Fairytale Abodes: 15 Tiny Storybook Cottages
December 9, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden. ]
Humble and beautiful in their imperfection, little cottages with hand-made details call to mind the tales of the Brothers Grimm and other fairy stories, making us long for an adorable abode to call our own. These tiny houses provide inspiration to simplify and live smaller, and they’re definitely fun to look at. So make yourself a mug of hot cocoa, settle into some blankets and get ready to daydream about cozy snow-covered cottages brimming with the magic of storytelling.
The Queen’s Hamlet, France
(image via: stuck in customs)
You could say this is a real, authentic fairy tale cottage. It’s called ‘Hameau de la Reine’, or the Queen’s Hamlet, and it was built for Marie Antoinette between 1785 and 1792. Everything from its proportions and thatched roof to its lopsided staircase and beautiful garden serves as ideal inspiration for modern-day cottage copies.
The Storybook Cottage of New York
(images via: storybook-cottage.net)
If you’re longing for a fairytale experience but no where near building a little home of your own, live out your fantasies at Rhinebeck, New York’s Storybook Cottage. This rental home is in high demand, so the wait list is long, but it’s so worth it: the stone walls, warm wood and whimsical design details make it feel like it’s fit for a princess.
English Thatched-Roof
(image via: simply think shabby)
Thatched roofs, as seen in this adorable example, are one of the hallmarks of storybook homes. Thatching methods are used all over the world but are most closely associated with the countryside of the United Kingdom. Over 250 roofs in Southern England have coats of thatch that were applied over 500 years ago!
Rounded Stone
(image via: home-designing.com)
This sweet stone cottage has a sculpted thatch roof, leaded glass windows and multiple chimneys along with a gated garden – can it be any more evocative?
Tiny Cottage in the Catskills
(images via: tiny house blog)
A hunting cabin transformed into an all-white, shabby chic cottage in the hands of Sandra Foster, who uses it as a romantic retreat. The cottage measures just 9 by 14 feet and cost just $3,000 to renovate and furnish into this Victorian beauty.
Picturesque Garden
(image via: 24 media)
This little cottage almost looks too perfect to be real. Its setting, just against the dark woods, contrasts with its picture-perfect topiaries and welcoming steps.
Tiny Victorian House
(image via: Pandorea)
It’s a playhouse and garden shed rather than somebody’s home, but this tiny colorful house with Victorian details could easily house a person inclined to live small. Cecile’s Garden is reminiscent of a Tumbleweed House, which are tiny wooden houses built on wheels or foundations.
Hansel
(images via: tales from carmel, storybook1)
There’s no greater modern-day fairytale village than Carmel-by-the-Sea in California. This community features a number of charming homes built in the 1920s by Hugh Comstock. It all began when the architect’s wife asked him to build her a doll house as a show room for the rag dolls she sold, and the result was ‘Hansel’, above.
Windamere
(image via: redbubble)
Windamere is another Comstock cottage in Carmel, with its most eye-catching and distinguishing feature clearly being its unusually textured roof. The cedar shingles were steam-bent to curve and meander along the surfaces of the roof, a skill that is not easy to find among today’s craftsmen.
Sunwise Turn
(images via: tales from carmel)
Imagined by many a passer-by to be the cottage of the Seven Dwarves, Sunwise Turn is another Comstock creation. Shabby and sweet just as a real unkempt cottage in the woods, the home also known as the Elspeth Rose house is totally timeless.
Obers
(images via: linda hartong)
Obers was Comstock’s own home, made of adobe brick, local stone and hand-carved trim.
The Tuck Box
(image via: linda hartong)
Looking almost like something straight out of Disneyland, the Tuck Box was Hugh Comstock’s office and was built in 1927. It’s now the Tuck Box gift shop, which includes a tea room.
Marchen Haus
(images via:tales from carmel)
One more Comstock house to make you sigh in dreamy envy. Marchen Haus bears all the hallmarks of a lovingly hand-crafted home including asymmetrical windows, curving roof tiles and a misshapen chimney.
Rectory Cottage, Plymouth, England
(image via: bex ross)
Who wouldn’t want to live in an old rectory in the English countryside? This old groundkeeper’s cottage is now a private home, still adjacent to the old cemetery with which it was once associated.
Amazing Wooden Cottage, Poland
(image via: kebabsuperior)
From Poland comes another stunning hand-crafted creation. This cottage is located in Białka Tatrzańska, the Tatra Mountains.
