Hasta La Ideas

(Photo: Architectural Digest)

Having teased you with a sketch earlier this month, we can now show you the Architectural Digest Green Room as it will welcome Oscar presenters and honorees this Sunday at the 81st Annual Academy Awards. Designed by Stephen Shadley, the 920-square-foot space is described by the magazine as an “exclusive backstage oasis” with a sweeping view of Los Angeles from atop Mulholland Drive. The look is Seventies Modern, but a less severe version than that suggested by the initial rendering. Shadley, who began his career painting film backdrops as a scenic artist for 20th Century Fox (the studio is visible from the green room window), was inspired by film sets of the 1970s. Translation? An 11-foot-long sofa, newly reissued Tony Duquette garden seats, a custom quartz bar, and an updated take on the shag rug. Our favorite touch? The hazy wall covering, a paper-backed silk fabric from West Hollywood’s Kneedler|Fauchere Imports that reminds us of the horizon of an Ed Ruscha painting.

Previously on UnBeige:

If you’re the type of person who gets a rush out of visiting The Container Store, then listen up. Last month, the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) mounted a sizable exhibition of Japanese manufacturers at the New York International Gift Fair. One of the participants was the Yoshikawakuni Plastics Company which displayed its like-it line of home storage solutions.

Similar in aesthetic to Muji, the like-it brand got a slew of attention from fairgoers. One of the products we’ve been able to gather further information on is the Recycle Dust Station (pictured). A compact, multi-tiered solution for home recycling, the station is perfect for urban dwellers short on space but high on eco-consciousness.

The Recycle Dust Station comes in two sizes: a two section at 28″ high (perfect for under counters) and a three section at 42″ high. The units will sell for $132 and $177 respectively and should be available at a Container Store near you this April.

Is the future of fashion magazines online? Joseph Ungoco seems to think so. The former style director of Zink has just left the magazine to become the editorial director of the fashion website WhatsWear.com. Ungoco has been pursuing opportunities in the digital media world since last fall, when the planned relaunch of Zink‘s website was indefinitely postponed. We caught up with Ungoco (and literally ran into him this afternoon at the Ports 1961 show) to get the scoop on his mid-Fashion Week move, his view on the role of digital media in the fashion world, and of course, his favorite fall shows.
(Photo: Katy Winn/Getty Images for IMG)

Why did you decide to leave Zink?
The 24/7 demands of feeding a web-based news monster preclude my working full time in print. In addition, I have long wanted to have access to a more immediate medium to disseminate the type of information—breaking and short-lead time fashion news—that a print magazine with a static website that is only updated once a month cannot accommodate.

I had spent this past summer working double full-time on the redesign of Zink‘s website. The new site was planned to launch during New York Fashion Week last September, but because of financial difficulties we were not able to accomplish that goal. We had planned to create a more dynamic website that could serve as a fashion news portal and incorporated a social networking element for players in fashion photography: models, hair stylists, makeup artists, photographers, and fashion designers and stylists. I hope to be able to put my expertise in these areas to work in my new endeavor.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media

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The greening of the toy industry is a daunting task to say the least. Many newcomers are simply exploiting the trend by jumping on the green bandwagon while a host of industry leaders seem to be ignoring the issue altogether. Nevertheless, we found a few mentionable eco finds at this year’s Toy Fair.

Bepuzzled, a branch of the University Games Corporation, introduced the Jungle Walker, which they’re touting as the first walking animal puzzles ever. Made from recyclable cardboard, the figures (a giraffe, a rhino or an elephant) stand between 10″ and 22″ when assembled and can be made to walk by rotating a “walking stick” in the animal’s side. As design objects, the purity of these puzzles reminds us of toys from the past and was an attractive find amidst the chaos of the fair.

idbids recognizes the need to not only create an environmentally sound toy, but to teach children about the environment as well. The idbids Eco-friendly Starter Kit teaches the “iddy biddy steps children can take to keep our earth happy, healthy and green.” The kit includes a 9″ plush toy—either Scout, Lola or Waverly), an organic cotton backpack, a storybook, an activity based field guide, and an online reward program. Of course, all of the components in the kit have been meticulously selected, right down to the recycled cardboard, blisterpack-free packaging. Though the company just launched last August, it has already garnered a host of awards and the starter kit has nominated for the Toy of the Year Award given by the Toy Industry Association.

Hosung Naturals miYim line of organic cotton baby toys proves that childrens products needn’t be all about bright noisy colors. The company uses a trademarked PureWaterWash process in which untreated cotton thread is woven and hand dyed repeatedly in soy-water to set the color. The process yields remarkably soft plushies and knit figures, all somewhat unique in their colorways. All of the cotton used in miYim is certified organic by the OCIA and is free of herbicides, pesticides and toxins. They also make a line for dogs called SimplyFido.