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our toughest wood is reclaimed from old abandoned railroad tracks. This type of wood is very rustic, because it’s been roughed up by trains and exposed to the elements for decades. The planks are dark khaki in color and are often scattered with 1/2 inch wide holes from when the stakes were driven through to build tracks. We use iron-wood for mirror-frames, dining tops and shelving units.
Briefing on Woods
October is our Customer Appreciation Month! Until the 8th we are having 25% off on the ENTIRE STOCK. October 9th – October 15th, all stock items are 15% off and from October 16th – October 31st, all stock items are 10% off
Bring To Light & Customer Appreciation Month
This year, we’re happy to welcome and sponsor the highly-awaited second year of Bring To Light on October 1st. This free nighttime festival will be hosted along Greenpoint’s industrial waterfront amidst the Manhattan skyline, transforming these public spaces into places of art and wonder. Studio D of our warehouse will be graced by performances of [...]
Hello, Bring To Light! Nuit Blanche New York 2011
He sees the strand and is absolutely drawn to it, but he’s not too crazy about the plantation-raised teak shelves; he wants a little more color. “No problem” we say, “here’s our new urban-farm line, which uses reclaimed teak (painted and natural) usually salvaged from old buildings.” The man readily approves, and the match between materials and design is made.
For Record Connoisseurs
It’s officially Earth Day today, so we wanted to join in the chorus of those who want to celebrate, preserve, and protect our planet. Last week, we mentioned an Sat. event going on near our Greenpoint home, but there are plenty of events going on all over the city.
Happy Earth Day
There are only a few days until Earth Day 2011, and we just wanted to remind our neighbors about the GO GREEN! GREENPOINT! Earth Day Festival. The event, hosted by Town Square, Inc is going to be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 12pm-4pm at McCarren Park
Celebrate Earth Day in Brooklyn
We’re always excited to try and help our customers see interesting possibilities for reusing materials. There is a certain satisfaction to be found from finding new life for old pieces, and helping humble materials tell a new story. So, when we saw Ready Made Magazine’s RM100 projects in their latest issue, we just had to share a few of our favorites.
Repurposed Materials Tell a New Story
We’ve talked about green roofs before, and Greenpoint has a couple of great examples of the differences a green roof can make. We couldn’t pass up mentioning the article in This Old House, because it offers step-by-step procedures for installing a green roof in a strictly residential setting.
Spring Again
Down the road of time, pavement is going to get ripped up, cranes are going to arrive and trucks are going to haul dirt down Franklin Street…and the residents are going to swing their heads and ask “when did this happen?” If Greenpoint businesses and residents want their voice heard about where and how this money gets spent, they better start showing up and speaking up fast.
Greenpoint Community Meeting
Last year was our first foray into the International Restaurant Show, and we had such a great time we’ve decided to double down for a second year. This year’s International Restaurant Show is at the Javits Center Sunday, Feb 27th – Tuesday, Mar. 1st. We’ve decided to take on the challenge of a bigger booth, new materials, and a couple of new lighting ideas
2011 Restaurant Show…Getting Ready
We were delighted to recently stumble upon Common Good’s Refill Station at Forager’s. Common Good, makers of sustainable cleaning products and home goods here in Brooklyn, found an answer to how eco-friendly products can embrace more of the Reduce & Reuse in the oft-used maxim Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Good question & better answer
Since the late 40’s the name Freshkills has suggested one of the most visible monuments to environmental abuse and our throw-away culture.Over the next 30 years the design for this environmental reclamation project will boast vast tracts of undisturbed meadows and fields combined with educations centers, public waterfront space, hiking trails, and open waterways.
Take a longer view…
It’s already been a busy year for us. So we’re excited to get a few moments to peruse the new issue of Dwell, which has a great feature on Christiane Hogner’s (don’t forget the umlaut) reclaimed furniture.
Celebrating the reused
Coral and Tusk is a local design team making a variety of home goods such as stationary pillows, aprons, dishtowels, totes, artwork and clothing. The majority of textile pieces are stitched on 100% cotton or linen and have a handcrafted appeal that we love at From The Source.
