Asparagus Interiors

I love modern design and can spot it’s characteristics easily as it just seems to come to me.  I also grew up in a rural farm community and have a strong pull to natural elements and forms. Marrying the two has been my struggle and joy in design.

I was inspired by the art work of Piet Hein Eek , as presented by Studio Forbes .  Piet’s scrap wood table and other furniture designs are hand made and arranged to limit excess waste and capture the essence of modern design.

Like Piet’s work, I’m also a huge fan of Scrapile .  They use scrap wood as well, arranged into simple forms yet the color variation is striking.  The reuse of wood and careful arragements allow these pieces to express their modern design with a natural foundation.

I’ve decided it’s time to finally paint the white walls in my room.  It’s the last room in the house to be finished and It’s not something I’m taking lightly.

I’ve decided I need a new twist on the old walls.  I’m looking to wallpaper for the graphic design, color saturation and artistic composition.

Two papers from Cole and Son are on the table for consideration.  100% cotton and hand printed, these papers have a tactile quality of a fine paper and a precision detail that’s beautiful.

Woods in the New Contemporary II line, and Cow Parsley in the New Contemporary Line. I’ll post when I make the final decision.  I have a few more colorways coming in.

Textile Blog - Covers fabric and textile design, also features eco and sustainable fabrics.

Design Sponge - The Oh La La of all things design.  I could pour myself over all the goodies on this site.

Marimekko’s fall line celebrates natural themes with deep jewel tones.  The renowned Finnish textile and clothing company pushes the modernist boundaries by appealing to the naturalist with the Ginkgo pattern. Erja Hirvi’s Purnukka pattern offers funky twist on gars and vessles, and the Terttu pattern is bright and berry appealing.

Textile Arts has just released the new fall textile offerings by Marimekko.  Consider buying a yard and hanging it on your wall with one of their wall hanging systems.

Thinking about adding texture to your walls or ceiling?  How about adding a relief on a column, pattern up a staircase or emphasize a focal wall.  Looking to add a little shimmer with seashells or texture with cork or silk?

This week I’ve been introduced to new methods of adding natural materials to the walls and ceilings creating texture, pattern, color and drama.

I spoke with Karen Navaro, of Twig & a Feather , this week.  She is a faux finisher who works with eco-friendly finishes from American Clay , Modern Masters and concrete.  Karen is one of 20 people world wide that have been selected and trained to install the following products from Modern Masters:

- KORUKU: A cork-like substance made from the Japanese Cypress tree bark
- KAI: A shimmering seashell based mold and mildew resistant finish
- KYOTO: A gorgeous nubby silk fabric like feel can be achieved with a plaster like finish from small bits of recycled plastic

In addition to the plaster and mixed mediums above, Karen also uses concrete to create wall accents (wall bling! and stained concrete surfaces.

I’ve wanted to use American Clay for some time in my home to create a focal wall and add emphasis to the fireplace.  I’m now thinking of a much more dramatic approach.  An intimate use of the shimmering sea shell product may be just the ticket to spice up my bedroom.  After all, why can’t my sleeping quarters become a sanctuary?

Margarido House .  The first new home in the country to be LEED-H certified by the USGBC , and GreenPoint Rated by Build it Green .

A beautiful custom home comprised of my favorite architectural details, the use of eco-minded and sustainable materials and finishes plus super energy savings.  Could this dream house become our future reality?

Chicago’s Green Exchange building will soon be home to "the country’s largest sustainable business community", according to their website. Reaching for the highest LEED Platinum rating, the building will retain it’s original facade design. The design has implemented environmental building practices and materials. According to the site the building will "offer 272,000 square feet of convenient one-stop shopping options where the public can engage directly with the country’s leading green businesses, eco -speakers, events and ideas."

Keep and eye out for updates on this building and their eco -minded tenants.

Looking for a relaxing seat to kick back?

I’ve recently been introduced to the Ekornes line of recliners and sectionals. The Norwegian based furniture company offers ergonomic furniture in a variety of leather colors and styles as well as wood finishes. The molded beech bases support a "stressless" seat creating a cozy spot to relax. They are committed to recycling their waste w/ attention to environmental concerns.

I’m excited about this product offering European design with ergonomic and environmental sensibility.

It’s been a long winter. We headed to Chicago this weekend to get out of the house and seek out some new places.

We visited Sprout Home, an eclectic gardening and home store offering unique plants and items for the home. I found some cool plants and interesting home goods offered by local design firm Binth. I need to check them out a little more as their designs are all the rage in Domino magazine and mimic the graphic style of design that I’ve been into lately.

At Sprout I picked up two bamboo plants called running bamboo dwarf whitestripe. It’s a grassy plant with spiky variegated leaves that can grow up to 4′ tall. I’m planning to flank our large TV on both sides to take away from the big black box effect and add a little color to the room.

We also stopped at an architectural restoration store, Salvage One, and visited my favorite Thai restaurant, Penny Noodles in Wicker Park.

A good day was had by all, and with all the renovation around our house It’s nice to get outta the house and go somewhere new for a change.

A great resource sponsored by the USGBC, for residential home owners. The Green Home Guide site has it covered. Learn about what features make up a green residence, what materials are out there and how you can apply them to a new home or renovation.

Happy Reading.