Dual function can be a useful thing. It can also be a fun thing. And in some cases it can be utterly adorable. Take this chair from Martín Azúa. Called Inner Life, it is designed to ‘harbor life of both vegetal and animalistic character.’ This project is a continuation of Azúa’s long-term research dedicated to visualizing the natural origin of everything that surrounds us. With the Inner Life chair he claims an integration of natural processes in everyday life, life inside objects…
Eco-conscious urban gardeners – rejoice! Here is a product in which recycling meets hydroponics in one compact package. Grow Bottles is a smart invention by Potting Shed Creations, that will allow you to grow fresh culinary herbs and enjoy the sustainable design at the same time. Made from reclaimed wine bottles, the package includes everything you need to start your gardening project. The idea is simple – each bottle is sliced horizontally; the top part, filled with seeds and clay pebbles, sits inside the bottom part, which in turn holds water. The water reaches the seeds through a ribbon, made from recycled plastic bottles. Grow Bottles are available in five varieties – oregano, chives, basil, parsley, and mint. Already beautifully packaged, they make a great gift too.
This unusual pot is a collaborative effort of designer Godefroy de Virieu and landscapers Virgile Desurmont and Louis de Fleurieu, who found an alternative solution to bulky planters. A flexible pot, called Sac by Sac, is weightless, durable and can be used both inside the apartment, on a balcony or in a garden (if you are lucky to have one). The innovative material – a double layered geotextile with an Anti-uv and Antifrost treatment – has the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain; perfect for the plants and 100% recyclable. Fun and nature-friendly in all senses of the word, Sac by Sac is available for purchase at Matteria.
Nature-loving bookworms – rejoice! You can now bookmark your favorite passages and make your place appear greener at the same time. The Green Marker from Yuruliku creates the effect of grass, springing directly from your books. Just keep adding these blades to your library and see your bookshelves transform into a beautiful and lively sight. And if your ‘grass’ becomes too long or bushy – you can simply trim it with scissors. This design is perfect for those who appreciate greenery but have no space, time or gardening skills.
We, shoebox dwellers, know that growing plants in tiny urban apartments can be challenging. Plants need light and space, and even if you have a windowsill – its precious real estate is most likely occupied with other things. But don’t let that discourage you! Sky Planter from Fire Escape Farms offeres a great solution. It allows to turn your plants upside down and hang them off your ceiling. A locking disc holds the soil and plant in place, and an innovative reservoir system conserves water by 80% and gradually hydrates the plant’s roots. There you have it – simple, beautiful, zero conter space infringement… Sky Planter is made from ceramic with stainless steel wire and comes in two sizes.
Apparently what’s bad for us can be good for our plants. For one – they thrive on cigarette ashes. French designer Frantz Brougere took this knowledge and put it in design use. His Cindy ashtray not only provides a free-standing place for cigarette butts, it also helps plants grow (monsieur Brougere wouldn’t be the first frenchman who defends smoking). The ashtray is easy on the eyes as well, it looks like an elegant planter. So, next time you send your guests outside with their cigs – let them grow some green.
Italian designer Enzo Berti thought it would be fun to combine two essentials of interior design – lighting and greenery. And he was right. The result – the Eden lamp – turned out to be an unusual and fun accessory. The piece is illuminated by two LED lights – one pointing upward and one downward, which makes it a sufficient light source. And LED is not harmful to plants – another reason it is perfect for this particular project. Manufactured by Torremato, the Eden lamp comes in a variety of colors and finishes. And with your own choice of greenery, the lamp can be made to fit your specific design.
This beautiful planter/light sculpture concept, called Schattengewächs, belongs to German designer Maximilian Winkel. Unlike its botanical relatives, these ‘flowers’ are powered by darkness rather than sunlight. The light is turned on automatically thanks to the photosensor hidden in the pot. The engineering behind the Schattengewächs is fairly simple – it is powerd either by four coin cells or by two contacts (anode and cathode) directly from the soil of the flower pot. The contrast between the real planter and the light flower projection has some subtle humor to it. The Schattengewächs can add a nice accent to a roofdeck or a balcony (if you are blessed with those) and also illuminate any dark indoor area.
This unusual planter from French manufacturer Jardin Chic is generous in size and in function. It doubles as a pet house and, thanks to its sleek modern form, can lend an air of sophistication to the room. Made from durable plastic, the planter can be used both indoors and outdoors. Perfect for cats and small dogs, it can give your pet a cool urban roof deck. Just be realistic in your greenery choice and plant something pet-friendly. This will not be a good place for your orchids…
Urban Gardens, one of my favorite blogs, posted this clever thing today. Urbio is a magnetic-backed and modular vertical garden system that can bring beauty and greenery to urban walls. The system includes small, medium, and large vessels or pots, wall plates, and individual wall mount pucks that can connect the pots to each other or mount them to the wall. Urbio is a collaborative conceptual effort of two studios – Enlisted Design and Volare. Designers have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds and bring the product to market.
