Over the past two decades, my trusty (and weighty) 5-quart cast iron pot has covered a lot of ground, moving with me from Seattle to London and back to San Francisco. It's a part of my kitchen arsenal that I could not live without.

Cast iron cookware has long been a favorite with chefs (amateur and professional alike), who appreciate its ability to conduct heat evenly and move from the stove top to oven to tabletop. Here's a roundup of our favorite cast iron Dutch ovens (deep, capacious cooking pots ideal for making braises, soups, and daubes), which will last a lifetime and add a rustic note to your kitchen.

N.B.: if you are interested in cast iron skillets, see our earlier post Design Sleuth: Cast Iron Cookware from Lodge.

Above: The Alessi La Cintura di Orione Cast-Iron Oval Cocotte in enameled cast iron was designed by Richard Sapper; $263 at the Alessi Shop.

Above: Iittala's Sarpaneva 4.5-Quart Cast Iron Casserole Pot with white enameled interior; $320 at Amazon.

Above: Staub's 5-Quart Cocotte is made of cast iron and features a black-matte enamel interior; it's available in a range of colors (shown above in matte black); $219.95 at Amazon.

Above: The classic Le Creuset Signature Round 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven of enameled cast iron is available in several sizes and colors, including Ocean (shown above); $265 at Willams-Sonoma.

Above: iittala's Sarpaneva 3-Quart Cast Iron Cassrole with Wooden Handle is as functional as it is appealing. Made of heavy cast iron with a white enamel interior finish, the casserole's clever wooden handle can be removed when you put the pot in the oven; $290 at Amazon.

Above: Japanese industrial designer Soetsu Yanagi's cast iron Yanagi Iron Deep Pan is 8.75 inches in diameter; $260 at Tortoise General Store.

Above: The Aga Oval Casserole in black matte enameled cast iron is available from San Francisco kitchen shop March; prices range from $120 (for the 1.3 liter size) to $268 (for the 4.5 liter size). Contact March to order.

Above: The century-old company Lodge Manufacturing (the only producer of foundry seasoned cast iron cookware in the United States) offers the Lodge Logic 5-Quart Double Dutch Oven, featuring a high dome lid that works double duty as a skillet. Pre-seasoned with a proprietary vegetable oil, it's $34.97 at Amazon.

Above: The Lodge 7-Quart Signature Cast Iron Dutch Oven combines a classic pre-seasoned cast iron body with stainless steel handles that stay cool on the stovetop; $114.21 at Amazon.

Above: The Lodge Cast Iron 5-Quart Dutch Oven with Glass Lid comes pre-seasoned with a soy-based, kosher-certified vegetable oil coating that gives a natural nonstick finish. The tempered glass and stainless steel lid with resin knob is oven safe; $49.95 at Crate and Barrel.

After his wife died, E.B. White wrote that he could still see her in the garden, wearing an old, raggedy raincoat and laying out the next year's tulips, "calmly plotting the resurrection."

Half a century ago, Katharine Sargeant White directed her tulip-planting operation in Maine with a military determination. Perched on a folding canvas chair, she consulted a clipboard and consigned thousands of papery brown bulbs to the ground in a strict formation. Times change. Today's modern gardeners may blanch at the idea of all those orderly, bobble-headed soldiers marching in neat rows behind the hyacinths.

But some things stay the same. We are all better off for loving tulips, I think, if not for their precision, then for their swan necks and velvety, cupped grace. In a modern garden, the trick is to edit: be discriminating both in choosing tulips and in deciding where to plant them, come fall. The season to plan it all is now, of course; with spring flowers in bloom, it's easier to visualize how a clump of tulips might look, tucked in here or there, or anchoring a bare spot by the front stoop.

With that in mind, the other day I asked Elysian Landscapes founder Judy Kameon, who has designed both East and West coast gardens (for such clients as Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs), for tips. The main thing, she said, is to think of tulips as an opportunity to infuse a garden with "an important moment of color and life."

Could she please provide examples?

"I go for less ruffly types and stick to more graphic forms," she said. Then she emailed a list of her favorites. Looking it over, I'm confident we'll be prepared for the resurrection.

Above: The Gothic drama of the black tulip 'Queen of the Night' is undeniable ($9.95 for 12 bulbs at White Flower Farm; ships in autumn). "It's a sort of a Morticia Addams-like flower, although she would still probably still cut it off," said Kameon. Image by Stephen Harley-Sloman, via Flickr.

