Granite countertops add beauty, functionality, and value to a home. But because granite is a natural product, it requires special care to protect it and keep it looking its best.

To be sure granite countertops stay in nice condition after a hard day's work, take a few minutes every evening to clear them of clutter and gently wipe them down. Usually a soft cloth or sponge with hot water will be enough, but for a little extra cleaning power, a specially formulated stone cleaner can be used. Look for eco-friendly or "green" cleaners, as these will be gentle yet still effective.

To clean a splatter, first remove the dried-on food with a razor blade. Then wet the surface with your usual granite cleaner, or this DIY, inexpensive, safe one: equal parts water and alcohol in a spray bottle. Gently scrape along the surface to remove any remaining dirt. Use a soft sponge to wipe, then buff dry to a shine with a soft cloth.

Do not clean granite with acidic ingredients such vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice, as they can be abrasive, and avoid obviously abrasive products such as scrubs and steel wool pads. Also avoid cleaning products that contain bleach, degreasing substances, or ammonia. Dish soap should be used sparingly, because it eventually will dull the countertop appearance.

Avoid dropping hard items on granite countertops, as the countertop may nick or chip. And while you can place a hot pot or pan on granite, try to avoid doing so, as it may leave a mark.

Granite countertops should be sealed biannually for more protection. The Marble Institute of America is a good source for all things stone.

Smallbone of Devizes, the luxury British handmade design firm that has built bespoke kitchens for celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Dustin Hoffman and Elizabeth Hurley, is up for sale due to the economic downturn. The company, founded by Charles Smallbone in 1976, cited a drop in orders and concerns that a recent financing package "will not be sufficient" to rescue the company, the London Telegraph reports. Trading in the company's shares has been suspended while they look for a buyer. Smallbone, which has expanded into the US in recent years, caters to the top end of the luxury kitchen design market, with the average kitchen going for about $60,000 and the top of the line costing several times that. Smallbone is the latest in a line of UK "heritage brands" including Hardy Amies and Royal Worcester that are in danger of extinction due to the sad state of the economy.

This is what happens when a jeweler and a blade-smith come together: a beautiful (if totally impractical) diamond-studded kitchen knife. Quintin Nel and Hoffmann/Pieper are the experts behind this creation, which is part of an exclusive group of handmade knives called "Nesmuk" that are said to be the sharpest and most expensive knives in the world. Each features a sterling silver handle, a carbon steel blade, and 8 diamond accents. It all comes nestled neatly in a piano box along with a coordinating diamond ring for €31,000 (a ring and a knife seems like a strange combo but who am I to judge).

In feeding my newfound addiction to home makeovers, I recently came across GelPro mats. I immediately wanted one -- my kitchen and bathroom both have cold stone floors, which are nice to look at but hard on the feet and back.

The company promotes the mats this way: "world's only gel-filled anti-fatigue floor mat relieves pain and fatigue caused from standing on hard flooring. Great for everyone, perfect for those with back pain, foot pain, or arthritis." I just like they way they look as compared to a cloth rug (especially in a newly-remodeled kitchen with granite and stainless steel), which slides around and doesn't offer any support.

The mats, which are designed and assembled in the USA, come in a variety of colors, fabrics, and styles. Try out the ones you like in the site's interactive kitchen. They even got an endorsement from our friends at Slashfood, which also features an interview with the company founder. Prices range from $99.95 - $299.95.

I can't help it, my first thought whenever I see something so overly shined up like this is ugh, I'm going to get fingerprints all over it. But fingerprints or not, if exterior appearance has anything to do with it the OTTO Stove Top Espresso Maker must make a pretty tasty brew. And if it doesn't well, then at least it looks great sitting in your kitchen.

Made almost entirely of stainless steel, the OTTO comes packaged in a premium travel case complete with two Italian-designed latte glasses, a stainless steel milk jug, and a barista training session on DVD. $420

In 1996 Liza Lou became an immediate art world fixture for her millions-of-beads approach to the suburban kitchen. She proceeded to hand-bead her way through all kinds of Americana, including a six-pack of Bud and a few presidential portraits.

In short order she won a MacArthur (the "genius grant"), moved to South Africa and didn't show in New York for six years. Now her latest installation, Maximum Security Fence, is drawing maximum criticism. Charlie Finch at artnet called it derivative, soul-less and a "politically correct commodity."

Lou drew similar criticism for the San Quentin-like jail cells she showed in London two years ago. One critic also questioned how she treated her assistants, who weren't allowed to talk during the creation of one of the cells -- not at all how W describes her singing, dancing Durban studio.

Maximum Security Fence is priced at $1 million and will be on display at Lever House (390 Park Ave. at 53rd) until November 29. The installation coincides with an exhibition of Lou's recent work at L&M Arts, which will run through November 15.

Pictures don't do the work justice but check out the gallery for examples of Lou's work over the years.

It's a toaster from Siemens and Porsche and it means serious toasting business. The TT911P2 2-Slice automatically adjusts itself to the thickness of the bread, has an LED display that counts down until the toast is ready, has 11 different degrees of browning, and it can remember which one was used last. The quartz heating element is one of the most efficient available, plus it has cool wall technology, variable browning, and of course a crumb tray. All that plus it's styled like something out of a space ship. £99

Via Switched On

While the phrase "Enter to win!" is often accompanied by eyerolling and a lesson in probability, when it comes to the 2008 Sub-Zero Dream Kitchen -- and dreamy it is, complete with sleek sub-zero fridge, freeze and wine storage alongside $2,000 worth of gourmet goodies from Dean & Deluca, Wolf dual range, Kohler kitchen gear ... the list goes on -- the words just may inspire a foodie frenzy. Until July 31, enter here if you aspire to cook and entertain in this kitchen-for-the-gods (did we mention ambrosia flows freely from those Kohler products? And there is a subscription to the Windsor Sonoma Wine Club?). Winners of the $50,000 in kitchen booty will be notified August 3. I hope I'm invited to your first dinner party.

