Design & Architecture (interiors)

Conceived from the belief that balancing good design with organic materials is the new definition of modern, Balanced Design has created a collection of home accessories to help add a little green style to your interiors. The pillows ("Coral", above left, and "Pods", above right) are hand silk-screened on water based inks on hemp or linen, or wool felt appliqué on organic cotton flannel, and add a really nice pop of color to a room. Designer Melinda Cox was inspired to start the company as she walked the streets of Paris; looking around, she was inspired by the environmentally-sensitive lifestyle choices she saw being made all around her. Motivated to create something eco-friendly that was not "spartan, boring or painfully beige", her pillows are arresting, powerful and everything modern, green products should be: locally manufactured with sensitive materials and a sharp design eye. The pillows are available in a handful of brick-n-mortar shops, mostly on the East coast, and at 2modern.com. ::Balanced Design