Above: British interiors designer Ben Pentreath, a self-described architectural classicist, mixes 'Queen of the Night' with black parrot tulips, pansies, foxglove, and daffodils in his Dorset garden. Image via Ben Pentreath.

Above: To understand why Tulipmania drove the Dutch into a 17th century frenzy that placed a higher value on a flower than on, say, gold, look closely at what Kameon called "the sunshine brightness" of the Japanese variety Tulip 'Akebono'; ($11.95 for 12 bulbs at White Flower Farm; ships in autumn). Image by Ryan Somma, via Flickr.

Above: 'Akebono' made it to the top of Kameon's list of favorites because, she said, "the looseness of the flower makes it feel more relaxed and romantic." Image by Ryan Somma, via Flickr.

Above: "Tulip 'Angelique' is quite a show stopper, with a double flower that resembles peonies," said Kameon of another of her favorites. Angelique Tulip is $14.99 for 10 bulbs at Breck's; orders ship in autumn. Image by Mimmi Elg, via Flickr.

Above: Mess it up. Avoid staid rows by inter-planting 'Angelique' with other bulbs of different heights and color, such as purple Allium (as seen at Center above). "Who can deny the charm of Allium?" asked Kameon. "Not me, I planted them in my first client's garden. I love the boldness." White Flower Farm ships Kameon's preferred variety, Allium 'Globemaster', in the fall; $39 for six bulbs. Image by Rebecca Bullene, via Flickr.

Above: "Imitating nature provides some modern inspiration, so planting in drifts and casting bulbs to determine placement, rather than methodically planting them in rows, is one approach that keeps things looking fresh," said Kameon. Image by Elizabeth Ellsworth, via Flickr.

Founded in 1572, Royal Tichelaar Makkum is the Netherlands' oldest company, yet it works with some of the design world's most cutting-edge practitioners.

The flagship store adjacent to the factory in Makkum was designed by Dutch architects Merkx and Girod and offers Royal Tichelaar's full range of pottery, including traditional designs from the 1800s as well as contemporary pieces by prominent Dutch designers including Hella Jorgerius, Dick van Hoff, Marcel Wanders, and Studio Job. Check the Royal Tichelaar Makkum website for café hours and factory tours.

Above: Dick van Hoff's ceramic and oak Work Lamps are available at Unica Home for $1082.

N.B.: This post in an update; the original story ran on May, 12 2009.

An essential guide for any design lover making a trip to the Netherlands: stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk's Amsterdam: Made by Hand, a compendium of shops and vintage sources.

Bijkerk, who writes the eponymous blog Pia Jane Bijkerk, divides her time living and working between Sydney, Paris, and a houseboat in Amsterdam. In Amsterdam: Made by Hand ($14.25 at Amazon), she wanders through the city, clueing us in to the shops where she sources the props, accessories, and objects that she uses in her work as a photographer, stylist, and writer.

Above: Amsterdam: Made by Hand, $14.25 at Amazon.

After several years spent roaming the world, husband and wife duo Emile van de Bergh and Ymke van Zwoll decided to settle by the North Sea coastal city of Bergen, Netherlands, to create their lifelong dream—a bed and breakfast.

Van de Bergh, an interior architect and designer by profession, restored the interiors of the Bed and Breakfast In De Aap to create three guest suites inspired by Mediterranean fincas (and integrating recycled materials whenever possible). Now that the restoration is complete, de Bergh happily spends his time in the Aap kitchen, cooking for guests, family, and friends. For more information, go to In De Aap.

Above: The Finca loft bedroom; "In my designs I work a lot with built-in furniture," de Bergh says.

Above: An old barn door functions as both a bathroom and a closet door.

Above: The bathroom walls are finished in a gray matte Pandomo material made from a concrete mix.

Above: A tub is covered in boards sourced from reclaimed wood pallets.

Above: Load-bearing walls were replaced by a steel structure supporting an upstairs work room and a downstairs kitchen. The built-in storage is made of concrete blocks with a stucco finish.

Above: The Finca kitchen space is built from concrete blocks and the walls are sponge-painted in a water-diluted lavender-tinted paint. The countertops are made from polished concrete (Beton Cire), and the vintage table came from a train station in Switzerland.

Above: Built-in bookcases made from concrete blocks are coated with a stucco finish. The shelving and cabinet doors are made from Dutch Kaasplanken (vintage cheese boards) used to mature cheese (if you look closely, you can see where the cheese left markings in the pine wood).