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25hours: Reclaimed Shipping Container Hotel in Hamburg
December 2, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Geography & Travel. ]
Have you ever visited a harbor bustling with barges, cranes and sunburned dock workers and thought, ‘I wish I could sleep here’? If so, you’re in luck. The architecture firm Stephen Williams Associates have completed a hotel in Hamburg that will make you feel like you’re staying in a shipping warehouse “with the roughness a sailor would appreciate.”
The central unit of the 25hours Hafencity Hotel is a bright orange, weather-worn shipping container that was donated to the project. It encloses a conference center adjacent to the main lounge, where the floor is painted with yellow grid markings. The main desk is made of plywood boxes, and when guests arrive, they pile their luggage onto industrial trolleys that are lugged around by burly safe in Breton shirts.
Guest rooms are intimate as ship cabins, each fitted with a trunk stocked with drinks, a logbook, information packets and electrical sockets. The architects emphasize that staying here is an experience in itself, boasting, “The ‘Hafen Sauna’ is on the rooftop built within a rusty container with panoramic views over the industrial harbor. It is the furthest from wellness that one could imagine.”
“We wanted to create a web of meaning with interrelating signs and symbols referring to seafaring and harbour life. A place where old and new stories come to life,” says Stephen Williams. “Objects are just like characters in the script, they are not the story itself. It is the interplay that brings this to life, the context of spacial sequences. To achieve democratic spaces where everyone can feel comfortable and be who they are is worth achieving. Then we have created the true living room of the Harbour city.”
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Trash to Fashion: 13 Chic & Crazy Upcycled Collections
November 28, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design. ]
Rescuing discarded materials like parachutes, military blankets, shower curtains, wood chips and festival tents from the dumpster, eco-minded designers create couture that ranges from the cute and totally wearable to the artistic and avant-garde. Whether it’s ready for the rack or meant for the runway only, these 13 collections of upcycled fashion definitely make surprising and innovative use of items others see only as trash.
Recycled Packaging by Karishma Shahani
(images via: arts.ac.uk)
Designer Karishma Shahani distills the colorful essence of her home country of India into a stunning collection of upcycled fashion. “Yatra” includes recycled plastic packaging mixed with natural fabrics like cotton, silk, linen and muslin that were dip-dyed using plants from a local market.
Dresses from Paraglider Sails by Valerie Pache
(images via: valeriepache.fr)
New life is breathed into old, retired paraglider sails by Valerie Pache, a French designer who creates colorful and quirky upcycled garments. Pache takes this material – which she gets for free – and crafts it into dresses, jackets, accessories and even wedding gowns. “People are very surprised to see dresses in this material, especially paragliders who have no idea what can be done to give a second life to their sails. And that seems to make them really happy.”
Festival Tents into Costumes and Rain Coats
(images via: madeinschool.dk)
Long after they have sheltered thousands of music lovers at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival, event tents can shelter fashionistas from the rain in the form of highly unusual upcycled clothing. Designer Lisa Våglund was inspired to use the material after seeing how much trash is left behind each year.
Discarded Wood Chips into Scaled Couture
(images via: ecouterre)
In the hands of designer Stefanie Nieuwenhuys, wood chips rescued from the floor of a university workshop transform into reptilian scales in soft shades of beige. Nieuwenhuys used this inspiration to create a collection of fascinating ‘biomimetic’ corsets, evening dresses, pants and accessories, working with a bio-waste firm to obtain discarded pieces of plywood which she laser-cuts into shape. The designer told eco fashion website Ecouterre that the scales created a “simulacra of nature, without discarding nature’s inherent harmonies.”
Reclaimed Underwear into ‘Knickers Dress’
(images via: design.nl)
Would you wear a dress made of old panties? Designer Antoine Peters gathered up dozens of undergarments and sewed them all up into this kooky experiment in upcycled fashion. The panties are interwoven, and some of the tags are still showing; the designer tried to use every component so that it would be a zero-waste project.
Amour Sans Anguish Salvaged & Recycled Fashion
(images via: amoursansanguish.com)
Designer Tawny Holt of Amour Sans Anguish crafts salvaged and recycled materials into cute, feminine, highly wearable garments. Each piece is entirely one-of-a-kind. Check out all of the lovely designs – including custom-made bridesmaid dresses! – at the Amour Sans Anguish Etsy shop.
