Outdoor Furniture

Defining the ‘Green’ in Green Furniture

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:20:02 +0000

The term sustainability for the contemporary furniture designer /manufacturer, is actually difficult to define. It can mean many things such as social responsibility, use of non-polluting technologies, certified materials even employment fairness and more. To gain a clearer picture sustainable products must be viewed as a whole, analysing the whole production cycle of raw material aquisition, through to maufacture, end use and final disposal. I would however initially like to give some broad definitions of what green furniture is and what challenges I came across when I first started designing furniture.Admittedly, I didn’t know much about eco design when I first started out designing furniture. The coffee table below was the first piece of furniture I designed. It is made of MDF which does have a limited eco-friendly element in that it consists of wood chips. However after wanting to learn more about designing furniture, I found out through another New Zealand product designer, Christopher Metcalfe, that standard MDF has formeldehyde in it and it is more eco friendly to use non formeldehyde ( E0 grade ) MDF.The table pictured below is one I designed using FSC certified gaboon plywood. However if I’m being completely honest with myself, I later found out that the plywood was harvested in West Africa and processed in France. Then shipped to New Zealand. Just because it’s FSC certified, doesn’t mean it’s ok to clock up as much carbon mileage points with your materials as you like. I’m currently looking to have them made in either hoop pine or in New Zealand harvested pine.Alternatively look to buy furniture made with reclaimed or recycled materials. In my opinion, furniture made from recycled or reclaimed materials is the most sustainable option albeit short term solution. This is also keeping in mind the production methods and processes also follow eco principles as well. For example, in regards to the below picture, I designed this coffee table for a staging job. I found this tyre dumped a long the side of the road. I painted it with some left over water based non toxic paint. The glass top was bought from an internet auction via a company who were selling it due to ’surplus to requirements’. If you’re going to design and make products, at the very least, do it in an environmentally responsible manner that everyone will respect including the planet itself.Ever bought a kitset piece of furniture or home accessory that took you an eternity to put together ? If at all possible, find out it can be easily assembled. Also try to look for products that are durable and can be fixed easily.Ideally if you buy furniture new, check if the finishing has no or low toxicity levels or off gasing as it is called. That ‘new carpet smell’ you find is actually formeldeyhde, which can cause health issues. Choose water-based products so that any wooden furniture can be recycled or composted safely at the end of its useful life. Indeed, look for products that have either a ‘cradle to grave’ or ‘cradle to cradle’ cycle to it as well.Buying vintage or antique furniture is another great way of being eco-friendly and can be an investment as well.Where possible, look for Forestry Stewardship Council ( FSC ) certified wood if you are buying new furniture. Basically this certification will reduce the risk of the wood from being illegally or over harvested.Always look to buy local, this also helps support your local businesses too. If you have no use for some of your furniture, sell it, give it away to family, friends or give it to charity.My next entry will be a review on the latest product from a talented furniture designer from Wellington.Please Note: There are forms of formal analysis that can help towards eco assessing furniture, for example a Life Cycle Analysis ( LCA ), however due to resourcing, costs and time this is not realistic for me to achieve. My assessment is based on published information available to the public. I may get information from designers/manufacturers directly to help with my assessment and rating.

Review: Is Nathan Goldsworthy’s Shoestring table worth its weight in gold ?