Above: A built-in piano between two storage cabinets made from old floorboards. (the pillows were made by Ymke's mother).

SPONSORED POST

Good news for tea drinkers and hot beverage lovers everywhere: the new Indulge Modern instant hot water dispenser by InSinkErator blends contemporary style with maximum efficiency.

Designed to fit seamlessly with pure, minimalist decor, the Indulge Modern offers the convenience of instant hot water in the kitchen without sacrificing style. The system includes a stainless steel tank and F-201 filtration system, which supplies up to 60 cups of near-boiling, filtered water per hour and cool-filtered drinking water on demand.

Known for its hot water dispensers and garbage disposals, InSinkErator was founded in Racine, Wisconsin, by John W. Hammes, an architect who invented the first "in sink" food waste disposal system in his basement in 1927 to make it easier for his wife to do dishes.

N.B.: The Indulge Modern will be available in summer 2012 in both hot/cool and hot-only water models.

Above: The Indulge Modern, shown above in chrome (it's also available in satin nickel), is equipped with a dual temperature handle that delivers either cool or hot water in seconds. Its unique Stay-on feature allows the faucet to remain open for easy dispensing of cool water. The 200-degree Fahrenheit water helps expedite cooking and preparing hot beverages. Inaddition, instant near-boiling water reduces the amount of scrubbing when doing the dishes.

Above: The under-counter filtration system allows you to forgo plastic water bottles and use tap water as your primary source for drinking and cooking, while instant hot water eliminates the need to run water until it heats up.

Spotted (and admired) recently: hand-dyed lampshades, good for adding a measured dose of color to an otherwise neutral space.

Above: A clever idea from Martha Stewart: an ombre-dyed pendant lamp, created by wrapping strips of overlapping cotton voile around an inexpensive shade. For a step-by-step guide to dip-dying, consult Martha Stewart.

Above: A stack of dyed lamp shades from Better Homes and Gardens. To create this look, simply submerge a lampshade in a bucket of dye (for complete instructions, go to Everything LEB).

Above: Kate Pruitt created this DIY dip-dyed lamp shade; for step-by-step instructions, go to Design Sponge.

Ulrika Lundgren is the fashion designer behind Amsterdam-based cult label Rika (her fans include Madonna and Helene Christensen, among others), but we're more interested in her interiors style.

Located upstairs from the Rika showroom, Maison Rika is Lundgren's small guesthouse and gallery space, outfitted with a mix of contemporary and vintage furniture. For more information, visit Maison Rika.

Photography by Kasia Gatkowska and Marijke Arden.

Above: The largest room has a loft feel with exposed ceiling beams painted in white.

Above: The stairs leading to the guesthouse are stained black.

Above: Lundgren used Maison Martin Margiela's bottle lamp throughout the space (see our DIY Bottle Lamp post).

Above: The floor lamp was designed by Paul Lelieveld.

Above: The black and white palette continues in the bath.

Above: The window trim is painted black to match the floors.

Above: A French settee is upholstered in black fabric to coordinate with the black and white scheme.

The Dutch have the urban cycling life down: no sartorial compromises necessary. Women peddle to work in heels, clogs, skirts, and dresses, and men are perfectly happy to sail along the street in dapper suits.

I know this because my brother lives in Amsterdam, and whenever I visit the city, getting around by bike is a highlight. My two children (10 and 14) pile on the back of their cousins' bikes, and the rest of us grab a spare (there's always a few around); no gear, no helmets, just a basket or two for our bags. So when I started commuting into San Francisco not long ago, I opted to ride the ferry over from the East Bay and then hop on my bike at the other end. Not only is the bike commute easy and efficient, the morning ride along the water has become the favorite way to start my day (rainy days not included).

Photography by Mimi Giboin for Remodelista.

Above: Exiting the ferry on my Tokyo Citizen Bike; the 16-inch, six-speed folding bike with ultra-light frame is $169 from Citizen. My preferred everyday footwear: Leather Buckle Boots from No. 6 ($370 at No. 6).

Above: The basket hooks over the handlebars of my bike and is easily detached (I use it as a shopping basket at my local grocery store). The oversized canvas bag is made by my friend Matt from Small Trade Company, and I always bring a small Klean Kanteen Insulated Flask ($22.95) for my daily Blue Bottle brew. Wald offers several bike baskets including the Wald Quick Release Basket; $44.99 from Amazon.

