TRASK LAMP
Designed by Jaime Salm and Roger C. Allen for Mio Culture This is the perfect lamp for style-minded control freaks. It has a cool, futuristic look, ships flat so users can bend it into whatever shape they wish, and uses tiny LED lights. In silver, white, or chartreuse. Made of recycled content and recycable. $225 at www.mioculture.com
RAIN COLLECTOR
Hero Design I haven’t seen a better-looking rain collector than this one, which the designers say they created to use in their own garden. It holds 45 gallons of water, has a place to hang a watering can and you can plant a garden on its flat top. It is recyclable, ships flat packed, and comes in various color combinations of white and brown. $550, check www.hero-365.com for stores
AREA ORGANIC COTTON “DETAILS” SHEETS
By Anki Spets for Area I took one look at the embroidery and had a flashback to many of the linens in my childhood home. The pattern is classic Lithuanian and while in our house it was more likely to be found on a table runner, I prefer designer Anki Spet’s use of it on her certified organically grown crisp cotton sheets. $80 to $290, www.area-inc.net
MUD CHANDELIER
By Mud Studio Forget Swarovski crystals. The most incredible chandelier I’ve ever seen is made of thousands of mud beads, hand rolled by the women of the Beads and Buttons community project in South Africa. The beads are then fired, strung on wire and turned into chandeliers (available in three sizes and three colors) by a company called Mud Ceramics. $2,500 to $4,800 at www.amaridianusa.com
FOOD CONTAINERS
By Innate New BPA-free and phthalate-free food containers from Innate means we can stock up on these super-utilitarian items, guilt-free. They’ve got stainless steel bottoms and a food-grade-silicone pop-up lid that expands into a microwaveable bowl. $16; expandable lid only $11; www.innate-gear.com
OFF PITCHER AND GLASS
By Justin Parker and Andi Kovel of Esque Studio Esque’s pieces are made of recycled glass in a furnace powered by wind energy. While I originally became enthralled with their dead bird lamp, it’s the more practical items-like this carafe and cup combination-that keep me intrigued and hankering for more. $220, www.esque-studio.com
ARTEK CHAIRS
By Shigeru Ban Artek introduced the “10-Unit System” of modular furniture at the Milan Furniture Fair this year. Made of recycled paper and plastic, the system comes in a package of 10 L-shaped units or building pieces. Users can assemble them anyway they wish, to build a chair or table or bench. $258 per unit, glass top for table is $187, www.artek.fi/shop
SUBMARINE ACTIVITY STATION
By Joe Fiacchino for Skyline Design This was one of my favorite finds at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair this year, and made me wish I were a kid! The Submarine’s base is made of urea formaldehyde-free MDF with FSC-certified birch veneer and has no or low-VOC finishes. The top is made of 100 percent post-consumer composite wood. And the whole thing arrives in 100 percent recyclable packaging. $3,932.96, www.greenplayfurniture.com