Creative, Recycled Green Home Decor

We love to highlight our favorite eco-friendly furniture finds and the latest trends in green decorating here at the Green Connoisseur.  We've showcased amazing up-cycled eco art and even featured a few DIY green decor projects.  Today, we're adding to that collection with some of the most intriguing recycled home accessories we've encountered - from creative kitchen ware lighting to unique throw pillows you can make yourself!

Recycled Lights

Gilles Eichenbaum brings new life to otherwise worthless pots, pans, teapots, and utensils with his unique lighting creations.  The recycled lights lend a rustic, somewhat whimsical touch to interior decorating while rescuing old kitchenwares from a life in the landfill.

Unique Glass Art

TranSglass is a fair trade industry that supports Guatemalan craftsmen and creates one-of-a-kind eco-friendly art designs from discarded bottles.  Used beer and wine bottles are cut, sanded, and polished to become chic vases, candle holders, and tumblers for modern homes.  TranSglass products are available online, starting at 24. 

DIY Throw Pillows

Outdated fabrics don't have to spend their eternity in a trash pile.  Your old jackets, shirts, and skirts are ideal materials for creative throw pillows for any room of the house.  The great thing about this DIY recycled decor is that the pillows require very little skill or time to make.

Innovative Picture Frames

Old bicycle parts can be transformed into many different things, including amazing recycled jewelry and intriguing accent baskets.  This bike chain picture frame lends an active flair to your green decor.  Of course, there are plenty of DIY photo frame ideas if recycled chains aren't quite your style - check out these cardboard picture rings or try your hand at transforming an old keyboard into a chic, but geek frame.

Reclaimed Baskets

These eye-catching bowls are fashioned from vintage vinyl records.  Artist Christine Claringbold doesn't stop with bowls and baskets - her vinyl creations include bracelets, mirrors, clocks, and more.  Take a look at some of the other recycled home decor created by Etsy artists or visit Christine's recycled record collection.

Intriguing Games

Automotive scraps, spark plugs, and cogs enjoy new beauty when they land in the hands of Armando Ramirez.  The gorgeous chess set shown here is just one of Ramirez's fascinating works of art.  Nativity scenes, miniature locomotives, and an assortment of innovative sculptures are handcrafted by the artist using recycled metal.  The recycled art is available through NOVICA.  

Chopstick Art

Disposable chopsticks are the chosen materials for the unique eco art by Kwytza.  25 billion pairs of chopsticks are thrown away each year - consuming valuable trees for just a single meal.  With Kwytza, these utensils are rescued, sanitized, and transformed into awesome folding baskets, lamp tables, jewelry, and more.

RoboSteel: Transforming Scrap Metal into Amazing Works of Art

We’ve seen recycled works of art before, but RoboSteel, located in Ireland, is creating some of the most amazing recycled art ever. After having connected with RoboSteel on Twitter, I went to check out their masterpieces and was absolutely amazed. RoboSteel uses recycled metal (mostly steel) to create a variety of sculptures, both small and enormous. Even better, clients can order custom pieces to be created – and all the sculptures are one of a kind! RoboSteel’s Materials: All of the sculptures are created using steel pieces that were once parts of motorcycles, airplanes and cars. There are smaller amounts of copper and ceramic sometimes used to create the desired effect. The sculptures are lacquered to help ensure durability, although they’re not recommended for placement outside. It’s also important to note that these sculptures are not toys, so they shouldn’t be purchased for children. However, if you know someone who loves movie memorabilia, sci-fi and fantasy sculptures, these may just be the coolest gifts ever re-created! Sculptures: RoboSteel has created a variety of pieces, both small and large. If you’re searching for a great gift, consider the individual you’re purchasing for and his or her unique personality. Provide them with their very own sculpture of Elvis, the Terminator or even Darth Vader! Below are some of the coolest sculptures available at RoboSteel.

This is a tiny RoboSteel frog, singing away in metallic form!

Check out Darth Vader – “dark, foreboding and ruthless” for sure!

This is an adorable version of the trash-collecting robot, Wall-E!

Possibly the Most Impressive RoboSteel Sculpture: In what is possibly the most impressive RoboSteel sculpture ever commissioned, the talented and amazing designers came together to create a sculpture of transformer Optimus Prime, which is actually 8ft tall! The team used a massive pile of old scrap metal to create this masterpiece for a client – to be given away as a prize. That’s some impressive metal work, and an impressive bit of recycling that RoboSteel should be quite proud of! All Photos are Courtesy of and Copyrighted by www.RoboSteel.com

Eco-Art Lends Sustainable Style with Recycled Metal

Scrap metal and discarded industrial waste take on creative new forms when artist Tim Pace gets his hands on them.  Pace's Eco-Art brings new life to ordinary junk - and the results are stunning to say the least!

About the Artist

Tim Pace began his career in 'found art' in 1995 - designing a unique 3-foot tall golfer as a garden sculpture gift from excess metal scraps.  Originally an electrician, Pace has no formal training in art but has created recycled masterpieces full-time for more than 10 years now.  Each piece is handcrafted, welded from a variety of rescued metals, and every item is one-of-a-kind.  Pace is based in Tennessee and showcases his Eco-Art at showings across the southeast.  

About the Art

Starting as unique garden sculptures, Eco-Art now ranges from small pieces designed for tabletop use to larger statues and everything in between.  The materials used to create these astonishing pieces are just as varied, including worn-out play sets, trampoline frames and springs, farm and garden equipment, car parts, and even forgotten cutlery. 

The primary goal of Eco-Art is to create something unique and stylish, while still holding the form of the original materials.  Notice the shovel heads and garden clippers in the Birds pictured above and the creative use of springs in this one of a kind wine rack.  Pace's collection also includes business card and candle holders, benches, and an array of animal sculptures.

Buying Eco-Art for Your Home

Tim Pace's recycled creations can be purchased at several gift shops in Tennessee and Mississippi, as well as regional art and craft shows throughout the south.  Works are also available directly through Pace's studio in Finger, TN or you can contact the Eco-artist through his website for more information.

Images via EcoArt by Tim