Someone special is on the guest list for many brides and grooms: Mother Earth.
Today, there are a number of couples who are making their wedding more
environmentally friendly. In addition to planning a wedding, many couples are
also planning their new home. When making decisions about your new home, try
to make as many green choices as possible. Beginning with the registry, start your
new life together with a house full of eco-friendly items.
I know what you're thinking: hemp towels, incense holders, and tapestries from
India. Believe me, you can have an environmentally friendly gift registry without
turning your home into an ashram. There are many elegant, yet Earth-loving
options. In recognition of "Blog Action Day", where over 14,000 blogs will be
blogging about the environment today, I wanted to provide a few ideas on how
to get started with a eco-friendly registry. Enjoy!
Who: Ten Thousand Village
What: Intricately embroidered textiles from India! Carved wood from Kenya!
Finely worked silver from Nepal! Ten Thousand Villages is THE DEFINITIVE fair
trade source for distinctive home decor, textiles, tabletop items and giftware.
Ware: All of their products are handcrafted by fairly paid artisans in 32 countries
around the world.
Why: By shifting your spending to support Fair Trade, and by demanding that
businesses make Fair Trade products available, you can reshape the global economy
to one that works for people and the planet.
Who: Global Table
What: For tabletop items and home accessories with a streamlined Japanese
sensibility, New York brides look no further than Global Table, a Soho boutique
whose store and web site offers a sumptuous inventory at down-to-earth prices.
Ware: The store stocks a carefully edited selection of dishes and accessories from
around the world with an emphasis on simple lines and vivid finishes. My personal
favorite is the intense red glaze and sinuous lines of the ceramic teapot and cups by
Judith Weber.
Why: Registries are available at smaller, local stores. Check your area to find these
spots. Supporting the little guy helps keep money in your community and builds a
strong local living economy.
Who: VivaTerra
What: VivaTerra or living earth is inspired by their dedication to living in harmony
with nature - for a healthier life now and for future generations. All of their products
reflect a commitment to ecology and elegance: The finest goods that uniquely fuse
exceptional quality and design with eco sensitivities.
Ware: The glossy stone contour dinnerware is hand-crafted stoneware. It stands up
well to daily use and is dishwasher and microwave-safe. The set of 16 includes 4 each
of the dinner plate, salad plate, cereal bowl and mug.
Why: Handcrafted, which means less energy was used and less emissions were
produced than in industrial manufacture.
Who: 3r Living
What: Husband and wife team, Samantha Delman-Caserta and Mark Caserta opened
their Brooklyn store in Spring 2004. Samantha’s retail experience and Mark's
background working on environmental issues inspired 3r Living, a home decor and
lifestyle store dedicated to “Future Friendly Products.”
Ware: The products that you’ll find both in the store and online are carefully selected
with the principles of reducing waste, reusing unwanted or discarded materials, and
recycling in mind. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 3r. (Their candles are handcrafted from the
finest available wax, with the help of millions of honeybees. Beeswax is naturally
aromatic, infused with the sweet, subtle scent of honey)
Why: Starting your new life together with a house full of eco-friendly items may
even spur more fresh, green ideas for years to come!
Who: re:modern
What: re:modern selectively brings you great products, designed and made
with integrity. When you shop with re:modern, they give back a portion of all
net profits towards causes in support of the arts, community, and environment.
They are a proud member of One Percent For the Planet, a select group of retailers
who are committed to giving back at least 1% of net profits towards environmental
causes.
Ware: by Emma Woffenden & Tord Boontje. The Transglass collection features
glassware vessels made from recycled wine and beer bottles. Sharp lines, clean forms,
and original bottle colors express positive attitudes about beautiful design that's kind
to the environment. Manufactured through Artecnica's Design With A Conscience
program.
Why: The Transglass collection features glassware vessels made from recycled wine
and beer bottles, which would otherwise end up in landfills.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Who, What, Ware, Why: Guide to a green registry - declare your love for each other and mother earth
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Who, What, Ware: Tablesetting inspiration for Elizabeth from "Tie the Knot"
Who: I’ll like to introduce everyone to Elizabeth from “Tie the Knot”. Liz is a bride-2-be from Diamondhead, MS who currently lives in Shreveport. Liz moved to Shreveport when she got engaged to her future husband, David, and then ... he moved to Iraq. Liz is in the process of planning her wedding (check out her progress here) and counting down the days until her FH comes home in December.