Above: I am a big believer in bags within bags (it's a mobile filing system of sorts), and these leather wallets from RTH in Los Angeles are favorites. I first spotted the wallets at March in San Francisco, but they can also be purchased online at RTH Shop. The Muji Gel Pen in black writes beautifully and never seems to leak ($1.25 from Muji). The Letts of London Diary ($13.20 from Amazon) is a 20-plus-year legacy system that I can't seem to retire.

Above: My mobile office for working on the ferry consists of phone, computer, and notebook. The Fog Linen Pouch ($22 from Pierre Lafond) contains my makeup. A Japanese furoshiki does double duty as napkin and emergency bag, whenever needed.

Above: The bike folds easily with a single maneuver and fits easily into the back of my car.

Above: The highlight of my day: a ride along the Embarcadero by the water, with the Bay Bridge as backdrop.

We've been admiring the work of Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek for a while now, so we were pleased to hear that Future Perfect in Brooklyn recently became the sole US representative of the line.

Both the Brooklyn and Manhattan locations of Future Perfect are currently stocked with a selection from the Scrapwood collection, featuring pieces made entirely from reclaimed materials; for those in New York, it's a rare opportunity to hand-pick from the one-of-a-kind pieces. For more from Piet Hein Eek, see Slow Design: Fair Trade Originals from Piet Hein Eek.

Above: Scrapwood Wallpaper ($299 for 47 square feet) and stacked Scrapwood Stools; $368 each.

Above: The Plisse Standing Aluminum Lamp features an adjustable shade; $1,525.

Above: The Oak Dining Chair is available unfinished, fixated, or in high gloss; $666.

Above: The T-Leg Table in Scrapwood is $4,669 for the multi-color.

Above: The Bedside Table is available in three different finishes: fixated, high gloss, and white lacquered; $479.

Consider the dandelion: an explosion waiting to happen.

One seed head could create as many as 200 new weeds. Is that the kind of world you want to live in?

It's you versus the dandelion, mano a mano. You reach for your tool bag, praying for no breeze. Your hand closes on something. It's the dandelion weeder—and you pounce. Out comes the taproot, and suddenly you feel the sun on your neck and it's nice to return to the real world, where it's safe. Keep it that way. We always carry five specialized digging tools in our bag. For emergencies.

Above: The enemy. Don't fraternize. Image via Public Domain.

Above: The solution. A Dandelion Weeding Trowel by Sneeboer enables you to dig up long-rooted weeds without disturbing the surrounding lawn. It's $45.75 at Garden Tool Co.

Above: A Garden Dibber by DeWit pierces the soil for planting seeds and seedlings; it's $26.90 from Kaurmann Mercantile.

Above: A Garden Hand Shovel, with a sharpened edge and ash wood handle, slices easily through soil; it's $25.90 at Kaurmann Mercantile.

Above: A Transplanting Trowel from Zenport has a cushioned grip and is marked for depth to help accurately plant different kinds of bulbs; $63 at DuroKon.

Above: A Dutch Hand Hoe from DeWit comes with either a right- or lefthand grip; both models are $44.99 at Hayneedle.

Dutch designer Floris Schoonderbeek asked a simple question: Why shouldn’t we see a staircase as a piece of furniture?

His answer is the Elementstair, a spiral fiberglass staircase inspired by a water slide. Comprised of modular pieces, the stair can take on various configurations and heights, existing as part of the furniture, not the architecture, of its home. Schoonderbeek and partner Dick van Hoff describe the work of their design studio, Weltevree, as "redolent with a palpable originality."

Above: The stair is sold in pieces with descriptive names like "Endless," "Step Up," and "Step Off."

Above: The staircase is available in any of several thousand RAL Colors.

Above: An installation of the staircase at the Milan Furniture Fair.

Dutch design impresario Thomas Eyck describes himself as a "publisher and distributor of characteristic and exclusive contemporary design products."

A champion of Dutch design, Eyck has succeeded in showcasing the country's traditional crafts through his annual commissioning of designers. His genius lies in taking traditional materials used throughout the Netherlands' history (flax, pewter, and willow for example) and turning them over to designers to create contemporary designs. Eyck, who is also the curator of design for the Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen, has worked with the likes of Christien Meindertsma, Scholten & Baijings, Studio Job, and Aldo Bakker. For more information on Eyck and his designs or to purchase, go to Thomas Eyck.

Above: t.e.119, rug colored with natural dyes by Christien Meindertsma; €5,400.

Above: t.e.004, glass by Alder Bakker Euros IV Cognac; €24.

