My Urban Garden Deco Guide

Love this quirky 'hedge fun' spotted by UK's SUN  ... more entertaining than all that blurb about bankers and their hedge funds!

ECO NOTE

If you pop over to the article you will see that zero carbon design can [ or could] know no limit .... I 'd just love to see more 'design ' designs ...and have a surprise soon on the subject...

 If outdoor gourmet cooking and design are your passion : this is the find for you: 

Prepare healthy, impeccable meals any time of day, anywhere the day takes you. Utilizing advanced technology, this grill cooks a variety of food directly on the durable, easy to clean ceramic glass surface.

Company Description:
Sculpted inquisitively by hand, each Fulgor appliance is designed to challenge tradition. Vanguard to breakthrough illuminations as self-cleaning, true dual convection and glasstop cooking, Fulgor has been the inspiration behind culinary masterwork for 60 years

To compare with otherBBQ etc ...check out 62 posts about outdoor entertaining.

I am not sure how well known Farrow and Ball are worldwide...But this side of the pond, in the UK and France they are known as the  best [ with maybe 2 others] for beautiful quality paints for both interiors and exteriors.

I received this release via my friend Valerie de Saint Laurent, [an Eco-conscious lady who was already active when Green was all supposed to be just a fad !] .

Now 90 percent of Farrow and Ball's  range is Eco-friendly.

I really encourage you to click on their two links for a moment of inspiration!

Click here to find out more about these exciting new products.
Click here for inspirational decorating ideas in our Style guide

Farrow & Ball has always produced some of the most environmentally friendly paints in the world and now the Farrow & Ball paint range is even better for you, your family, your home and the environment because more than 90% of the Farrow & Ball paint range is eco-friendly. With the launch of an exciting new range of eco-friendly formulations which includes both interior and exterior paints, you can now paint your entire house inside and out with Farrow & Ball in an environmentally responsible way. VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in everyday household products are harmful to the environment, and so all the new Farrow & Ball eco-finisheshave been formulated to ensure they contain 'low', 'minimal' or (as classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency) 'Zero VOC' levels. This unbeatable 'eco' range is available now at Farrow & Ball showrooms, stockists, by mail order or online. Look out for the symbol on the tin. Click here to find out more about these exciting new products. Click here for inspirational decorating ideas in our Style guide. Remember, to prepare any interior or exterior surface when using Farrow & Ball paints, including the new eco-friendly paint finishes, ensure you use the correct primer and undercoat, specially formulated to work with the top coats to achieve the best possible results.

are made using the highest quality natural ingredients and pigments  contain low, minimal or zero VOCs* (*as tested to US environmental protection agency standards)  are better for the environment and your health  have absolutely no odour  give the same high performance of oil-based alternatives  have reduced drying and recoat times  easier clean up of brushes

What are Farrow & Ball paints made of? Unlike many other manufacturers, Farrow & Ball continues to use natural ingredients such as Linseed Oil and China Clay and does not use harmful ingredients such as ammonia and formaldehyde. With the introduction of our neweco-finishesthere is no change to our policy of using naturally occurring pigments including iron oxides and umbers, as well as other natural ingredients such as china clay, lime putty and linseed oil. In fact, the purity of these ingredients is at the root of achieving the unmistakable look of Farrow & Ball. Were Farrow & Ball products not environmentally friendly before? For many years VOC levels for most Farrow & Ball paints have been so close to zero that the leading finishes, including Estate® Emulsion, Modern Emulsion, Estate® Eggshell, and Exterior Masonryare classified as 'Zero VOC' when tested to US Environmental Protection Agency standards. Now with the introduction of our new range of eco-finishes, even more of our range is eco-friendly so you have greater choice and peace of mind. Can I still buy Oil-based paints such as Oil Eggshell and Oil Full Gloss? For customers still preferring to use traditional oil-based formulations, these will be available to order until 2010, subject to availability.

If you would like more information, help or advice about these or any of our products simply call us on +44 (0)1202 876141 or contact info@farrow-ball.com. Alternatively visit your nearest Farrow & Ball showroom or stockist. Click here for more details.

