Remodelista contributor Allison's laundry room has long been my object of envy. So, who better to talk to when I was recently in the market for a new washer and dryer?

Allison's choice was a front-loading Whirlpool Duet steam washer and dryer. "With three kids and a dog, we easily run two loads a day," she says. Compared to top-loading washers, front loaders are not only more space-efficient (since they can be stacked), they also use significantly less water, accommodate larger loads, and shorten drying times by spinning more water out of the clothes. Some washers, like Allison's, also offer a steam option, which helps in getting out stains. In dryers, the steam option relaxes wrinkles, preventing them from setting in dry clothes.

After a few years in use, Allison would happily repurchase her Duet set, but recommends purchasing the extended warranty: "The sensors can be sensitive." Read on to see what I ended up purchasing.

N.B.: For more options, consult 10 Easy Pieces: Front-Loading Washers.

Above: Allison's setup (which we covered in Allison's Mill Valley Laundry Room) includes the Whirlpool Duet steam washer and dryer. A tip from her: "With all front-loaders, keep the door ajar to prevent mildew."

Above: Allison's exact model is the Whirlpool Duet Steam Washer (WFW9750WW) is $969 at AJ Madison. It gets excellent ratings and is quiet, stackable, and spacious. The matching Whirlpool Duet Steam Electric Dryer (WFW9750W) is $879 at AJ Madison.

Above: Allison's set were a bit too much for my budget, so I opted for a lower-priced set from the Whirlpool-owned Maytag brand. It has been a stellar performer for us. The Maytag 2000 Series 3.5 Cubic Foot Front Loading Washer and the accompanying Maytag 2000 Series 6.7 Cubic Foot Electric Dryer are $719.10 and $674.10, respectively, at Lowe's.

Neatly tied or left frayed at the ends, a good piece of rope can add an unexpected touch to dressers, bureaus, even doors.

Here are five ideas, easily emulated.

Above: Spotted in the interior of Folk in Munich: knotted marine rope used as drawer pulls. A good online source of marine rope is Knot & Rope Supply, which carries a wide selection in a variety of colors.

Above: Sub out less-desirable drawer handles with this Pliant Rope Handle by Sibella Court for Anthropologie; $12.

Above: Our friend Tricia Rose (creator of Rough Linen) has a nautical theme going on in her home: To spruce up some drawers, she threaded rope through four drilled holes.

Above: A rustic door handle, which we covered previously in Steal This Look: Vintage Bath from Country Living Magazine.

Above: Another good application for nautical knots besides the high seas: a rope-pull; via Kojo Designs.

The architect in me is always interested in seeing how other architects inhabit their space. I recently caught up with New York-based David Mann and his partner Fritz Karch, the editorial director of collecting at Martha Stewart Living.

When Mann, an architect at MR Architecture + Decor, moved to this Washington Square penthouse studio in New York twenty years ago, he channeled his energy into restoring the apartment back to its original Art Deco state (including replastering all the walls and ceilings and stripping the steel windows). A wise strategy, since he's had to do little since; instead, the couple has filled the apartment with the things they love; a few choice artworks and a smattering of finds from local flea markets, which Karch scours religiously. For more photos, see An Afternoon with David & Fritz.

Photography by Michael Mundy of An Afternoon With.

Above: David Mann (L) with collector Fritz Karch (R).

Above: In the entry hall, a self-portrait by Benjamin Cottam sits amid various flea market finds, including a klieg light used in film-making, a Swiss hospital table from the 1920s, and a wire sculpture which Mann likens to a Bertoia.

Above: Silhouettes of Karch and Mann displayed on the Swiss hospital table.

Above: A low bed draped in a Mongolian lamb bedspread from J. Mendel doubles as a seating area in the studio apartment.

Above: A stack of books add texture and color to the living area (L). An orb by ceramist Pamela Sunday (R).

Above: Mann refers to Karch's collecting influence as a "slight dusting of Fritz over the apartment."

Above: In the kitchen, Bisazza glass mosaic tiles add color and interest to a small space.

Above: Even a sponge and a kitchen brush can become part of the decor.

Above: Mann stripped all the window frames back to their original finish when he moved into the apartment. The roof terrace shows evidence of Karch's green thumb.

