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Daily Delight: Upcycled Tire Pots for Container Gardens

by Anna Millman June 29, 2011 22 Comments

These recycled (or rather upcycled) tire pots I spotted on a blog dedicated to repurposed goods caught my eye. I love the different tread patterns and the way succulents look in them. When empty, they make light weight, durable storage containers. (And cute hats!)

Pots Made From Recyled Tires by UBeauty, HGTV design blog
Sold by UBeauty, the pots are made in Pakistan from 100% recycled tires in accordance with the “Certified for Compliance of Ethical Trading Initiative.” The small workshop where they are manufactured used to be a leather-crafting shop but had gone out of business. Using traditional methods, the craftsmen now make a living producing these vessels and containers.

How would you use them? For storage? Or for indoor or outdoor container gardens?

Tell us in the comments below.

Answer to What the…? The Chaise Longue

by Hilary Johnson June 2, 2011 1 Comment

While it still looks like a toy race track to me, it seems this week’s What the…? was a bit too easy because everyone else guessed correctly. We’ll give it to Kate for not only answering first, but also using the exact words. (That makes two weeks in a row that our first guesser was right.)

Chaise Lounge

This funky-looking wood chaise longue is the signature piece of UK artist Tom Raffield who’s a master at bending wood using steam. For almost all of his furniture and lighting fixtures, Raffield incorporates the low energy method of manipulating wood known as steam bending, ”a traditional process steeped in history and culture.” If you’d like to learn more about his work and his commitment to sustainability, check out his gallery, online store and blog.

And remember, if you see an odd object, send it on in at designhappens@hgtv.com.

Celebrate National Wildflower Week

by Karli Sanders Cook May 4, 2011 4 Comments

Around this time last year, I planted several varieties of wildflowers in honor of National Wildflower Week — an annual celebration of the native flowers that pop up all over the country starting this season. My little beauties have wakened from their winter sleep and soon my plot of grass will transform into a colorful meadow. The sad news is that every state has an extensive list of endangered and severely threatened wildflower species. These once-thriving varieties are all endangered here in Tennessee:

Wildflower Week Autumn Onion

More Wildflowers in Despair

Plant a Tree for Arbor Day

by Kayla Kitts April 29, 2011 5 Comments

Every Arbor Day in elementary school, I’d step off the bus with a small potted tree in hand. I didn’t really know why, but I knew that within a few days, our yard would be home to another gorgeous growing tree. Now, I can truly appreciate founder J. Sterling Morton‘s goal that a designated day be set aside to plant trees and celebrate their importance in the community and in our lives.

Arbor Day How to Plant a Tree HGTV.com: Got Two Hours? Plant a Tree

The first Arbor Day was celebrated in 1872 with more than one million trees planted. Now, all 50 states and several countries worldwide recognize the holiday and strive to follow its founder’s original hopes and ideas. Show your commitment to stewardship this Arbor Day by planting a tree in your yard or in a container for your patio. I’ve curated a ton of helpful articles from HGTV.com after the jump.

Earth Day: Repurposed Designs That Look Good and Save $$

by Kayla Kitts April 22, 2011 4 Comments

For some, doing something “green” on Earth Day feels forced. But what could be more natural, rewarding and eco-friendly for design types like us than repurposing old furniture, fixtures and architectural relics into chic new pieces for our homes. (And you can save money!) I consider myself a pretty creative person, but I would never have thought to turn an old headboard into a coat rack or a salvaged sink into a bird bath. Luckily, there are plenty of experts in the design world coming up with cool step-by-step projects that are good for the planet. Here are my favorite repurposed design ideas, five easy DIYs from HGTV.com that give tired and unused items a stylish new lease on life.

Brian Patrick Flynn Dining Room Eclectic Chairs HGTV.com: Paint Eclectic Chairs for a Cohesive Look

Way too often when I’m scouring Craigslist, I see a random dining room chair for sale and think, “What the heck would I do with one chair?!” Well, Brian Patrick Flynn suggests choosing an eclectic mix of chairs, painting them a unified color and reupholstering them in matching fabric for a fabulous we-belong-together look.

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HGTV Green Home 2011 Tour

by Lili Zarghami April 3, 2011 14 Comments

It’s here, it’s here! The 2011 HGTV Green Home tour has finally arrived. Step inside this year’s Green Home in Denver, Colorado and take a look around the prairie-style home.

hgtv green home 2011 kitchen

I’m having a hard time deciding what I love more: this fabulous and functional kitchen or the loft space on the second floor. Or maybe it’s the breathtaking Colorado surroundings….

DanMade

by Chelsey Bowen February 24, 2011 4 Comments

Simple yet sustainable furniture projects are designer Dan Faires’ specialty, and in case you missed any of projects, we’ve pulled them all together for you.