Here's a new one for the ever-expanding "Cool Uses for Pallet Wood" file.

UK woodworker Christopher Berry worked in the trade, in school, and at his father's East Sussex workshop, where he produced high-quality replicas of early English furniture. He's since traded the old oak of his father's shop for pallet wood—a cheap shipping material that would otherwise go to waste—to embark on a definitively more modern undertaking.

With reclaimed wood in hand, Berry designed a simple, sleek lampshade that he now produces for his studio, FactoryTwentyOne. In an eco-friendly move, Berry streamlined the entire manufacturing process and now keeps shipping cost and volume down by delivering a shade that can be assembled at home. He assures us that the process is easy: no tools, glue, or screws are required. Use the shades with existing light fixtures; they're perfect if you want to swap out unsightly shades that often come with a rental. 

To purchase, visit FactoryTwentyOne or Berry's Etsy Shop.   

 

 

It's a challenge picking the perfect kitchen faucet. Who knew? We were exposed to endless options during our recent remodel. We narrowed down the choices and ultimately went with a German-made Grohe faucet. If money weren't an issue, my top choice would have been a Dornbracht Tara faucet (also German, but four times the price). After all, the products are almost identical.

Above: We installed a Grohe Concetto Faucet in our kitchen; $376.35 from eFaucets. It is available in super steel (our choice) and in polished chrome.

Above: My top choice (if money were no object), would be the Tara Logic Single-Level Basin Mixer, a modern classic; $1,656 at Faucet Supply. 

Are you looking for the perfect kitchen faucet? See Janet's 10 Easy Pieces: Editors' Favorite Faucets, featuring some of our top picks. If you care for German engineered products (like me), check out Why I Love My Miele Vacuum.

Spotted on the floor of Mindy Marin's renovated barn: metal patches on her old wood floor—the handyman's version of patchwork. Marin covered up the holes in her wooden floor with zinc patches cut to cover the size of the hole. The patches are easily hammered in with brad nails that typically have a smaller head than regular nails (before nailing them in, MIndy beat the edge so they had a worn-in, distressed look. 

Photographs by Heidi Swanson.

Above: Mindy's renovated barn with zinc patches on the floor.

Above: Since wood is prone to expanding and contracting, metal patches work best on old wooden floors that have had time to settle.

For another genius wood floor idea, check out our post on Indigo Dyed Floors.

We love a rebel with a cause: In this case, the rebel is German designer-turned-chef Laurin Hackney, and his cause is bringing random people together over a home-cooked meal.

Hackney, along with furniture designer Travis Broussard, began serving drinks and small meals at a rogue daytime cafe inspired by the leisure of a beer garden. When patrons began asking for evening meals, their higher calling—The Parlour Dinners—was born.

Soon, Hackney found a prewar apartment in the Mitte neighborhood of Berlin and began inviting 30 guests into his living room every Thursday night. At first, the dinners were comprised of friends; then friends of friends; and eventually the evenings featured his desired motley crew. Guests sit on furniture designed by Broussard, at places set by Hackney's girlfriend, and dine on food prepared by Hackney himself. But The Parlour is not a place for avant-garde food. "I’m not a professional chef, so I’m not interested in serving something people have never seen before. In fact, I prefer to cook something they have eaten at least once in their lives and can easily relate to." The Parlour is filled with Broussard's rustic, conceptual furniture designs, all of which are for sale. At dinners, he commonly takes orders for lamps, tables, and art installations.

Of course, supper clubs like Hackney's are not always fully legal, and The Parlour Dinners has had its detractors. In December, Hackney addressed his fans with a plea for help in finding a new space; after a year in the Berlin flat, The Parlour Dinners had been forced to move.  Until then, Hackney says, "Thanks to you for celebrating with us, dining with us, for lovely discussions and cheering times. Signed, The Parlour Dinners—Still Cooking for Love!!!"

Photography by Ailine Liefeld and via Bettery Magazine.

Above: Amateur chef and rogue restaurateur Laurin Hackney.

Above: The Parlour Dinners supper club in a prewar apartment in Berlin.

Above: One of Hackney's biggest joys is watching diners become friends; in a small, intimate setting, he says, "You're forced to talk to strangers whether you like it or not."  

