more visual treats

also, from ford & ching, rs barcelona, a detail of a large square ottoman upholstered

with wide red elastic bands wrapping it like a gift - so clever!

this is a folding screen that is just exquisite, even the shadow it casts on the floor.

impressive treasures at ford & ching

last week i attended a spring cocktail party at the ford & ching furnishings and fashion showroom in downtown la at the historic kimsing theatre. as always, there were fabulous finds including many with eco-friendly elements.

i got to meet one of the furniture designers, george bergere of go build studio. this dresser is zebrawood made with sustainable veneer harvested from plantation-raised poplar trees.

this next item caught my eye because of its beautiful wood finish. geneva sound systems creates a unique and more effective speaker solution eliminating the need for 2 separate speakers.

skram furniture are responsible for this cool cork stool.

samuel moyer crafts these tripod stools out of offcuts of various species.

eric clayton's striking coffee table is made with reclaimed poplar table with a recycled steel base.

ango's rattan and steel pendant.

pipes & crystal create stunning chandeliers

i love checking out interior design magazine's cool new products and this time they profile michael mchale who uses reclaimed parts whenever possible like pipes from hurricane katrina and combines it with bohemian and swarovski crystals.

eco-friendly faux wood flooring that looks real and is maintenance-free

interior design magazine's feb issue highlights a floor covering made with recycled content that is ecolabel certified called bioessenze by nemo tile.

it looks like wood but is actually porcelain! you may be wondering why someone would want to use a faux wood floor but consider that it's resistant to wear, maintenance-free, impervious to moisture, and withstands atmospheric agents, scratching and mechanical impact.

it's perfect for commercial applications.

first designer to create 100% FSC pure sustainble upholstered furniture now offers an outdoor collection

thanks to interior design magazine and inhabitat for sharing the news about kaa design group's

new 9-piece fsc outdoor collection for cisco brothers called "HOM escape in style".

and thanks for keith granet of granet & associates, for bringing these 2 talents together.

i remember falling hard for kaa's modular home they displayed at a green building trade show. what drew me in even more were stunning furnishings they made and now sell.

perhaps its the fsc guatemalan machiche and elegant lines that make it so unique and elegant.

i think you'll agree that it doesn't look like your typical outdoor furniture.

sustainable teak in modern shapes

restoration hardware introduces, belvedere, a new outdoor collection

made with sustainably harvested premium grade A teak.

cafted with moritse-and-tenon joinery, it's designed to last at least 25 years!

cardboard lighting that is beautiful and fire-safe!

i love these graypants pendants, made from discarded cardboard boxes!

they are treated with non-toxic fire-retardant and made with UL parts

but the entire fixture can be UL-rated.

they're also handmade in seattle in a really cool studio! check out their chairs and tables too!

eco and elegant glass railing and tile

ever think about using a non-porous material in high-traffic areas?

check out this glass tile as a backsplash for a bar and this glass railing, both from deverre!

it's a patent-pending, handcrafted process using recycled materials and

a low-emission, low-energy manufacturing process.

CRAVE la features eTTa designs!

thanks to megan for posting my interview on CRAVE la. learn more about me and eTTa designs from CRAVE's interview like how i'm named after rachel carson (my middle name is carson), the naturalist who wrote silent spring which essentially started the environmental movement.

stunning & cool new eco wallpaper

featured in O magazine, Town & Country, Dwell, In Style, Domino and House & Garden, among many others, mod green pod, the cool folks who make eco-friendly wallpaper and fabric, just launched a new pattern of wallpaper. its aptly named "delight" in 3 colors hand-printed on vinyl-free FSC-paper with non-toxic ink and finished with a water-based glaze for light wiping.

be sure to check out their cool room creator feature

to see what their products look like in a room!

their fabric is printed on 100% organic cotton! i love this pattern, even the name, glimmer.

check out their website to learn more about

the talented women behind this company and their environmental commitment.

did you know LA has a 51mi river?

do you know where this is?

if you said Los Angeles, you're right! LA actually has a 51mi. river running through it yet it's not protected by the EPA (the army corps of engineers says it's not navigable yet kayakers float down it), it's lined with concrete, none of the water is captured for the city and many locals think it's part of the sewer! learn about this river, the current political situation surrounding it, and its potential to be the brightest star in LA from a stunning documentary, 'rock the boat'. check out 'rock the boat's facebook page too!

ettadesigns can blog from my mobile device now!

how healthy is your home?

for those who are following my blogs and tweets regularly probably know that i love q collection for for their exquisite eco-friendly furnishings. they just sent me an email with shocking information. ABC News' reported that products on american store shelves now contain 89,000 chemicals! many of these have proven to increase the risk of cancer, neurological disorders or reproductive defects! why is this possible? the EPA is virtually powerless to regulate these chemicals due in part to lobbying by the chemical manufacturers.

however, a new senate bill, powered in part by dow and dupont, is pushing for the reform of outdated chemical regulations and is expected to be introduced soon and then would need to be passed. until we know that our laws are protecting our health, it is up to us to know how things are made and the impact it has on the people who make them and the environment so that we can make healthy choices.

q collection's primary goal is to eliminate all toxic chemicals. for example, their furniture is free of formaldehyde and polyurethane. their fabrics are printed with low-impact, heavy metal-free dyes. this fabric is durable enough for commercial applications and was used as welting on the chairs in sea wellness spa at casa del mar.

how and where was your decorative pillow made?

beautiful products aside, i'm so moved by the mission of a company who thankfully emailed me, one thread fair trade. i'll start with its commitment to the environment which involves a commitment to hand loom weaving which according to its website, "results in zero energy impact and releases 1 ton less co2 in a year than the same job produced on a power loom. power loom fabrics contribute large amounts of carbon emissions into our environment and one job on a power loom sucks up as much energy as 20 vacuum cleaners running all day."

their website continues, "also, by using hand loom we support the rural hand loom weaving villages which are struggling to survive due to the increasing usage of power looms. hand loom weaving uses nine times more labor than required by a power loom, thus providing many more people with a livelihood and means of survival." you can actually learn about the artisan who made your pillow by an artisan's number on the pillow's label and clicking on that number on the company website. it's amazing!!!!

even more impressive than their eco impact, is the company's mission. according to their website, "we believe that every one of us has the responsibility to improve the state of our global community, the state of mankind." wow! one way they do this is by their promise to fair trade which means they pay their artisans a fair wage, ensure safe and healthy working conditions, support the artisan's community in education and business development, provide training in textile arts, and cover all costs of raw materials and unit maintenance. i can assure you that most manufactured items, especially those made in china, do not follow fair trade practices. however, with increased awareness, we can make more educated choices and create a home filled with items that contribute to humanity rather than exploit it.

elegant mirror made with coconut

this is an excellent example of how an organic material can be quite elegant. the mirror at the top of the 1st photo and then shown in the next photo, #2, is so beautiful. offered by ochre, it's framed with white coconut strips! thanks to interior design magazine for sharing this mirror on p38 of the current feb issue and online at the link. i love reading my design mags...they are so inspiring!