Unusual Optics

If one were to inquire of this mirror on the wall about who's fairest, I wouldn't be surprised to receive an impertinent reply, befitting its in-your-face design. The hemispherical light that's set into the larger looking glass is a nice touch; it gives both mood- and task-lighting to the bath. preciousmcbane.com

Bubbling Over

My apologies for the lackluster image; a fridge is a fridge is a fridge, at least in terms of cabinet design. But happily, appearances can be deceiving. What's quite special about this appliance is its ability to deliver sparkling water on demand. There's a SodaStream CO2 cartridge built into the door that infuses your choice of three degrees of fizz into a chilled, filtered drink. With summer just around the bend, that's a refreshing option, indeed. samsung.com

All Squared Up

A common gripe I hear about handshowers is hardware related: there's too many pieces in the typical system, resulting in a shower enclosure that's cluttered with plumbing components. The Hydrati neatens things up with a wand that slides into the showerhead, instead of docking separately on the wall. brizo.com

We Interrupt This Blog...

...to let you know that the New York City chapter of IFDA has graciously invited me to share my experiences and observations on LivingKitchen, the epic industry show which I attended in Cologne earlier this year. Date: Thursday, 30 May; a reception at 5:30 kicks things off, with the presentation beginning at 7:00. Place: The Grohe Live Center, 160 Fifth Avenue [between 20 and 21 streets], New York City. For more information, click here.

If you're in the neighborhood, I'd love to see you there!

Unique Vision

I'm decompressing after a four-day-and-night immersion in creativity at #ICFF, #WantedDesign, and the showrooms at the A&D building and in SoHo. [I've documented a snippet of the panoply of color, texture, and form in videos on my Twitter feed, @kbculture, should you care to take a look.] This kitchen, a space of stillness and distinction, is a fine tonic to the recent hubbub. There's something about the pull between the empty, open height of the room and the dense materiality of the burl and marble island that brings me back to earth—aesthetically speaking. roseuniacke.com

Gabba Gabba Hey!

If you've never had the pleasure of seeing a genuine New York City kitchen, behold. Four-burner mini stove [the oven is customarily used for storage], 12-cubic-foot fridge [needs defrosting], litter box for illegal feline tenant. Chances are good that this one is unchanged from 1982, not only because of lax landlords, but because of historic reasons: The tenant was one Joey Ramone. While I haven't yet seen the show, the punk-fashion exhibit at the Met is a puzzle to me; it seems to bestow belated credibility to a movement that avoided such status at all costs.

This Sunday, Joey née Jeffry Hyman would be 62 years old. Punk lives!

Taking Flight

Design shows can be a fairly intense experience for me; with hundreds of objects to assess, visual overload is an occupational hazard. So with New York Design Week kicking off in a couple days, I've used this week's posts as an opportunity to inoculate myself, if you will, by highlighting some examples of heartfelt design that are best appreciated far from the madding crowd.

Joshua Bishop took ink-pen to wood in this delicate composition. The 'canvas' panel is maple, framed by cherry rails and stiles. I like how the wood grain acts as an abstract element in the drawing. woodmanseewoodwrights.com