BKLYN Designs: Palo Samko Showcases the Beauty of Salvaged Furniture’s “Flaws”

BKLYN Designs: Palo Samko Showcases the Beauty of Salvaged Furniture’s “Flaws”

Where some people see flaws in salvaged timber, such as holes carved over time or stress splits, New York's Palo Samko sees beauty. So instead of hiding these so-called imperfections, the carpenter, designer and devoted father showcases them in his reclaimed furniture - though he also ensures his pieces are structurally sound by incorporating unique joinery into the designs. We are big fans of his work and highly recommend that you seek out the man and his art next week at BKLYN Designs 2013.
 

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Could Oddball Combo Shops Mean Salvation for NYC’s Beloved Mom and Pops?

Could Oddball Combo Shops Mean Salvation for NYC’s Beloved Mom and Pops?

The mall-ification of NYC has been pretty difficult to ignore, and it seems like every week another one of the small shops that makes our city so unique gets replaced with a shiny new outpost of some national corporation. A similar fate has been looming over

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Ideas City Festival and StreetFest Returns to the Bowery This Weekend!

Ideas City Festival and StreetFest Returns to the Bowery This Weekend!

The New Museum’s Ideas City Festival has hit the Bowery again, with a slew of art and culture events lined up for this weekend. This year’s festivities include artistic projections onto the museum’s façade, panel discussions on subjects like innovative

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PHOTOS: Peek Inside the Sweet Walls of the Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg

PHOTOS: Peek Inside the Sweet Walls of the Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg

With Two Trees Management set to transform Brooklyn's famed Domino Sugar Refinery into an affordable housing complex, there isn't much time left to enjoy it in its original state. Luckily, arts organization Creative Time gave the old factory a chance to shine by opening its sticky-sweet doors to hundreds of guests for its annual gala. The cavernous warehouse has yet to be gutted, and still bears a thick coating of burnt sugar on its ceilings and walls, filling the space with a delightful saccharine scent. We joined in on this unique opportunity to experience the factory one last time - check out our photo gallery to follow along!
 

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GrowNYC Helps Create an Urban Farm at Wagner Middle School in Manhattan

GrowNYC Helps Create an Urban Farm at Wagner Middle School in Manhattan

GrowNYC recently lent a green thumb to Wagner Middle School on the Upper East Side. The non-profit banded together with Wagner students, teachers, parents and local volunteers to roll up their sleeves and build an on-site urban farm and garden that will serve as an educational tool as well as a place to harvest fresh produce. Students spent the day gardening, playing recycling games, eating and learning about healthy snacks, and welcoming urban gardening into their curriculum.
 

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Bushwick’s Pine Box Rock Shop Vows to Serve Only Plant-Based Vegan Booze

Bushwick’s Pine Box Rock Shop Vows to Serve Only Plant-Based Vegan Booze

We were majorly impressed by the Pine Box Rock Shop’s adaptive reuse from a coffin factory into a neighborhood bar, and now the Bushwick spot has even more earth-friendly news. Going forward, the cozy, wood-clad watering hole has pledged to serve only plant-based,

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Textile Lab’s Laura Sansone Talks About Natural Dyes and Local Farming in the NY Area

Textile Lab’s Laura Sansone Talks About Natural Dyes and Local Farming in the NY Area

We’ve featured sustainable fashion pioneer Laura Sansone’s naturally-dyed textiles before, so we were thrilled when LocalFlux sent us their even more in-depth look at how her work is changing the way we source and treat fabrics in New York. Called Natural

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Noble Goods to Debut Super Eco-Friendly Wooden Designs at BKLYN Designs 2013

Noble Goods to Debut Super Eco-Friendly Wooden Designs at BKLYN Designs 2013

Christopher Moore and Molly FitzSimons founded Noble Goods in the basement of their Northside apartment in 2011, and we are very excited to see them at their first BKLYN Designs show. Albeit relative newbies to the thriving Brooklyn design scene, this talented duo are no strangers to their craft, and it shows in every single one of their masterful wooden creations.
 

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PHOTOS: LEGO Batman Watches Over Toy Replica of Rockefeller Center at LEGO’s Flagship Store

PHOTOS: LEGO Batman Watches Over Toy Replica of Rockefeller Center at LEGO’s Flagship Store

New York LEGO aficionados don't have to travel all the way to LEGOLAND to get their brick fix. Rockefeller Center’s LEGO flagship store has lots of colorful brick creations that give us a taste of what we crave right in our home city. The shop boasts incredible LEGO sculptures that pay homage to our great city. Click through our gallery to see a LEGO replica of Rockefeller Center, complete with the famed ice rink and even a LEGO Batman to watch over it all!
 

