Sharon from Interior Design Degree is our honorary guest writer on Vidafine focusing on eco-friendly interior design alternatives. Interior Design Degree aims to provide aspiring interior designers with information on how to get started.

Ah, coffee. What I wouldn’t do for a fresh cup every morning. Many of you probably have your coffees ready at the push of a button. But if you ask any real coffee drinker, they’ll tell you the best find is the one you make yourself. The Presso takes it to another level as it redefines the term do-it-yourself.

With it’s sleek design, the Presso actually takes less time to prepare than those clunky machines. It also takes up less space and has no long cords. Because it doesn’t have to be plugged in at all, this machine is very environmentally friendly; even the used coffee grinds go into the compost bin.

Imagine if you can turn every surface into a canvas and unleash your creative ideas on the wall in front of you without having to worry about the clean up afterwards. I am not talking about vandalizing your neighbour’s garage door, but transforming your room into a giant whiteboard with IdeaPaint.

Although it may not be a simple product, the idea is simple: a paint that you can apply to any surface and turn it into a dry-erase whiteboard.

Since our last post about eco-travel just south of the American border, we’ve discovered another gem, this time on the other side of the globe in Thailand, known as Soneva Kiri, which is part of the Six Senses Spa and Development Company. With its stunning architecture, meticulous attention to detail and of course, its eco-friendly practices towards luxury travel, it is simply nothing short of spectacular. Considering the amount of carbon fumes emitted during travel time to get here, it’s nice to know I can make up for my environmental negligence during my stay.

Kentucky Fried Chicken, or KFC as it is more famously known, doesn’t just offer us finger licking good chicken by the bucket anymore. After consuming every last calorie, we can now save our foods in the very container that they will come in. Yes, containers! KFC restaurants across the US are introducing what’s believed to be the fast food industry’s first consumer-reusable food container.

Earlier this year, a competition was held in Britain called Beyond the Hive. It was held by the City of London and an architecture company called British Land to see who could build an urban housing facility for bugs. The designs were supposed to provide habitats for either a certain species or a general few.

There’s a beauty within something new that was once old that is so inspiring. Just when you think one’s shelf life has expired comes a new idea, a new way of thinking that brings new life to something you can’t help but notice now. This concept is at the core of Public Displays of Affection (PDA) for Edmond Place, a community-engaged project dedicated to designing improved furnishings typical of subsidized housing.

Have you ever heard of the starving artist? Did you ever wonder how the phrase was coined? Arts and crafts aren’t free and for many artists it is their life, their passion and career. Many artists struggle to pay for the supplies that they need to form their creations. Artists sacrifice other materialistic aspects of their life including food and shelter in order to afford doing what they love. Artists have a passion with a message and a mission to fill the world with their conceptions.

And here in Toronto, we have stepped towards a solution known as Artscape. Artscape “is a not-for-profit, urban development organization that revitalizes buildings, neighbourhoods, and cities through the arts.” By revitalizing old buildings, incorporating sustainable living quarters with artistic workspace, Artscape provides artists with an affordable place to live and work.