admin — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:20:01 +0000

The Shoestring table and side table is designed by Nathan Goldsworthy of Conscious Design from Wellington.Aesthetically speaking this table is sleek modernism wrapped in ‘cool’ colours.The table is made of 6mm thick steel coils. Functionally, the product is a coffee table but could be used as a bench. The storage area underneath is a clever additional use of its functionality.The table can come in a blue oxide or powder coated finish. Powder coating is an excellent eco friendly process. It is virtually pollution free with very low volatile organic compounds (V.O.C ). Also unlike traditional chemical paints, there is minimal waste. It provides a very durable finish. This durability allows the Shoestring table for outdoor use.Nathan’s design allows the construction of the table to have zero waste of the steel coil. However the environmental issue of this table lies in the production of the steel itself. It is cheaper to recycle steel than to mine iron ore and manipulate it through the production process to form new steel. Therefore it needs to be confirmed, if the steel used to make the table is made from recycled steel. What can be confirmed, is that because the Shoestring table is made of steel, it is durable and easily recyclable which enhances it’s eco cradle to cradle credibility.The packaging of the table is made of reinforced cardboard, which naturally means the packaging is recyclable.How easy or mobile is it to move the table around ? The table weighs 21 kg’s which, for some people, may be a bit on the heavy side, especially considering the size of the table.Nathan’s Shoestring table definitely has some admirable eco qualities going for it. Indeed some questions still remain that could give this table an increased eco rating. Based on my above analysis, findings and comments, I would give this table an eco rating of 3 and half stars out of 5. To view more of Conscious Design’s products see website: http://www.consciousdesign.co.nz/For my next blog entry I’ll be commenting and giving my thought’s on what I call ‘the pursuit of sustainability’.

The Pursuit of Sustainability

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:15:02 +0000

Is there true sustainability in the modern world today? David Trubridge (NZ furniture designer) stated in an article, ‘To be sustainable, to do something sustainably, means quite simply that it can continue FOR EVER, without any detrimental effect to the environment or to people. It means you can sustain this activity for generations, or go on making that object for generations. There is no part-sustainable. Either something is sustainable or it is not, just like being pregnant.’ So lets look at some challenges as to why sustainability in the true sense, will be very difficult to achieve and suggest a way forward in the pursuit of sustainability. In this consumerist world we live in, there is always one key factor for the average person that determines what they buy, cost. If something is too expensive people just aren’t going to buy it. Even if a product is the most sustainable in the world. And there lies the challenge, how to convince all businesses to move to greener practices while maintaining (or exceeding) their business goals and providing affordability to consumers at the same time. Also how to monitor businesses to make sure they are continuing green practices. I think if controlled and defined sustainable practices are introduced this would allow businesses to ‘acclimatise’ to change. Small steps are important. You can’t throw a big ‘eco political blanket’ over businesses and manufacturers and expect them to change over night in regards to completely overhauling their methods and processing. It’s just not realistic. Instead I believe small incremental steps is a way to go forward. A thorough plan needs to be made consisting of clear realistic aims and goals including scope, funding and resources. Consultation with key stakeholders, including environmentalists, government reps, designers, education representatives, tertiary academics, researchers, testers, manufacturers, retailers, marketing consultants, advertisers and media representatives need to get together to contribute towards figuring out exactly what and how changes need to be introduced and to what degree and when. It is important that consumer habits and consumption also need to be looked at. Carol Boyle of Auckland University is currently in talks with Trade and Enterprise to look at ways of convincing businesses to move to greener practices. David Tribridge is currently working with Auckland Unitec with Life Cycle Anaylsis (LCA) testing. Some businesses are voluntarily doing their bit in their pursuit of sustainability, some are not and some, not enough.I do feel that there are people out there trying to play their part to make this a greener place, but I think what they do in isolation will not be effective enough. Combined forces of key stakeholders working together to form a holistic approach, will give a better chance of success. My next post will be a review on a product from one of NZ’s best furniture designers.

Modern italian Contemporary Furniture for Your Sweet Home

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:14:30 +0000

When you enter the house, just think, which room comes first and is the most important one? Of course, the living room that portrays your personality. It is the most vital room in the entire house, where we welcome our guests and visitors. It also showcases our entire house and acts as the central point. Hence, we can say that it is the most important part of our house.To make this room more attractive people generally prefer Contemporary living room furniture as they love modern styles of living. Contemporary furniture usually fit any house style and presents a wide range to choose from. It suits any taste, comfort and style. Added to this, it sketches the contemporary hues to your living room.Contemporary living room furniture has unique characteristics such as sofas, swivel bar stool, fireplace accessories, leather furniture, coffee tables, kids’ furniture, corner computer desk, area rugs, floor lamps, pool patio furniture, wood bar stools, armoires, etc. This furniture comes in monochromatic colours, modular elements that fit any corner with multiple usages.Sometimes lustre is added to monochromatic colours of gray or black. Certain contemporary furniture makes use of modern decorative pillows or soft leather seatings for comfort zones. Other decorative accessories are also used to carve out a special niche for attraction.Entertainment unit is inseparable part of living room and without it no living room is complete. Home theatre seating, speaker cubicles, CDs racks, TV stands come in a wide range of models with modern designs.Contemporary living room furniture adds touch of stylishness and complexity to your living room. Styling and décor can be chosen as per your budget. Spacify modern contemporary furniture displays information about contemporary living room furniture, contemporary dining room furniture, contemporary office furniture, contemporary bathroom sets, etc.