Above: The couple do most of their entertaining on the terrace, which becomes a second room in the warmer months. The bench is carved from a single piece of wood.

I am not the most courageous when it comes to color, but I've been won over by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbook's orangey-red tights—and now I'm seeing red everywhere.

Swanson is all about neutrals with "a splash of color—sometimes secret, sometimes more obvious." She favors red tights, "with a black dress and black ballet flats, or for a more stealthy pop, under a dress with boots—maybe ever layered under knee-high socks." Swanson's go-to pair are the Opaque Red Tights from Anthropologie, where the red has just a hint of orange. Here are some other examples that we've spotted on the runway and elsewhere.

Above: Red tights on the runway at the recent Fall/Winter 2012 A Détacher show, via Style.com. The A Détacher tights are not yet available; for similar tights, consider J. Crew's Decadent Red Tights, currently on sale for $9.99.

Above: Topshop's 50 Dernier Dark Coral Tights are an easy investment at $8 a pair. Photograph by Sophie Chivet.

Above: A Détacher tights paired with orange shoes; via Domahoka.

Above: Rusty red tights are worn with No. 6 Boots, via No. 6 Daily. For similar tights, the Brick Bond Sweater Tights are $29.95 from Anthropologie.

We've long admired cult French fashion label A.P.C.'s quilts, but have shied away from the price tag. Luckily, we've come across way to take home a small piece, thanks to Anthropologie.

The A.P.C. quilts are a collaboration between fashion designer Jessica Odgen and A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou. Touitou was inspired by his mother (she sewed quilts out of textile scraps from Kenzo) to make these quilts, which are pieced together from archival A.P.C. fabrics in traditional motifs. A.P.C. sells the quilts online, and Anthropologie carries pillows with A.P.C. quilted covers.

Above: Quilt 14 in lilac is $515 from A.P.C. Online. Photograph by Marko MacPherson.

Above: The Semiologie Quilted Pillow in lilac is $68 from Anthropologie.

We've had our eye on Ochre/s Cherubino lamp for a while now, so we couldn't help but notice an eerily similar lamp at Ikea recently.

Above: Ochre's Cherubino light is $490.

Above: The Ljusås Uvås lamp from IKEA is $39.99.

I'm a megalomaniacal gardener with a lot of pent-up demand by the time winter finally ends. I plant too many kinds of tomatoes and carrots and lettuces and tomatoes and radishes. And tomatoes. Botanical markers are the only thing standing between me and chaos in the vegetable garden. I was happy to find a variety of options at different prices.

Above: Simple blackboard plant markers won't steal the show from the lettuces. Image via The Redheaded Hostess.

Above: A pair of Chalkboard Garden Labels on tin stakes ($24 at Terrain) are an investment; they should last for years. To re-use, simply erase the name of whatever the rabbits ate last night.

Above: A set of ten wooden Blackboard Garden Labels comes with a chinagraph pencil ($14 at Terrain).

Above: The wax won't wash away in the rain. Image via Onari.

Above: Or make your own, using leftover wooden stakes, black stain from that half-empty can that's on a shelf in the garage, and a paint pen. Step-by-step DIY instructions are available from The Redheaded Hostess.

Elevate humble household objects and vintage furniture with a quick coat of white matte paint; here are five ideas.

Above: A collection of wine bottles spray-painted matte white creates a decorative accent at the Anthem Cafe in Tokyo.

Above: Spotted on a recent trip to ABC Carpet, the Messerblock knife block by German designer Ermert Schaefer of ES. A future DIY project?

Above: We've admired tree-stump stools with painted tops before (see DIY: Garden Stools); we also like these side tables made from felled logs, with exteriors painted glossy white. Designer Marie-Laure Helmkampf came up with the idea for a project in Provence.

Above: A collection of vintage frames painted white creates an art installation; image via Yatzer.

Above: Look closely: the chairs at Laurier in Paris feature strategically painted white detailing.

One of those impossibly tiny shops specializing in a little bit of this and that, Top Hat, on the Lower East Side, stands out because each of its choices is surprising and delightful.

Top Hat is the public face of Nina Allen's wholesale company Sweet Bella, which is the exclusive U.S. distributor for a far-ranging group of finds, such as the original Japanese rice paper tape, brushes made by Berlin's Institute for the Blind, pushpins and paperclips by Milan's Mondial Lus, and Japanese balloon lamps.