The latest kitchen design from Bulthaup debuted in Milan recently and is based on the concept of a "kitchen workshop." Called the Bulthaup B2 it's designed to be personalized to suit each individual owner's needs and cooking habits, as each of the three main compartments can be easily modified and adjusted. The 'workbench' includes the sink and cook top, the 'tool cabinet' holds utensils, dishes, and food, and the 'appliance cabinet' holds (you guessed it) appliances like the refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher.

One other nice feature to love about this kitchen: cleaning up has never been so satisfying because everything closes up and 'hides' out of sight when you're not using it!

This is a kitchen gadget made just for me because I love pasta of all kinds but always make too much (and it's not exactly the most waist-friendly food as far as eating too much of it goes or having left-overs around the house). Called The Noooodle (no typo there, unless I missed an "o") it doubles as both a stylish trivet/casserole stand and the loops in the design function as noodle-measuring devices all the way from 1 person up to 4 people. No more guessing! I think it's totally awesome!

Via Denzeen

Sub-Zero recently announced an overhaul of its line of built-in models, to be available this fall. What's especially interesting and appealing is that all the air in the line's models will be "scrubbed" by a purification system an average of once every 20 minutes to eliminate odors, viruses and bacteria that can lead to hastened ripening and, ultimately, spoilage. Additionally, the products offer something Sub-Zero states no refrigerator ever has -- a water filter that reduces viruses and bacteria, in theory reducing contaminants while keeping water and ice tasting fresh.

Other new features: brighter lighting, crisper drawers that have an improved glide system, an easy-to-use digital control panel and adjustable door shelves that can be moved in one-inch increments. The exterior can be customized, too, using one of these options:

• Flush Inset: Flush with surrounding cabinetry. Has a smaller profile and facilitates inset installation. Available in Classic Stainless, Platinum Stainless or Carbon Stainless Steel panels, or can be fitted with custom panels.
• Stainless Steel: Finished in Classic Stainless Steel, ready out-of-the-box. Works with any commercial-style kitchen. Redesigned with a new ventilation grille.
• Framed: Consumer may slide a custom cabinetry panel into an existing frame so that the door better matches the kitchen. Has a new extruded handle and redesigned louvered grilles.
• Overlay: Consumer may incorporate cabinet panels and custom handles into the doors and grille.

I have a Sub-Zero integrated model (similar to the model in the photo, a current Sub-Zero product) with an overlay that blends in so well that when the real estate agent was showing me the kitchen, I had to ask her where the refrigerator was. But buyer beware -- a Sub-Zero costs quite a lot, and definitely delivers on its promises, but can be expensive to repair. I learned this the hard way last year when my motor burned out because I hadn't "serviced" the system. Who knew a refrigerator required a yearly tune-up? It seems I have the Mercedes of refrigerators -- lovely to look at, performs like a dream, but even a simple oil change can set you back $300 (or, in my case, $1,000 for a new motor and yearly servicing).

Those who buy Sub-Zero appliances likely can afford any repair work on them, but why waste money? If you get one of these new models, be sure to ask the sales rep about yearly service.

I'm a sucker for unique and beautiful dishes, and even though they're fairly modern looking (I generally lean towards more organic and antique looking pieces) these red and white creations from Neutrino Designs really caught my eye. They're very bright and clean and cheery -- which is great now in the gray and dreary dead of winter. The Neutrino Ceramics line includes everything from salt and pepper shakers to coffee mugs to a set of coasters, with each being available in your choice of 7 different red and white patterns that have a decidedly scientific feel.

Via Design Mind

Changing up knobs and pulls is one of the easiest ways to change the vibe of an entire room, and if you're looking for a new vibe that leans towards the luxurious without going too far these Art Déco Swarovski Knobs and Pulls from Bosetti Marella could be just the thing. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes they're absolutely beautiful in a nice, classy way. Becaues they're jeweled they are bling, but they don't strike you as bling right away -- which means you can get your fix without coming off as tacky.

Via Trendir

These Shadow Placemats from Judith Höfel remind me of that blue paper they used to have when I was a kid that made patterns and designs when different objects were used to cast a shadow in the sun (does anybody know what I mean?). Anyway, the shadows on that paper was interesting and these placemats, represent what the shadow of a place setting would look like on the table, are also. They're even made to be a little transparent so the grain of the table can show through and add the whole illusion. Definitely a more casual look for your kitchen or dining room, but interesting nonetheless. $85

Wow, they really do have designer everything, don't they? These designer cutting boards by Ken Goodwin are inspired by 1960s Op Art, most specifically artist Bridget Riley. The dark and light squares are sized and placed to convey movement and shape on an otherwise flat surface. This design is called Expansion and is intended to look like a checkerboard viewed through a fisheye lens. There's also the Convergance (yes, that's how it's spelled) which came about as an experiment in doing the opposite and having the squares get smaller towards the center instead of larger.

Described as "not for the faint of heart," either of these boards would make a wonderful gift or unique addition to any kitchen. Maple and walnut, $350-$400.


Via Retro to Go