Designer home decor on a budget – since many of us are broke this holiday season I thought I’d feature a couple of DIY projects as funky gift ideas.  I know I’d get my holiday glow on if I saw either this recycled refrigerator door shelf unit or ironing board chair with my name on it under my reusable Christmas tree …

The items above can be found on the Spanish website el-recetario.net.

via: recyclart.org

Is it too early to start planning for Christmas?  Not if you’re thinking long-term.  These folding, reusable Christmas trees and ornaments are made in Finland from sustainably harvested FSC certified wood.  Designed and created by Anne Paso and her company,  Lovi, these items can ensure your home exudes a classy Christmas vibe for years to come.

Lovi will plant 5 trees for every large Christmas tree sold.  You’ll find these exquisitely designed products @ matteriashop.com

For those of us who love everything about the Prius – sans the dowdy styling (and yes, it was named one of the “50 Ugliest Cars of the Past 50 Years” by BusinessWeek) – there’s a bright spot on the horizon.

According to a recent article in The Detroit News, GM’s Cadillac Converj extended-range electric concept has gotten the official “go ahead” from the company’s decision-makers. Debuted earlier this year at the Motor City’s annual auto show, the sleek coupe features design that’s likely to appeal to style-driven environmentalists more so than GM’s upcoming Chevy Volt.  And as a Cadillac, it can bring in a few extra dollars too.  The coupe, whose production date has yet to be determined, will join the ranks beside Cadillac’s Escalade Hybrid model, the only other alternative-powered vehicle currently in the lineup.

Are the terms ‘eco’ and ‘luxury super-yacht’ mutually exclusive?  I’m leaning toward ‘yes’ – although Swedish luxury car and yacht designer Dennis Ingemansson obviously doesn’t agree.   His 45-meter Esthec solar-powered superyacht design features a solar array and lightweight decking materials.

The decking material is a lightweight composite made by the Dutch company Esthec, an innovative composite decking manufacturer.  The decking, which is lightweight, durable, recyclable and low maintenance, can be created in a wide range of colors and patterns.   To put you in the right economic zip code, the Esthec design was recently featured at the Monaco Yacht Show.

Related: previously on atlCon – design posts

Modern green home design doesn’t always have to be flashy and exotic.  Maryann Thompson Architects designed this simple, yet refined, contemporary residence to meet a client’s desire to create an environmentally sensitive and sustainable home that could be built within a limited budget.  The home’s design is deliberately straightforward – a simple box structure adorned with an asymmetrical roof line – a direct response to the client’s request that the house express the attitude of “benign neglect.”  The North Easton, MA residence, which is nestled in a typical suburban development of neo-colonial homes, received LEED Silver certification under the USGBC’s new pilot program for housing.  The house sits at the end of a 900′ driveway on a heavily wooded lot which abuts conservation lands and belies the suburban setting.  The 3000 SF home was designed to be aesthetically sympathetic and integrated into its 5.5-acre site and incorporates low maintenance and naturally occurring materials – reflecting the homeowner’s relaxed and informal lifestyle.

Many common-sense sustainable features were incorporated in the home’s design.  Expansive windows on the front façade take full advantage of the house’s south-facing orientation.

During the winter months, when the sun is lower in the sky, abundant natural light enters the public spaces and upstairs bedrooms, opening the house to solar gain and thereby reducing mechanical heating demands. The house’s remaining heat requirements are resolved via two pellet stoves and an efficient radiant heating system powered by solar panels.  The asymmetrical roof shields the upstairs rooms against the intense summer sun.

Cross-ventilation eliminate the need for for central air-conditioning without compromising comfort.  The residence also features recycled and energy efficient materials, including a recycled-tire rubber roofing system, reclaimed hardwood cabinetry, casework and flooring materials, recycled glass tiles and thermal efficient windows.  Running electrical lines to the house assures the residents access to an emergency power source and enables them to sell unutilized energy back to their local utility.  Very green indeed.

The LModern 2 coffee table is the tasteful merging of a recycled door (I’m still looking for it), handsome, upcycled Brazilian Walnut parquet flooring and an L-shaped piece of wall shelving.  49″l x 30″w

$750 @ jalexstudios etsy shop

Here’s a another great alternative to buying bottled water.   This Restore Clean Water System consists of an 8-cup pitcher and an ultraviolet adapter.  Restore has a unique dual-filter process for eliminating solid particulate material as well as bacteria and viruses from your tap water.  The pitcher has both a carbon filter and an ultraviolet germ-killing system.  Unlike pitcher filters from Pur, Brita, and Zero Water, the Restore pitcher has a two-step water purification process.  In step one – a carbon filter reduces any heavy metals, chlorine and industrial pollutants in your water – in step two, the unit’s UV purification system removes 99.99% of viruses, bacteria and microbial cysts.

