And the Washer/Dryer Goes To...

The Vanity Fair Academy Awards party? Ho-hum. Elton John's post-Oscars bash? Meh. Madonna? Yawn. These modern cinematic celebrations pale when compared to the star-studded affair staged by Westinghouse in 1953. Who wouldn't want to hob-nob with Yvonne De Carlo, Ronald Reagan, Edward G. Robinson, Eve Arden and other Hollywood luminaries as they mingle with various major appliances? Ah, the golden days...

Hot Stuff

The launch of a full line of new kitchen appliances has been a rare event during the fiscal malaise. Costly in time and money, it's an investment for which not many manufacturers have been willing to ante up. So the April advent of the Benchmark collection is cause for celebration [at least for k/b geeks like me]. One small detail I love: The wall oven will be offered with a side-opening door. bosch-home.com

Water Colors

Sheathing the spout in silicone not only gives the Pop a smack of color, it also introduces a matte element into the otherwise-glossy design mix. The bright hues are playful indeed, but the black/grey combo is surprisingly chic. zazzeri.it

Down to Earth—Literally

A head-turning design belies the very—and I do mean very—basic function of this waterless toilet. Liquid waste drains away into a grey-water system. Nothing revolutionary about that, right? But solid material takes a different path. It is conveyed into a composting chamber that is populated by earthworms, who do what earthworms do to ensure a clean commode. ecodomeo.com

Winter Rewind

As we are about to replay the infamous Polar Vortex scenario, this kitchen seems a fitting way to welcome this soon-to-be-frigid week. Let me explain my snow-scrambled thinking. Of course, it's more than the ice-white color that makes it appropriate; the quasi-circular form of the islands underscores the cyclical path of nature. artichoke-ltd.com

Splashdown!

There's only one reason why I chose this ad for today's Flashback Friday post. The agitator bears an uncanny resemblance to the 'Friendship 7' space capsule that took John Glenn around the world on this date in 1962. It seems to indicate—to my uneducated eye, at least—that flying through space and churning through water are efficiently accomplished by a a conical-shaped object.

Appliance designers and aerospace engineers, I await your comments.

Slice of Life

It's been a busy, even beleaguered, week, dear readers. I find it settling to focus on the under-appreciated points of design; hence this sectional view of Bio-Glass counter surfacing. Made of recycled glass, its interlocking elements remind me how important connections—the deep emotional ones—are in life. coveringsetc.com.jp