Parachute Netting into Camouflage Garments
(images via: ecouterre)
Who would have thought that parachute netting could be so pretty? British designer Debbi Little teamed up with AO Textiles to create a line of lovely dresses and accessories made from discarded Ministry of Defense parachute netting.
Recycled Trash Shoe – by Christian Louboutin
(images via: nmdaily)
Would you pay over $1,000 for trash? How about if that trash were recycled into signature red-soled pumps by Christian Louboutin? The famed shoe designer created the “Ecotrash” slingback heel that incorporates trash from the designer’s dumpster including sequins, fabric swatches, thread and postage stamps. Unfortunately the heels also include python skin (a huge eco no-no) and toxic PVC.
Intricate Gowns Made of Recycled Paper
(images via: papier couture)
Decked out in Lia Griffith’s incredibly intricate paper couture, you might feel like you’re in a fairy tale, an experience that would only be amplified if you were to be caught in the rain. But Paper Couture’s creations, made of recycled paper, are more wearable art for runways and photo shoots than a viable option for weddings and proms.
Totally Wearable Upcycled Fashion by Goodone
(images via: goodone)
Now this is upcycled fashion that the average woman would love to wear, for prices she can afford. British retailer Goodone released a “Basics” line made from reclaimed, deadstock and end-of-roll fabrics that would otherwise have been discarded. The collection includes casual garments with figure-flattering shapes made of jersey and lightweight knits.
Military Materials to Warm Winter Fashion
(images via: lost at e minor)
Looking at this collection by designer Christopher Raeburn, you’d never guess that it was crafted from unusual reclaimed military materials like wool blankets and parachutes. For his Fall/Winter 2011 collection, Raeburn rescued these materials and transformed them into outerwear that doesn’t scream ‘trash’.
Wacky Raincoats Made of Recycled Plastic
(images via: ecouterre)
Why yes, that is an old shower curtain on my head, thank you for noticing. Designer Jane Bowler created these rather unusual high-fashion raincoats out of recycled and reclaimed plastics using stitch-free processes like heat-forming.
“Plastic Fantastic” by Tomaas
(images via: the coolist)
Okay, so these ones aren’t exactly wearable, but they’re gorgeous all the same. Fashion photographer Tomaas has captured a series of images in which models are decked out in common plastic items like water bottles and forks. Because of the styling, the plastic somehow looks much more high-fashion than it really is.
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Wall-Crawling Robot Mimics the Sticky Feet of Geckos
November 4, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steph in Science & Research & Technology & Gadgets. ]
When engineers turn to nature for inspiration, they rely upon the wisdom of millions of years of evolution to guide the design of modern technology. In a stunning example of this biomimicry, researchers at Simon Fraiser University have developed a robot that can climb vertical surfaces thanks to the biology of a gecko’s foot.
(above image via: sfu; top images via: keith marshall + sfu)
Instead of using wet adhesives, the researchers turned to a dry adhesive method that would not leave behind a sticky trail. Some dry adhesive methods require pumping air for suction or use magnets that are only effective on metal surfaces. But the surface of a gecko’s foot can stick to any surface using the force that holds molecules together.
(image via: furrycrawly)
A gecko’s foot is covered in microscopic hairlike growths called setae, which the researchers mimicked using mushroom cap-shaped artificial hairs. According to SFU, “The mushroom cap shape allows the setae on the treads to release at an angle, so no extra force is require to unstick them from a surface. That’s what allows the tank to roll forward with ease, without dropping off the surface.”
