Scoutmob Shoppe

The folks over at Scoutmob recently launched a "Shoppe" which features awesome local goodness "made from the hands of locals."  You get great custom-made crafts at a sweet deal.  What more could you ask for?  The Shoppe is currently available in Atlanta, New York, and San Francisco.  In Atlanta, find products across the board--from anatomical tees by Accelerated Expansion, duct tape wallets by Strange Bird Designs, homemade sea salt by Beautiful Briny Sea to concrete planters, coasters, and reclaimed coffee tables by yours truly. Curious?  Find more here: https://shoppe.scoutmob.com/atlanta

Screenshot of our page: 

Featured in Atlanta INtown Paper

Find a write-up on MDC Interiors in this month's Atlanta INtown paper.  The papers are scattered all over town.  You can find some spots to snag a copy here: http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/find-a-copy/.  Next time, you're waiting in line for brunch or grabbing a cup of Joe, grab a paper and read about our cool reclaimed designs and how we got started.  Page 43 ya'll.

Reclaiming Design: Artist gets back to basics using local materials

By Collin Kelley, Editor

Leaving a bad job experience is often the key to unlocking a new career. Mike Carpenter said he could feel his creativity draining away as he sat in a cubicle for two years working on CD-ROM development. MDC Interiors was born shortly thereafter, along with a startling array of furniture made reclaimed materials. Carpenter’s education was in computer art, but he decided he needed “some tangible hands-on creative experience.” “I was surrounded by art as a child because my mother is a painter and used to do carpentry with my father and grandfather in their workshops,” he said. “I have always painted and enjoyed carpentry as a creative outlet and wanted to find a profession that would allow me to apply my creativity and skills within a lucrative profession.”

Carpenter worked and trained with artists and furniture refinishers and realized he had a knack for decorative painting and working with his hands. Since the creation of MDC Interiors, he has tackled jobs faux finishing, refinishing and building furniture, murals and cabinetry. Recently, Carpenter has focused on using green materials such as concrete and wood salvaged locally from construction sites and discarded pallets from local warehouses and stores. “I like to constantly challenge myself to use and experiment with new materials to inspire creativity and gain personal growth,” he said. Carpenter has been working on nature-inspired tables and planters, integrating natural elements (moss, river rocks, succulent plants, bonsai) into the piece as a design element.  He’s also working on a series called “Glow,” which are tables made from reclaimed pallet wood and accented with LED lights on dimmer switches to change the mood of a room.

For the online version: 
http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/2012/08/reclaiming-design-artist-gets-back-to-basics-using-local-materials/

Photo credits: Photo of Mike Carpenter by Mona Patel; Glow Table photo by Karen Shacham

Or here: http://issuu.com/atlantaintown/docs/8.12_intown_digital/43 

New Table Alert! Glow Table Series continues.

In continuation of the Glow series, MDC Interiors recently added a new table to the technologically-inspried series.  Built for a client who loved the original Glow Table, we tried to keep the concept the same but build on to it a bit.  The client requested a mixed media piece and this is what we came up.  The concept drawing is incredibly basic but gets the point across. 

The table is made from plywood, steel, glass and LED efficient light bulbs.  Similar to the Glow Table series, a dimmer switch is attached to allow the user to change the light setting and create different levels of ambient light.  We chose to make the drawers from glass so the light beaming from below will beautfiully display and showcase the items.  Depending on what is placed in the drawers (marbles, flowers, books), the beauty of the object's shape and colors can be highlighted.

Amazing photos taken by Karen Shacham.

MDC Interiors Featured In Treehugger

     MDC Interiors was recently featured on Treehugger!  Exciting news as we love Treehugger for its inspiration and great and innovative ways to incorporate sustainability into our lives.  As Treehugger puts it, they are "partial to a modern aesthetic, [we] strive to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information."  The write-up is posted below or go directly to the article via this link.

Via Treehugger: Handmade Coffee Tables from Reclaimed Wood Come with Built-In Gardens
(by Alex Davies)

I'm a big fan of using design to work greenery into home furnishings, and these two coffee tables are great examples. Designed by Mike Carpenter's MDC Interiors, the Balance and Maka models each have a center section that's filled with green moss and river rocks. Best of all, both tables are handmade, mostly from reclaimed materials.

Carpenter uses discarded wool pallets (which are showing up just about everywhere) and split rail wood that he purchases from a company that collects it from condemned buildings and construction sites. Carpenter keeps things local, too. The pallets come from nearby his Atlanta home; the split rail company is located 45 minutes away.

MDC Interiors lists sustainability as a key tenet of its philosophy, writing:

In an attempt to reduce the impact production and consumption have on our life, MDC Interiors strives to create positive change through eco-friendly design solutions.

The company offers murals, seed bombs, jewelry and art in addition to furniture.
I'm impressed by the look and feel of both designs, and only have one real concern: How do you water the plants, considering the layer of glass that covers them?

Updated:
I spoke to Mike Carpenter regarding my last concern, and it turns out he's on top of it. He wrote in an e-mail:

The green moss in the Balance Table is dried out so no need to water, and for the Maka Table, simply lift up the glass and mist the succulents. There is space between the glass and table so air can circulate

Buckhead Spring Arts and Crafts Festival

MDC Interiors was involved in their first festival, and we are happy to say it was a success!  We participated in the Buckhead Spring Arts Festival in Chastain Park.  Although thunderstorms were expected all weekend, we didn't see a single drop of rain.  Saturday (May 14th) was actually perfect- not too hot and not the usual Georgia humidity we have come to expect, while Sunday was a bit chillier (but no complaints).  MDC Interiors launched their first line of eco-furniture, all made from local reclaimed wood  and from pallets found down the street at the Dollar General and a local steel company down the road.  The goal was to find materials locally within a 20 mile vicinity, and we are happy to report that the mission was successful.  Not only are the discarded materials rejuvenated and brought back to life in our furniture pieces, they also traveled a minimal distance from the trash bins to our studio, saving fuel and reducing emissions.  The age, travels, and history of the wood also provides great character and aesthetic to each piece.  For example, in an attempt to use the natural space created when 2 pallets meet, we created the Glow Table, and used the space to create a cup holder with an accent light glowing from below to create beautiful light and to use the color from your beverage as a filter.  The light is placed on a dimmer so you can adjust the brightness based on your desired ambiance.   MDC Interiors is looking forward to expanding the line and creating new pieces. If you would like more information or would like to share your thoughts on our new line of furniture, be sure to contact us or leave us a comment.