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See Caleb Zipperer’s Modern Tetris-Inspired Furniture at BKLYN Designs 2013

See Caleb Zipperer’s Modern Tetris-Inspired Furniture at BKLYN Designs 2013

With BKLYN Designs 2013 just around the corner, we’ve been tooting the horns of some of our favorite NYC-based green designers who will present their work at the fair this year — and we’re excited to announce that Caleb Zipperer will be on the scene with

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30 More NYC Subway Stations Now Have Wireless Voice and Data Service!

30 More NYC Subway Stations Now Have Wireless Voice and Data Service!

Social media addicts rejoice! The MTA and Transit Wireless announced today that thirty more subway stations are now equipped with wireless voice and data service. Major hubs like Times Square, Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle are now online, joining the

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Lamacek to Bring Fun and Funky Felted Creations to BKLYN Designs 2013

Lamacek to Bring Fun and Funky Felted Creations to BKLYN Designs 2013

Williamsburg's Lamacek Design Studio already has one BKLYN Designs award under their belt for their clever wall-mounted Deer Head Light, so we're especially excited to see what tricks they have up their sleeves for 2013. While their steampunk-ish sustainable lighting series was super fun, Connie Lam and Michael Sedlacek are taking a different direction this year with their earth-friendly interiors and signature eco-felt made from recycled plastic bottles. Flip through our gallery for a small sample of their fun handcrafted work.
 

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INTERVIEW: David Maundrell Gives Us the Scoop on aptsandlofts.com’s Beautifully Renovated Cobble Hill Office

INTERVIEW: David Maundrell Gives Us the Scoop on aptsandlofts.com’s Beautifully Renovated Cobble Hill Office

Most people know aptsandlofts.com as a go-to resource when searching for prime New York City real estate, so it makes sense that its digs are just as impressive as the ones it offers up to clients. The Brooklyn-based company recently opened up its second street-level office at 236 Court St. in Cobble Hill, and the beautifully renovated 2,000 sq. ft. space retains much of the character of its former life as a grocery store while showcasing the work of local brands and contractors. We recently got a chance to pick the brain of aptandlofts.com founder (and born-and-raised Brooklynite) David Maundrell about his elegant new storefront, the demand for green homes in New York City and the Brooklyn Brownstone boom. Read on for his thoughts and to see photos of the space's double-height, brick-walled interior.
 

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PHOTOS: Ugo Rondinone’s Colossal Stone Sculptures Put the “Rock” in Rockefeller Center

PHOTOS: Ugo Rondinone’s Colossal Stone Sculptures Put the “Rock” in Rockefeller Center

This week, artist Ugo Rondinone's massive stone sculptures took over one of NYC's most famous plazas, putting the "rock" in Rockefeller Center. Called “Human Nature,” the exhibition is made up of nine colossal stone figures that weigh up to 30,000 pounds each! Soaring up to twenty feet in the sky, the Public Art Fund project makes the New York landmark feel a bit like Stonehenge.
 

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BKLYN Designs: Aellon Turns Shipwrecked Boats and Reclaimed Materials into Fabulous Furnishings

BKLYN Designs: Aellon Turns Shipwrecked Boats and Reclaimed Materials into Fabulous Furnishings

There are going to be a lot of awesome designers showcasing their green interiors at the upcoming BKLYN Designs furniture fair, but Brooklyn design collaboration Aellon (we've written about them before here) definitely sets itself apart with their incredible collection of eco-friendly furniture made from shipwrecked Indonesian fishing boats and other reclaimed wood. Serious stewards of the earth who ensure their work has the smallest environmental impact, Aellon has a wide-ranging handcrafted product range that will enliven any home. Another interesting tidbit? Aellon was founded by of one of our favorite furniture-making duos, Uhuru, and entrepreneur Dan Husserl, who also plays leading man to rising cruelty-free fashion designer Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart!
 

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Cooper Union Announces it Will Begin Charging Tuition for the First Time in 150 Years

Cooper Union Announces it Will Begin Charging Tuition for the First Time in 150 Years

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art has changed extensively over the past few years, and this morning the school announced that after 150 years of offering a free education, it is planning to charge a tuition. The prestigious school is

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All the Buildings in New York is a Delightful Collection of Drawings Illustrating NY Architecture

All the Buildings in New York is a Delightful Collection of Drawings Illustrating NY Architecture

When Australian illustrator James Gulliver Hancock first moved to New York, he decided the best way to get acclimated was to sketch out the iconic architecture that he saw all around him. His intricate drawings and watercolor paintings gave him a chance to stop and smell the brownstone amidst the hustle and bustle of his new city. Now Hancock has shared his delightful architectural sketches in a new book called “All the Buildings in New York,” which aims to make the big city more relatable, one architectural gem at a time.
 

