Normally I think Swarovski jewels encrusted onto household appliances look tacky and ridiculous, so I'm a little surprised to hear myself saying that the Swarovski Jewels Sink collection from Antologia is actually pretty nice. Simple, tasteful, and artistic, the basic white and black sinks aren't overrun with big sparkling jewels so much as they're accented and enhanced by them. Each piece is put together by hand with Signity jewels.
Any kind of jewels on a bathroom fixture are still completely impractical and difficult to clean, of course, but these are nice to look at nevertheless.
As I was browsing a home magazine I was stopped by an ad for Sherle Wagner doorknobs, I mean, "hardware." They were so beautiful, I wanted to know more. So now I share ... Sherle Wagner International, headquartered in NYC but with eight U.S. showrooms and one in Kuwait, offers a number of home accessories in these categories: finishes, stones and patterns; bath fittings; bath fixtures; accessories; hardware; lighting; furniture; textiles; linens; and wall coverings. All Sherle Wagner products are originals, made by the company from the design inception stage to completion. The company uses "old world artisans and timeless techniques, so that every piece is a true original." And the staff is experienced in working with architects, designers and clients on projects of any scale. If you browse the catalog, be sure to check out all the categories on the lefthand nav bar; there was much more on the site than I noticed the first time around. No prices, however, but I'm going to guess on the high end.
The Travelmate Portable Fireplace by Conmoto is made of black powder-coated steel and glass with an adjustable steel fuel-holder and burns on bio-ethanol liquid fuel (not included). Now you can put a fireplace where you want or need it for warmth or atmosphere. It's smokeless too. Safe to place on carpet, a table, near furniture, or outside. The glass pane is held on with magnets and only is removed in order to light the fire. Once the glass pane has been replaced, the fuel tank can be opened and closed, using the stainless steel slide at the front of the fireplace, so the flames can be regulated from the outside. I would love this in my home! Dimensions: 20" H x 28" W x 8" D, 55 lbs.($3,300)
Besides accessories, I am addict for magazines. The hubby and I have magazines dating back to 2002. Some may say that we are a bit obsessive over magazines but I describe us as collectors of fine publications. Ok, well maybe that might be stretching it, but it's a love for writing and discovering new things that keeps us going. I was in the neighborhood bookstore and came across Robb Report's newest venture - Vertical Living. A magazine that will satisfy your taste and curiosity for high rise and high luxury living. Vertical Living will cover "amazing architecture to ultra-pampering concierge services to spectacular design, interiors, technology and real estate on the market." The photography is breathtaking and the articles are informative. A magazine worth checking out.
Jay Strongwater's home accents are instantly recognizable for their stunning, old-world appearance. From the Papillion Collection, this sparkly butterfly rests of the stem of a swirled green and topaz glass pear. The butterfly and leaf are hand-painted enamel over metal, accented with hand-set Swarovski crystals. The richness and depth of the pear alongside the delicate butterfly results in a striking piece of art that appears antique and modern at the same time. From stem to base, the piece measures 5.25" high. $525.
I've seen plenty of companies that sell platters and trays made from used oak wine barrels but this is the first time I have seen a riddling rack used as home decor. A riddling rack is a bottle holder which is used in making sparkling wine. During the champagne-making process the wine bottles are set in a riddling rack and twisted each day to gradually send the sediment toward the mouth of the bottle where it is eventually frozen and then removed. The riddling rack, which is A-framed, holds 120 bottles and can make a very authentic wine bottle holder. The larger racks can cost as much at $750 for the intensive handwork and shipping. Vintage at Heart also sells beautiful old wood vineyard baskets from Moet & Chandon, wine barrel lazy susans and wine staves that have been turned into serving trays.
E-turn refers to eternity - as in an endless ribbon of gracefully curving fiberglass. Winding over and around, the handmade bench looks good from any angle and the bright lacquered finish sets it aglow. While it doesn't look particularly comfortable, there is no denying that it is striking. Measuring 72.8" long by 22" wide by 16.5" high, the bench is available as shown in white, orange, red or black. $3325.