Modern Italian Furniture For A Guide to Sofas

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:14:29 +0000

Leather sofas are the typical selection for those looking for comfort rather than style, although there are a wide variety of formal fabric sofas to choose from as well. Fabric type sofas are normally less expensive than leather sofas, and are warmer in decorative style, often fitting better into a relaxed atmosphere in which more informal entertaining takes place. While comfort is a highpoint with this style of sofa, due to their construction, the fabric or material with which they are upholstered will often stain easier than leather sofas and be harder to clean.Leather sofas on the other hand are often more expensive and fit within a more formal decorating space. However, they can be cold in the winter and are prone to sticking to skin in warmer months. Leather sofas can be practical though when dealing with households in which pet hair is a problem or kids are prone to staining fabric style sofas with snacks, drinks, markers, paint, and similarly destructive products.There also amenities to consider in your sofa decision process. A stain guard protector applied to sofa fabric can extend the life of your sofa as well as make cleaning up spills easier. At the same time, a cover for your sofa, for either leather or fabric styles, might be an option to consider in protecting the furniture, particularly in high use areas or if you have pets or children. Another option for your sofa is the possibility of selecting a model with a build in bed. This can be a wonderful amenity for your home or apartment when space is at a premium or you have frequent guests. Retractable sofa beds can be the perfect space saver in tight quarters, especially when the kids are having a sleepover or the in-laws are in town. Whether choosing a fabric or leather upholstered sofa, these are some of the more important factors to consider before ever making a decision.

Modern Italian Furniture for your Bed Set

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:14:27 +0000

When you are furnishing your first home, moving to a new home, or making additions to your present home, you will want to plan to accommodate occasional overnight guests. When out of town family or friends come to visit, you want their stay to be fun and comfortable. If you have ever had to sleep on a couch, you know that is not usually a comfortable option.Accommodating a sleepover guest for a child can be as easy as throwing down an air mattress on the floor. Or when buying a bed for your child, you can choose a bunk bed, a trundle bed, or a traditional double or queen size bed if the room can accommodate it. A bunk bed set can usually be arranged as two twin beds as well as one bed over the other. A trundle bed has a second bed under the primary bed that pulls out like a drawer. My sister used to sleep on a couch when visiting her daughter and twin grandchildren. Now they have purchased trundle beds for each child and now she sleeps on a trundle bed. Of course she has to take turns sleeping with each child.There are guest bed options for adults to fit a variety of space and price needs. These include sleep sofas, futons, Murphy beds, roll-a-way beds, memory foam stackable, and air mattresses.A good quality sleep sofa for your living room or family room might be a good option if you do not have a spare room that you can decorate as a guest room. You can buy a traditional sofa that pulls out to make a bed or you can get a futon. Although originally introduced in the US as inexpensive and temporary furniture, the futons of today can be as comfortable and stylish as you can afford. They come in many styles and price ranges and frames are made of wood or metal.The traditional roll-a-way bed has also been modernized for 21st century demands. A comfortable mattress stows upright on the bed frame and can be rolled into a storage area such as a closet or garage. Air mattresses have also come a long way from the camping mattress many of us remember from childhood. Now called airbeds, they come raised to almost normal bed height and in queen size. You can also get them with pillow tops. Purchase price normally includes a travel bag, patch repair kit, and a pump.