Above: A pallet wood table and glass jar vase play off the glamor of an antique brass candelabra.

Above: Broussard uses the variation inherent in reclaimed materials to create a striped wood table.

Above: Hackney's girlfriend prepares flowers for the evening's simple tablescapes. 

Above: The dining room functions as a sort of showroom for Travis Broussard. 

Above: The simplest table settings often achieve more than their fancier counterparts.

Above: Wood cheese boards serve as chargers and kitchen towels as napkins. 

Above: Blue and white ceramic jars hold rice and noodles. 

Above: A clever dual use for a magnetic knife rack; pot lids are always within easy reach. 

Above: A swag of dried flowers and wheel of bread are among the rustic decorations. 

Above: During the rest of the week, the space functions as Hackney's home and a sometime gallery and event space.

Visit another striking home that doubles as a supper club in Alice in Wonderland in Australia. 

Is Jean Prouvé's Potence Lamp the lighting equivalent of the little black dress? It's a timeless classic that instantly introduces a Parisian note of midcentury elegance to any room.

Prouvé's Potence Lamp has inspired countless up-and-coming lighting designers; here's a roundup of some of our favorite Prouvé-esque options, many of which ring in under a few hundred dollars.

Above: An original Potence Lamp in the apartment of artists Ines Colmorgen and André Wyst from Berlin Creatives at Home.

 Above: Atelier de Troupe's small (36-inch long) Black Jib Lamp has a enameled brass socket with a removable shade for $545.

Above: Up-and-coming Ohio-based designer Andrew Neyer's 5-Foot Crane Light pivots 180 degrees with a cord tension cantilevered design and is adjustable to any height by feeding the cable through the pivoting rod; $225 at Consignd.

Above: From Southern Lights on Etsy, the Potence Swing Arm Lamp is made from welded and hand-bent steel swiveling 150 degrees with a wood handle. The light is available painted or in its raw natural patina state for $365.

Above: Logan Henderickson's Otis Light in Black with Brass Socket swivels 180 degrees, measures 30 inches from wall to bulb with a 10-inch-high bracket; $175 from One Forty Three.

Above: The Swing-Arm Wall Light from Danish designers House Doctor is made from unfinished metal; £200 from Bodie & Fou.

Above: LA-based designer Brendan Ravenhill's Black Cord Lamp features a cloth electrical cord that provides enough tension to hold the pivoting steel arm in place; $230. For more from Brendan Ravenhill, see Live/Work in Echo Park: A Designer at Home.

On the hunt for more wall-mounted lighting options? Shop them all in our archive.

We've all been there. You want to push a piece of furniture or a countertop appliance close to the wall and a protruding plug stands in the way. And let's not even talk about the wall-mounted flat-screen TV that require unsightly cords and plugs but needs to sit flush against the wall.  Here's a simple solution: recessed outlets. 

Above: Notice the absence of cords connecting to the flat screen TV In a Brooklyn loft. Recessed outlets sit invisibly behind flush mount screens, keeping plugs and cords out of sight (for more guidance, go to 7 Secrets for Living with a Flat Screen TV, Cord Control Edition). Photograph by Ragnar Ómarsso via Skona Hem. 

Above: You can push a dresser up to the wall and still use the plug that is tucked behind by sinking a standard two socket outlet into the wall. The Leviton Recessed Duplex Outlet is available in white, black, ivory, and almond; $7.53 at Amazon. 

Above: To be filed under "great practical ideas," the simple Leviton Recessed Single Outlet with Clock Hanger includes a hook for mounting clocks and other objects (like a piece of art with a picture light that needs power); $6.80 at Amazon.

Above: Hiding outlets behind small appliances not only eliminates an eyesore but also helps gain counter space as the appliances can be pushed directly against the wall. The Arlington Recessed Electrical Outlet Mounting Box accommodates two-, four-, and six-plug receptacles (sold separately) and has a paintable coverplate for even more camouflage; prices start at $15.24 at Amazon.

Above: The Leviton Recessed Dual-Gang Duplex Receptacle with Six QuickPort Openings works well for wall-mounted flat screen TVs, wall units, and computer monitors. It manages multiple cords in a single location with connection points for AC power, audio, video, data, and phone; $20.95 at Kyle Designs.