Photography by Seth Smoot for Remodelista. Styling by Kendra Smoot.

Above: A sign made from scrap wood marks the shop at 245 Broome Street, between Orchard and Ludlow.

Above: In the window: minimalist rocking horses of ash and stainless steel by Germany company Sirch.

Above: Gold and nickel-plated stainless steel scissors from Germany; $65 to $100.

Above: Polish wobble dolls, $55 (large) and $24 (small), on a vintage wallpaper table. Under the table is an Indian powder-coated metal trunk. The cotton map blanket is Austrian; $180. The children's walking toy hanging on the wall is made from real horseshoes.

Above: A notebook by French designer Patricia Dore scattered with erasers from the Czech Republic.

Above: Kaweco of Nuremberg, Germany, has been making pens since 1833. This example, a design that dates to the 1930s, rests on notebooks from South Korea and an Italian plaid-wool iPad case. The rice paper tape is by Kamoi Kakoshi.

Above: Top Hat recently debuted furniture by Irish designers Aodh, including a rocker ($775 plus additional charge for upholstery) with a seat of vegetable-dyed Irish tweed. It rests on a reversible indoor/outdoor plastic rug, $210, from Brita Sweden, produced using Swedish weaving traditions. The pink-and-white wool throw, $335, is by Danish designers Scholten & Baijings.

Some of our favorite things about this West Village townhouse are what's not here: no grandstand kitchen, no fussy entryway, no statement lighting, no tub in every bathroom. Instead, a refreshing sense of simplicity and space.

New York architectural firm Messana O'Rorke (a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory) recently renovated an 1853 Greek Revival townhouse for a bachelor. Because so much of the house had been modified over the years, the architects decided to leave the past behind, gutting the interiors entirely and starting afresh. At one point, the home had been converted into a boarding house, so each floor was divided into four rooms off a main hallway. The architects reconfigured the house with open living spaces at the front of the building and utilities (kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, and storage) at the back.

Photography by Eric Laignel.

Above: Throughout the house, the architects added coves at the ceiling edges to create ambient lighting and conceal vents. The living room sofas are custom from reGeneration; a Noguchi Floor Lamp is paired with a ceramic wall sculpture by Shizue Imai.

Above: In the building's original layout, the front door opened onto a small vestibule and hallway; now it opens directly into the living room. A wall of storage hides the television. The vintage chairs are from reGeneration.

Above: The dining room features a solid walnut dining table by German designer Catharina Lorenz. By the fireplace is a glass cube designed by the architects to hold spare firewood. The ceramic sculptures are by Pamela Sunday; the framed photographs are by Michael Eastman.

Above: "We try not to overdesign our projects," says architect Brian Messana. "We ask, 'What are the key elements we are trying to strive for?'" The sink and medicine cabinet are the architects' custom designs.

Above: "The oak is really the main character of this story, the element that moves you through each space," says Messana. The floors throughout are new oak, wire-brushed and lime-washed for a warm, worn feel. The custom stair rail is brushed-steel.

Above: A guest bedroom features a solid walnut plank bed designed by the architects, and BassamFellows' walnut Tractor Stool. The gilt Ceramic Lamp is by Andrea Koeppel, sitting on a Lake Dresser from BDDW. The photograph of Ireland is by Giles Norman.

Above: In the master bedroom, a sculpture by Alain Douillard is flanked by a Hans Wegner shell chair and a Noguchi lamp. The bed linens are by Area. Throughout the house, the walls are painted Benjamin Moore Super White. "You never really experience white, you experience the colors and shades depending on where you're at and what is reflecting into the space," says Messana.

Above: The master bath features a custom marble sink. "We wanted to create a space that was disconnected from the hyperactivity of the West Village and New York City," says Messana.

Above: The rooftop garden features furniture from Munder-Skiles, a barbecue and an outdoor shower (not pictured).

Interior designer Rose Uniacke's newly refurbished villa in London is refined yet rough, understated yet impossibly grand.

