Frog.

I like the Frog Chaise and Chairs from Living Divani Italy. Designed by Piero Lissoni, these outdoor pieces carry an air of unique and simple sophistication. The Frog lounge and chair are built for stability and durability. The frame is made from tubular stainless steel and trimmed with PVC. There is a nice variety of colors available in this collection. The chaise lounge may also be outfitted with a comfortable cushion. Although created for outdoors, I can easily see the lounge or chair used for seating inside a contemporary or modern home.

Unique Art Expressions.

Repurposed license plates and car, bicycle and knitting machine parts are crafted together to create these unique wall art expressions. According to Mercury Originals, their inspiration is the synergy of furniture and art. Their innovative pieces are hand-built in High Point, North Carolina. It's great fun to see unique combinations of metal, exotic woods, found objects and unexpected finishes used in art and home furnishings.

Armani Hotels & Resorts.

Armani Hotel Dubai

Giorgio Armani has extended his impeccable sensibilities for fashion, style and design to encompass the complete experience of hospitality.

Armani Hotels & Resorts will be places of beauty, elegance and grace, located in major cities and resort destinations across the world. They will define superior service, immaculate design and incomparable luxury.

Emaar, headquartered in Dubai, is a global property developer responsible for creating the iconic Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building and The Dubai Mall, one of the world's largest shopping and entertainment destinations. Replicating its successful business model in Dubai, Emaar, who has collaborated with Armani, will own and operate the unique worldwide collection of Armani Hotels & Resorts. The first of these fine properties is now open in Dubai.

Dubai

Schizo Vase.

I have seen some of the coolest product designs come from the Dutch. The Schizo Vase is no exception. The vase is actually inspired by the mental disorder, Schizophrenia. This psychiatric diagnosis is a mental illness characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality.

This vase by OOOMS has two faces. Because of the ribbed surface the silhouette of two different shapes can be seen. Is the one shape more real than the other? The vase, which is quite functional, is definitely a 'conversation piece'.

Today!

It arrives today. I anxiously wait to pick mine up. Here is our story from 2008.

The Arts & Crafts Movement. Pottery.

My friend Matt in New York introduced me to the nationally renowned tiles from Pewabic Pottery. Founded in 1903 during the Arts & Crafts Movement, Pewabic creates beautiful tiles and pottery using very unique glazes. Their tiles have and continue to be used in both residential and commercial projects, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Freer Gallery here in Washington, DC and the Louvre in Paris. Pewabic Pottery also operates a non profit art education center and frequently has exhibitions and events featuring the craft that they are most passionate about. If in the Detroit area, a visit to Pewabic tile is a must for design enthusiasts and anyone interested in the Arts and Crafts Movement in the United States.

Kaws.

I am super fond of these vinyl plastic toys designed by Brooklyn, NY artist Kaws, whose real name is Brian Donnelly. The limited edition toys are made by Medicom Toy. The toys were an instant hit with the global art toy-collecting community when they were first introduced. The artist's toys will appear in "Kaws", a solo museum debut at Connecticut's Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum on 27 June. His design brand, Original Fake, features his four foot tall Companion, (shown above), who is available in six different versions. I would love to see one of Kaws' designs randomly introduced as a quirky touch in a contemporary or more traditional home.

Summer!

Check out Thursday's Washington Post!

There are two terrific articles regarding my recent visit to the brand new Room & Board Home Furnishings store at 14th and T Streets, Washington, DC. I have selected six of my favorite pieces from the store. Read all about it by following the links below! The article is also located on page five of the "Local Living" section of the Post's Thursday Print Edition.

"Designer Picks from Room & Board's New Washington Store"

"Room & Board Moves In" Slideshow

We had a live "Home Front" chat Thursday, 17 June at 11:00am ET. The transcript from the webchat may be found here.

"Home Front" Webchat this Thursday!

http://live.washingtonpost.com/home-front-06-17-10.html

Please join Patrick and Jura Koncius of The Washington Post for a Live "Home Front" Webchat this Thursday, June 17th.

Tetris.

The Tetris Vanity and Wash Basin from Porcelanosa is both ultra contemporary and distinctly rugged at the same time. The solid surface sink has a tumbled granite surface while the side cabinet has a lovely Oak veneer. The cabinet has the convenience of a drawer inside for extra storage. The wall mounted unit is available in an array of sizes, configurations, colors and material finish options.

Watering Cans.

These fun watering cans from Sprout Home are not only functional, but they would look terrific just sitting outside ready to be put to use. Both the quirky-shaped blue watering can and the water logged can are made of tough recycled plastic. The Celia Birtwells floral pattern watering can is made of galvanized steel, which is lightweight and durable. The rose shape spout head is a great detail. It is also removable.

Happy Pride.

Exotic Wood Furniture.

The beauty of natural-edge slabs of wood are creatively combined with custom-made bases of metal, concrete, glass and wood to create unique functional works of art. Among the pieces in the Exotic Wood Furniture collection are desk, dining, conference, sofa and coffee tables. I am fond of how the rustic pieces of wood are foiled by the clean, sharp lines of the contemporary metal base.

1802 Fruit Spoon.

This exquisitely detailed Fruit Spoon from Beekman 1802 is hand-forged and polished by master blacksmiths using an authentic 18th century spoon mold and the alloy Brittania which was popular at the time.

In addition to these beautiful Fruit Spoons, Beekman 1802 Mercantile, is committed to sharing only handmade, artisanal products straight from THE FARM AT BEEKMAN 1802. Subscribers to their website are notified of exclusive shopping opportunities for purchasing items from their collection of Goat Milk Soaps & Skin Caree, Garden items, Goods for the Home and Provisions. and Fine Edibles.

Simple, Sophisticated Cabinet.

A piece of furniture that is simple, sophisticated and understated will oftentimes go a long way in a room. Such is the case with this "Jack Cabinet" from Usona. The clean lines of this piece are foiled by the delicate curve of the burnished door handles. The Oak wood cabinet is available in open pore dark or white finish with three internal shelves.

Baroque Indulgence.

Distinctly different, definitely eccentric and deliciously indulgent, is Liv Chic's collection of Modern Baroque Furniture. While it may not be to everyone's liking, I can certainly appreciate the splendor of this exciting collection.

Liv Chic describes their furniture as an answer to the call for "Haute-Femme Modern Baroque". The customizable collection as well as one of a kind bespoke services, are accessible to all furniture savvy buyers at affordable prices. There are exuberant beds, lavish chairs and settees as well as creative case goods to choose from. Here are photos of a few of the pieces that "spoke to me".

Mahogany Veneer Writing Desk.

This beautiful writing desk from Atelier Viollet is made from Mahogany, Leather and Pre-Ban Ivory. The Mahogany on the piece is made through a veneering process. According to the Atelier Viollet website, "Veneering is the application of a thin patterned wood onto a wood substrate. It is one of the oldest decorative arts; the earliest known use of it was in Egyptian tombs from 2,000 B.C. Veneers are layers of wood, fractions of an inch thick, produced by the slicing of a log. The wood's origins, the part of the tree it comes from, its rate of growth, its luster, its age, are all considered in choosing fine veneers."