Grand Look in the Living Room

admin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:24:53 +0000

The most important place in the home is Living Room. While designing the interior of the Living Room, proper care should be taken. Variety of people will meet in the Living Room. So the furniture should be attractive, grand, royal, elegant,space saving and smooth. While choosing the sofas, material type should be leather and it should be easy to clean. The TV and music system stand should be open type. In the hall, Media cabinet is must. It is made of very good material. The material of the furniture always be preferable in good kind of wood. The wood furniture always give a Grand Look and Royal. At least one cabinets is must in the Living room. It should be more useful. It have a enough space for storage. Always we use an innovative collection of designer furniture in the Living Room to give more attractive look for the home.

Elegant Look in the Office

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:24:27 +0000

While designing the office room, we purchase only space saving, modern, and contemporary furnitures. Chairs always be foldable. Because it is very useful at the time of moving one place to the another. The look of the furniture should be elegant. Elegant furnishing office attracts all kind of people. The Proper Office storage cabinets will be more useful. And it should be sliding. File Cabinets should be very neat and enough space. The conference table should be official and the material should be covered with glass. The workstation should be comfortable and enough place for storage and it might be official. Reception sofa should be grand, smooth and comfortable and the colour of the furniture is very elegant for the vision. The beauty of modern office furniture is that it has the wonderful versatility of fitting it to any office atmosphere.

Bubbly Look in the Kids Room

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:19:18 +0000

Kids Room should be most enjoyable place in the world for children. It should be lovable for their vision. So the furniture must be colourful and it should be admirable. The accepted height for the cot is 1 foot and 6 inches and the bed must be very soft for their smooth skin. Often we use bunk beds when their are two kids. Their study table must be more comfortable to sit and study. The table should be compact. Enough place should be provided in the study table for their books. Kids Wardrobe should have compartments for their dress and toys. Kids Dressing Table must be clean and it should be big in size. While designing children’s room, it is preferable to have the room furnished with wood. For a Kid, the wooden furniture with proper painting are less harmful than those made of metals and plastics. The kids room designed in the above way will delight the kids.

Add A Bridge and Pond To Your Landscaping

admin — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:10:28 +0000

There is no limit to the kinds of landscaping you can do in your backyard. You are limited only by your imagination.

If you have a large back yard, give some thought to installing a water garden, with a bridge crossing over it. Water gardens can provide such a soothing vista to the eye, and the bridge over it will add a charming touch.

It’s quite possible for you to buy a bridge kit from home improvement stores, and even from the internet. Such companies as Garden Bridges offer a wide variety of bridges, constructed of wood or metal, depending on your preferences. These bridges vary in length from 4 feet upwards, and from bridges with no rails to one rail, to a rail on both sides, or simple rails of rope.< www.mastergardenproducts.com> Master Garden Products is another site that offers a variety of bridges – to span masses of sand, or rock, or water.

For a bridge you need water for it to span
If you’d like to add a pond or water garden to your backyard, it’s certainly possible for you to do it yourself. You’ll have to make your plan carefully so that you can build it as efficiently as possible. The best thing to do is purchase a do-it-yourself kit which comes with all the materials you’ll need, all specially shaped so that you won’t have to bother yourself with that part of it. However, be aware that adding a pond is extremely labor intensive.

Clearwater Landscapes is a company that not only offers do-it-yourself pond kits, but also waterfalls! If a backyard pond is a great conversation piece, think of what the addition of a small waterfall would do. Pond Solutions is another company that offers a variety of design kits.

What to know before you start
Before you can start building your pond, you’ll first have to check the electrical and city codes for your area to make sure you can build the pond that you want.

Then determine where you want your pond. You must give this a lot of thought, as once it’s installed it would be extremely inconvenient to move. If you live in a location that gets very cold, or has lots of snow in winter, that will be a consideration as well. Because the water in a pond is always moving, thanks to the pump, it will probably never freeze…but it is important that you maintain the pump properly so that the worst does not happen.

It’s only after you decide on the type of pond you’ll have that you’ll get the bridge to go over it!

But it’s not necessary to have a water garden or pond in order to enjoy the look of a bridge. Japanese gardens, for example, quite often have a bamboo bridge simply leading right up to the edge of a rock garden. You’ll want to surf the web to see all the possibilities, and then take it from there.