Seasonal Swing

Today's sub-freezing temperatures remind me that we're still mired in winter, but the brilliant sunshine offers a small hint [or hope] of spring. The CookCook hearth, with its multi-functional design, is an appropriate appliance to this transitional time of year. Completely wood-fired, its interchangeable ceramic top-plate and iron grate, in conjunction with its adjustable sidewalls, allow it to work as a radiant heater, a fireplace, a cooktop and a grill. ruegg-cheminee.com

Neat. Sweet. Petite.

The A2 is a modular vanity system that resolves one of my personal peeves in bathroom design: the trash bin. Regardless of its style or size, I can't stand having a waste basket underfoot in such a small space. With the A2, it's possible to pick and choose the elements—towel and tissue dispensers, trash container—you want to incorporate into the vanity and attach them to the frame in the positions that make sense for your needs. alape.com

Chef's Surprise

This bright kitchen appeals with its jaunty tweaking of traditional elements. On the island, where one might expect to see carved pilasters or other orthogonal supports framing the paneled cabinet doors, smooth curves are cut into the corners. The tailored lines of the pendant light introduce a geometry that deliberately doesn't jibe with the rest of the room. I'm especially keen on the sly juxtaposition of surfaces: the rustic tile on the wall behind the range contrasts with the chic marble lining—of all places—the lowly toekick.

Machine for Living

[I'm very pleased to introduce a guest blogger—architect John Clagett—for today's Flashback Friday post. —LC]

Eighty years after its completion in 1931, Le Corbusier's Villa Savoy remains a striking work. Two qualities of its bathroom have never let go of my imagination, in part because they seem at war with one another. First is its austerity. Impoverished materials, lack of ornament, industrial fixtures, exposed plumbing and concrete frame all underline a key message of the house: Austerity is a non-negotiable prerequisite for maintaining the health of mind and body.

The second is the room's playfulness. The tiled lounge invites the user to linger—to recline, and bathe in sunlight; while conversely, the multiple floor levels turn the room into a kind of gymnasium. As well, by opening the bath to the adjacent bedroom, the house seems to urge its occupants to reveal and revere the human form.

Through austerity, the architect propounds restraint; through playfulness, liberty.

Free-Range Cooktop

Looking over my notes from LivingKitchen, I'd say the appliance category was thoroughly dominated by steam ovens and induction cooktops. A notable breakout product from the latter group is the CX 480. Unlike other models, which compel you to center pots within specific, circular burner-boundaries, this cooktop's network of 48 magnetic micro-coils lets you place pans of any size or shape—even a large griddle—anywhere on its surface for quick heating. gaggenau.com

Snow Blindness

Winter's wrath has struck yet again, this time in the form of an ice storm. If I had my druthers [bet you haven't heard that antique phrase in a while—if ever], I'd recuperate from the latest round of digging out with a warm soak in the Kaos 1 tub. I appreciate how the side panels have been peeled away, giving the tub a fresh sculptural appearance—although I can't help but notice it bears a slight resemblance to an overturned igloo. The environment is infiltrating my perceptions, I'm afraid.... kositalia.com

Kitchen as Theater

It's not every day you find yourself standing in a tipi frame, eating a bowl of artisanal risotto that was ladled straight out of a cauldron, and quaffing a tumbler of prosecco.

One thing I especially like about European trade shows is that they engage the imagination more than their US counterparts, which tend to emphasize sheer, in-your-face, spectacle. Exhibit A: This installation at LivingKitchen, which was a collaboration between architect Matteo Thun, cabinet company Riva 1920 and the American Hardwood Export Council. 'La Cucina' is built from recycled red oak and walnut; like any typical kitchen, it includes a 'water place' [the wooden sink in the foreground, filled with apples], a 'fire place' [the tipi/cauldron construction] and a 'food place' [the prep and storage elements in the background]. It provided food for thought as much as for the body.