Watch how it works:
SFU explains, “”The research…provides an alternative to using magnets, suction cups or claws which typically fail at climbing smooth surfaces like glass or plastic. It also paves the way for a range of applications, from inspecting pipes, buildings, airplanes and even nuclear power plants to employment in search and rescue operations…”
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Spell Casting for Positivity
November 1, 2011 by admin · View Comments
1. Identifying the purpose of the spell
This first step allows you to collect your thoughts and become conscious of your internal state as well as drawing your awareness to any physical sensations that arise in response to your current situation. This places you fully in the present moment as you contemplate what it is you truly seek, where the root of the matter lies, if your heart is in it and how best to phrase your instruction in an affirmative, current statement to attain resonance on all levels.2. Preparation for the spell
Gather ingredients such as herbs, crystals or candles, decide on timing in accordance with lunar phases or other natural rhythms and plan what your rite will be, to get into the head space that channels life force toward your desire. The process of planning your petition subtly addresses your sentiments around the subject and creates an opening in your energy indicating your willingness to receive what you are asking for.3. Creating sacred space from which to cast the spell
Next is to enter a space that is a time with no time in a place with no place where you turn within and connect with your core being. This meditative state facilitates alpha brain waves and verifies your connection with the Greater Whole. In essence, you enter an energy vortex that is untouched by time and that expands throughout all dimensions. It is from this place of unity with the fabric of the universe that you are able to harness Original Substance and craft it into manifest form.4. Performing the rite itself
This step often consists of a symbolic gesture such as lighting a candle, burning a prayer paper or fashioning a talisman ~ your right brain responds to images and the carrying out of the act itself conveys a strong message to your subconscious mind. Casting a spell shifts your consciousness and provides a sense of action, similar to how locking a door affirms your sense of security. The thrill of casting magic alone raises your vibration, welcomes magical experiences and invites possibilities into your awareness.5. Loading/Magnetising
Charge an item or raise the intensity of energy within the cone of power (vortex) you have conjured. This can be done through holding a vision of your desired result in rich visualisation, chanting a rhyme, brandishing a wand, drumming, dancing or a myriad other ways that facilitate pouring your creative essence into the etheric form of your intention. Loading aligns body, mind, emotion and spirit to cohere into a swirling magical missile.6. Release
Finally, cast your magic into the universe like a cosmic flare and severe any attachment to the outcome by forgetting about it and going about your day as usual in the full knowledge that it is done. This practise relinquishes control and allows aspects unknown to you to unfold.
Stella Seaspirit fosters your Witchiness and refines your energy-crafting abilities by offering a unique and fresh outlook on Witchcraft as a living philosophy in a simple to understand way. Her goal is to assist you to cast more potent magic. Stella is the creator of Magick by Design coaching and facilitates the Sparkling Witch Tribe, a private online sanctum. Sashay over to her website to get your free Witchification Kit. Connect via Twitter and Facebook.
Beth
Urban Land Project Transforms Commercial to Green Space
October 14, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
In places where glimpses of greenery are typically limited to flowerpots and tufts of weeds sprouting up in sidewalk cracks, scenes of nature bloom in vivid color: mossy stones, subterranean pools, woodland paths and lush forest floors. Photographer Tim Simmons reminds city residents of all that lay beyond the concrete jungle in his billboard series, The Urban Land Project.
Blown up to a grand scale, Simmons’ images of pristine nature scenes are juxtaposed against the gritty surfaces of urban L.A. and Philadelphia.
But these scenes are not just a tease at beautiful, relaxing natural places unavailable to the people who may spend nearly all of their time in the city. They depict close-ups of the nature that can be found right there within the urban environment – by those who will just look.
“From the outset I have tried to produce work that captures the feeling of a place, and expresses the memory of that feeling. That is what I am trying to communicate to others.”
“This project is meant to stimulate awareness. These images against these backdrops accentuate the tension between the human and natural worlds.”
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Tiny Living Worlds in Glass: 12 Terrarium Ideas
October 10, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden. ]
Light bulbs, mason jars, cake stands and tea pots: practically any clear glass container can contain a tiny greenhouse, providing humidity and warmth to plants. Whether you keep it simple with moss and a few cute figurines or curate complex miniature landscapes with tropical or even carnivorous plants, terrariums bring a touch of nature indoors and make stunning centerpieces for special occasions.
Tiny Garden in a Light Bulb
(images via: hipster home)
Used light bulbs, typically destined for the trash bin, could be the setting for an adorable miniature terrarium. The Hipster Home explains how in a tutorial that requires needle-nose pliers, long tweezers or chopsticks, a screwdriver and some sand and plants. Adhesive silicone bumpers allow you to stand the light bulb up at the angle you prefer.
Hang an Bit of Nature
(images via: design sponge)
Now, you could either wrap some wire around your light bulb terrarium, or find a clear glass ornament in order to make a tiny hanging terrarium. If your ornament is destined for holiday use only, use dried moss, not live plants, or you’ll be sad when you pull them out next year to find that greenery has turned brown. Get the details at Design Sponge.
Reclaim Those Jars
(image via: space stitch)
Many mason jars are just too pretty to toss into the recycling bin, and why should you when they have so many uses? Clean out a used jar and simply add stones, soil, plants and any little figurines you may want to include. Learn the details about maintenance and care at Make Online.