Above: The Datacomm Recessed Media Plate with Duplex Receptacle features a super low profile design that fits behind the thinnest mounts and  TVs; $20.45 at Amazon. 

Another solution for eliminating electric socket eyesores in the kitchen? Flush pop-up outlets.

Not so long ago we featured Carolyn Leonhardt's renovation of a small 1920s cottage in the Napa Valley. The onetime crack house was in a desperate state of disrepair, but Carolyn was intent on salvaging as much as possible including the floors. She was happy to discover that the original wood flooring was fir (vertical grain Douglas fir to be precise), a superior and more durable wood to pine that was typically used in houses of the period. To create a uniform but variegated look, she used an iron sulfate wash on the wood with the help of Alan Booth of Napa Floor Company.

We asked Booth to explain the technique to us. Here's what he has to say:

Above: The reclaimed fir floor with the iron sulfate wash and finish.

"For Carolyn’s job, I started with iron sulfate mixed with water. I applied a thin coat of this mixture to the floor. The iron sulfate reacts with the tannins in the floor and oxidizes them (turns them gray). You can add more or less of the iron sulfate to the water to create a darker or lighter gray color. Woods that naturally have more tannins in them like white oak react more to the iron sulfate than woods that don’t have a lot of tannin like maple. It is possible to apply tannin to the floor before using iron sulfate to achieve a more concentrated gray color if desired."

Above: The different shades reflect the different type of fir used. The whiter the fir, the younger it is.

"After the iron sulfate wash, I mixed universal tint (in this case white and black) into water and applied a thin coat of that solution to the floor. This deposits color into the soft grain of the fir floor and helps to overtone the whole floor toward the color that is desired. It’s like staining the floor, but it has a different effect. Next, I used a clear water base sealer (Bonaseal brand). I do not recommended  adding universal tint pigment to the sealer coat."

Above: Carolyn added metal patches to cover holes in the floor. She also recommends using wine corks to fill round electrical cord holes.

"Then I applied three coats of a water-base finish (Bona Traffic brand) over that. For each coat, I custom mixed universal tint (a mix of white and black) into the finish. This suspends the color in the finish. It gives the floor a more even look and a general overtone of color. It should be noted that these processes are fairly complicated and require a lot of skill. The application of all coats must be applied with extreme consistency for the color to come out evenly."

If you're like us, you spend a great deal of time in the kitchen. More than just a space to cook, it's the room that attracts all the action, from finishing school projects, to entertaining, to eating. There's a reason why many refer to it as the nucleus of the home.

We chose five essential pieces from the new Williams-Sonoma Home Spring 2013 collection that will punctuate any kitchen and offer quality, durability and a timeless aesthetic. All are available either online at Williams-Sonoma Home, via catalog, or in-store at their New York City; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco locations.

Above: Modeled after professional prep tables, the Stainless Steel Chef Table offers a space to chop, mix and prepare. The design features cross bracing and leg levers for a stable surface. Made in the USA, the satin-steel finish is easy to wipe clean. And if you're looking for a quick place to eat, pull up a stool. Available in two heights and lengths; $1200 and $1300.

Above: The Fitzgerald Upholstered Bench has a versatile style that will complement any space in the kitchen or dining room. Classic, clean and comfortable, it is made in the USA and features thick padding, durable seating and a kiln-dried hardwood frame. Neatly upholstered and edged with welting; starting at $1299.

Above: Borrowing its look from a vintage fixture sourced in a historic New York City building, the Garrison Pendant lends a classic shape to any style kitchen. The hand-rubbed finish takes on a rich patina with age. Available in antique brass (shown here) or oiled bronze; $795.

Above: Handcrafted from wrought iron and reclaimed solid elm, the Wrought Iron Counter Stool has a humble look inspired by vintage draftsman seats. The height can be adjusted, making it for a counter staple or even backup seating option; $295.

Above: On the list of things we always need: extra space and storage. The Reclaimed Pine & Marble Island offers ample below shelving and drawers for storing essentials. Rugged and practical, it is handcrafted from reclaimed solid pine and features a veined white marble inlay for rolling doughs. The unfinished wood lends to its rustic appeal. Available in two sizes; starting at $1195.

Williams-Sonoma Home Giveaway: Enter now for a chance to win favorites from the newest collection!

