Cyclic Kitchen

Even though we're basking in another week of bright, warm weather, there's no denying that autumn is here. The colors in this kitchen—deep sage, terra cotta—are plucked from the palette that characterizes the slide from the clear greens and yellows of summertime to the saturated tones of fall. The room's unadorned windows looking out onto freshly plowed fields are another reminder that this time of year is all about nature. lucymarston.com

Outlet Shopping

What a difference 84 years make. While today's kitchen is a marvel of untethered connectivity, with Internet-enabled appliances and counter surfaces that seamlessly power our phones, the modern home of 1929 had its own definition of 'wired'. I see GE did its part to simplify [and perchance monopolize?] what was then an emerging demand for electrical convenience by helpfully offering a proprietary wiring system for the kitchen.

Smart Surface

No, I didn't put the wrong photo up today. And I'm not focusing on the smartphone—it's the countertop that's the point of this post. A collaboration between of DuPont Building Innovations and the Power Matters Alliance has produced this wireless recharging surface. Made of Corian, it promises to cut the cords in the kitchen and beyond.

Connecting the Dots

I'm a fan of wall-hung water closets; the concealed tank opens up floor space in a chronically small room. But too often there's an aesthetic flaw in the fixture: the flush buttons are awkwardly isolated on the wall above the bowl. The Mood collection of bath products seeks to rectify this with a resin panel that incorporates the offending hardware into a field of color. A similar treatment is extended to the vanity and shower. noken.com

Pedi-Cure

With the increasingly inverse relationship between showers and tubs [the former ascendant, the latter on the downslope of popularity], the options for a comfortable foot-bath have diminished. [Exception: Advanced yoga practitioners who can contort their tootsies into the sink.] So I'm very pleased to discover the Fonte stool, whose dual-purpose design combines seating and a portable basin. rexadesign.it

Change in the Air

To ease the passing of summer, how about a season-straddling kitchen to lead off this first week of autumn? Clearly, the wicker seating has a beach house sensibility. Less obvious, though, is the link to fall. I see the cabinets, with their randomly perforated doors, as analogous to the gradually-thinning tree canopy. herbstarchitects.co.nz

Seasonal Color

A few more days, and fall is upon us. A few more weeks, and it will be time to take a leisurely afternoon drive to admire the russets, reds, and Harvest Golds that adorn the stands of kitchen appliances which dot the countryside. Granted, there aren't as many of these majestic groves now as there were in 1968, the year this floppy-hatted fashion-plate was photographed strolling blissfully among the Westinghouses. For better or worse, Big Box stores consumed much of their native habitat, and an invasive species, Stainless Steel, further eroded the population.

A Toast!

The London Design Festival is in full swing now, and next week Cersaie takes over Bologna. These tiles are my hat-tip to both celebrations; Italian in origin, their decorative motif is decidedly British. bardelli.it

Three-Story Storage

Pardon my lapse into the world of one-liner design, but I must admit this miniature fire escape has caught my fancy. Maybe use it as a spice rack in a city kitchen, or as an organizer in the bath—the coated-steel shelves help combat a certain kind of urban sprawl. uncommongoods.com

Room for Contemplation

The moody, indirect lighting in this bath might not be optimal for primping, but I say never mind—there are times when art trumps convenience. The muted colors and natural materials in the room are also contributing factors in this quintessential, albeit masculine, boudoir. [Interesting etymology note: boudoir = 'sulking place' in conversational 18th century French. How fitting!] esestudio.gr

Quite a Stretch

An extreme galley, this is. It's actually less of a kitchen per se, and more an architectural space occupied by appliances and cabinets. That kind of ambiguity pleases me [especially on a Monday]. abaton.es

Watch Out

Today, on Friday the Thirteenth, people will sidestep ladders, hop cracks in the pavement, and handle mirrors with particular care, all to escape the bad luck that traditionally dogs this date. In 1896, as this ad not-so-subtly implies ['You cannot explode it!'], danger lurked in the kitchen. Below, a restored Insurance Stove seems a bit flimsy to me; while it might resist explosions, I'd be concerned about the appliance accidentally tipping over.

Have a careful weekend, dear readers.

Handled, With Care

While the overall cabinetry scheme of a kitchen often makes the dominant impression, I find it's the detailing that elevates a good space to a great one. Case in point: the new Ruskin series, designed by Scott Stultz. Beautifully conceived and crafted, this cove-front drawer invites the hand and delights the eye. ruttcabinetry.com

Delicate Permanence

Today, life in NYC is less in-your-face than usual—as it has been on this date for the last twelve years, as people reflect on events past and present. Grasses and reeds are preserved in the 'Oasis' resin sheet, a reminder of the enduring beauty of nature. lumicor.com

Show Case

There is a time and place—and usually it's a special place—for standalone cabinets in the kitchen. This elegant piece is specifically designed to hold the accoutrements for a Japanese tea service, but I don't see any reason why it couldn't accommodate other culinary tools or ingredients. Built by Quebec-based artisan Gilbert Garcia, it's available in a rich oak or in this pale poplar wood. mjolk.ca

Thinking Big

Both spunky and sophisticated, this kitchen has an attitude that I find tremendously appealing. Set in a new-fashioned bungalow, the room is finished in unassuming materials that contrast with the rather bold, contemporary ceiling volume. Quite nice! heatherawilsonarchitect.com

Mr. Perfect

Be still, my heart! A Three-Ring Agitator and a Lint-Away System? Who could resist such charms? Throw in the impeccable fashion sense [A snappy fedora with classic white enamel—yowza!] and promised low maintenance, and I see a relationship that will last far beyond 1962.

Bright Prospects

Days are getting shorter, and for us die-hard alfresco diners, the tea lights and hurricane lamps are slowly losing the battle against the darkness. Dubbed 'My New Flame', these unabashedly electronic candles hold out more than a glimmer of hope to rectify the situation. A circuit board comprises the 16-inch taper, while the 'flame' is a grid of 128 micro LEDs that have been programmed to flicker and wave with verisimilitude. ingo-mauer.com

Mid-Season Modern

When looking through my architecture and interiors photo files, I often think about how the locations would look at different times of the year. The relaxed modernism of this bath makes a seasonal bridge that's appropriate today, as we're poised between summer and fall. The drawer pulls of knotted manila rope have a nautical/estival ethos about them, while the crisp orthogonal patterns of the cabinets, tile, and windows will form an orderly contrast to the coming changing scene of autumn foliage. sb-architects.com

[Not Quite] Endless Summer

While it might not yet be the time to deflate the pool toys and fold up the patio umbrellas, that day, I'm afraid to say, will come. This heavy-duty grill/fryer/cooktop, however, can easily transition to autumn usage. Roll it to a sheltered, well-ventilated space and put it to work during the fall football season. liberincucina.it

In and Out Kitchen

Iffy weather throughout the holiday weekend curtailed more than a few cookouts, I'm afraid. This clever design would offer at least a modicum of shelter from the storm. Extra-deep eaves [with lighting] provide overhead coverage, and the accordion-style windows form an effective wind-block. That faucet is great choice for the kitchen, by the way; jointed in several places, it can be positioned to serve guests outdoors or inside.