Put Your Feet Up

Dear readers, I hope your holiday weekend is as restful as that spent by the Maytag repairman in 1986. See you next week!

Material Meaning

How instructive to compare the natural patterns of two materials in this kitchen. Both the grain of the wood and the veining of the stone express the passage of time—perhaps hundreds of years. For me, that's a profound thought that goes beyond a mere surface treatment. tellointeriors.com

Wet Set

In their quest to create union of opposites—a tub with a small footprint and a spacious interior—Neri & Hu worked on the design of the Immersion bath for more than three years. The iroko wood seat can be removed for stretched-out bathing; concealed metal weights keep the seat from floating when it's slid into place for a sit-down soak in the tub. agapedesign.it

Leggy Design

I'm charmed by this mash-up of post-modern and mid-century design. Designed by Arter & Citton,  the lacquered cabinet sports an asymmetric angular bump; the sink basin follows that line. Tapered ash legs jaunt outwards, giving the piece a most solid footing. The STRA8 vanity is available in 20 colors. hafrogeromin.it

Getaway Kitchen

I need a vacation. I'm thinking France [Vive la Macron!]. City, country, coast, or mountains—I'm not picky. But as reality has other plans for me, I shall have to content myself with a vicarious visit. This classique kitchen by Eugénie Collet, with its towering skylights, will easily do.

Hmmmm...

I bet Westinghouse would think twice about this particular spin on its laundry appliances today. In 1960, a river of soapy water might have impressed folks with its implied cleansing power. But today, we see it for what it is: egregious pollution and waste.

Rough Plumbing

Perhaps the ultimate expression of authentic industrial style [at least in the world of fittings], the Da Reya faucet incorporates an actual wrench in its design, as the lever control. Certainly a novelty, but I give it points for gumption. kakudai.jp

Tiny and Textured

The L'H collection of tile spans large format floor pavers to mosaic tesserae. Both smooth and rough faced, they can give a room a sense of textural variety, but the space is still unified through consistent coloring. emilgroup.com/viva

Custom Kitchen

Shiny and streamlined, the Ego is well suited to be the nucleus of an open plan kitchen. [Unless, of course, your tastes run more to the subdued than the statement-making.] Designed by architect Alberto Torsello, the mirror-polished stainless steel cabinet can reflect color and light in a way that makes it a part of—and sets it apart from—its surroundings. Several custom handle treatments are offered. abimis.com

Oh Dad, Poor Dad

In the 60s, as the 'women's lib' movement continued, men were often accused of being male chauvinists—but this ad puts the shoe [or the slipper sock, as the case may be] on the other foot. As modern laundry appliances don't require either muscle or an extraordinary IQ to operate, I think the claim about ease of use made here is rather unfair. So to dads and wannabe dads everywhere, an apology for such stereotyping—and best wishes on your day.

At Hand

This in-sink holder keeps cloths handy without draping drippy towels over the faucet. Designed by Miika Mansikkamaa, it's ingeniously easy to install: an undercounter magnet anchors the holder to the inside of any stainless steel basin. Have a round sink? No worries—there's a curved model available, too. magisso.com

Enlightened Design

I think it's the extreme light fixture that makes this lovely bathroom memorable. The silver spheres add a literal sparkle to the space, and jolt the design into the contemporary. The height of the room [use the chair to judge the scale] is another out-of-the-ordinary asset. stephenvolpe.com

Indoor/Outdoor Perspective

Who knew that an outdoor kitchen could have a window? The context makes it a clever idea—but one that's quite the norm for an indoor kitchen. Framing a view over this sink also provides an opportunity to capitalize on the depth of the cabinetry and install a couple of canister lights on the 'ceiling.' lakeflato.com

Hell's Kitchen

It's too damn hot to post today. Until tomorrow, here's a reminder from firefighter Mark Hancock of the London [Ontario] FD on the importance of fire safety in the kitchen: don't douse an oil blaze with water.

Squeeze Play

Yes! I want to have tiny freezers and refrigerators built into the walls—not in the kitchen, of course, but somewhere out in the hallway, just like this 1957 ad depicts. Strangely, at that time, the appliances' capacity was often calculated not in volume, but in weight; the freezer here could hold 234 pounds. That's a lot of frozen peas!

Speaking of Rain...

Danilo Fedeli designed the Clip showerhead, a fitting that I think is both contemporary and reminiscent of the somewhat kooky constructions of the Memphis group of the 1980s. The arc of the water stream is certainly more aesthetic than the downpours we've been experiencing for the last few days. rubinetterie3m.it

Neat and Tidy

Simplicity itself, this collection of bathroom storage accessories. The graphic appearance of the wood and aluminum pieces forms the literal basis for its name: the Dot Line [Not to complicate matters, but S-hooks are also offered.] Designed by García Cumini. agapedesign.it

Grounded Design

Isn't it interesting how lowering the counter in this bath calms the room, counteracting the busybusy walls and floor? In these harried days, it's a lesson worth learning.  katehume.com

Shadow Kitchen

Dear readers, please forgive me. Empirically, I know it is June, the height of spring. But the sun has been missing in action for weeks, and it has clouded [ahem] my perceptual abilities, I fear. Hence this evocatively dim kitchen. The textured wall tile and the patterned floor give the space a rather lovely visual lift...but bright and sunny, it's not.

Coming Clean

This 1950s ad is but one of many of the time that equated cleanliness with the purity of nature. Perhaps in those days, we were unaware of the irony of that coupling; water-guzzling washers and heat-hungry dryers were not environmentally-friendly appliances back then. Of course, their efficiency has greatly improved—due to both regulatory and voluntary efforts. Let's hope that the recent rash decision regarding the US withdrawal from the Paris Accord doesn't curtail such independent efforts.

Light, Fantastic

I'm intrigued by the molten quality of this sconce. It conveys the essence of light—its colors, luminosity, and energy—in a way that's visceral but not overwhelmingly so; it still retains a sense of mystery. The Melt fixture is also available in table lamp and pendant styles. tomdixon.net