As our latest Tried and True Green Products Review, HoMedics was kind enough to provide us a free unit for testing.  We found that it took 4 pitchers of water to get the subtle carbon flavor of the particulate filter out of the water, but after that, the filtered water tasted fine.  The two-step process takes a couple of minutes, (the UV process takes 1 minute), and involves plugging the pitcher into the UV adapter, which has a retractable cord.  The unit has a smallish carbon filter (for filtering solid materials) that’s estimated to last 2 to 4 months, under typical home use. (more…)

What time is it?  Time to make a clock out of your tired old computer’s hard drive.  This clock should appeal to computer freaks, geekery fans or anyone related to Steve Jobs or Bill Gates.  Made from the actual recycled remains of a dead computer.  The clock’s quartz movement runs on a single AA battery and the techie time piece has reversible, black or white hands.

$35 @ the pixelthis etsy shop0

PLX Kiwi
Sure, hybrid vehicles can considerably cut gas consumption compared to conventional cars, but if you’re not ready to buy a new car, the patent-pending PLX Kiwi can help increase the fuel efficiency of your current ride by as much as 33 percent.  Compatible with any 1996 vehicle and up, the PLX Kiwi easily connects to the OBDII port (usually located under the steering column) where it gathers your car’s sensor data, including vehicle speed, RPM, engine load, oxygen sensor readings, and so on.  The Kiwi monitors and analyzes your driving behavior, then determines your car’s maximum fuel efficiency and identifies areas in need of improvement.  It even keeps track of how much gas and money you save when you modify your driving habits.  To learn more, watch the demo video.  It’s available @ plxkiwi.com for $299.99.

reNEW solar battery charger
This ‘Pez’ inspired solar battery charger is one clever concept.  Unlike conventional battery chargers, the top load, bottom dispenser design takes out the “guess” factor in fully charging your batteries.  Batteries retrieved from below always come out fully charged, so you’ll never have to pick and choose.  And, because the frame can either stand on a desk or be hung on a window, the charger is versatile and visible for the home or office.  Made from biodegradable plastic and sustainable wool felt, it’s a wiser and eco-friendlier alternative to conventional chargers.  Unfortunately, it’s still in its concept stage.  via: yankodesign.com

solar headphone radio
This Solar Headphone Radio is perfect for listening to the radio while outdoors, whether you’re gardening, taking a morning walk, or camping outside.  Its ultra-thin film solar technology provides 1-3 hours of listening power for every one hour of sunlight, with a fully charged headset able to run for as long as 20 hours.  Because it automatically recharges in light (even when in use), as long as you’ve got the sun shining above you, you’ll never have to worry about losing power.  It’s available for purchase @ ecotopia.co.uk for £24.95 (~$41.01) and comes with a 3 year warranty.

The Kiran solar lamp
The Kiran lamp combines solar technology with highly efficient LEDs to provide up to 8 hours of 360-degree lighting that is four times brighter than a kerosene lantern (see photo above).  The lamp can be hung, carried, or placed on any surface, and features 2 brightness settings to provide versatility for both indoor and outdoor use.  It is expected to be available on the market soon, and is set at a price of only $10, making it the world’s most affordable solar lamp.  Learn more @ Dlightdesign.com

Freedom Dynamo electric shaver
No batteries and no electric bill…here’s an electric shaver that offers more than just a close shave.  It brings you freedom from dead batteries and saves you the hassle of outlets.  With its Wind ‘N Go lever, men will never have an excuse to go unshaven again.  One minute of winding provides enough power for a full shave.  And, with three individual heads that flex and rotate, it won’t slack on performance.  You can purchase yours from Think Geek for $49.99 (price includes a travel case, mirror, cleaning brush, and adapters).

Israeli design shop, Studio Groovy, transforms recycled items into functional products imbued with new-found style and funky flair, (car rim fruit bowl, above).

A telephone handset gives birth to a retro-designer bottle opener for a different kind of communication.

Moroccan themed end tables created from laser cut vinyl record albums.

This lighting fixture (above) was created from 4 colorfully authentic Israeli metal soda bottle siphons.

via the very groovy: recyclart