When Carolyn Leonhardt and her husband, Ted, sold their Seattle-based graphic design business more than a decade ago, she had no idea she would find herself in the home design/renovation business. After successfully remodeling three small cottages in the Napa Valley, word got out and she found herself with several clients looking for help with their renovations. Carolyn's remodels are not lavish affairs, but they're sensibly and tastefully refurbished and have taught her where to spend and where to save. How does she pull it off?  As she tells us, “I study the space to understand how it does and does not work and try to use what is there when possible. Sometimes cosmetic work is enough—new cabinets, new appliances, etc. Other times, major surgery is required, but careful planning and smart choices can keep costs down.” Read on to learn Carolyn's secrets:

Photography by Douglas Sterling.

Above: One of the small 1920s cottage renovated by Carolyn. Here she opened up the roof and added French doors with transom windows above to let light into the living room.

1. Pay attention to the foundation. If you are buying a house, ask the agent about setbacks and lot coverage. Not every house is expandable. Always examine the foundation before you buy, as replacement is costly and disruptive. Usually it's most cost effective to maintain the footprint and envelope of the existing building.

2. I like to make at least one spectacular change. I think the biggest bang for the buck is to open up a ceiling. If you have an attic or a pitched roof, it's likely that you can open it up. It's not cheap, but it's life changing.

Above: The doors in this small three-bedroom cottage are the standard 7 feet but the ceiling was opened up to 15 feet at the highest point to provide a greater sense of space.

3. Keep the same size windows if possible. That said, you can also make a spectacular change with really big windows or French doors. Increasing natural light is always a good investment. If you have single glass windows—even if they're in decent shape—it may be worth replacing them with insulated windows, which will save money on heating and cooling and also help reduce sound.

4. If possible, use existing plumbing locations. In the UK and Canada, plumbing is on the outside of the building, but in the US it is in the walls, so changing it requires much more work. (Many houses have a crawl space, or a basement, which makes plumbing and wiring more accessible.)

5. Insulate all exterior walls and ceilings. If you open up any internal walls, put in insulation, particularly around bedrooms and bathrooms. It's cheap and it helps reduce sound.

Above: Custom cabinets in the kitchen with a marble countertop.  An existing window size was kept above the sink and replaced with double-paned glass.

6. If you can afford it, buy custom cabinets. If you're on a budget, Ikea cabinets are a great buy.

7. A word about countertops—remember resale. Spend a little extra money here. The newest quartz (Caesarstone and Silestone, for example) products include many lovely and discrete options. Also, IKEA still sells great, well-priced Numerar butcher block counters.

8. Unless you are a serious cook, or money is no object, don't buy an expensive commercial-style range and fridge. There are many mid-priced, great-looking appliances out there. Appliances are standard sizes, so start with what you can afford, you can always move up later. Save your money for custom cabinets and countertops.

9. There's a trend now to make kitchens and bathrooms enormous. They are also the most expensive rooms to build. Neither room needs to be huge, but they should be nicely done . A nice touch in a shared bathroom is a separate room for the toilet. It can be pretty small, but include a window if you can, and if not, add an exhaust fan.

10. Buy a good toilet—the new ones are quiet and use less water. Be sure to check reviews, as most showrooms don’t have working models. The Toto Drake ($243 at Amazon) is a favorite of mine. Dual flush models are a good option.

11. Custom glass shower doors cost about $1,500. Great-looking shower curtains cost next to nothing, and you can change them out regularly to get a new look. Plus, you don’t have to squeegee them every time you take a shower.

Above: A small pass through leading to the kitchen was turned into a study painted a dark color to make it feel bigger.

12. I'm a natural light freak and also a big fan of incandescent lighting, though this is no longer P.C. The good news is that CFL's and LED's have come a long way in the last few years. I use dimmers (almost) everywhere. It adds dollars to a project, but lets you completely control the lights. Many CFL's are also dimmable now, as are LED's.

13. Don’t overlook the big hardware stores as a source for materials and inspiration. Home Depot has Velux skylights, Daltile, Kohler cast iron bathtubs and sinks, and a pretty decent selection of kitchen and bathroom faucets.

