a fine job of scaring away birds, or signaling for help in an emergency. The shade is made of brand-new silver mirrored sunglasses, creating a glittering paparazzi effect that’s sure to forever immortalize your living room, bath, or any other place where a disco ball just won’t do.

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ICFF 2008: Highlights from the NY furniture fair

Inhabitat is at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in NYC, and we’ve been scouring the show all weekend for the hottest sustainable design finds. We’ve had a great time catching up with some of our all time favorite designers, and discovering a bounty of fresh ideas from this year’s new innovators. We’ve been most inspired by the work coming out of students and recent grads from the CCA (California College of the Arts) Eco-chair competition, as well as BVDcollective’s Waste Not collection made from recycled materials. Trends we’ve noticed so far include intricate lasercut lighting, lasercut aluminum tables (does the world need any more of these, really?), and eco-friendly children’s furniture. We will be bringing coverage on all of the exciting designs we’ve found from this four day design extravaganza, so keep it tuned here for the best sustainable design coverage from ICFF.

Check out our photo gallery of ICFF 2008 >

Here are our highlights so far…

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Metropolis Conference @ ICFF: Make Good and Prosper

Metropolis Magazine is hosting a unique humanitarian-focused design conference at this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair. On Monday, May 19, Metropolis will present Design Entrepreneurs: Make Good and Prosper from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. With a focus on political, social and personal aspects of design, this event is sure to be a stimulating design forum filled with future forward ideas towards a more sustainable world. Moderated by Metropolis editor in chief Susan S. Szenasy, the conference will “explore the many and varied ways that successful business ventures can be good for the environment and society, as well as the individual’s body and soul.”

This year’s dynamic speakers include Edible Estates author Fritz Haeg, fuseproject founder Yves Behar, award-winning architect Eric Olsen, and Inhabitat’s own Emily Pilloton, founder of Project H Design. Fresh from her recent endeavor delivering hippo water rollers in South Africa, Emily will present Social Minded Product Design on Monday, May 19th, from 3:10–3:40 p.m., discussing the recent successes of Project H Design’s initiatives, talking about her vision of how design can change the world, and also reflecting on the success of Inhabitat’s Greener Gadgets Conference.

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MANA Recycled Jewelry hits NYC with TOUCH | NY

Mana ‘Clasp’ necklace made of recycled hair pins and rubber

We first discovered the stunning recycled jewelry of MANA back in January. Brazilian eco designer Mana Bernardes works with a collective of young women in Rio De Janeiro to refashion bits of urban detritus - plastic bottles, circuit boards, hairpins, phone cards - into gorgeously thought-provoking jewelry. Now the fabulously eco-chic Mana Collection is coming to NYC with the launch of the TOUCH | NY exhibit this weekend, and we can’t wait to check it out at the opening reception tonight.

TOUCH | NY: May 18th -20th
12 noon - 7pm
148 11th Avenue, NY, NY

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TOUCH | NY Recycled Design opens TODAY in NYC

There is a lot of design innovation being served up during this weekend’s ICFF furniture fair, but as serious sustainable style scouts, we are perhaps most excited about the inaugural TOUCH | NY exhibit curated by Zoë Melo. This LA based sustainable art, design, and fashion collective has created a stunning line of artisan-crafted, fair made products including furniture, home décor items, ceramics, tableware, jewelry, and limited edition accessories. Their interactive sustainable design show opens today in Chelsea, and we love that TOUCH has created a green alternative to ICFF with their showcase of gorgeous, handcrafted designs made from recycled and repurposed materials. With collaborators and art friends working around the globe to expand their eco-friendly network, you can rest assured that the designs featured in TOUCH | NY are going to make the right kind of stylish impact during New York Design Week.

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TOUCH | NY: Natural Fiber Decor by Domingos Tótora

Domingos Tótora’s natural fiber creations are some of the most imaginative and inspired designs we’ve seen. Driven by a passion for preservation, Tótora draws inspiration from natural landscapes to create a collection of home decor pieces from natural fibers and pigments. His work embodies sustainable ideals with natural materials, and reflects organic processes and cycles within a fresh, contemporary context. Previously exhibited at Maison & Objet and part of the TOUCH collective, these imaginative designs are one of our favorite sustainable design springtime finds.

