Thomas Fuchs' New Tabletop Line

I am absolutely in LOVE with the stunning work of Thomas Fuchs, debuting his new tabletop line at Barney's this fall.  Take a look at these luscious glasses, featuring surfaces reminiscent of classic textile patterns, their inspiration derivative from colors and shapes found in nature.

Not to be outdone by richness and lustre, his candlesticks stand on their own with a subtle matte chalkiness in a versatile, neutral palette, AND they're reversible, designed to be used from either end.

Find the whole line at Barney's stores this fall! 

Perfect Toast? With Style? Yes, Please!

Enter the Magimix by Robot-Coupe Vision Toaster.  Intrigued by the design and concept, I accepted a Magimix toaster to review, and here are my impressions.  

If you haven't seen this gorgeous small appliance, take a look.  Two glass windows not only provide a stunning design, but allow you to monitor your toasting progress as it heats.  I found myself mezmerized watching the subtle darkening of my english muffin, my hand on the lever ready to pop it up at the moment of perfect doneness.  My vigilance was compeletely unecessary, however, as the Magimix timed my toasting perfectly.  Gone are the days of blackened crusts, scraping the charring off messily with a butter knife.  I'll have my english muffins medium-done, please.  One minor enhancement I'd like to see would be a 4 slice option, although the sleek design is perfect for a small kitchen like my own.   

Take a look at these special features.  The Magimix is available at Williams Sonoma.  

• The world's first see-for-yourpself toaster makes certain you will have no more charred toast in your life.
• Featuring durable stainless-steel body frames and two glass windows for viewing. No more interrupting the toasting process midway just to make sure it's ready.
• Four preprogrammed heat settings include Toast, Defrost, Reheat and Bagel (one-sided toasting).
• Extra-wide slots accommodate the thickest bagels, baguettes and toasts.
• Long-life quartz elements provide faster and consistent browning leaving bread crisp on the outside yet still moist on the inside.
• Slide-out crumb tray and double insulated borosilicate glass windows make for easy cleaning and safe use
• Built to last for 30,000 uses

Shop Terrain - Stylish Kitchen Accessories & Gifts

Have you ever shopped at the ultimate Garden Mecca, Terrain?  Located in Glen Mills, PA, this shop's motto is appropriately "connecting people with plants."  And while the garden supplies are what initially drew me in, upon some further digging I noticed they carried some killer kitchen accessories as well.  Their well curated collection boasts one gorgeous piece after another.  It's so good, in fact, that you could close your eyes, click checkout and be sure to be thrilled with whatever mystery item would be delivered in 5-7 days.  The next time I'm in the market for a gift, Terrain is where I'll be headed.  Here are a few of my favorites: 

Fishtail BBQ Grill Basket

Marshmallow Grilling Roaster

Wood & Brass Corkscrew

Miele CombiSet - Perfect Cooktop for Small Kitchens

As a decade long small kitchen inhabitant, I stopped in my tracks when I came across these Miele CombiSets.  A modular cooktop system that allows the consumer to select the type of cooking surface that best fits their needs, the CombiSet offers options such as induction, a wok burner, a double gas burner, electric BBQ, Yaki grill, or boiler/fryer.  These units would also be at home in an island installation or outpost kitchen.  Choose one, choose 3, choose them all and don't let your small space inhibit your stovetop potential. 

Air Division Arc Table

Another gem from ICFF, and keeping the I in ICFF, was the Air Division Booth.  Based in Singapore, this company focuses on producing quality furniture with contemporary design, honest production methods, and fine craftsmanship.  I was particularly taken with this Arc Table.  Not earth shattering in its pure structure, but the glass top really allows the supports to stand on their own and shine.  I love this concept because it's taking an element of the table that is oftentimes secondary, and giving it a podium of its own.  With the seamless glass top, this sizeable table still manages to feel light and open - a great alternative for a sleek interior aesthetic or smaller space.  

Blanco Acclaim Faucet

Blanco's booth at ICFF was surely a main attraction for us - and we're always professing our love of their stylish and dramatic faucets.  The Blanco Acclaim Faucet did not disappoint.  Perhaps it was the display of the earthy, rich shades stacked side by side, or the clean and contemporary profile of this simply lined unit that caught our attention.  Either way, this Acclaim faucet would provide a healthy injection of modern style to any sink.  