14. Spend money on door hardware, light fixtures, and faucets. Think of it as jewelry for the home.

15. Last, but not least, never underestimate color. Paint has the power to transform. It is fast (immediate gratification), and even the good stuff is relatively inexpensive, and a careful amateur can do a good job. Hate your house? Try paint first.

 Interested in seeing one of Carolyn's houses? Go to Spring Street Cottage in St. Helena.

Even in the "white kitchen" category, there are endless material and finish options, which means there's plenty of room to maneuver and make your own mark. Here are ten of note from our Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory.

Above: London designer Charles Mellersh mixes textures with honed marble and white ceramic tiles. See Designer Visit: Charles Mellersh in London for more.

Above: Gast Architects combines a painted wood paneled back splash with a marble countertop in this San Francisco kitchen.

Above: Platt Dana Architects use tiles from Cheryl Hazan Mosaic to create a textured wall in this white kitchen in a New York apartment. See The Architect is In: Making the Most of Your Floor Plan to see how the architects maximized the space in this apartment for a busy family of five.

 Above:  San Francisco-based Nicole Hollis uses cabinets to add a tone of gray in an otherwise all-white kitchen. 

Above: Medium Plenty introduces warmth into the kitchen with a wood counter top for the island.

Above: Stone Interiors uses a gray veined marble for both the counter tops and the back splash in this Pacific Heights kitchen in San Francisco. Contemplating marble but worried about upkeep and maintenance? Consult My Dirty Secret, or How I Learn to Live with a Marble Back Splash to learn the secrets to marble maintenance.

Above: In a New York loft, Wettling Architects retained the 100 year old industrial columns and beams in this modern, white kitchen.

Above: New York designer Elizabeth Bolognino introduces open wood shelves into a white modern kitchen in a Colorado townhouse.

Above: New York-based design build firm Leone Design Studio adds high contrast to this white kitchen with a black chalkboard.

Above: Using wood shelves and a concrete sink, Medium Plenty creates a bar out of a sliver of space by the stairs to the kitchen.

In the market for an architect or a designer? See the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory and your search will soon be over.

We're in cooking mode (our upcoming theme next week is the modern kitchen). We've been cracking open our cook books (and iPads) and trying out recipes from some favorites, including Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison and Nigel Slater's classic, The Kitchen Diaries. Alexa's shopping the local markets in Paris. Here's a roundup of what's piquing our interest this week.

• • Julie recently discovered the Marshmallowists, a pop-up shop on West London's Portobello Road offering flavors like Blackcurrant & Mint, Raspberry & Champagne, and Pear & Elderflower. Photo via The Chalkboard.
• Admiring the Comme des Garcons Fluo Wallets at the Conran Shop.

• Santa Monica's latest, an organic Burger Bar.
• Christine's wondering which Architect her dog looks like.
• Stacey is pondering what to read next: Michael Pollan's Cooked or Julia Reed's But Mama Always Put Vodka in Her Sangria!? Suggestions welcome.
• Sarah's proposing Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion. Think of it as encouraging a slow food approach to fashion (and not before time).
• We're perusing Imogene + Willie's new line of home goods.

• For the cook: Pedersen and Lennard's genius Bread Bin with cookbook shelf display included.
• The power of Instagram: check out this upcoming global exhibit.
• And be sure to follow Alexa on Instagram to see what she's up to in Paris.

If you've perused Pinterest lately in search of kitchen storage ideas, you know there are thousands of images floating around, depicting various space-saving tricks. Here are 10 of our favorite ideas (we're filing them away for any future kitchen remodels).

Above: A wall-mounted dish rack frees up countertop space; image via Fab. For more ideas, see 5 Favorites: Space-Saving Dish Racks.

Above: Wall-mounted soap holder as brush holder; a genius idea from Martha Stewart.

Above: No need to stow away a collection of vintage pots; create an artful tableau using simple wall hooks; image of Adrienne Antonson's house via Design Sponge.

Above: A folding step ladder stowed in a below cabinet drawer; another Martha Stewart innovation.

Above: Kitchen design company Viola Park integrated a knife block into a stainless steel backsplash. The wood knife block holds 12 knives and is available in walnut, rift-cut white oak, and bamboo; $125. Also see 5 Quick Fixes: Knife Storage.