Light it Up in a Lamp
(images via: moontree handworks)
Combine two functions in one with a terrarium lamp! A company called MoonTree Handworks offers a lamp kit with a clear glass jar, or you could easily create a DIY version with your own mason jar using an adapter kit.
Wear It Close to Your Heart
(image via: woodland belle)
Carry a miniature garden close to your heart. Terrarium necklaces like this one from Woodland Belle are easy to find on Etsy, the online market for handmade goods. If you’re crafty, you could also make your own using miniature corked glass bottles, wire and chain.
Sweet Cake Stand Idea
(image via: diyideas.com)
Put your terrarium on a pedestal. A cake stand is the perfect way to show off your creation, and vintage cake stands are easy to find at garage sales, flea markets and online auction sites.
Frame it to Perfection
(images via: country living)
Reminiscent of the large, enclosed terrariums that were popular in the Victorian era, this sweet DIY creation is essentially a mini greenhouse in which hothouse plants like ferns and orchids can thrive throughout the year. Country Living offers a step-by-step tutorial for making it out of eight picture frames.
Invite Nature in for Tea
(image via: ohafternoonsnacks)
Is this tea pot garden adorable or what? Ideal as a table centerpiece at special events, particularly weddings or garden parties, a clear tea pot filled with live or artificial plants is cute and quirky.
Hang it on Your Fridge
(images via:ruffledblog)
Magnetic metal tins, often used to organize office supplies or arrange spices on a refrigerator, are the perfect containers for tiny vertical terrariums. This version keeps things clean and super-easy to maintain using air plants, so that no soil is needed.
Garden in a Bottle
(image via: terrarium man)
Wine bottles, jugs and carafes can be laid on their sides or even hung with wire. Want a super-easy (and practically free) terrarium project you can complete with the kids? Try using a plastic soda bottle.
Another Bright Idea
(image via: design spunk)
When blogger Kat of Design Spunk spotted an outdated 1970s chandelier, she didn’t see junk – she saw an incredibly creative terrarium container for live orchids, showing off the flowers in a beautiful and unusual way.
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Sky High: Stunning Observation Tower Shoots Upward
September 30, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Geography & Travel. ]
Towering above the Dzintaru Park in Jurmala, Latvia, this sky-high structure by ARHIS rewards all those who take the time to climb its many steps with a stunning view of its natural surroundings, including the sea, and even the high rises of the nearby city of Riga.
Reaching nearly 120 feet into the air, the observation tower is made of galvanized metal and pine wood trusses that help it blend in with its wooded environment. 203 stair risers take visitors to subsequent platforms, 12 of which feature cage-like balconies from which to enjoy the views along the way to the top.
The structure opened to the public in May 2010 after a long delay in which its intended location was changed from one park to another, requiring a redesign. A discreet cellular antenna was added, providing two functions in one and preventing the eyesore of a free-standing cellular tower.
Illumination at night takes the tower from a natural-looking structure in a similarly-colored forest to an almost urban, clearly man-made creation standing like a beacon in the intimidating darkness of the woods.
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Salty Power: Renewable Tidal Energy From Floating Platforms?
September 21, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Delana in Art & Design & Energy & Fuel & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Solar and wind power are commonly looked to when we mention renewable energy, but there are plenty of other sources of renewable energy that has not yet been explored to its full potential. Deep sea currents are a natural force that is just ripe for the harnessing, and Italian designer Marco Paolucci thinks he has worked out a way to make good use of these powerful natural waves.
The S2S Project would place sustainable energy generators on the sea bed to harness the massive perpetual power of ocean tides and turn that power into clean, renewable electricity. Paolucci estimates that each generator could produce one megawatt of electricity.
The perpetual motion of tidal currents could provide enough energy to dramatically reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. For all of their power, tidal currents haven’t been harnessed anywhere near their full potential. Sea-bound generators and floating control platforms could give the world a healthy boost toward weaning off of non-renewable oil and gasoline.
In Paolucci’s vision, the platforms will be outfitted with touch-screen control panels. The stations will not only be able to provide large amounts of clean, renewable energy – they will also be able to filter and desalinate sea water.
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(Re)Make it Rain: Rainwater Reclamation Designs
September 12, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden. ]
Big, bulky plastic rain barrels have their place, but there’s more than one way to capture and store rainwater, as these 12 innovative and versatile designs and concepts prove. Dual-purpose garden furniture and rain cisterns, personal catchment systems that attach to water bottles, beautiful self-watering planters and towering public installations harvest the most precious resource of all, and they do it in style.