Coral and Tusk
Next time you’re strolling around Union Square, sidetrack yourself towards 6th Avenue to see our wonderfully revamped Chelsea showroom. Below is just a sample of some of the newer designs From the Source is offering.
Chelsea Showroom Revamp
By now, you’ve heard about Leslie Williamson’s Handcrafted Modern, a collection of interior studies from some of the giants of mid-century modern design. This book has literally been passed about our Greenpoint warehouse since its launch in October. We love this book, but we’re really in love with Williamson’s blog, where since the book’s publication, she’s been showcasing supplemental photos, outtakes, and photos that didn’t make the cut.
New Year’s Day Gift
Some of us are always intrigued by sustainability issues and the opportunity to research, and what we found didn’t disappoint. Eco Structures is an Australian company that creates low-impact, modular, and environmentally responsible structures for temporary, remote, and regional applications (and garnering lots of global attention since 1997).
Eco-tents & Happy Holidays
Searching around a few of my favourite websites for local designers and events I ran across an article on Davey….a jewelry maker who resides in Brooklyn not far from our Greenpoint warehouse. She makes amazing pieces from vintage and found obects from her travels and every piece has a story.
Davey’s Boatshop- Just in Time for Christmas!
From the Source has teamed up with Groupon to bring our customers a great opportunity to buy wonderful gifts and save some cash at the same time. Starting Thursday, Dec 16th to Sunday, Dec 19th, you’ll be able to save $50 for every groupon you purchase, with a maximum of 3 per individual. Up to [...]
Groupon $avings
Since about 2006 there’s been the development of Slow Home, Slow Lab, & even Slow Planet – all with their own luminaries, manifestos, and philosophy statements. If “Slow Design” means honoring the tradition of handcraft, long-lasting materials, and a renewed respect for our environment, we’re all in favor.
Slow Design – just like Grandma used to make
After over 6 years, we must say see you around to Dumbo (we don’t like Goodbyes). In honor of our run in this great neighborhood, we’ll still be offering our slightly worn and discontinued items until Sunday Nov. 28th. Thanks to all our fantastic customers and neighbors who made us feel like a real part of the Dumbo community, and we’ll be looking for you in Greenpoint.
See you around, DUMBO…last month 11/10
The Bedford, a farm-to-table restaurant, which is aptly named for it’s location on Bedford and North 10th in Williamsburg provides an interesting locavore dining experience set in an interior with equally cool ambiance. Simple clean lines in the dining area and a mix of brick, marble and wood provide a wonderful backdrop in which to [...]
Farm to Table Dining Spotlight
Attorney General (and Governor-elect) Andrew Cuomo announced Wed. that Exxon Mobil reached a settlement agreement regarding clean up of the Greenpoint Oil Spill. Now that Exxon Mobil has finally been made to answer for their actions in more than just obfuscating, dragging their feet, and sending out the occasional press release, the work to repair the damage to our small corner of this ecosystem can begin.
A victory for Brooklyn, Queens, & Mother Earth
Walking through many local markets you will find select groupings of green cleaners, recycled paper towels, organic grocery or bath and beauty items amongst other larger label products but how great would it be to not have to sift through isles upon isles of merchandise to find the best of those things? What if there was a shop whose entire stock was environmentally friendly? What if it could be that easy?
Another Great Source for Green Living in Brooklyn
Every month the sales staff at From The Source sits down and has a meeting to discuss different operational concerns with the business but this past week we also did some brainstorming about product development….
Did You Ever Want to Be A Designer?
When you enter the warehouse at From the Source, you are surrounded by furniture designs 10 years in the making. On the further side of time, you are inside a building that was once a rope mill when the ship-building industry dominated the Brooklyn waterfront from 1820, with the construction of The Ohio, to 1965, when the USS Duluth was launched, according to http://www.brooklynnavyyard.org/
The Pillars of West – Part I
Indonesia was hit by a tsunami and volcanic eruption this week, and is coping with another eruption today. We would be remiss if we did not send our thoughts and prayers to the people of Indonesia. We may not get to see them everyday, but we are concerned about our colleagues and friends.
