Warm vintage glow

I don’t know what it is about jars that attracts us so. Perhaps it’s the age old human behavior of always wanting to compartmentalize everything. Perhaps it is that the contents are invariably the result of warm summer sun, that in each jar we release the fresh bounty – berry jams, heirloom tomatoes, or just peaches in syrup.

And these old jars bring us back to a simpler time. A time when all those things really mattered. A time when it was more important to spend a day making pickles from all the cucumbers in the garden than it was to download the latest iPad app. I don’t mean to say they were better times, just different ones. And important ones for us to remember; to not forget that the bounty of our gardens is not to be taken for granted, that winter is, indeed, coming.

These pendant lights from Terrain are made from vintage canning jars, oiled bronze hardware and are hardwired and ready for professional installation in your home.

We think they bring a special warmth.

$400

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Vintage for a good price

We’ve been thinking a lot about our workspace lately. About moving and having a dream office. To that end, the question arises: what is the ultimate desk? Lately, we’ve been thinking vintage (or at least retro). The problem ultimately resides in the fact that back in the day they didn’t have 2 monitors. Or even one for that matter, so the desks aren’t really functional.

Which brings us to this beaut: the classic sawhorse table. Historically, a makeshift design by shops using what they had on-hand: wood and sawhorses. We like this particular one (from Terrain) because of the raw iron and the cool abstract pattern of the sawhorse legs.

Though we are one-track-minded about our office space, this would also make a great dining room table.

Oh, and the price ain’t bad either…

$695

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West coast native lighting

This light from Propellor Design is meant to fit right in on the west coast. Made from reclaimed Douglas Fir (or Doug Fir as we said in Portland), technically it’s biodegradable.

But God knows why you’d throw such a beautiful think in the compost bin.

The twig poking out the bottom is where the lamp gets is name: a wind-downed Arbutus branch from Galiano, BC.

$260

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Get your reclaimed wood and reclaimed wood products

Reclaimed wood is all the rage these days, and for good reason. It’s environmentally sound (no new trees downed), it’s usually quality wood (from back when 2 x 4s were actually 2″ by 4″) and it looks great.

You can buy reclaimed wood furniture from places like Environment, but it’ll cost you.

Ever wonder where they get the reclaimed wood? Usually it’s old wood from old barns. Sometimes older houses. Now you can order it directly online from Reclaimed Wood Company. They have some pre-made furniture – beds, shelves, storage – and even flooring.

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Now that is a big ass fan: 12 feet

Yes, that’s really the name of the company. Sorry kids. But the fans they manufacture (including the Element, pictured) are awesome. And yes, they are big ass fans.

The Element puts out some serious wind: a single Element fan produces more air than 26 standard 52″ fans at 1/4 the energy cost. That’s pretty great – assuming you have a large space.

This particular fan is meant to circulate air in larger spaces (they say commercial, but these would work equally well in a large residence).

Did I mention the Element is 12 FEET in diameter?

It’s also really customizable in terms of color and styling.

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Steampunk, modern, medieval chandelier

This chandelier from terrain is, simply put, sweet. It has an interesting old world, almost medieval feel, but at the same time a solid modern post-industrial presence.

Fits in with the steampunk aesthetic, but would make a grand centerpiece to modern architecture, Spanish motif and older turn-of-the century homes.

Plan on having an electrician to install – it’s quite heavy duty. It includes a 36-inch chain and the mounting hardware. Takes 40 watt bulbs (max). Amost 4 feet high and 20 inches in diameter.

$2,500

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Braille Wall Flats

We’d never even heard of wall flats before, but basically they’re just tiles that you fasten to your wall – they can be used to add texture to any room. This particular one is braille patterned. They look great plain (white) or you can paint them.

Even better: these are made from 100% bamboo pulp, a renewable resource. They are biodegradable and don’t contain any toxic chemicals so they remain eco-friendly for their entire life cycle. They were voted the Eco-Friendly Product of the Year by Interior Design magazine.

They can be used to add texture to a room, cover up some old ugly wallpaper or an abused wall, or whatever you can dream up. The manufacturer also sells  small sample kits of this and other textures as well if you want to see it first.

$86 for a pack of 10 18″ x 18″ tiles. (covers 22 1/2 square feet)

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Steampunk Terrarium

These are cool. Tim Wetteveen’s Etsy.com store, The SteamedGlass Studio has a lot of great terrariums (terreria? Whatever. Our latest fancy.) made from old lightbulbs like the one at left ranging from $35 up to $200.

Has a built-in magnifying glass and a small LED light for nighttime illumination.

Just needs light and a little water.

Very steampunk. Very green. Very cool. What else need we say?

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Dollips of green goodness

There is this new design going around – we call it Millenial – that features some elements of steampunk, some elements of science lab, and definitely large elements of nature. You’ve see it in store windows everywhere. Sticks. Rocks. Erlenmeyer Flasks. Old National Geographics.

Whatever you call it, we love it. We hope it sticks around for a little while because it seems to emphasize classic taste, artisan construction and nature along with science and new technology. In short, it’s design that matches our values.

Take these terrariums by Roost – they’re hand-blown recycled glass molded into giant bubbles, then sliced open. Inside you can put an array of dirt, plants, rocks and moss.

We’re relaxed just looking at them.

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Steampunk pendant lighting

Steampunk pendant lighting

This hardware store in Portland is awesome. Portland is actually a great place for hardware, oddly enough. Hippo. Chown. But Rejuvenation Hardware has stuff that is new. Which is to say, always in stock. Stuff that you really can’t find anywhere else -  including these really cool steampunk-esque pendant lights. This particular model (called the Wiley) is configurable – you can choose the handle color, canopy style, etc. Another model is a bit simpler, called the Burnside. Named no doubt after the street that slices between North and South Portland.

Both are cool.

Neither will you find elsewhere.

There are more.

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Too much? You decide...