It’s true that most of us have stone countertops that can withstand heat, but I think (preferably) modern trivets still have a place in the kitchen.
Not long ago I put a Pyrex baking dish straight from the oven onto our granite countertop. It was wet. The entire dish, salmon included, exploded. Seriously. Exploded.
Many kitchens, including mine, mix countertops, using a different material for the island than for the rest of the workspaces. The ship-like cherry wood countertops on either side of our stove are scorched from the tea kettle. (Not my doing.) I leave a cork trivet nearby now.
And unless you have have a marble-topped Saarinen tulip table you don’t want to be putting hot dishes on your dining table.
Since black is *the* color for decor, and I’ve done plenty of posts focusing on black decor, including black kitchen pendant lights and rooms with black walls for LampsPlus and black bedrooms for the Matouk Bedding blog, I thought it was time to do a roundup of black home furnishings and accessories. From black flatware to black seating, there are 27 choices, all with distinctive details or in interesting silhouettes. (Come to think of it, though, I may never have done a roundup of rooms with black walls here. . . perhaps I owe you one!)
I’ve done a number of sofa roundups of a variety of sofas from gray sofas to blue velvet sofas—but I have yet to pull together a collection of sleeper sofas for you. With summer guests on the horizon, I think it’s a good idea to examine some sofa bed options.
Choosing sofa beds can be tricky, since the sofas need to be deep enough to accommodate some type of mattress wide enough to pose as a bed. This means they can be bulky; hardly the contemporary look I favour. There are a number of options that go beyond the futon, but stay simple and sleek. Even the more comfortable upholstered sofa beds for sale these days have a streamlined silhouette.
I wrote a post on daybeds a while back, so I haven’t included any here save for one sectional piece that’s admittedly more of a daybed than traditional sleeper. On the Cape I have DWR’s Twilight in green which I love, but as for my old sleeper-sofa with the thin mattress and metal bar that pops out of the sofa – not so much.
Sleeper sofa design has improved, but still, if you’re shopping for a traditional sleeper, look for constructions that solve that issue. Mitchell Gold sofas tend to be great compromises for a plush upholstered sofa with a bed inside. [Availability of items checked and updated on 1-18-17]
1 Nordic Candleholder by Design House Stockholm, $69 at Horne.
2 Steelwood Chair by Magis, $658 at Nova68.
3 Cerno Silva Desk Lamp, $427.91 at Lamps Plus.
4 Woody Dining Table by Lime Studio, $249 at CB2.
5 Oiva Serving Pot by Sami Ruotsalainen, $65 at Marimekko.
6 Nest Cabinet by MADE $2,350–$5,350 at 2Modern.
7 Coral 400 Pendant by David Trubridge, $290–$360 at 2Modern.
8 Alessi Ape Aperitivo Collection, $58-$220 at Module-R.
9 PS 2012 Bamboo Side Table by Henrik Preutz, $29.99 at IKEA.
10 Eames Lounge Chair with Ottoman, $5,729 at Yliving.
11 Oeuf Crib, $940 at Fawn & Forest.
12 Marvin Coat Rack by Gareth Neal, $195 at The Future Perfect.
13 RBP Oat Pillow with Leather Trim, $44.95 at CB2.
14 Bundle Corian Side Table, $479 at Horne.
15 Alba Credenza by Jannis Ellenberger, $599 at CB2.
16 PS 2012 Pine Mirror by Ehlén Johansson, $49.99 at IKEA.
17 Les Perles Candlestick by Y’a Pas Le Feu Au Lac, $75 at Woonwinkel.
18 Festa Chopping Board by Serafino Zani, £63.50 at Made In Design.
19 Alvar Aalto Tea Trolley 901 by Artek, $2,230 at Matter.
20 Scrapwood Bucketseat by Piet Hein Eek, $735 at The Future Perfect.
21 TORNA Floor Lamp by Ehlén Johansson, $99.99 at IKEA.
22 Petite Chair, $139 at CB2.
23 Thorsten Van Elten Pigeon Light, $140 at Greener Grass Design.
24 PIK Vase by Y’a Pas Le Feu Au Lac, $95 at Horne.
25 Ceramic Vase with Wood Top, $19.99–$39.99 at West Elm.
26 Source Chair by Trevyn+Julian McGowan, $159.99 at West Elm.
27 Woody Shelving System by Hay, $840 at Finnish Design Shop.
28 Segesta Wood Chair by Alias, £273 at Made In Design.
29 Compass Trestle Legs by Matthew Hilton for SCP, $750 at Horne.
30 Vase by Javier Gutiérrez+Laurent Serin, $49.80 at DWR.
In addition to wall-to-wall carpet, pink bathroom tile, and misplaced doorways, the Delray Beach condo doesn’t really have overhead lighting—except for one oddly placed linear suspension lighting fixture. If you can get your eyes to focus beyond the nautical fanfare, you’ll see the fixture above the former owner’s dining table. We are changing the layout, so that spot will function as an entry area, probably with a console table and/or bench. (The entry door is to the right of the table.) As I mentioned yesterday, the carpet and fake wood floor will be ripped out, and a plywood floor will run throughout. So, for the purposes of this post, the question is: What to do about replacing that light fixture?
I perused the usual suspects to figure out my options—Lumens, Ylighting, Lightology, Lamps Plus, etc., and found more ceiling lights, including an interesting option I didn’t see on the US ones (#6) on the British site Argos. (And I learned a new term in all this: linear suspension lighting.) I would love to know what kind of light you think would work best. Remember, it will be an entry space, not a dining area. Ideas please!
S H O P P I N G
1 Pinto 1 Linear Suspension by Eglo, $372 at Lumens.
19 Sonneman Puri Four Light Pendant, $990 at All Modern.
20 Cellula Swarovski Crystal Chandelier, $2,730 at DWR.
21 Helix LED Linear Suspension by ET2, $1,328 at Lumens.
22 Flexxxibile Long Suspension, $2,009 at Lightology.
23 Long & Hard Suspension by Philippe Starck for Flos, $1,895 at Hive.
24 Long Light by Marcel Wanders for Moooi, $814 at Hive.
25 I-Club Small Suspension Light by LZF, $1,713.60 at Ylighting.
26 Troag Suspension Lamp by Luca Nichetto for Foscarini, $1,488 at Hive.
27 Cirrus Linear Suspension by Hinkley Lighting, $599 at Ylighting.
28 T-2205 Series Island Light by Estiluz, $1,008.80 at All Modern.
29 Tolomeo Double Suspension by Artemide, $720 at Hive.
30 Revel Linear Suspension by Tech Lighting, $1,200 at Lightology.
31 Artcraft On the Spot 3-Light, $342.91 at Lamps Plus.
32 Forecast Alexis Nickel 3-Light Rectangle, $665.91 at Lamps Plus.
33 Scandia Three Light Oval by Artcraft, $347.43 at All Modern.
34 Louvre Suspension Light by Established & Sons, $3,020 at Unica.
When choosing a light, be sure to note what kind of bulbs it requires, and if the wattage is bright enough to light your space. A guide to choosing the right GU10 LED or other similar guides light might provide helpful information.
