Just Roll With It

Designers who are routinely faced with uncompromising environments—such as the labyrinthian floor plans of older New York apartments—often develop resourceful solutions. In this bath, where a conventional vanity would choke the small space, I'm impressed by Laura Bohn's customized cart. The wire shelving easily accommodates plumbing and there's plenty of storage [the cart's handles could be used as towel bars]. lbda.com

One Cool Kitchen

What a pleasure it is to virtually visit this kitchen. Soft finishes and colors—the cabinets are brushed steel, the palette hinges on charcoal rather than full-on black—lend atmosphere to the room. I love the pairing of the patterned encaustic floor and the graphite-tiled wall: it's a great play of texture and geometry. In the case of the lights, three are better than one, as the multiple disperses but doesn't diminish the impact of the quirky fixtures.

Four stars!

Kitchen Cacophony

I bet this cathedral-ceiling kitchen has excellent acoustics, and that's why Junior is practicing his trumpet solo there. Judging from his intense focus on the sheet music, he has superior powers of concentration—which is good, because the combination of powder-puff pink appliances and barn-wood cabinets would 'distract' most people, I dare say. Even in 1963.

The copy chirpily encourages you to collect as many appliances as you can in order to achieve your dream kitchen. [Duh.] And while we're assured that their color and design 'harmonize from year to year', hindsight tells a different story; pastel colors were largely discontinued by the mid-60s, replaced by—you guessed it—Avocado, Harvest and their earth-toned ilk.

Open Ended Design

Pulled from the brink of boring, this galley kitchen soothes with well-balanced design elements. I like the way the clerestory window and the singularly tall glass door relate to each other. An open shelf relieves the consciously anonymous cabinets. Even the gathered folds of the drapery strike a contrast with the smooth planes of the walls. All this sets the stage, of course, for the UFO-like pendant light. The designers are Vigilando Interiors, whose web site is currently under construction.

The Heat [and Cold] Is On

Instant tea-temperature-hot [199ºF] and cold water from the same faucet: it's a convenience I can appreciate on wiltingly humid days like this, when setting a kettle to boil on the stove is a proposition I would rather not face. And the good looks of the Lot water dispenser are a year-round pleasure. dornbracht.com

[Don't] Throw In the Towel

With summer's busy schedule of weekend guests, pool parties and beach days, towels seem to multiply exponentially throughout the house. Designed by Stephen Burks, this lightweight and portable stand can do duty in the bath or backyard—wherever you need to keep things tidy. bonluxat.com

Plastic Fantastic

A lovely, quiet design that reminds me there are some things that just can't be done with ceramic. The edges are sharp without being cutting; the form is substantial but light; the matte finish gently spreads the under-basin glow without glare or reflection—resin is the right material for the Tito sink. rapsel.it