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TOUCH | NY: Brazilian Eco Design hits NYC

While we’re looking forward to all of New York Design Week this year, there is one event in particular has piqued our interest. We’ve got our eye on TOUCH | NY, a three day design exhibit that will showcase sustainable works made from recycled materials by up and coming Brazilian designers. The TOUCH | NY exhibit begins this Sunday, May 18, in Chelsea, with an opening reception at 7:00 PM. If you are in town, be sure to join us at what is sure to be one of the most interesting highlights from New York Design Week 2008!

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ICFF SNEAK PEEK: Mora Mobile by Adrift

Spring may have sprung, but we’re still captivated by the lofty lilt of this “Mora” fallen leaf mobile by San Francisco based Brian Schmitt. We’ve been longtime fans of Brian’s work, ever since we first discovered his beautiful eco-friendly Adrift Mobiles back in 2005. His lighter-than-air creations perfectly balance sleek forms with sustainable construction, and he’ll be exhibiting a collection of pendants and mobiles for the first time at this year’s ICFF.

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Urban Driftwood Stools by Ian Collings

One of the show-stoppers at this year’s BKLYN Designs was the Pratt Institute’s student exhibition. There’s no better place to catch great new work by young designers, and we were particularly impressed by Ian Collings’ reclaimed wood “Urban Driftwood” stools. They’re beautiful pieces that balance reclaimed natural and man-made materials in a design that is simultaneously rough and refined.

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LED Constellation Chandelier by Kenzan Tsutakawa-Chinn

This stunning LED chandelier lit up this year’s BKLYN Designs with a stellar low-energy lighting solution for light emitting diodes. Recent Pratt graduate Kenzan Tsutakawa-Chinn wowed attendees at the BKLYN Designs show with his constellation chandelier, which takes the form of a gorgeous starburst, breaking LEDs free from their circuit-mounted domain.

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COFFIN TABLE: Memento Coffee Table Casket

Worrying that you don’t think about death enough in your day-to-day life? Pratt student Charles Constantine is looking to change this and inject a bit of morbidity into the daily routine, with his new design for a coffee table coffin. On display in the Pratt Institute student design booth at BKLYN Designs, this ‘Coffin Table’ is a typical coffee table which packs a punch when it comes to storage. Not only can it store books and other knick-knacks like personal mementos, but its ultimate goal is to store YOU - or what remains of you - when you pass on to the next life.

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BKLYN Designs - Inhabitat Reports

Inhabitat was on the scene all three days of BKLYN Designs this weekend and we have a lot of great finds to report back to you. The BKLYN Designs furniture exhibition, which is held in DUMBO every year in May, is not a large event by any means (unlike the upcoming International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Javitz center this weekend). However, what the small, carefully curated show lacks in scale, it more than makes up for in the quality of the work on display. Every year there are a handful of designers that knock our socks off, and the best part is that they are always local designers, using locally-sourced materials, sustainable production methods, and high-quality hand-craftsmanships. This year we were especially impressed with the designs coming out of Pratt students, as well as some new designs from old favs like Brave Space, Uhuru, and Argington. We’ve got lots of pics of the event in our Inhabitat Photo Gallery >

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BKLYN DESIGNS: Iglooplay Tea Pod Collection

We love our wholesome kid-friendly furniture here at Inhabitat. A modernist sensibility combined with the fun of living with a versatile, ‘growing system’ of organic pods equals the best in green design and family-friendly solutions. Iglooplay Tea Pods by Lisa Albin are unmatched when it comes to children’s furniture pieces that integrate organically with home décor as well as engage the ever-curious peeps. Sculptural, space saving, and moveable, we love that Iglooplay is all about eco-friendly design via dynamic and ergonomically modules at play. We are visiting Iglooplay’s display at BKLYN Designs today during our Mother’s Day Green Design Walking Tour to highlight how Iglooplay is all about the best in sustainable design and true organic versatility.

