Thoughtful design is fast becoming the mantra of manufacturers and artisans of home wares worldwide. The upshot: a growing number of purposeful products—traditional and contemporary, decorative and utilitarian, large and small—that are notable for an elegant simplicity and intuitive ease-of-use, and are ever mindful of you, the end user, and their ultimate effect on the way you live.
—Linda C. Lentz |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
Graham & Brown
Part of U.K. designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s romantic collection of wall coverings, the whimsical large-scale baroque pattern is a 21st-century takeoff on a quintessential formal damask motif. Updated by this master of wit and style, the 2006 version exhibits a clean, stylized hand and two “on-trend” colorways: white flock on a teal or brown ground. ($30 per double roll) 800-554-0887. www.grahambrown.com. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Duravit
Ciottolo is a luxurious new powder room collection by Michael Sieger that balances sculptural forms and natural materials. The washbowl (shown) is one of three cast in a white ceramic. The coordinating vanity (shown), in an Ice Birch veneer, is also available in floor and console versions and in Rosewood. A group of minimalist mirrors completes the line. (Basin: $1,150 to $1,235 as shown; vanity: $3,800 as shown; 9-11/16-by-31-1/2-by-1-3/16-inch mirror: $1,175 as shown) 888-387-2848. www.duravit.com. |
|
|
|
 |
|
GE
The new king-size Front-Load Laundry Pair can wash and dry up to 22 full-size bath towels while saving up to 61 percent of the water a top-loader needs to do the same job. Available in white or granite gray, this dynamic duo can be stacked or placed side by side and boasts ergonomic controls and handles, an automatic flow-thru dispenser system, and an internal water heater to assure the appropriate temperature. (Washer: $899 to $949; dryer: $649 to $749) 800-626-2000. www.geappliances.com. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Atlas Homewares
The Optimism 1-inch round knob from the company’s Modernist collection exhibits a clean versatility. Made of clear polycarbonate combined with a brushed nickel (shown), stainless steel, or polished chrome base, additional cabinet and bath hardware in the line includes a 1-inch square knob, 5-, 7-, and 14-inch rail pulls, and a 12-inch hand-towel bar. ($13.10 each) 800-799-6755. www.atlashomewares.com. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Appiani
Long and lean, Surf ceramic tile is the ideal surface for walls that need to be durable and make a statement—around a fireplace, as a kitchen or bar backsplash, in a bath or mudroom. Sizes include 8-by-40 and 3-by-40 inches in a range of 17 matte colors (wengé, shown) and gloss white, as well as a sleek stainless steel strip measuring 1/2-by-40 inches. Available through Nemo Tile. ($12.10 per square foot) 800-636-6845. www.appiani.it. |