Five years in the rehabbing, the Grade II–listed Victorian villa in Pimlico was built in 1859 and housed the Grosvenor School of Modern Art before Uniacke took it on as a residential project. She's described the interiors as "glamorous but raw"; the floorboards have been stripped bare, and the kitchen features a floor made from reclaimed rustic stone tiles. To see more of her work and to browse the offerings at her eponymous antiques shop, go to Rose Uniacke; also see House Call: Rose Uniacke in London.

Photographed by Simon Upton for the November 2011 issue of World of Interiors.

Above: Armchairs clad in drapey slipcovers add a note of informality to the architecturally elaborate space.

Above: The vast rooms are painted creamy white; drama is provided by the architectural details and the plaster moldings.

Above: A window is situated above a mantel; a chair covered in dark red velvet offers a dash of restrained color.

Above: A linen-draped dining table occupies a corner of the living room.

Above: The spare, pared-back kitchen is tiled in antique stone.

Above: Paleness pervades the dining area.

Above: The grand master bedroom, in shades of cream and rose (one of Uniacke's cashmere blankets is draped on the bed).

Above: An interior atrium (L) features tropical plants; a minimalist indoor pool (R).

UK-based designer Marthe Armitage has been making her hand-blocked wallpaper for 40 years, using a century-old offset lithographic printing press and hand-cut lino blocks.

Her papers, printed in fanciful patterns featuring flora and fauna and bucolic country scenes, are available from Hamilton Weston. N.B. See the wallpaper in situ at Designer Visit: Ebba Thott's Notting Hill Flat.

Above: Oakleaf.

Above: Hop Garden is also available in metallic gold.

Above: Jugs is also available in metallic gold.

Above: Chestnut is available as wallpaper or fabric.

Above: Armitage, who is a member of the Art Workers' Guild, at work in her studio.

It's all very nice that Matthew can miraculously walk again, and that Lavinia conveniently died of the Spanish flu to clear the way for Mary to marry the heir and keep Downton Abbey in the family. But while many plot twists were resolved during the second season of my favorite British soap opera, one big question remains: Why don't they shoot more scenes in the garden?

Above: Highclere Castle, which lies to the west of London, was chosen as the setting for the fictional Downton Abbey because its grand sprawl testifies to "the confidence and soaring optimism of the Edwardian period," the series' creator says. Image via Highclere Castle.

Above: The castle's White Border, with ornamental pears, Lily of the Nile, hydrangea bushes, and roses, relies on nothing more than hardy, old-fashioned garden workhorses. The planting scheme, for full sun, is easy to re-create in a temperate growing zone. Image via Highclere Castle.

Above: First, some structure. At the front of a perennial border, a shrub like Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' will boss around lacier flowers with its blowsy pompons. But in a nice way. Like many woody shrubs, it may take a couple of years to get established; available seasonally ($18.95 from Wayside Gardens). Image via White Swan.

Above: One lovely attribute of Lily of the Nile is that it attracts butterflies. With its long, graceful stalks, Agapanthus africanus 'Albus' (available seasonally from Monrovia) provides a contrast in textures when planted near the unruly mound of a snowball hydrangea. Image via Royal Horticultural Society.

Above: You've done enough for one morning. After all, you did go to the trouble of splitting the pot-bound agapanthus root balls with a sharp spade so they could breathe again, didn't you? Relax on an Ironwork Garden Bench ($1,358 via Terrain), positioned to provide an advantageous view of your handiwork.

Above: On to the white roses. Far be it from me to tell you which to buy, because fragrance is a very personal choice. But you won't go wrong with a damask shrub rose like 'Mme Hardy' ($18.95, at David Austin Roses). Its heady perfume may remind you of the violet scent your grandmother dabbed on a handkerchief, and isn't that why you have a garden in the first place? Image via Gardenweb.

Above: If Mary lived in the present, we feel certain she'd serve tisane in the garden using a Glass Herbal Teapot from the Wolseley in London (£77 from the Wolseley's online shop).

Above: Edge the perennials with a very British carpet of close-clipped sod. Image via Highclere Castle.

Above: We recommend you keep the grass groomed with a Reel Mower ($84.50 via The Energy Conscious). It makes such a civilized clip-clip sound.

Above: Yes, of course you may have an ornamental pear. Image via The Garden Wanderer. And as you may remember, we recently shared some thoughts about how to train an espalier.