Rain Harvesting Garden Table
(images via: green launches)
Cisterns take up a lot of room, and not everyone has a huge backyard. This brilliant concept doubles the function by turning your rainwater reservoir into a garden table; the slanted surface of the table captures water. Great for those who only need to harvest small amounts of rainwater, or as a supplement to additional systems.
Downspouts Double as Water-Recycling Planters
(images via: seattle times)
This cool concept for urban gutter downspouts turn an otherwise unremarkable element of the exterior of a building and turns it into a decorative planter, routing some of the water to the roots of the plants along the way.
Lush, Elegant Rainwater Harvesting System
(images via: inhabitat)
Save space and beautify your garden with CISTA, a decorate rain reservoir and planter that stretches tall to take up less valuable room. Industrial designers figforty and architects MOSS SUND designed the 8-foot stainless steel column to hold up to 100 gallons of water; a climbing vine is planted at the base and allowed to take over the frame.
Agua in Situ: Rainwater Purifying Trees
(images via: coroflot)
Blending in with nature and providing a potentially life-saving function, Agua in Situ is a tree-like vertical rainwater harvester made of stainless steel with a UV-resistant polycarbonate internal layer. The opening is shaped like leaves or the petals of a flower to capture rainwater naturally, and a carbon filter on the end of each tower sterilizes the water for safe use.
Accumuwater Water Tower
(images via: coroflot)
Doubling as public sculpture, the Accumuwater is like a smaller, household version of the Agua in Situ without the filtering capabilities. The towers independently capture rainwater for those who, for whatever reasons, can’t use their roofs; a hose or spigot attaches to the base.
Rain-Collecting Skyscraper
(images via: design boom)
When water is needed on a large scale – as it already is in many areas of the world – why not devote an entire skyscraper to the job of harvesting rainwater? ‘Capture the Rain’, by Ryszard Rychlicki and Agnieszka Nowak, has a dish-shaped roof and an exterior shell consisting of gutters to do just that. Under the surface of the roof is large reservoirs with reed fields that botanically filter the water for use in toilets, washing machines, cleaning and other domestic applications.
RainDrops: Reusing 2-Liter Bottles
(images via: yanko design)
Not only does this innovative system reuse disposable 2-liter bottles, it adapts to an existing gutter system, providing individual-sized amounts of captured water at a very low initial cost. Designed by Evan Gant, the ‘Rain Drops’ concept could be adapted for use in developing areas where fresh, sanitary water is scarce.
Vertical Garden & Rain Collector
(images via: treehugger)
‘Vert’ is a vertical garden, a way to capture and use rainwater, and a potential screen for unsightly outdoor areas, all in one simple wooden structure. A cotton wick at the top draws water from a tank up to a self-watering planter; the cedar planter boxes can be arranged as desired. Such a system could allow users to grow food in small spaces without increased usage of tap water.
Inverted Umbrella & Cistern Chair
(images via: gregortimlin.com)
Like the rain cistern/garden table, the ‘Volume Chair’ takes a functional object already found in most yards and turns it into a storage tank for water. In this case, an inverted umbrella (which also functions as a sun shade) captures rainwater and transports it with a hose to the chair-shaped tank.
Petal Drops Personal Rain Harvester
(images via: quirky)
Even if you don’t have a single square inch of outdoor space to call your own, you can harvest rainwater for a variety of uses with the clever ‘Petal Drops’, a flower-shaped funnel that attaches to standard water bottles. Made of 100% recycled high-density polyethylene, the design is simple and elegant and takes up very little space when not in use.
Rainwater Hog
(images via: rainwaterhog.com)
The Rainwater Hog may not exactly be a stunning sculptural object to beautify your outdoor area, but it’s not quite as ugly as many rain barrel designs. Better yet, its vertical design saves space, and multiple units can easily be placed side-by-side. Made of UV-stabilized, food-grade plastic, each 50-gallon unit is 100% recyclable.
Massive Glass Funnels at Shanghai Expo 2010
(images via: tonylaw)
At the 2010 Shanghai Expo, massive glass funnels imbedded with LED lights, overlapped with tent structures, served a double purpose: harvesting rainwater on a massive scale, and letting natural daylight into the shaded area while maintaining protection against the elements. The rainwater was channeled into a 7,000-cubic-meter storage tank and used throughout the grounds to water plants.
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