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Inhabitat reports from BKLYN Designs!

Yesterday’s rainy weather did nothing to deter our spirits as the Inhabitat team of Jill, Abigail, Mike and Ali headed to BKLYN Designs to check out this three day local design extravaganza. Your intrepid Inhabitat team took to the streets of Brooklyn to scope out the sustainable scene at this year’s event, and we’ve found plenty of fresh, new green designs to share with you. We discovered beautiful lighting ideas in LED designs from PRATT Institute (pictured below); new eco-friendly pieces from some of our favorite Brooklyn-based designers like Brave Space, IglooPLAY, Argington; and many debut green designs that are destined for greatness.

Read on for our highlights >>

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BKLYN SNEAK PEEK: Uhuru Recycled Bourbon Barrel Furniture

We’ve long been fans of Brooklyn green furniture team Uhuru Design. Every year at BKLYN Designs we eagerly look forward to seeing Uhuru’s latest work, from the beautiful recycled scrap wood Stoolen series that we spotted in 2006, to the clever Cutoffs Table from 2007, both of which utilize reclaimed wood as the main design concept. In fact, Uhuru’s most recognizable style seems to be their unique sensibility in finding innovative ways to turn old wood scraps into stunning pieces of contemporary furniture. So, what are we keeping an eye on for 2008? The answer is Bourbon Barrel Furniture. Uhuru will be launching a brand new line of furniture at BKLYN Designs 2008, featuring a chair, bench, table and stool, all made from reclaimed bourbon barrels.

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BKLYN SNEAK PEEK: Bamboo Furniture from Ecosystems

New sustainable furniture company EcoSystems creates cute, family-friendly furniture that is as thoughtful of the environment as it is to the owner. Starting with renewable materials, EcoSystems follows an earth-minded agenda from start to finish, including taking responsibility for their designs at end of its (first) lifecycle, by taking back and recycling their furniture when you are done with it. Did we mention this stuff is super cute and durable - coming in a variety of primary colors and innovation seating/table configurations? Ecosystems will be showing at BKLYN Designs this weekend, and you can be sure that Abigail and Jill will be stopping at this booth during Sunday’s Mother’s Day Green Design Walking Tour >

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BKLYN SNEAK PEEK: Lotta Jansdotter Soft Toys

Forget Habby and Inhabipuppy, and get ready for the next round of eco-cuteness! Lotta Jansdotter’s adorable sustainable soft toys are the latest eco-apples of our eye with their beautiful color palette, smoothly shaped designs and environmentally friendly composition. The line consists of a blissful green whale, a sagacious herringbone owl, and a vibrant vermillion giraffe, each lovingly crafted by Scandinavian born Lotta Anderson. Her store, Lotta Jansdotter, is named after her daughter Jan, and carries a stunning selection of warm wool knits, playful prints, and pristine stationary. We love Lotta’s modern, natural aesthetic that stems from her childhood spent on the island of Åland (between Sweden and Finland) and her travels throughout the globe. We’ll be getting our hands on these sweet, sustainable toys at BKLYN Designs this weekend, and you can be sure that Abigail and Jill will be hitting this booth in the upcoming Mother’s Day Green Design Walking Tour on Sunday.

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BKLYN SNEAK PEEK: New Brave Space Light Block Lamps

We are perennial fans of Brooklyn-based Brave Space Design, and not just because their pieces helped turn the Inhabitat-curated Green Room at Designers & Agents into a sustainable style eco-haven this week. We adore Brave Space for their fresh, fun, multi-functional eco designs that are driven by a “think global, design local” philosophy.

We’ve just discovered Brave Space’s new Light Block lamps, which will debut at BKLYN Designs this weekend. Made from FSC-certified walnut and 3 Form EcoResin, these modern lighting fixtures are definitely on our must see list in Brooklyn this year.

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