We're currently admiring the luxe interiors at Massimo in Mayfair, an Italian restaurant designed by David Collins (he's also the visual impresario of the Wolseley, the city's grandest cafe).

See more at David Collins Studio.

Noticed (and admired) lately: once-fusty Victorian lampshades, which suddenly seem fresh when clustered haphazardly or covered in unexpected shades of orange or mauve.

Above: A formidable, oversized fringed lampshade in an interior by Abigail Ahern.

Above: A pair of fabric lampshades in a bedroom photographed for the Toast catalog.

Above: A Cluster Chandelier made from vintage lampshades by JamesPlumb, shown in situ at Hostem in London.

Above: The interior of the Kafi Dihei in Zurich is festooned in lampshade pendants; image via Lili Pepper.

Above: Another view of the Kafi Dihei; image via Kafi Dihei.

Frustrated by a dearth of light fixtures that he could spec for his buildings, architect Charles Morris was inspired to produce his own line of classically simple sconces, table lamps, and chandeliers.

An aficionado of the Arts & Crafts movement and a member of the Art Workers' Guild in London (not to mention architect of Orchard Room at Prince Charles’s Highgrove estate), Morris designs lights that are clearly inspired by tradition but have an idiosyncratic charm all of their own. His fixtures—which he says are "equally at home in a Tudor manor or a minimalist studio"—can be seen at his London showroom and are also available online.

Above: The Brampton Table Lamp (L) features a swivel arm and candleholder; £660. The Rodmarton Single Arm Wall Light (R) is made of patinated steel; £144.

Above: The Brampton Table Lamp (L) features a swivel arm and candleholder; £660. The Paperhouse Five Branch Candelabra (R) £510 includes both short and long hooks for adjusting the length of the drop.

Suffering from delusions of grandeur? Longing to release the inner squire? Purley Hall may be the answer.

Set on 25 acres of classical gardens and parkland, the ten-bedroom manor house is located in Berkshire (pronounced Bark-shire), just west of London. Built in 1609 in the Jacobean era by the grandfather of Queen Anne, the Hall has been modernized and elegantly pared down without losing any of the essential period detailing. To install yourself, go to Purley Hall for rental details.

Above: Large bay windows overlook the grounds.

Above: An original wooden staircase with a decorative strapwork ceiling typical of the period.

Above: The drawing room with stained hardwood floors. Wooden shutters are used in lieu of curtains, keeping the look spare but comfortable.

Above: A modern chaise longue in front of one of the bay windows.

Above: An original mantelpiece.

Above: A series of arches in the hallway, a motif with a nod to the Renaissance.

Above: A simple fireplace with stone hearth (L). Wooden floors painted gray (R).

Above: Wood paneled walls and wooden floors, both painted white to match the walls.

Above: An all-white bedroom accented with dusty shades of pale blue.

Above: Intricate wood carvings above a fireplace.

Above: A bedroom in shades of blue and white with a decorative collection of plates.

Above: The extensive grounds of Purley Hall.

As Downton Abbey devotees, we've been finding ourselves more drawn to the servants' quarters than the grand upstairs spaces; in particular, the kitchen, with its rows of gleaming copper pots and rough-hewn staff dining table. Re-create the look with the following elements.

Above: A kitchen from the same period; image via Audley End House. For a similar worktable, try Farmhouse Dining Tables, which imports farm tables made in England using antique pine timbers.

Above: The row of butler's bells at Downton Abbey.

Above: Williams-Sonoma's new line of washed linens is made in Italy by a family-owned company. Prices start at $49.95 for a set of four Washed Linen Napkins.

Above: In production since the 1860s: earthenware mixing bowls from British pottery Mason Cash; a set of seven Mason Cash Pudding Bowls in graduated sizes is $79.95 at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: Daisy would get some use out of these Porcelain Measuring Spoons; £5 at Labour and Wait.

Above: A baking essential: Wooden Scoop Set, made from natural beech; £19.50 at Cox & Cox in the UK.

Above: Mauviel copper pots are made in Normandy, France, and feature riveted bronze handles; they're pricey but last forever (your descendants will thank you). Prices start at $125 for a Mauviel Copper Butter Warmer at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: Milton Brook Mortar & Pestle; $25 at Cookware.

