In honor of Earth Day, I’ve rounded up some ways to recycle or upcycle products to use around your home. On Friday Cindy wrote about how to be more earth friendly around the house, so if you missed that, you can read it here.

Art & Accessories from Recycled Materials

Artist Tammy Roe gave up her scrapbooking paper and scissors and picked up a welding torch to create unusual industrial art that embodies the best in recycling.  Click the link to view more of her creative art made from found metal.

For those intrepid internet shoppers already aware of ETSY, you won’t need the reminder to look there for one-of-a-kind home decor items.  The rest of you might want to spend some time wandering the extensive offerings from that shopping site and you’ll find things like this eco-friendly cork basket.

 Home Decor from Recycled Materials

Layla at The Lettered Cottage used her usual flair to turn a tiny room into a guest room.  Her fab idea for recycling?  She purchased old gym flooring, cleaned it up and attached it horizontally to the wall creating a warm, unusual, textural wall treatment.  She shares all the details on her blog.

I’ve seen tables made from recycled wood, paper and plastic, but here’s a new one.  Tables made from reclaimed car metal – painstakingly cutting the sheet metal from car bodies found at salvage yards, Nine Stories Furniture makes these retro looking tables.

Leather floor tiles just exude a casual elegance and unexpected floor texture.  These tiles by Ecodomo are made from post industrial use leather, natural rubber and acacia tree bark (renewable growth tree like bamboo).  A very resilient surface, the leather tiles will develop a natural patina over time.

La-Z-Boy has received an industry award for an eco friendly line.  The cushions are made of soy, wood arms of renewable rubber wood and fabrics of sustainable materials.  The EcoComfort line is proof that environmentally careful products can be attractive…..so the next time you purchase a piece of new furniture, ask about the company’s use of sustainable materials.

 Nightwood Furniture builds tables, chests, credenzas and more from reclaimed, repurposed wood.  Some pieces are quite raw while others are more refined, showing reclaimed wood can have a place in any home.

The Navy chair (a classic design reminiscent of school days) was designed by Emeco in collaboration with Coca Cola and is made primarily of recycled plastic coke bottles (111 per chair!).  Available through Design Within Reach.

Another company making strides in recycling is Curtainworks.com who have introduced their first eco-friendly window treatments.  Caress Voile draperies save 7 plastic bottles from the landfill in each panel.  And, they’re only $10 per panel – green and affordable!

 

Recycled cardboard furniture has been around for awhile but seems to have taken a step forward in the stylish department recently.  Designer Eric Guiomar has developed a bonding technique that provides stronger support and longevity for pieces made of cardboard.  Take a look at what cardboard can do in your home!

 

Photo via Apartment Therapy.com

 

Other Cool Recycled Products

Plastic water bottles are a pet peeve of mine.  People buy water by the case (instead of refilling a single bottle) and toss the plastic bottles everywhere - on the hiking path, in the trash (landfill), in the back of their car, but rarely in the recycle bin.  Here’s an innovative solution:  a recyclable paper bottle by Brand Image- LOVE IT!   (Or, just reuse your own water bottle over and over and over!)

 

Metrobench designed by Stephen Shaheen, NYC is made entirely of NYC metro cards stitched together and reinforced by steel (to support weight!).

How Do You Recycle/Upcycle?

Have you found a creative way to recycle an everyday item?  Do you remember to ask for renewable or sustainable products when shopping for your home?  I’ve noticed that more and more items are made at least partically of post-consumer use products.  Also, prices are gradually coming down which makes shopping green even easier.  Let’s strive to make our awareness and preservation of the environment a habit, not a one day nod.