Michelle Adams knows how to create a buzz. As soon as she launched her eco-textile company, Rubie Green, the press started pouring in, not to mention the orders. Everyone fell in love with Michelle’s whimsical-with-a-dose-of-preppy prints, from coveted home-design magazines like Vogue Living to her former employer, the now-departed Domino magazine to sophisticated Manhattanites and college kids with dorm room design dreams.

But Michelle did not stop there. Her passion for design, coupled with the realization that there was a major opportunity to fill the current void in shelter magazines, led her to launch Lonny. Featuring chic flea market finds, boutique home brands and lots of pretty girls whose enviable apartments, though not quite accessible, seem at least within firing rate, the online magazine is like Domino come back to life. Plus, not only is Lonny eco-friendly by nature (no trees were cut down in the production of this magazine), but its virtual pages are also filled with loads of earth-conscious products.

The design world buzz has only gotten louder.  

We sat down with Michelle to talk about her two thriving businesses.

The Inside Source: Let’s start from the beginning: Can you tell us a bit about your background and your reasons for starting Rubie Green?

Michelle Adams: I’ve always loved home decor, and I have a degree in textile and interior design. I took a course in sustainability during college that changed my life forever—my dream of starting an environmentally-friendly textile company began then and there. After college, I worked as an Editorial Market Assistant at Domino; it was an amazing and inspirational place to be. For Domino’s inaugural green issue, I helped in the search for eco-textiles. We came up with very little. That was my cue that it was time to take an entrepreneurial leap and launch Rubie Green.

TIS: How exactly are Rubie Green’s products eco-friendly?

MA: We use low-impact or non-toxic dies to print on 100% certified organic cotton fabric. The fabric is printed digitally on-demand. That means there's no need for warehouse storage, which lowers our company's carbon footprint immensely. A customer can order the amount of fabric that much she wants, and it will take about two weeks to be printed and shipped to her.

TIS: What do you find most exciting about the eco-design world right now? 

MA: Consumers are starting to realize that products can be both beautiful and sustainable. With Rubie Green, I want to appeal to both complete “greenies” and the design-savvy individuals. People don’t want to sacrifice style to be good to the earth, and they shouldn’t have to. My hope is that in 10 years, people won’t even talk about “green” products; they’ll just be the norm.

TIS: What are your hottest selling pieces?

MA: The East Village print in Raspberry (on chair at left) is our biggest seller ($90/yard). It can fit in a highly traditional space or a super funky, youthful one. We’re also starting to sell it in lighter, muted colors. I think people are starting to get sick of the overly poppy look.  Really chic, natural tones are the next big design trend.

TIS: Shelter magazine lovers everywhere are thanking you for launching Lonny. Why did you decide to do it?

MA: Last spring, I was out with my photographer friend and collaborator, Patrick Cline. We were commiserating over the recent death of so many shelter magazines. All of a sudden, we looked at each other and the light bulb hit. The next day, we got to work putting together Lonny. We launched in October and the response from the design world has been incredible. 

TIS: What does “Lonny” mean? 

MA: Well, Lonny stands for London and New York. Pat, my partner, is from London and we met in New York. We both love cities and all that they bring forth, so the name Lonny seemed perfect.

TIS: How do you bring your commitment to a green lifestyle to Lonny?  

MA: From an operational perspective, shipping individual pieces from designers to shoot locations can be incredibly cost- and carbon-intensive. We try to ship as little as possible, which also enables us to capture the pure aesthetic and natural charm of wherever we’re shooting. Inside the magazine, we have an eco-fashion section called Green Market in every issue (see page 26 of the current issue).

TIS: As far as decorating goes, what is one piece of "green" advice you would like to give our readers?

MA: Reuse! There are so many great pieces out their just waiting for a second life.

TIS: Some have argued that eBay is by nature the ultimate “green” site, as it takes the term “reuse” to new heights. How do you shop on eBay?

MA: I have been an eBay shopper for years. Some might call me an addict. In college, I sold stuff out of my dorm room; it was a way to have my own storefront and express my aesthetic online. Now, if I see something in a store that I like, I pull out my cell phone to see if I can find a better, more unique version on eBay. I’m currently searching eBay for vintage round convex mirrors to display as an eclectic group on one of my apartment walls … And I’m looking for a pair of Chippendale sconces … And the list goes on.

Michelle recently took a trip to Paris, where she scoured the flea markets to prepare for an upcoming Lonny story. Inspired by the City of Lights, she found new life for five vintage pieces on eBay in the form of a collection fit for the drawing room of a French sophisticate. Then she created this very Lonny-like inspiration board featuring her picks.

1. Vintage Dress Form (starting bid, $145) 

MA: Since the mid nineteenth century, Paris has been known for its haute couture fashions, so it's not uncommon to find beautiful vintage dress forms like this one in the flea markets.

2. Vintage Industrial Task Lamp (buy it now price, $19.99)

MA: The Paris flea markets were filled with mid-century industrial pieces such as work tables, stools, and task lamps.  I love the idea of pairing this masculine lamp with an overtly feminine or delicate piece.   

3. Vintage Bell Jar (buy it now price, $115)

MA: These are everywhere at the moment!  With a vintage version, it's fun to imagine what it was once used to protect. In the flea markets, bell jars were placed atop pieces of coral and old clocks, but I like to place mine over plants to create mini terrariums.  

4. Vintage Oil painting Portrait (starting bid: $19.99)

MA: A spirited addition to a dining room, office, hallway or even a bedroom! The tattered condition of this painting brought down the price, but the authentically worn look is what I love most about the piece.

5. Vintage Bergere Boudoir Chair (buy it now price, $590)

MA: As much as I love to reupholster furniture, I wouldn't change a thing about this classic French piece.

Lexi Green is a Brooklyn-based design, fashion, and shopping writer. She is currently a Master's Degree candidate at Pratt Institutes's environmental sustainability program.