Please send a good thought to our friends
Amoebic…let’s go out on a limb here and say it means capable of becoming many different things…also having many different applications. Although we don’t have any products named by the genus Amoeba, we do have a very versatile product named the starfish, uh genus Asterius…for the biologists out there. And as you’ll see below, our starfish have some stellar amoebic qualities.
Amoebic
FTS owner, Bob Fireman, recently returned from one of his many sourcing trips to Indonesia. In typical Bob style, he landed at 9pm on Friday night and was busy walking around the Greenpoint warehouse, assisting customers, on Saturday afternoon.
We’re Green, They’re Green….You Can Be Too….
The Federal Trade Commission released their revised Green Guidelines 10.6.10, which embraced a more stringent stance on false claims made for products – a small and necessary step, but the issues we face are far too advanced to spend time and treasure on small steps.
Don’t’ just watch the bar, raise it
Suddenly there is a hint of hop in her heels as a new horizon of inventory lies in front of her. She’s mesmerized by the rows of slabs, stacked chairs and stumps, and the look in her face says ‘maybe I will find it’. With a little more movement in her step, she can taste the potential for a creative afternoon and skips through the dressers, beds and nightstands of studio B and falls into studio C…
Doors of Perception
From The Source has been an eco-concious and organic inspired place for furniture for over a decade but earlier this month we were able to showcase some new and exciting light fixtures. The pieces, which are now a permanent part of our Studio D space at the Greenpoint Warehouse, were a huge hit at the [...]
Familiar Materials Brought into a New Light…..
We are thrilled to have not just one, but two FTS designs featured in the November issue of Marie Claire. Amid the fall fashions, editor & eco-style setter Amanda Hearst has compiled an array of ethically minded and earth friendly products…
Marie Claire… On Newstands Now
From the Source is really excited about helping support and sponsor Bring to Light, the first Nuit Blanche event in New York. We will be creating some magic of our own, putting our newly expanded warehouse showroom to good use as we host an evening of drinks, tasty bites and illuminations. Some cool new lighting applications and furniture designs will fill out our new cavernous space.
Bring to Light
This past weekend marked the annual Dumbo Arts Festival…(www.dumboartsfestival.com). On Saturday Jay street was buzzing with crowds milling between the many stalls of designers and artists showcasing their work. While Dumbo has been known for a number of years as a Brooklyn destination for art and design, we especially look forward to this time of year [...]
Living Artfully
Next week from the source is excited to be an exhibitor at GrowNYC’s New Green City 2010 in Union Square – Wed. Sept. 29th 10am – 6pm. Our booth will feature old favorites and newer items from our collections including our Railroad tie shelving, Hiboy bar stool, and some of our recycled/reclaimed discoveries.It’s a great chance to come learn more about our environmental efforts, or just stop by the booth and say hi
Visit us at New Green City – 9.29.10
Obviously, here at from the source, we love wood-as-counter-top, with customers using it in a couple of recent projects. We think Icestone is another great – and sustainable – countertop application – using a mix of 100% recycled glass and concrete to create non-toxic, no VOC counter surfaces.
your countertops & neighbors
We live in an urban yard, and growing vegetables or building a rooftop farm isn’t in the books for everyone. However, the choice to lead an environmentally conscious life is available to all of us, and shopping for local produce is a major step in the right direction.
read more…
Greenpoint Salad
The Sept issue of Dwell magazine is a lot about lighting, but we were particularly interested in a short piece on organic LEDs in their Great Idea section of An Introduction to Lighting article. Organic LEDs have been in play in research circles for years (regular LEDs for over a century), with reports coming from materials engineers each with more advanced and efficient results.
organic LEDs are here
The last few weeks of summer always seem bittersweet – anxiety about a new school year, squeezing in those last beach trips, movies in the park, weekend getaways…but this month’s Hampton Cottage & Garden has a few tips in their Gardening and Flower Power section on how to bring some summer inside for a few more weeks.
last summer spruce up
Anyone who’s ever visited our warehouse (or read our post about those painted reclaimed planks) will know that we’re always excited by new ways to showcase items that had another life. Whether it’s eggshells used as vase facing, using discarded teak scraps to make a mirror frame, transforming old bottles into frosty blue vessels, or [...]
reduce, reuse, reclaim?