Above: An attractive dustpan displayed in easy reach encourages clean up; see more at Domestic Science: Vipp Dustpan and Brush.

Above: A drawer outfitted for upright flatware storage; see more at Drawer Divider Roundup.

Above: A kitchen drawer slot used as a paper towel holder, via Southern Living Magazine.

Above: Natural Rubberwood Expandable Utensil Tray; $34.99 at Chefs Catalog.

Above: Tension rods as cabinet dividers; via Martha Stewart.

Above: Dog bowl drawer, via BHG.

In Sacramento, Hock Farm restaurant is hoping to inch the state capital onto the culinary map. It's farm-to-fork dining without the usual rusticity, and its design celebrates California without being obvious. 

The Hock Farm design was led by Amy Aswell and KJ Singh of Beta Form Industries. Aswell, an interior designer, named the restaurant herself after the first large-scale agricultural settlement in Northern California: John Sutter's 1841 Hock Farm. The farm was Sutter's personal retreat and named for the Nisenan Hock tribe indigenous to the area. The Hock Farm name was a perfect fit for the restaurant, located across the street from the State Capital and wanting a vocabulary uniquely relevant to Sacramento.

Aswell wanted to be interpretive in designing a space with "farm" in its name. Noting that Sacramento is already called a "cow town," she said diners here want to embrace farm-to-table dining "without being aesthetically dominated by it." Aswell succeeded in sourcing as much as possible from the Sacramento area while creating a space that is definitively modern.

Photography by Kat Alves. 

Above: A neon art piece quotes Hock Farm settler John Sutter, who said of his experience: "I was everything, patriarch, priest, father, and judge." Diners with knowledge of Sacramento history will know the phrase, says Aswell, and it "says something about the ego of the early prominent white settlers." But she likes its ambiguity, saying "We chose not to simply glorify accomplishments but prompt discussions."

Above: Lining the tables are slim black Windsor Salt Chairs from Design Within Reach. 

Above: Many tables--including the "chef's table" above--are made of douglas fir from the Globe Mills building in Sacramento. Having undergone a fire, the wood has areas of veined charring.

Above: Thonet Era Round Armchairs in Turquoise.

Above: The upholstery is a gray tweed-inspired weave from wholesale upholstery distributor Arc|Com.

Above: The brick is not original, but the restaurant is housed in a characterless office building. Says Aswell, "Our goal for wanting to create an 'experience' in this instance trumped our typical interest in building authenticity. The space screamed out for texture." 

Above: Translucent porcelain Aspect Pendants with turquoise cording, fabricated by Schmitt Design in Sacramento.

Above: Simple silhouettes and a polished concrete floor complement a largely neutral color palette.

Above: A utilitarian strategy for hiding supplies in plain sight. 

Above: A selection of bourbons against white tile continues a subtle orange-and-white color theme.

Above: Aswell pored the library for drawings and photos of Hock Farm, and found one that could be enlarged into a wall graphic.

Above: A California-shaped table by J. Rusten Furniture Studio. Says Aswell, "We hope Jerry Brown visits soon and sits at this table!"

Above: When she needed a screen to narrow the opening to the kitchen, Aswell thought of Native American basket weaving applied to a modern material. 12M Design in Sacramento fabricated the partitions by hand.

Above: On the entry table, Schoolhouse Electric's Ion Lamp in black porcelain.

Above: The exterior sign is made of the same reclaimed douglas fir and branded with the Hock Farm logo.

Looking for more? Be inspired by 83 images of Modern Restaurants in our gallery of rooms and spaces. 

A recent Etsy discovery, San Francisco-based Ind Lights offers simple industrial lighting at a compelling price. Made to order, the lighting comes in a choice of cord colors, wall plugs, and canopy options with custom orders welcomed. For more, go to Ind Lights.

Above: The Modern Cage Light features a while plastic cage with a ceramic socket; $44.

Above: The Cloth Cord Pendant Light features ten feet of cloth-covered cord available in a choice of colors; $75.

Above: The Bare Bulb Pipe Lamp with a half inch angled pipe on a gray wall mount; $55.

Spotted (and admired) on French photographer Romain Ricard's portfolio: a simple kitchen stocked with some of our favorite accessories. From Iris Hantverk brushes to Reiss enamelware, recreate a similar setting with our sources below.