Artist Daniel Pohl designs furniture to "create a rhythm for the eye." Using traditional paints made of powdered pigments, corn syrup, and vinegar, his hand-carved furniture designs are vibrant works of art. Constructed from pine and poplar found near his home in central Wisconsin, Pohl creates each piece using using traditional cabinetry techniques, with mortise and tenon joints and dove-tailed drawers. Each is unique and built to order. $12,800.
This sparse but elegant chandelier is part of the Jezebel Signature line. With hand rolled and colored glass shades suspended from gracefully curving 'stems', the piece looks light and airy. This one is done with Black-eyed Susan glass and a brown finish on the hand-forged iron. If brown seems a bit dull, you can choose from a rainbow of other glass colors and bases to coordinate. The chandelier is 120" high by 89" wide and each one is signed and dated. $25,800
Want a wine cellar but don't have a basement or a spare room to dedicate to your love of the grape, Closet Wine Cellars specializes in putting small cellars into a variety of places. You find the room, they'll make it work whether it is a closet, wall or storage space. The systems can be customized to your design style and refrigerated units are available. Their racking system makes it easy to see the labels. The company is based in Southern California, the land of no basements, so they have their work cut out for them. At least, given recent weather, they can start with the coat closet as seems to be the case in the picture here.
If I say Disney furniture you may immediately be thinking of designs for a child's bedroom embellished with Disney characters. But Drexel Heritage has released a line of furniture that uses the name of Walt Disney to create some sexy refined-looking furniture. The piece shown here is the plasma credenza. It has a black granite top with laminated edges and is designed to be home to a giant television (not something around in Disney's day). The credenza has pullout trays for media storage and back panel access for cords. It sells for $2,359. The rest of the line includes couches and brown leather chairs. Furniture lines that have an iconic name are a bit of a trend lately: Thomasville has lines attached to Humphrey Bogart and Ernest Hemingway.
Most sterling silver flatware tends toward the traditional styles that look as if they have been handed down through generations even if they are brand new. And much of the interesting contemporary designs are made in stainless steel. The perfect marriage between the two might be found in this silver Apollo flatware from James Robinson.
The James Robinson store in New York has long been the home of high quality silver. They hand forge each piece from a bar of sterling silver. The result of this painstaking process is that each piece is more durable and can be used everyday and tossed in the dishwasher without fear. Most of their designs are the fiddle, shell, and scroll designs seen in homes for centuries but they also have a few more modern designs such as the delightfully thin Apollo. Such craftsmanship is not cheap, five-piece settings can cost over $1,000.
We've covered the designs of the fabulous Campana brothers before. This talented design team manages to take ordinary home decor and turn it into something fantastical. Their Blow Up line for Alessi is created of rods of mirror-polished steel welded into flurries of metal that form baskets, mirrors, tables, vases and more. The mirror shown here sells for $299. Beautiful, but also, just a bit dangerous looking, although I like how the mirror resembles how I feel on a bad hair day.
We've covered a few terrariums but none quite so grand as this one available at Gump's. It is modeled after the antique terrariums originally created by Nathaniel Ward in the 1800s. Ward's This wrought iron terrarium is made of glass and wrought iron with a pointed arch and trefoil details. It stands over five feet tall in total and will cradle your botanical treasures in fine style. It sells for $750.
Flat screen televisions are gorgeous but they do make the old television armoires and entertainment centers obsolete. So how do you integrate a flatscreen with your other devices in a cohesive manner? One way is the BDI Alcove. It's a curved cabinet of cherry or walnut veneer that has a bracket to support your monster screen and also has a smoked glass cabinet to hold the rest of your media equipment. It has a cable management system so that your media center has a clean appearance. It sells for $3,000.
Besides accessories, I am addict for magazines. The hubby and I have magazines dating back to 2002. Some may say that we are a bit obsessive over magazines but I describe us as collectors of fine publications. Ok, well maybe that might be stretching it, but it's a love for writing and discovering new things that keeps us going. I was in the neighborhood bookstore and came across Robb Report's newest venture - 