Piet Hein Eek Scrapwood Wallpaper

We were stopped in our tracks instantly upon walking by the Piet Hein booth at ICFF.  The famed Dutch designer has actually succeeded in putting planks of wood on a heavy duty, non-woven wallpaper.  This FSC certified paper can be wiped clean and goes up in a snap, due to lack of a pattern needing matching, and not requiring a wallpaper table as the wall is pasted rather than the paper itself.  This would be right at home in a vintage farmhouse or country home kitchen, and would add some textural warmth to more modern aesthetics.  

Chalkboard Decals for the Kitchen - Emma Jeffs

Without a doubt, ICFF last week was a treasure trove of finds!  First up are these ingenious chalkboard decals from UK company Emma Jeffs.  Now, I was not the first, or apparently the last, to jump on the chalkboard trend.  However, my own version - involving a messy can of black paint, many drop cloths, and a few unsightly paint splatters - was much less efficient or cool than these super easy decals.  I can see these in various places in the home.  Obviously, "Recipes" in the kitchen to house that tried and true chocolate chip cookie recipe you've made a million times but can't seem to remember, and "This Week" in the foyer as a daily reminder to not miss that doctor appointment you have on Friday.  Any way you mix it, these decals are sure to be a hit - and a heck of a lot easier to remove than my good 'ol half painted wall (sorry, landlord)!

Also of note are Emma's window decals.  Gorgeous, semi-transparent coverings for windows, ideal for hiding that brick wall your apartment might be overlooking, or keeping your kitchen sink window out of eyeshot from nosy neighbors, while still letting through the morning sun.  

Kohler Evenweave Tile-In Sink

What can I say, a fabulous apron front sink gets me every time.  While browsing for my dream sink for my own kitchen I came across this beauty from Kohler.  Its subtle woven texture and rich smoky color would add depth and intrigue to any kitchen.  I also love how Kohler has displayed this model, with the matte oil rubbed bronze faucet and creamy marble backsplash, it's a color palatte I'd like to replicate in my own home and oozes elegance.  

Marjorie Skouras Chandeliers

If you're experiencing shortness of breath it can probably be attributed to these obscenely gorgeous chandeliers from Marjorie Skouras.  You may remembering seeing the turquoise beaded version in my moodboard last week, but I felt they deserved a call-out of their own.  These would look fabulous above a kitchen island or round dining table to add a little glam and punch up the drama.  Keep the rest simple with a few touches of subtle sparkle here and there - a piece this impactful requires balance in the rest of the room.   

     
 
 

Ann Sacks Lucian Glass Tile

The new Lucian line of glass tiles from Ann Sacks is positively luscious.  Reminiscent of time worn beach glass glittering in the sand or delicate french candy drops, how can you not want to have this in your home just to run your fingers over it each time you pass it by?  This would add a wonderful serene quality to any kitchen or bathroom and soften up a more minimal look.  I see this working with so many aesthetics from traditional to industrial chic.  The only problem - choosing between the rich "truffle," ethereal"rain," or calming "azure."  I'll have one of each please.    

    

Herriott Grace Wooden Accessories

I came across this product line from various sources in the blogosphere and was immediately taken with the beautiful simplicity of these all natural, 100% salvaged wooden spoons, serving platters and other accessories.  

Upon further digging, I was equally charmed by the story of this father/daughter duo who began by simply sending small hand-carved wooden gifts to each other to ease the sting of thousand-mile separation and grew organically from there.  As they haven't moved to mass production, lucky or unlucky for us, their products often sell out within 15 minutes of the new batch being released.  Sign up to receive shop updates and get 'em quick...they'll last a lifetime. 

GE Monogram 30" Built in Refrigerator

I saw this clever new 30" built in refrigerator at the GE Monogram showroom at the A&D Building this week, courtesy of Corinne, GE's product specialist.  I was immediately drawn to the fully integrated nature of the appliance, initially even mistaking it for standard cabinetry, and the petite 30" size would be perfect in any small Manhattan kitchen.  

It's GE's first HFC-Free refrigerator in the US, surely an important benchmark by today's ever-growing demand for more environmentally friendly products. Finally, I love that the lower drawer can convert to various temperatures at the touch of a button to store frozen food or wine, for example.  Why choose between a freezer stash of meat and perfectly chilled pinot when you can alternate weekly?