Above: Photograph by Romain Ricard.

Above: Muuto's E27 Pendant Light is available in red, yellow, white, green, and dark gray and is $79 at Design Within Reach.

Above: Schoolhouse Electric's Single Loop (L) and Double Loop (R) Edison bulbs are $15 each.

Above: The Table Brush Set, designed by Lovisa Wattman for Iris Hantverk, is made from oil treated beech wood and horse hair for CAD $38 from Mjölk.

Above: The Riess Enamel Colander is made in Austria and completely enameled in white for $39.90 from Kaufmann Mercantile.

Above: The Swedish Washing-up Whisk made of broom root from Iris Hantverk is $12 from Fjørn Scandinavian.

Above: The Red Market Handle is woven from date-palm leaves with leather handles for $38 from Medina Baskets.

Above: The Kamenoko Tawashi Scrubber is a traditional Japanese brush made from palm fiber for $6.50 from Poketo in Los Angeles.

Above: The Vola KV1 Single Handled Faucet with a double swivel spout, worked well in Janet's London kitchen with a moderate sized sink; $997.50 at Faucet Farm.

Above: House-shaped Cutting Boards in three different sizes: Cutting Board 2 (L) is €54, Cutting Board 1 is €27, and Cutting Board 4 (R) is €58. Each made from oiled oak and modeled after the skyline seen from Rundetårn in Copenhagen, available at Ferm Living.

Above: Hickory Hardware's Satin Chrome Pull is $3.15 from Lowe's.

Above: The Aga 8-Mug Teapot in cream is £56.99 from Aga Cookshop.

Above: Hang it all on a white painted shaker peg rail; Shaker Workshops offers Painted Pegboards by the linear foot. Photograph of the High Road House in London.

Looking for more scrub brushes to add to your kitchen collection? See our recent post 7 Favorites: Hardworking Scrubbers with Style.

Colorful Buttering Boards form Ferm Living can be used in a grouping or as single coasters or platters. The boards come in a choice of colors; €17.50 from Ferm Living.

Above: The mats are made from laminated birch veneer.

Above: The mats come in the four colors shown: coral, rose, blue and green.

In furthering their design education, two young architects decide to be their own designers, clients, and builders. The result?  A completely bespoke house where everything is handmade, even the sinks.

Architects Jay Atherton and Cy Keener, friends from graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley, created an out-of-the-ordinary house in downtown Phoenix using the ubiquitous desert building material, concrete block. With rigor, thought, and time, the pair wanted to accomplish as much as possible using just a few materials. Were they successful? Their unconventional and edgy kitchen details and the subsequent founding of their firm, Atherton Keener, might suggest that they were.

Photography by Ye Rin Mok via Dwell.

Above: Walls made out of concrete block frame the opening to the galley kitchen. Concrete block is a ubiquitous building material in the desert climate.

Above: The architects made all the cabinets (bathroom, kitchen, hallway storage) out of plywood which they dyed black. Instead of handles, they cut out narrow slots in the cabinets to serve as hand pulls.

Above: A detail of the marine plywood kitchen sink that Atherton made and inset into the concrete countertop.

Above: An knife holder has been integrated into the kitchen counter.

Above: The architects designed their own inset switch plates from one-eight-inch aluminum and inset them into the concrete block wall.

Concrete and plywood are two materials that are often used together.  See 480 images of Concrete and 194 images of Plywood in our Gallery of rooms and spaces to see more.

Gardenista editor Michelle Slatalla offers this advice in her recent column, 10 Mistakes to Avoid When You Remodel: "Don't skimp on the appliances. Get the ones you really want even if they cost more." Case in point: the two hardest working kitchen appliances, the refrigerator and the stove. The latest designs from Sub-Zero and Wolf should be top of the list of contenders when upgrading or renovating your kitchen.

Wolf Gas Ranges

Above: The new line of gas ranges from Wolf were designed to complement Sub-Zero refrigerators with a slightly more streamlined look and coordinated handle designs as well as design enhancements for improved cooking control, better cleaning, and better fit with adjustable feet that accommodate floor and cabinet variations. The updated professional cookers come in 30-, 36-, 48-, and 60-inch wide models with twelve different rangetop configurations including infrared charbroil, infrared griddle, double griddle, charbroil, and French top. The Wolf 48-Inch Gas Range (shown above) features two ovens: one 30-inch gas convection oven with infrared broiler and ultra-fast preheating, and one 18-inch non-convection oven; pricesrange from $9,325 to $10,680, depending on top configuration, through Wolf Authorized Dealers.