Above: t.e.084 Silver Salt Cellar by Aldo Bakker made from fine silver and gold plated porcelain; €70.

Above: t.e.022. Scholten & Baijings' bright textiles, known as Colour Bombs, are a combination of Merino wool and cotton, woven by the Dutch weaving mill De Ploeg; €339.

Above: t.e.113. A piece from the Oak Inside collection, designed by Christien Meindertsma. The designer works in conjunction with Roosje Hindeloopen, a firm that has been making traditional carved and painted furniture since 1894. Meindertsma uses her own patterns and natural pigments on her designs; €2,750.

Chateau Bethlehem, a 13th-century chateau surrounded by bucolic gardens, is home to the Maastricht Hotel Management School; it's also a teaching hotel with rooms designed by leading lights in the Dutch design scene.

A couple of years ago, under the direction of noted Dutch designer Henk Vos, 26 rooms were renovated by 12 established and up-and-coming designers (we especially like Piet Hein Eek's vision for the four rooms he designed, shown below). The hotel is open to to the public, and guests are waited on by the school's students in training. For more information, visit Hotel Management School Maastricht.

Photography by Thomas Mayer (except where noted).

Above; The 13th-century Chateau Bethlehem is located close to the border of Belgium.

Above: The Maastricht restaurant, designed by Leon de Lange, riffs on a classroom theme. Photograph courtesy of the hotel's website.

Above: Room 17, designed by Piet Hein Eek, is a family room with built-in bunks to accommodate children.

Above: The half-painted motif continues across the wardrobe and the bunk beds.

Above: A wardrobe and bench are made from Eek's trademark scraps of wood.

Above: The headboard is made from painted scrap wood.

Above: The built-in bunk beds and the master bed are by Piet Hein Eek.

Above: A custom light feature.

Above: Room 18 features a continuous furniture system; the table, bed, desk, and wardrobe are all one large installed object.

Above: Room 25 also features built-in modular pieces.

Above: In Room 19, the furniture is painted the same shade of gray as the linens. Hein Eek filled the room with what he describes as "a motley collection of stuff from the attic, our own collection, and the second-hand shop. Since everything in the room is gray, the photos take on a surrealistic painting-like quality."

Repeat after us: this is not a contact sport. Elbows to yourself. No pushing the little kids, and—

Above: They're off. Poor, unsuspecting lawn. As an alternative to plastic eggs, decorate reusable, hollow wooden eggs and fill them with prizes. Two-inch-high Split Wooden Pullet Eggs are $4 to $6.50 apiece at Woodworks. A seven-piece set of Unpainted Blank Nesting Eggs is $25 at Golden Cockerel. Image via Martha Stewart.

Above: Nothing says "party" like bunting. Consider reusable cotton Pastel Rabbit Bunting (L) with loops for hanging; it's $36 from Acme Party Box. A Rabbit Finger Puppet (R) makes an excellent consolation prize for the little kids who didn't find as many eggs; it's $7 at Acme Party Box.

Above: Why does this Rabbit Candy Box look so cranky? And why does that make us love him more? Hand-painted German papier-mâché, he's available seasonally and would make a lovely, if somewhat disapproving, centerpiece; $72 at Bell'Occhio.

Above: Personally, we'd rather find Quip Cakes than candy inside an egg; it's a clever note pad with 150 tear-out sheets ($8.50 at Bell'Occhio).

Above: Someone deserves a prize. Image via Community Matters.

Above: Handmade felted bunnies peep out from felted eggshells; available individually ($35) or in sets of six ($199) from Fairyfolk, via Etsy.

Above: The French Wire Egg Basket features handles that open and shut to cradle eggs. It's $29 at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: Safe until next year. Image via Plain Old Kristi.

On a recent whirlwind trip through Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, and Brussels, I couldn't stop taking photographs of the house numbers and letterings that mark the doorways. Here are a few favorites (and ideas for recreating the look).

If you've got a steady hand and a good reference for fonts and numbers, it might be time to add a classic and considered accessory to your own door. I love My Fonts for typefaces. The site has thousands of fonts and lets you type in your own text and numbers to test how they look.

Achieving the high-gloss finish lies in the preparation and paint application. The higher the surface sheen, the more obvious the imperfections become. Sanding, filling, and careful priming contribute to a successful glossy surface. Dust is another factor–especially if you are painting a door outside. Consider making an enclosed tent over your work area to block wind and prevent debris from sticking to your freshly painted surface. Take your time, don't under-prep, sand in between coats, and use a good brush and high quality paint. Fine Paints of Europe makes the Dutch Door Kit ($110) that is very helpful.