Above: Worth hauling back from your next trip to London: the Labour & Wait Bread Bin (exclusively available from Labour & Wait) in a red-oxide-brown shade dating from the 1920s with crisp white Gill Sans lettering. The bin has air holes to allow the bread to breathe; £58.

Above: A key ingredient in the properly outfitted retro kitchen: electricals. We like the solid brass Push Button One Gang Coverplate ($18) paired with the Heavy-Duty Three-Way Switch ($18) at Schoolhouse Electric & Supply.

Above: Willow & Stone in the UK carries the Brass Butler Bell in solid aged brass with an oak back plate; £75.

Above: Lots of dusting going on upstairs; similar to the one pictured is the Unisan Ostrich Feather Duster with wood handle for $26.64 at Sears; image via Cox & Cox.

Above: The 3-Gallon Galvanized Steel Mop Pail with Roller from US company Behrens is $28.03 at Amazon.

Above: Unisan Deck Mop with wooden handle; $7.72 at Sears. Another option is the Genuine Joe Wet Mop, made from natural cotton with a wood handle, $19.74 at Amazon.

For the literary-minded chef: Kitchen Sink Dramas tea towels, featuring pages from six Edwardian-era works of fiction.

The stories, silk-screened by hand onto cotton fabric, include The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde and The Escape by Katherine Mansfield. In addition to the Edwardian Collection, there is also a Children's Collection (Alice in Wonderland, The Secret Garden). They are available directly from Kitchen Sink Dramas; £14 per tea towel (or £75 for a set of all six tea towels).

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on November 10, 2009.

Other people's windowsill herb gardens are like other people's children. They always seem better behaved than one's own. You never see their basil sulking, or their chives whining about how they'd rather be outdoors, playing with their little chive friends.

The secret to achieving similar success—with herbs and, come to think of it, children—is to set limits. There are only five herbs (the ones I cook with most frequently) on my windowsill.

Above: First things first: Find a sunny spot, preferably a southern exposure, and plant in a container (or separate pots, if you're raising something invasive, like mint) that is a minimum of six inches deep. For a similar look, use a trio of simple white ceramic Vessels in a teak rack ($77 at Horne) or three little Metal Pots on a tray, £24 from Cox & Cox. Image via Zimmerkuechekabinett.

Above: If you limit yourself to the five herbs you eat most, you'll have a vested interest in keeping them watered, clipped and fed properly (with an organic fertilizer, once a month). I wouldn't be without Flat-Leaf Parsley ($3.95 for a packet of 600 organic seeds, at Burpee). It's a trooper that doesn't ask for much, just moist soil and six hours a day of sun. Image via My Seed Garden.

Above: To stay alive, the two things a human needs are air and a reliable supply of Rosemary (several potted varieties are available from Growers Exchange, at $5.95 apiece). I snip a few leaves almost every day—to use on roasted potatoes, inside the cavity of a chicken, or as an ingredient in my secret marinade. Image via Gourmet Sleuth.

Above: Never trim more than one-third of a plant's leaves; leave plenty of foliage to encourage new growth. Luckily, oregano spreads quickly. Whether you prefer "Italian" (Origanum majoricum) or "Greek" (Origanum heracleoticum) is a matter of personal taste; both are available for $5.95 per pot from Growers Exchange. Image via Reseptivihko.

Above: Here is the list of ingredients to make my favorite omelet: chives, chives, chives. Oh, and two eggs. And a little butter for the pan (get it sizzling before you dump in the eggs). In the garden, chives are a rampant perennial; you can probably beg a clump off a friend who's growing them outside. If not, get a packet of 500 organic Chive seeds from Burpee. Image via Earth and Style.

Above: I was shocked to learn, while researching this piece, that some people don't like the strong taste of cilantro. Really? All I have to say on the subject is: guacamole. That said, Cilantro is a little finicky. I've had the most success by (1) starting with a plant, rather than seed, and (2) moving it it to a cooler spot on hot days. It doesn't care to have the sun beat down on it. Image via More Than Today.

Above: If you grow more than you can eat, a lovely solution is to dry your bounty on the Cox & Cox Herb Dryer; then serve tisanes, in the style of Babel Restaurant.