Recycling and reuse have inspired a new wave of eco-chic, injecting sustainability into both the language of everyday life and the palette of the craftsperson.
- Wine bottle tumblers
In the hands of crafters, though, the bottle takes on dramatically different forms. Uniquely hued tumblers draw attention to the surprisingly thick glass. Flat is beautiful when a single bottle is transformed into a cheese board or olive server. For the DIY types, this torch is another bright idea.
Chandelier and pendant lighting, meanwhile, play with the jewel tones of the glass; Pottery Barn offers a version that gleams when placed near a bright window to catch the sun.
Reuse goes macro in chic restaurant settings, from a mosaic-like arch at Javier’s Crystal Cove in Newport Beach, California, to a trippy back-lit bottle wall at Morimoto, a restaurant in New York City.
Wine bottles reach their maximum level of domestication at the Bottle Houses on Prince Edward Island, Canada, a playful interruption of the pastoral landscape.
While these are mere follies, wine bottles as true building blocks have become a reality at Random Valley Organics winery, located in the Margaret River region in Western Australia. They recently received a grant to test the thermodynamics of using wine bottles filled with water to insulate new construction. Their Cellar Door outlet is fabricated of recycled materials, a practical approach that’s as sustainable as it is beautiful.
— Shireen Qudosi enjoys looking at wine’s environmental side in her work at Air-n-Water, specializing in thermoelectric wine cellars.