What: “The Reception” – Liz sent me a nice note asking if I would post on the navy, white and green tablescape that she is trying for. I happily responded, yes, of course, us future brides have to stick together!
Jessica Lynn from "Tying the Knot" is also looking at a blue and green color theme.
I hope they both find inspiration here:
Ware: Blue is one of the most popular colors used for setting the table. Summertime often calls to mind the particularly dark, rich shade of blue: navy. And no wonder: it’s the color of the ocean waves and it’s the color that’s been used for years when decorating a beach or nautical theme table. I think mixing the tableware with blue and green is a great idea.
Blue and all it’s variations are a very popular color combination with green because they symbolize nature and reflects our renewed interest in the environment. You need only to look at the sky, the ocean or distant mountains to understand the nature of this combination.
The environment and nature are the inspirations behind this post - - - the bright sunny skies, fruit and vegetable centerpieces, and colored stemware that are reminiscence of the glittering seas.
Registry recommendation for those who like the blue and green combination: Wedgwood Jasper Conran Chinoiserie
Images: The Knot, Brides, Style me Pretty, The Perfect Table, At Home with Carolyn Roehm, House Beautiful magazine and The Chic and Sophisticated Bride.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Who, What, Ware: "Helloooo Yellow!" Bright ideas for a gift registry
Who: For the person who's a "sunflower" not a wallflower. She's bright and cheery and not afraid of this season's hottest fashion color. Yellow can be intimidating to some, however when you find the right shade it's a color that can work any time.
(clockwise: Isbella Fiore handbag, Neiman Marcus, $625.00; Juicy couture ring, Norstrom, $118.00; Beatrix Ong, mywardrobe.com 210.00 pounds; Capri Collection, Smythson of Bond Street, 275.00 pounds; Fontanelli drawstring tote, Forzieri $268.00).What: Infuse your table with delightful yellow details. Clear, buttery shades make it perfect for a spring or summer table. Mustard, gold and saffron can warm up your table in the fall.
Ware: Yellow can be found all over tableware. Mix & Match - - - paired with neutral, white, ivory, gray, navy and red. Yellow works as a pop color, and it's brightening up everything on the table this season from glasses, plates, flatware and linens. 
(l to r): Potluck Studio Pitcher, Honfleur home, $52.00; Coffee Pot, Bauer Pottery Co., $70.00
(l to r): Convivio tableware buffet plate, $101, dinner plate,$78, pasta/soup bowl, $76 and cavalier spoon, $28, Match; Sarah Cihat, Willow, 773-772-0140.
(l to r): Kitchenaid Mixer, $299.95; napkins, $24.00, both Williams-Sonoma
(l to r): Vega, Baccarat, water glass, Neiman Marcus, $170.00; Rutherford Floral accent plate , Kate Spade, Bed, Bath & Beyond, $21.99.
(l to r): Wild Cabbage dinnerware, Anthropologie, $16.00; Salt and Pepper shakers, Jonathan Adler, $48.00
(All tablesetting images were taken from Martha Stewart Wedding, Collector's Edition, 2007)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Who, What, Ware: China Cakes - It's a good thing
Does anyone remember when Martha Stewart featured “China Cakes” in the Spring 2000 issue of Martha Stewart Wedding magazine? I remember the story, I was completely inspired and since then I've always been on the look out for wedding cakes that may have been inspired by china patterns. I'll share with you some of my favorites. (cake above inspired by Andy Warhol's Daisies dinnerware, 5 piece place setting, $168.00, Unica Home).
WHO : Each bride's vision of the perfect wedding cake is as individual as where the inspiration for it originates. A wedding cake symbolizes the abundance of blessings to come in a marriage and, as such, it should be spectacular.
WHAT : A cake can be inspired by the details of a favorite china pattern. The pattern can be re-created in icing, gum paste, meringue or marzipan and repeated all over the surface or used as a starting point for the design. Look at how the intricate details of Tord Boontje's Table stories was applied to the cake above. Simply beautiful!
