Out of the Dark

Apologies to Volker Haug, designer of this collection of pendant fixtures [which he calls Cable Jewelry] as I have precipitously gone under the weather, i.e., have contracted a sudden and seemingly severe cold, and therefore am posting while under the influence of the generic equivalent of NyQuil.

It's eminently customizable: choose the colors, cord, bulb type, socket and contoured metal tube/s. I've always been drawn to the mad-scientist-meets-modern-designer genre of products, and right now, this fits that bill.

And so to bed. volkerhaug.com

Feat of Clay

No, this isn't some obscure work by Jenny Holzer. It's meant to pique your interest in watching a video of ceramic bathtubs being made by hand; each is one-of-a-kind. [The still pictures of the tubs, sinks and water spouts are rather grainy.] Formed on an oversized potter's wheel, the tubs are crafted in Shigaraki, Japan, a historic center of the stoneware industry. Glazes favor dusky earth-tones, but there are a couple brighter colors on offer. The gentle music that accompanies the clip eases the transition from the holiday break back to the work week—at least for me. aquapalusa.com

Old Is New

As many of us in the States spent a significant amount of time in the kitchen yesterday—cooking, eating and cleaning up—it occurred to me that might be fun to take a look at what we might have encountered in 1869. The narrow windows wouldn't have let in much light, and the convenience of running water wasn't in evidence. But there's certainly lots of well-organized storage space and expansive work surfaces. Food for thought, I'd say.

Seasonal Suggestion

One word: Cranberries.

That was my immediate reaction upon seeing these Aoba mosaics. In fact, they're made of coconut shells, which appear to take dye spectacularly. No grout is necessary [wood glue is fine], and they can be installed in damp environments. nemotile.com

Palette and Palate, Satisfied

Thanksgiving seems to inspire a spate of ultra-traditional, home-and-hearth type interiors in the design media. That's all well and good, but I'm in the mood for something in the contemporary vein, like this kitchen in California. That double-height tiled wall puts me in mind of leaves falling [which they did aplenty this week, here in the northeast], with its staggered pattern of earthy tones. And the hanging cabinets are rather fun: limned in wood, boldly positioned and brightly lit, they bring a witty style to the space. stephenwillrich.com

Information, Please

The other day on Twitter, I posted a news item that's generated a little buzz, so for the benefit of those who aren't part of that community, here's a link to a site where you can learn about a proposed restructuring of the EnergyStar program. You can read appliance manufacturers' responses to the idea there, too. It's always interesting to look at an issue from various points of view.

Grey Area

The polished graphite finish on the Museo faucet is such a chic change from the usual silvery suspects. With its abridged modern form and a smoky depth to its color, it would bring an unexpected accent to palettes white, black and in-between. symmons.com