Salone del Mobile 2011: The Best Designs for Earth Day

Today is Earth Day. I’m beginning my Salone report today because eco-friendly designs were one of the major trends at this year’s show in Milan. Here are a few of my Earth Day favorites.

Emeco has created one of my top favorites – forgetting the eco-friendly element. Each of their new 111 Navy Chairs, is made from 111 plastic bottles, 65% recycled PET plastic and 35% glass fiber and pigment. This year, the chair has diverted 3.5 million bottles out of landfills. 111Navy is made in the United States, beginning in Tennessee and molded in North Carolina. Love it!

I’ve always loved the soft, buttery woods from 1920R. A few years ago, they had a small, lonely space. This year, their space was huge and business was booming. Their Briccole di Venezia collection was the star of their show. Made from Briccole, the posts standing in the lagoon from time immemorial. The old posts are replaced every year and 1920R is using those to create some beautiful tables and chairs.  Venice is my favorite. See the rest on their site.

My other fave is their Aukland table made from Kauri trees that have been buried, due to earth quakes, under the earth for centuries. The wood has been preserved, not fossilized. Super cool. You can see a number of their Kauri designs here. Read More…

Salone Del Mobile: A Sneak Peek At A Few Favorites

The Salone del Mobile is a ginormous event. It’s really impossible to see everything. That’s why it’s so much fun to scout out previews and create a map ahead of time for “must sees”. Here are a few things I’m looking forward to seeing in real life.

These Tetris-shaped bookshelves are lit using a computer program that allows you to change the colors as you like. Designed by a2. Can’t wait to see just how this works. This is the sort of design that has a thousand and one uses. Read More…