Merry Christmas to All...

Favorite Kitchen and Bar Stuffers

With all the holiday baking, serving and drinking, here are some of my favorite finds that have a great potential to make these tasks much more enjoyable. The Francis Francis X6 Espresso Maker ($399) is a darling and still parks itself on the top of my wish list. If you prefer a smaller alternative, below is the innovative Bialetti Cappucino Maker ($89.95) that even makes ready to drink cappuccino or lattes without the need of you using a frothing wand. I however, still think that using a frothing wand is really fun, or maybe that is a lingering effect from my old barrista days when I thought making frothy drinks for strangers for cash tips was absolutely the coolest job in the entire world.

The S-XL Cake Mould ($36) below is a wonderful tool for baking because it pre-shapes your cake into 15 pieces that come in a variation of sizes from small to extra-large so that everyone is size-o-happy. I love the idea although I am not sure how much need I have for this since I have been blessed with very well-behaved friends who always finish their desserts no matter their size :) Still, it makes an architecturally-interesting cake.

And for all the geeks adventurous enough to enter the kitchen there is now a perfect measuring cup. It is made out of laboratory-grade borosilicate glass with the standard ounce and milliliter graduation-marks, but if you look closer - you'll find marks for "volume of half a human brain," and "water in a cumulus cloud the size of a bus." Just because it's good practice and quite cheap ($12.99) keeping your cerebrum entertained while making a nice stack of pancakes.


Finally, these real concrete and glass tumblers are a neat piece of serveware to own!

Featured Designer - Shelly Riehl David

Shelly Riehl David of Riehl Designs has been on of my favorite designers for some time now, but besides admiring her work I can only wait and hope for the day when I can afford to hire her do decorate a room for me. I especially love how she does the transitional style, although her modern rooms are to be envied as well.

Drum Shade Chandeliers

Aren't these inspired light fixtures the perfect combo of modern and traditional? Here are a few of my favorites. I would like to see two of the wall sconces shown below, but in a black shade, installed symmetrically on a huge wall done in light paint and chock full with lovely art in black frames from top to bottom and left to right. That is too ambitious of a diy project for now. Oh, but one day... The one above is the Elena Chandelier $2,450.00 at Horchow.


A close up of the beauty.


String Shade Chandelier $595.00 at Horchow.


Midnight Chandelier $1,950.00 at Horchow.


Elise Chandelier $2,175.00 at Horchow.


Drum Shade Fixture $197.00 at Gallery.


Gen-Lite Floor Lamp $297.00 at Gallery.


Gen-Lite Wall Sconce $62.25 at Gallery.


Erto Chandelier $339.00 at Z Gallerie.

The Nelson Ball Clock

The Nelson style ball clocks are great. It goes well on a plain wall - by itself, as Sandi demonstrates here in her happy modern danish apartment.

This is from Apartment's Therapy House Tours 2008: Karen Kimmel and James Bond's place (no, I'm not kidding).

This is the fully licensed Nelson classic, reproduced by the Vitra Design Museum. It costs $335.00

Below are some imitations from whiteonwhite. I cannot link the pictures because of their strange website. But worth taking a look at if unlicensed reproductions do not bother you.

This is $125.00

Other clocks from whiteonwhite, all George Nelsons reproductions:

$125.00

$100.00

$100.00

$175.00

$150.00

$150.00