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When celebrities decorate their homes, they tend to go all out with their designs. They have plenty of money on hand to do so, of course, but more importantly, these celebs are looking to make their homes into retreats that can serve as a sanctuary in a world filled with paparazzi. Singer Kanye West's brand-new New York apartment, which is being designed by Claudio Silvestrin, is tranquil and minimalist to an extreme degree, with the sort of layout that only a ridiculous amount of money can buy.

Above, a view of the kitchen is shown. More pictures are after the jump.

[via just jared]

From Williams-Sonoma Home, the Somerset Table is a lovely piece that can be used almost anywhere in the house, as it could be used as a nightstand, where the shelves could be used to store books and other things you might like to have to hand, or as an end table in a living room. The pillar-shaped piece is made of Patagonian maple and has a marble top. Twin doors on the side swing open with antiqued brass knobs, revealing an interior shelf, which is removable if you need a larger space for storage. It measures 18 1/4" across and is 28" high. Price: $950 each, $1,800 for two.

Smoke detectors are a necessary, but sometimes unsightly, part of the home. As a general rule, you only notice them if there is an emergency or if the battery needs to be replaced, but if there is a way to make them even less visible, why not take it? The Modern Smoke Detector was developed to sit flush with the wall or ceiling, attracting minimal notice and, even when you look at it, what it is is not immediately obvious. It has not yet been released, but each detector should be about $129.

[via ATNY]

I've heard many commuting professionals joke that those of use who work at home sit around in pajamas all day. Philippe Starck has just given every pj-clad worker a reason to spend the whole day in bed, too. His Sleepy Working Bed has a desk that attaches to the headboard, dual bedside tables that have integral dat/power points and an additional table at the foot of the bed. It even has two different types of lights, one for the desk and one to light the bedside tables, creating the ideal lighting for the position of the table. The only thing it doesn't have is a fridge, so you'll just have to stop by it on the way to the bathroom. Price: £5,700 (approx. $10,800).

[via Born Rich]

The Ultimate Secure Home is a fascinating estate located in the mountains of Southwestern Colorado. The house runs off solar power and is just over 2,400-sq feet, with 2 baths, 4 bedrooms and a loft, in addition to kitchen, pantry, safe room and an additional 800-sq ft garage. It is made of steel-reinforced concrete and its dome structure is designed to withstand earthquakes of up to a magnitude of at least 7.0, as well as just about any other disaster - natural or otherwise. The rock exterior is artificial and fire-resistant and the house has a Luwa air filter that is capable of filtering out war chemicals, all known viruses, all known bacteriological agents, radioactive fallout, and even smoke from a forest fire.

Inside, it needs a little design work, but the appliances are up-to-date and energy efficient. The house is on a 4.3 acre parcel and is offered for sale for $495,000.

As part of the home's security, the exact location will only be revealed to "serious, pre-screened, and financially pre-qualified prospective buyers at an appropriate time." Hopefully, that time is sometime before move-in.

[via Born Rich]

Now here is an area of design that I have not previously given much thought to, though we certainly spend a fair amount of time looking at outside decor here. Sunset has picked the nine best house numbers to help guide people (or, perhaps, the mailman) to your home. Their choices run from low-end to high and include the Optima Semi Bold in bronze ($57), Sausalito in zinc ($16), which might be better suited to an apartment door due to its relatively small size, and Neutraface Display Light Alt in stainless steel ($40). Is a house number worth sleepless nights trying to find the perfect font? Perhaps not, but matching your numbers to your style of house can bring together its look in an appealing way.

The Siemens Nespresso machine by Porche Design is a fully automatic espresso maker that does everything a the touch of a button. Traditionalists might frown on using an automatic machine instead of a manual, but the automatic has an advantage in that it is very consistent, while the performance of a manual machine relies heavily on the skill of the user. This machine has 19 bars of pressure, automatic volume control (for espresso vs cappuccino), a digital display that offers eight different languages and a steam want that can easily be adjusted to either latte or cappuccino frothing. The only real drawback is that the machine uses pods instead of real ground coffee. The list price is $1,549 Swiss Francs, or about $1,263.

If you're interested in glassware that will really make a statement, the Black Cut Crystal Glassware collection from Williams-Sonoma Home might be the perfect thing. To make the pattern, black crystal is layered over clear crystal, then gently cut away to create the unique, oval-banded pattern. It makes a stunning presentation of liquors, though red wines and red cocktails look particularly elegant against the black. Each piece in the set is sold separately, but the collection includes white and red wineglasses, champagne flutes, martini glasses, aperitif glasses, highballs and double old-fashioneds. Prices: $30-$38 for glasses; $150 for decanter, ice bucket.

It seems like we might run out of wall space before we run out of great things to decorate them with.

We have already heard about color-changing wall paint, but what about a color changing wall? Mood Light Flat Tiles conceal LED lights that can create a dazzling multi-colored display - or a soothing one - in your home. The red, blue and green color settings can be adjusted to create any color you can think of, and the unit comes with a remote control that allows you to define your own light pulses and patterns in addition to the preprogrammed patterns. The tiles are just under 3" thick, so using them will not cut dramatically into the amount of useable space in the room, and they combine almost seamlessly to cover large and small areas. Each 19.7"x19.7"2.8" tile is $629.

Helvetica is a mathematician's dream and an English major's nightmare. This pattern is a little less conventional, a little bolder than the Carnaby Panels from the same manufacturer, but these wall panels are fantastic. They could work in an office or a child's room, and would even make an interesting accent wall in a very contemporary home. Depending on the color (matte white, pictured), the 96"x46" panels are about $1000 each.