twoinspiredesign

Happy Earth Day everyone. I grew up in a good, green Canadian home where we recycled, ate organic before it was trendy and even had a big ‘ol compost in our backyard. And while I applaud my parents for being ahead of their time and doing what’s right for the earth, I’m admittedly not quite as green.

Earth Day is great (and as a former PR girl, I love the idea of rallying around a date to communicate your message) but, let’s be real, the best thing you can do is make better choices EVERY day. That includes the choices you’re making with home decor. So, put aside your organic, fair trade coffee and check out this eco-friendly living room I created.

1. Rowe furniture practices a policy called EcoRowe which uses fabrics produced from natural, renewable fibers, woods from replenished, domestic forests for the frames and  eco-friendly seat cushion cores. But, all you’ll notice about this Chelsey sofa is its perfect lines and gorgeous rich color.

2. VivaTerra is a great source for green furniture. This Trestle Coffee Table is made of reclaimed wood. Its waxed finish adds a subtle sheen that would look great against the velvet of the sofa.

3. I love the clever use of materials and this rug from West Elm is brilliant–recycled denim!

4. Turning to VivaTerra again, I love mixing up the more formal sofa with these casual Rattan Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Intended to be used outdoors, I think they’d be the perfect addition to a kid-friendly living room. Plus as we head into the summer, they give a light feel to the room.

5. Every living room needs a great blanket basket (so you can curl up all cozy on your new eco couch!) This version in natural sea grass from West Elm is a great way to bring the color blocking trend into your home as well.

6. One easy way to make a difference is in your choice of textiles–i.e. trying to minimize the use of chemicals. These pillows from AllModern.com are made with environmentally friendly inks.

So many vendors are now offering more environmentally-friendly choices. Definitely worth exploring them because you no longer have to sacrifice great style.

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Yesterday Tessa and I were in search of barstools for a client and my eyes landed on these beauties….

Room and Board

And no, not for our client (don’t worry–we eventually found some for her) but for me! The clean lines and Sunbrella fabric won me over.  If you remember from this post, I have been looking to replace my not-so-pretty barstools for a long time.  I almost pulled the trigger on some stools a few months ago but then some other household project took over (probably the gallery wall that consumed me for three months).  I spent the whole afternoon yesterday thinking obsessing about these barstools. So what’s a girl to do–she calls her husband in a panic and begs him to take an early train home so she can run to Room and Board before they close.   And that’s just what I did!

I decided to order one to bring home and try out.  I had to hold myself back not to order all three but decided I wanted to make sure they would work in my space before I paid the shipping fee for all three.

Of course, I couldn’t leave the store without taking a quick peek around.  I have to admit, I’m kind of a Room and Board junkie.  I love that 90 percent of their assortment is made by American craftsman and artists in communities across the United States.

Here are a few things that caught my eye:

I’m definitely loving an orange and pink combo these days.  The options for a pillow grouping from this couch are endless.

Room and Board

These days most people are mounting their TV’s on a wall.  But because they are mounted and not on a TV stand, it leaves you with a lot of empty space in the background.  I thought this was a great option for adding something to an otherwise blank TV wall instead of the usual gallery wall.

Room and Board

This light fixture was gorgeous and would be a statement piece in any dining room.

Room and Board

Look what I spied in their clearance section…beautiful pottery starting at 25.00!

Room and Board

Enjoy your weekend–Spring Break is starting for our kids next week but both Tessa and I will still be in chilly Chicago.  We hope to see you back here on Monday.

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