Brainstorm Wednesday { color palette }

I'm still brainstorming a new color palette for my Spring printed fabric introductions. Earlier this week I order a new rug pattern, which contains dark gray, light blue/gray, and natural. These are NOT ground breaking colors, but I LOVE the dark gray versus the espresso brown, which has becoming ordinary and predictable. The natural color is same color as the organic canvas ground cloth in my fabrics. These 3 colors will also be included in my new fabrics along with 3+ additional colors. Another major color constraint is a large sectional in my studio (it is a paprika color) - ideally the new color palette should coordinate with the sectional, but also freshen it up... This is what I've come up with so far :) What do you you think? I colorized one of my patterns to give you an idea. Keep in mind that your screen colors could look totally different than mine... The colors can come across as bright & cheery or subdued & calming depending on the color combination - this is a great exercise for me and really helps me to visualize a new palette!

{ reclaimed, redefined, refined } by The Old Wood Co.

The furniture by The Old Wood Co. speaks for itself. They reclaim top quality wood and create top quality furniture. I have admired their furniture for a long time, along with their many eco-friendly initiatives - they truly excel in both areas!

What makes The Old Wood Co. eco-friendly?

• quality materials and construction - built to last
• Use of old reclaimed lumber taken from structures deemed irreparable
• Water and soy based finishes
• Environmentally friendly and health conscious oils and waxes
• Use of recycled steel
• Steel powder coat finishing method (no VOCs)
• Recycled and Recyclable packaging materials
• Company wide recycling and energy efficiency efforts
• Use of recycled paper on company literature
• Paperless accounting and bookkeeping system
• Use of bio-diesel in company vehicle
• Use of LED lighting in 95% of shop FSC certified woods
• made in the USA

{ modern base with old wood top }

{ LOVE the surfboard shape! }

{ Sculptural stools }

{ modern dining, LOVE the thin legs! }

{ great square coffee table }

{ bench as ART! }

I am { excitedly, impatiently, happily } waiting for my new RUG!!

I just ordered my new "Chain" rug design!! It was so hard to decide on the design & colors, but time was running out and I needed to make a decision. The rug will debut at the Greenprint on April 20th, 2011 - I can't wait!!! Next, I need to pick colors for my new fabric patterns!!!

{ Chain rug that will debut at Greenprint }

{ Chain rug shown in another color variation }

Friday FUN Find { bright, modern, bamboo }

Love the bright, modern, bamboo accessories by EKOBO. The colors are fresh and the shapes are unique. What a great "Friday FUN Find"!

What makes EKOBO eco-friendly?

• fair income for artisans
• handmade
• made of bamboo, a sustainable material
• shipped by boat to reduce emissions
• packed in recycled paper and cardboard

Bowling Alleys { reclaimed, restored, reborn } by CounterEvolution

I write about reclaimed wood a lot - it is part of being eco-friendly, which is definitely a passion of mine. A few years ago, I seen a dining room table made from an old bowling alley floor. This idea has always stuck with me, and I even wrote about it in a past post "Re-imagine Wood". Through the beauty of Twitter, I found another great company that creates furniture from reclaimed bowling alley wood - CounterEvolution. I love this line from their website:

"To design and build quality furniture that exude an elevated sense of artistry, craftsmanship and functionality; the fact that they're good for the environment shouldn't be everything, just an added bonus." CounterEvolution

What makes CounterEvolution eco-friendly?

• uses reclaimed rare heartpine found in old bowling alleys
• high quality to last a lifetime
• made in the USA

PURE Color Inspirations { grays, lime yellow, hot pink }

Today, I was looking for color inspiration! My Spring 2011 0rganic fabrics still need color... too many choices... The color scheme below is not what I will be printing, but I wanted to demonstrate how my fabrics and rugs can be colored to go with any color scheme. It is so fun and easy! My patterns could just plop into these rooms and coordinate perfectly! The room photos are from Benjamin Moore's "Spirited" Color Pallet - the colors are bright and on trend with the grays, hot pink, and lime yellow. I'm really loving the way the white and gray calms down the bright, vibrant colors. The brights may not be quite so overwhelming, but they still make a strong statement!

{ hand-drawn, eco-conscious, original } paper by LOOP

I'm so drawn to patterns, and when I ran across Loop, I just had to share! Their patterns are so organic and full of texture & movement. I love the complexity they put into their designs!

What makes Loop paper eco-friendly?

• uses Post-Consumer-waste kraft or white paper
• made carbon-neutral with wind-power
• processed chlorine free, FSC certified, soy inks
• made in the USA
• give to 1% for the Planet, Nature Conservancy, & Equilibrium Fund.