Free with the March edition of Homes & Gardens magazine will be the supplement 'Key Looks with Colour' produced in association with Farrow & Ball. This 'colour bible' features Farrow & Ball paint and wallpaperthroughout, and the magazine also includes the chance to win £1,000 worth of Farrow & Ball product plus a one hour colour consultation! Pick up your copy from newsagents throughout February.

To reply or to change your details, please e-mail info@farrow-ball.com. To unsubscribe please click here. To forward this email to a friend, please click here. Tel +44 (0) 1202 876141 www.farrow-ball.com © Copyright Farrow &Ball 2009. All rights reserved.

Spotted on Trendir :

'The egg – nature’s most perfect form – is the stimulus behind this modern refuge designed for public and private spaces. Japan’s Kazuya Morita Architecture Studio designed the Concrete pod as a modern haven in which to momentarily escape the stresses of the world. “In the dome, because of its minimal scale, it makes us more sensitive and relaxed, like when we are in our traditional tea-house Cha-sitsu.” Exhibited at Concrete Art Museum 2005 in Nagoya, Japan, this contemporary cocoon is constructed of reinforced concrete, with a height of 1700mm and the shell just 15mm thick.

According to the architects, “A minor axis of a hen's egg is about 40mm and thickness is 400 microns, so it means this concrete shell is just like an expansion of a hen's eggshell.” And although this modern structure is “hen's-egg thin,” Concrete pod has the enough strength to support a grown man sitting on top. Speckled with holes, the shell offers a sheltered environment while maintain a connection with the exterior environment. Kazuya Morita Architecture Studio '

via Busyboo

This is an extremely cool and innovative, teak table that combines style with great practicality.

This table is great on its own as well as being the perfect accompaniment to the bistro dining set. Flambé comes with a hole that can be filled with the removable ice bucket or the removable barbecue or, alternatively, it can be enjoyed as a simple table using the hole filler provided. A truly unique table that’s has excellent contemporary styling allied to brilliant functionality.'

AT http://www.designandlandscape.co.uk/shop/product_info.php/products_id/935

This stainless steel outdoor shower was seen today at Maison et Objet .

Congrats to the french designers from D' Un jardin a l'autre : they have included a lower tap to simply rinse feet!

It also comes in a round shape.

See 40 more outdoor showers, baths etc HERE

Interesting idea developed by french brand 'Bleu Nature'  ...

They deliberatly design outdoor furniture with the idea that it will age and change by way of the weather  and the passing of time rather than be damaged by them.

ECO NOTE

After slow food, here comes slow design. Beyond the materials used to create the design, the eco benefit is in the fact the design is meant to last !

  Ego 2 is a truly high quality creative outfit.

From pots and planters to furniture they can really claim they add to the party.

ECO NOTE

They are earning stars for the green camp. I just found - and liked their new recycled hardwood outdoor seat.

LINK here

Just love the line of this outdoor armchair. @ http://www.cst-furniture.com

On that site you will find day beds, stools and a few other pieces , all simple and lovely.A hot shop to discover.

ECO NOTE : no info readily available on site about the wood used ...shame but the designer is a small hot shop so I 'll let her off the hook!

Outdoor furniture is becoming more divers and sometimes even ....political ... ? This award winning design was intended to help people trapped in towns stay connected with nature...

By Hong Daode this  reclining chair upholstered with grass sod, Lawn Couch offers inhabitants of high-rise apartments the opportunity to lie on grass and feel closer to nature.

Being close to nature is an intrinsic part of human nature. However, as an increasing proportion of the populations of cities live in high-rise apartments, people may find it difficult to enjoy nature. Designed with such dense urban environments in mind, Lawn Couch is a reclining chair upholstered with grass sod. The intention is to offer inhabitants of high-rise apartments the opportunity to lie on grass and feel closer to nature. Being close to nature can create feelings of peace and comfort.

Lawn Couch is comprised of modules of decks (or planters) of grass sod, with a stand for adjusting the angle of recline. As a unit, these modules combine to form a comfortable couch. When the couch is not in use, it becomes a mobile indoor or outdoor lawn. This not only encourages a more relaxed environment, it also helps to generate oxygen for better air quality.

The user is able to plant flowers on the mobile lawn. 

ECO NOTE

The bench has been designed using the simplest material and manufacturing process, with minimal material or production wastage. Each bench is made from a single metal sheet that is cut and bent to give it its three- dimensional expression. '