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Try Out CASA Kids’ Transforming Tuck Bed Collection at BKLYN Designs 2013

Try Out CASA Kids’ Transforming Tuck Bed Collection at BKLYN Designs 2013

Get ready NY design aficionados! We're just a few weeks away from the BKLYN Designs furniture tradeshow, and we're excited to bring you a sneak peek at the latest from CASA Kids. A Brooklyn fixture, designer Roberto Gil will be spotlighting his folding Tuck Bed collection - a series of transforming beds that come in different finishes and sizes, including a double that is suitable for adults. Hit the jump for the details and stay tuned for more coverage ahead of the big event, which will be held in DUMBO from May 10-12, 2013.
 

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“For a Resilient Rockaway” Competition Seeks Sustainable Plans to Rebuild Sandy-Ravaged Queens

“For a Resilient Rockaway” Competition Seeks Sustainable Plans to Rebuild Sandy-Ravaged Queens

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) recently announced an exciting new design competition asking architects for ideas on how to rebuild the Hurricane Sandy-stricken Rockaways. Called “For a Resilient Rockaway” (FAR ROC),

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Mayor Bloomberg Announces Kingsbridge Armory to Be Transformed into World’s Largest Indoor Ice Facility

Mayor Bloomberg Announces Kingsbridge Armory to Be Transformed into World’s Largest Indoor Ice Facility

This morning, Mayor Bloomberg announced plans to transform the Bronx’s Kingsbridge Armory into the world’s largest indoor ice facility. The design calls for the historic landmark, which has been vacant since 1996, to be redeveloped into the Kingsbridge National

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PHOTOS: Spiraling SeaGlass Carousel Will Let You Ride Giant Glass Fishes in Battery Park

PHOTOS: Spiraling SeaGlass Carousel Will Let You Ride Giant Glass Fishes in Battery Park

Visitors to Battery Park will soon be able to enjoy a swirling, aquatic-themed carousel in addition to the stellar views of the Statue of Liberty. Called SeaGlass, the oceanic attraction was designed by WXY Architecture for The Battery Conservancy, and promises to be an experience of movement, light and sound. Inhabitat was on the scene last week as workers placed the last panel on SeaGlass's roof, and while the sea creatures themselves aren't yet in place, you can flip through our gallery to get a closer look at this enchanting upcoming structure.
 

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Urban Chandy’s Cool Recycled Chandeliers to Light up BKLYN Designs 2013

Urban Chandy’s Cool Recycled Chandeliers to Light up BKLYN Designs 2013

When we think of chandeliers, our minds are flooded with images of ostentatious inverted pyramids lined with enough bulbs to illuminate a small village - a vision Urban Chandy has spun on its head with their urban chic chandeliers. By combining reclaimed materials with vintage hardware and very cool Edison bulbs, the New York and Brooklyn-based design firm has developed one-of-a-kind lighting fixtures that will be dangling from the ceiling at DUMBO next month during BKLYN Designs 2013.
 

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Bien Hecho Gears Up to Bring Their Understated Reclaimed Furniture to BKLYN Designs 2013

Bien Hecho Gears Up to Bring Their Understated Reclaimed Furniture to BKLYN Designs 2013

If you’re in the market for well-made furniture built with reused materials, you’ll definitely want to check out this year’s BKLYN Designs showcase of Brooklyn-born furnishings in May. One of the show’s prime purveyors of understated, recycled design, Bien

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Help Greene Street NYC Use Reverse Graffiti to Clean Up the Streets of New York

Help Greene Street NYC Use Reverse Graffiti to Clean Up the Streets of New York

Greene Street NYC is a movement that combines two very unlikely bedfellows - graffiti and power cleansing - in order to create throught-provoking temporary art on the streets of New York. Instead of spraying paint onto walls, these artists employ reverse graffiti to take grime off - and now they want to bring their talents to the well-trafficked corner of Houston and Macdougal Streets in Manhattan. The crew is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to find materials and tools that will powerwash their stenciled artwork onto the building’s dirty façade. Read on to see how you can help!
 

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See Adam Frank’s Charming LED Nightlights Illuminate BKLYN Designs

See Adam Frank’s Charming LED Nightlights Illuminate BKLYN Designs

With BKLYN Designs just around the corner, we're giving you a sneak peek of some of the local designers who will be displaying their awesome green wares at this year's show. A modern addition to any room, the Lumen LED nightlight by Adam Frank is an energy-efficient version of the designer's original oil lamp (and it's also made with recycled or recyclable materials to boot). The charming light even doubles as a projector to cast contemporary shadow art onto your walls.
 

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