The Hunt: Eco-Friendly and Vintage Furniture

Apartment Therapy recently featured a great post on eco-friendly furniture. Now Sarah follows up, listing all the environmentally conscious wood furniture that's been featured on AT in the past. What a great resource. She lists sustainably harvested, recycled, and second-hand wood in her line up, and in so doing, highlights Jubilee Furniture as a place to find "second hand solid wood."

For me, "vintage used" Mid-Century Modern (and older) has always been a favorite choice for hunting, researching, collecting and usually just admiring. There's something about "the hunt" for this stuff that makes it rewarding and worth repeating. The late thought leader Rob Roy Kelly does a nice job of shedding light on collecting, as he describes in detail what it means to him. For non-hunters and non-collectors, this article might explain where your collector friends are coming from.

I appreciate Sarah's article. It reminds me of how cool it is to reuse stuff. Especially when doing so achieves refreshing, unintended and inspired results. And for me, like Rob Roy Kelly, finding and researching these articles is often more enjoyable than buying. Many times I just take a picture so I can research it later without having to buy. That's fun too.

As background for those of you who have not heard of Jubilee Furniture in Carol Stream, the word got out several weeks ago through the generous help of a few bloggers I contacted for help, and by the images I took of the items there. I hoped my blog friends and contacts would share the news about Jubilee, and boy did they. Apartment Therapy, Nicole at Making it Lovely, Jess at Howaboutorange, ToKissTheCook, and others– they all got the ball rolling big time. Since then many have ventured out to Carol Stream for themselves, and some continue to blog about their experiences. I even saw some recent chatter on Domino Magazine's website. Some found deal of a lifetime, while others came up empty. And some really gave Jubilee high praise calling it "This trip may have been our best thrift store experience ever." I'm continually surprised every week by what's been donated from the week before. I have begun to see some of the same new faces there every weekend, which is cool.

Now that Jubilee is on the map so to speak, they have a need for more furniture donations. There's something satisfying about reusing and helping the environment, and an even better feeling knowing donation of furniture to Jubilee will help people who are shy on cash for whatever reason, and by knowing their profits go to the greater good. So if you or anyone you know is looking to donate something, call Jubilee and see if they can help. Dave and Susan can be contacted at 630.337.1467.

Another Great Rob Roy Kelly Quote

Absolutely love the late Rob Roy Kelly's thinking. And this quote is no exception. How many times does marketing sound like this? Or the designer all dressed up in black who struggles to use the largest words he or she knows or who contantly says things like "exploit visionary functionalities" or "revolutionize global technologies" or this. Yikes.

I've been told I am rather quotable many times. In fact somewhere there's a list of quotes people have written down from things I've said over the last several years around the office. Yet somehow I'm sure my observations are not as profound as Mr. Kelly. Funny, no doubt, but not profound. Now wait a second, some probably are. I guess I'll have to die before people notice what I have to say.

Last week I thought that may be closer to that reality. I almost dragged myself to the emergency room when I thought I was having an asthma attack—something I have never experienced, nor was experiencing the other day. But suffice it to say bronchitis really kicked my butt. I am so glad I'm not so crazy sick anymore.

( via Rob Roy Kelly Obsessions, This and That )

Thought Leader Rob Roy Kelly: On Collecting

I don’t know if collecting springs from some sublimated form of man’s primeval instincts to hunt, but it certainly can be just as intense. I am never happier than when hot on the trail. Whenever I find a good piece after years of looking, and especially if the dealer does not recognize it's true value and it is underpriced, I could easily throw back my head, raise my arms and bay at the moon. Success in the hunt is a most rewarding feeling.

The pleasures of collecting for me have always been more than acquisition of items. It has been the travel; meeting other collectors or dealers who often are interesting people and the thrill of finding something new or unexpected. I experience as much satisfaction discovering information as I do finding items for the collection. I have researched almost everything I collected and knowing how, when, and where appropriate, who made it to be extremely important. Equally satisfying is writing about the subject and attempting to communicate with others about what is most interesting for me.

I live with my collections using them for decoration in both my working and living space. I enjoy looking, comparing, studying and thinking or speculating about each item. The kitchenware collection has been most rewarding in this respect. The materials, ingenuity and craftsmanship are all worthy of respect.

There is often an innate sense for shape, form, color or use of materials demonstrated by the makers that induce true admiration for their sensibilities and workmanship.

For me, maturity of a collector is shown by placing the most prized items into inauspicious corners where knowledgeable visitors can discover the treasures for themselves.

Previous BarryBlog coverage of Rob Roy Kelly.

( via Rob Roy Kelly Obsessions )

Rob Roy Kelly - Thought Leader

Seeing often has more to do with understanding than it does with observing.

Just because something is new or different does not always mean that it represents progress.

A sense of responsibility is revealed by the actions of an individual and not their job title.

Cost is never to be confused with value.

More from the late (and great) Rob Roy Kelly

( via swissmiss )