WARE : Fine tableware and wedding cakes have much in common: Both are beautiful and functional, both are products of centuries-old traditions of honed and studied craftsmanship. Adornments derived from traditional china patterns look right at home on these elegant wedding cakes
( cake inspired by Tiffany's Weave five piece place setting - dinner plate, $50.00; dessert plate, $40.00; bread-and-butter plate, $25.00; teacup and saucer, $50.00)
(cake inspired by Wedgwood Jasperware - white on turquoise jasper, bountiful vase, $245.00)
(cake inspired by Hermes Chaine D' Anre - dinner plate, $75.00, Michael C. Fina)
(cake inspired by Mikasa Peony - 4 piece placesetting, $59.99, Mikasa and Company)
(cake inspired by Corelle Rola - 16 piece set, $59.99, Corelle)
(cake inspired by Kate Spade Cays Stripe, dinner plate, $25.00, homeclick).Let your china pattern inspire your cake. Now you can have your cake and eat it too.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Who, What, Ware: "Living Happily Eva after" - tableware registry ideas for the bride who loves mid-century design.
Her work is playful and round and begging to be used, not just admired from behind a glass case. That aspect of interaction holds as the signature twist that Eva Zeisel gave to modernism and continues to pass on. She was the first designer in America to produce an all-white Modernist dinner service and she continues to produce to this day.
Who: For the bride who’s quest for mid-20th-century modern designs leads her to buy vintage pieces from antiques dealers and flea markets, and reproductions from manufacturers still producing 50-year-old lines.
What: Considered one of the premier industrial designers of the 20th century, Eva Zeisel -- at 101 -- still designs porcelain in her New York apartment. Swooping up and around in whimsical curves, the ceramics designs of Eva Zeisel seem to almost come alive.
Ware: Shapely vases for KleinReid, elegant pieces for Nambe and “Classic Century” tableware collection for Crate & Barrel.
The Eva Kettle is the first teakettle designed by Eva at the age of 99, exclusively for Chantal. The Pinnacle Collection originally created in the 1980s for International China, has been reissued by Chantal. It includes a classic tea pot, sugar and creamer, and two mugs.
Sensuous, multifunctional shapes with a pedigreed past are reborn for a new century. Originally designed in 1952 by world-renowned designer Eva Zeisel, this timeless tabletop art makes a comeback in a creamy neutral. Out of production for many years, during which time it became a collector's item, this pattern has been resurrected just for Crate & Barrel.
The "Eva line" is the fruits of a design-love affair between Eva Zeisel and KleinReid. Pieces may stand alone, but create a lyrical statement when coupled, nested or stacked.
Eva Zeisel's creations are distinguished by their simple charm and "friendliness." Zeisel collectors will be delighted to learn she has integrated these characteristics in her beautiful Nambé metal, crystal and lighting designs.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Who, What, Ware: Tableware registry ideas for nature lovers
Spring is here! The grass is turning green, buds are bursting into full blossoms and birds are singing. Bring an outdoor aesthetic to any table décor with these garden-inspired tableware items.
Who: For the bride who loves the great outdoors - - - from gardening to camping, these gifts are sure to celebrate her love for nature.
What: Butterflies have long served as popular motifs in fashion and accessories. Now, they migrate to tableware for a fresh garden look. The motif is a perfect match for interiors now that back-to-nature is in vogue and florals and prints are all the rage.
Ware: There’s something in the air! Tableware and giftware are taking an inspiration from nature this Spring - - - butterflies are fluttering onto everything from serving plates, coasters, vases, teapots and dessert plates.
(l) to (r ): Ivy Garland Dish, Anna Weatherly, Bergdorf Goodman; Butterfly round box, Tiffany & Co.
Garden Party bowl, Anna Weatherly, Devine Corporation.
Blue Butterfly mini try, John Derian, Viga Massi.
(clockwise): Grecian garden dessert plates, Anthropologie.com; Butterfly black and orange coaster, John Derian, Tabula Tua.
(l) to (r ): Lenox Butterfly Meadow Blue Butterfly dinner plate, Lenox Butterfly Meadow Blue Butterfly stackable tea cut, Lenox.
(l) to (r ): Lucky Butterfly, Topaz, Baccarat; Versace Butterfly Garden dinnerware, Rosenthal, Neiman Marcus.
(l) to (r ) Mottahedeh sacred birds and butterfly placesetting, Mottahedeh; Harlequin butterfly teacup and saucer set, Wedgwood.
(l) to (r ): Teapot with butterfly, Herend; Zandra Rhodes tableware, Royal Doulton, Small Island Trader.
Butterfly and bird salt and pepper shaker, Vivre.