We always love making contact with great local organizations and companies…So, when we met with Anne-Laure Py and the folks at Craftspring a couple of weeks back, we were so excited to meet a company with a similar mission to collaborate with small-scale artisans who are keeping the flame of hand-crafted pieces and traditional techniques burning.
Craftspring’s Central Asian handmade collections
Through an English friend of FTS, we were recently introduced to Robin Wood’s hand-crafted bowls – one of a group woodworkers keeping the art of hand turning on pole lathes breathing, making garden furniture, even carving spoons. There’s a great piece from the Guardian’s ‘Disappearing Acts’ series about traditional methods and crafts that are being kept alive as we hurtle through the digital age.
the beauty of traditional craft
One of the reasons we love having folks come visit the warehouse is being a part of the inspired moment when a customer comes in with one idea and is magically compelled to go in a different direction. So we weren’t surprised when the team at Chloe contacted us for pieces to use in their new pop up store in East Hampton.
Tables for Chloe
Although still in its developmental stages, this adjustable table is one of the newest additions to our Urban Farm line. This line is a series of tables, consoles and chairs made from reclaimed painted teak. We use wrought iron for framework and stability. For this particular table, a pin is placed in a series of vertical holes to adjust the table from 19″ to 31″ high in 2″ increments.
Adjustable Table
Some of us noticed a startling report in the NY Times earlier this week about drastic measures taken by City and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to manage the population of Canadian Geese in Prospect Park. Canadian geese have been a fixture in Prospect Park for years, as one of the symbols of the park being a natural refuge from urban life, and a reminder of the other lives that share our planet.
Prospect Park geese R.I.P.
The NY Times’ Thursday Home and Garden section had a interesting installment in their Shopping with Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell searching for country inspired pieces for their upstate NY Beekman Mansion & Farm…In their search for pieces that I saw connections between what they found and some of our products, like our urban farm collection or architectural salvage collections.
Country living…timeworn pieces
If you need wood, we sure have plenty variety to choose from. If you’re stuck on the fruitful concept of mango but want something with a little more pop, size it up to ingas. If you like the blend of light and dark in our rosewood called sonokeling but need just a little more chocolate, [...]
Ample Sample
Bob Fireman, founder of From the Source and self taught expert on sourcing exotic woods from Indonesia, is featured in today’s New York Times Home Section article, “The Trophy Hunters” (D9). In the interview, he briefly discusses the ethics and ethos of sourcing wood from remote lands and how we apply the ever-changing appetite for new designs to foreign woods and reclaimed materials.
Wooden Trophy Hunter
This summer we’re working on some really exciting renovations and updates at our Greenpoint warehouse. If you’ve been by in the past few weeks, you’ve noticed the changes we’re making to our main showroom…
Close Out Sale 11/10 in Dumbo
In addition to our other eco-conscious efforts we’re also proud members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council. So, we were really excited to see the SFC profiled in the latest issue of Natural Home Magazine.
SFC in Jul/Aug Natural Home Magazine
Whew! It’s been a hectic and long show season. We wrapped last week at the closing of this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair. As always, the amount of creativity, innovative use of material and incredible booth construction was both astounding and inspiring.
ICFF Wrap…
So the last day of our run at the ICFF is tomorrow. it’s our 2nd year having a booth here, and we feel like we learned a lot, a lot of great contacts, and gave us a lot of confidence going into last summer. as we’ve talked about, a ton of time and effort went [...]
Come See the Booth
Ok, maybe not the greatest show on earth, but for design aficionados , the International Contemporary Furniture Fair has got to be high on the list! With 24,000 international furniture and design companies showing off their latest & greatest, it’s guaranteed to be quite a performance. The show runs Saturday, 5/15 thru Tuesday, 5/18 at [...]
The Best Show on Earth
Looking in the past can sometimes point toward a great future path, and Eno Restaurant & Market and Coon Rock Farm will hopefully be one sign of the path to come.