Tag: Repurpose

Sitting Pretty – Seating that’s Green & Nature Inspired

It’s summer and the emphasis largely shifts from indoors to the great outdoors. Here is a loose collection of seating that celebrates nature and all things green: furniture made with natural materials, nature inspired designs and even chairs or benches with ‘green creds’.

Some of the seating shown here is made of driftwood, wicker, rattan, or water hyacinth, which are either fast growing or abundantly available. In other cases, designs purposely emulate nature to conjure up its charms, while eco-friendly creations can boast of recycled content or fill sustainability goals.

Wingback Chair made from recycled driftwood
Companion wingback chair of recycled driftwood.
Recycled sofa made with driftwood and old planks
Picture perfect upcycling – this sofa is an artful composition of driftwood and old planks.

Beautifully hand crafted by Bleu Nature, I imagine these are more conversation pieces than furniture intended for daily use. They don’t look very user-friendly, and can inflict serious damage to the unsuspecting’s body and clothes!

Rattan swing that looks like a heart-shaped pendant
A rattan swing that looks like a giant heart-shaped pendant suspended from an elegant chain.

This romantically shaped rattan wrapped steel, crimson-upholstered swing for two is the creation of Mexican industrial designer Victor Alemán. It’s a perfect gift for one’s Valentine!

Rocker that generates electricity from solar and kinetic energy
This is cool outdoor rocker generates power to recharge gadgets plugged into its 3 USB ports & generate lighting inside the loop!

This hi-tech seating is developed by an MIT professor and a group of architecture students.

The rocker has a 35 W solar tracking system which helps it maximize solar power capture in the daytime. It also cleverly takes advantage of the kinetic energy generated from the rocking motion!

Armchair made of wter hyacynth, a rapidly renewable plant
This armchair is made of rapidly renewable resources and is inspired by the Moebius strip, symbol of infinity ∞.

The environmentally friendly seating is made from water hyacinth and rattan to take advantage of their flexible (and rapidly renewable) properties.

It also uses natural dyes and natural latex in the cushions instead of synthetic foam.

Tennis balls repurposed into benches at Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.
Tennis balls cleverly repurposed into benches at Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.

The same material qualities that make tennis balls bright, bouncy and easy-to-spot make for seating that is comfortable, sturdy, and extremely eye-catching.

The seats are fashioned from a steel frame and dozens of tennis balls to bring a bit of color and bounce to the museum’s interior.

Lounge chair/shelter resembling a large bird’s nest shown hung from the trees.
A hanging lounger/cocoon that resembles an over-sized bird’s nest suspended from the trees.

Dendon designers Daniel Pouzet and Fred Frety used an industrial textile that’s weatherproof, pliable, strong, environmentally friendly, and supple enough to be woven.

These hanging lounges make interesting landscaping accents or meditation retreats. They are available in a variety of colors and materials in addition to the calming neutrals.

Bench that contains a self-sustaining system to grow a green arbor above the seat and produce electricity for light
This Swiss Army Knife of This Swiss Army Knife of outdoor benches will amazingly create a self-sustaining system to both grow a green arbor above the seat AND light up the space!

Aside from collecting & filtering rainwater, the ec-O bench harnesses the sun’s energy with thin-film photovoltaics to provide power to light the bench at night.

A lounger designed for two
A lounger designed for two.

This is a functional work of art intended for mother and child to spend time reading or relaxing together.

Made of rattan and 100% hand crafted, the seating has an organic, modern look that will transform any space into a stylish oasis.

Eco-friendly seating made up of inner tube covered with recycled upholstery material
Funky eco-friendly seating made up of inner tube covered with recycled upholstery material.

The colorful chair took its inspiration from the process behind making tassels.

It can be used with detachable stainless steel legs or used as a pouf as shown. The design brings elements of childish delight and playfulness to this simplistic furniture form.

Three seats linked together by a wave-like design
A dramatic, undulating design combining 3 individual seats into one fluid shape.

The furniture is made of rattan. Filipino designer Vito Selma took advantage of the highly renewable material’s resilient properties to create this seating reminiscent of waves crashing against the surf.