Above: The Wolf gas ranges have been upgraded with sealed dual-stacked burners for more heat control and sealed seamless burner pans for easier cleaning. Porcelain-coated, cast-iron continuous burner grates provide even heating.

Above: The Wolf 36-inch Gas Range has one large gas convection oven with three adjustable racks and a powerful infrared broiler that sears quickly and evenly. Prices start at $6,060.  

Above: Wolf's signature knobs have been redesigned with stainless steel bezels. All models are available with the option of red, black, or stainless steel (as shown) knobs.

Sub-Zero French Door Refrigerator

Above: Favored by many for their space efficiency (opening the doors requires half the space of full size doors) and energy efficiency (opening one French door keeps more cold air inside as compared to one large swing door), Sub-Zero's 36-Inch French Door Refrigerator has two 18-inch refrigerator doors over their classic pullout bottom freezer drawer. Other high performance features include an air purification system, water filtration, and a dual-compressor operating system that separately controls the temperature and humidity of the refrigerator and freezer compartments.  

Above:  Known for their superb performance and design, Sub-Zero took on a French door refrigerator issue and designed theirs based on a pivoting center mullion so that each door has an independent seal. The Sub-Zero BI-36UFD French Door Refrigerator is available in stainless steel with tubular handles or pro handles, or ready to be fitted with a custom panel overlay and frame handles; $10,060 (for stainless) and $8,575 (overlay ready) through authorized Sub-Zero Dealers.

Above: The Sub-Zero interior is spacious with adjustable, sturdy, and easy-to-clean glass shelves. The 18-inch-wide doors open independently or in tandem for full access to the refrigerator’s interior even in narrower kitchen spaces.

Brought to you by Sub-Zero and Wolf, your food preservation and cooking specialists.

Spotted, via Italian designers Teste di Legno, an ingenious way to combine off-the-shelf Ikea components to make a custom compact kitchen, complete with a built-in herb garden:

Above: The Unacucina is made from about a dozen different Ikea products, including a faucet, a table, metal planters, a watering can, a cooktop and a sink. Photograph via Teste di Legno. 

Want to try to make one yourself? Here are some of the crucial components:

Above: Made of birch, a Norden Extendable Table comes in two sizes; an 87-inch-long table that extends to 1-5 inches is $399.

Above: A chrome-plated Glittran Faucet is $149.

See the rest of the post on Gardenista.

For more kitchen planter ideas, see Hanging Window Box From Ikea.

Seattle-based Henrybuilt, maker of custom kitchens, likes to consider itself the creator of the first American kitchen "system." Its combination of finely crafted design with well-designed components (integrated functionality with a clean, modern look) have made the brand a covetable kitchen line. Their latest iteration? The Opencase Storage System that accommodates a multitude of domestic needs beyond the kitchen from pantry, den, to the hall.

Combining system and craft, Henrybuilt has raised the bar on storage solutions. Pricing ranges from $2500 for some single panel configurations to $5000 for panels requiring a number of more complex components. For more on the newly launched line, visit Henrybuilt.

Above: An Opencase pantry configuration. The custom wall-mounted panels in the Opencase system run as large as 8 feet tall by 4 feet wide and come in a selection of woods including walnut, oak, ash, and teak.

Above: Shown here are storage boxes in a pantry that can double as shelving. Note the finely rounded corners of the lid. The rod and panel design allows the system to be both highly specialized in its function and interchangeable.

Above: An Opencase mudroom system. A collection of specialized accessories are available, including shelves, bins, hanging rods, and cloth bags that hang on the rods, allowing them to be easily reconfigured.

Above: An Opencase wardrobe system with removable laundry bags suspended from rods.

Above: Storage bags hanging from rods.

Above: A detail of the shelving. The base of each rod remains fixed within the panel, while the rods can be unscrewed and moved to create different configurations.

For more on the offerings from Henrybuilt, see our previous posts.