Above: Get the look of this bright blue door with Benjamin Moore's #2067-20 Starry Night Blue paint in Advance Satin Finish.

Above: For a similar glossy black door, consider Benjamin Moore's #2131-10 Black Satin in Advance High-Gloss Finish.

Above: This entryway features a QR barcode, which functions as a door key.

Above: To get the look of this bright red door, try the Hollandlac Brilliant Paint in Red #9342 from the Select Collection at Fine Paints of Europe.

Above: White lettering stands out against a jet black door.

Li Edelkoort, the sought-after Dutch global trend forecaster, is consistently photographed wearing the perfect shade of red lipstick.

Edelkoort, who makes Paris her home (see Steal This Look: Li Edelkoort's Kitchen), consults with the world's leading brands on design and publishes Bloom Magazine, "a horti-cultural view of the world." She's never seen without her trademark red lipstick, which we've been admiring for a while now. So much so that we asked our friend Shawn Burke, a Bay Area-based makeup artist who counts Alice Waters among her clients, to find a match (scroll down for her findings).

Above: Li Edelkoort, displaying her signature lipstick; photograph by Marie Taillefer.

.

Above: Nars Lipstick in Fire Down Below: $24 from Sephora. "After a bit of research, I would say that the closest match is a Nars lip color called Fire Down Below in a semi-matte finish," Burke says. "This is a pure blood red with no blue or orange undertones; it's an extremely wearable, bold red."

Above: Nars Lip Liner Pencil in Flame; $22 at Amazon. "I would guess that Li first lines and fills in her lips with the Nars lip pencil in Amazon, which is a cool brick red," according to Burke. "This technique allows you to achieve definition and precision, both of which are necessary to carry off this look with the ease that Li Edelkoort does."

A pair of graphic designers create a breakfast bar with a whimsical ambience.

Eetbar DIT (which translates to breakfast bar) was designed by Edwin Vollebergh and Petra Janssen of graphic design firm Studio Boot. Though they admit their expertise is not interiors, they do have a point of view on space and reveled in DIT's request to create a restaurant "where both parents and children feel at home immediately."

They played to their strengths with a creative use of color and a generous slate of graphic designs (patterned tiles, menus, bags, blankets, books) for the restaurant. They sourced the furniture from Dutch designer Roderick Vos, who creates durable tables, chairs, and bar stools on a small budget (in fact, so many patrons were interested in the pieces that Vos put the line into production).

Above: The Swivel Wall Light is €399 from Functionals.

Above: Vos designed the laser-cut Bonsai candleholders; €44.

Above: Blankets designed by Studio Boot for DIT "keep you warm on cold evenings, while you're enjoying a glass of wine."

Above: DIT's interior reflects a graphic designer's love of color.

Above: DOS dining tables and chairs by Roderick Vos.

Ontwerpduo designer Tineke Beunders has a special affection for mint green—indeed, she infuses her work with the shade.

Her fascination with the color goes back to childhood: "My mother had a set of small storage boxes in the color," Beunders says. "Every once in a while I was allowed to play with the boxes." Her admiration for RAL 6021 is such that Beunders and Ontwerpduo partner Nathan Wierink have used it on their logo as well as many of their industrial and interior design projects. To see more of the firm's work, go to Ontwerpduo.

Above: The duo designed their Highloft interior in The Hague around the concept of a wall shelf.

Above: Storage in the 13-foot-high space is comprised of shelves with adjustable panels in various shades of green.

Above: "We like to combine this color with gray, white, and natural materials" says Beunders.

Above: Ontwerpduo created the Green Room in a shared exhibition space for 2008 Dutch Design Week, presenting their furniture designs in an "old fashioned" space.

Above: A brown Dot cushion atop a Pause stool. Their Something Old, Something New bag is made from old wool blankets.

Above: Shift tables in the Green Room.

Above: Adjustable loops are Lloop's utility and adornment.

Above: The Light Forest modular lighting system welcomes obstacles to climb around, like these ceiling beams.

Well worth a peruse: the portfolio of Dutch architects i29. The firm's genius? Transforming dark, narrow flats into open-plan light-filled residential spaces.

Jeroen Dellensen and Jaspar Jansen, the firm's founders, "aim is to create intelligent designs with a keen eye for detail," as they say. "We try to get to the core of things but keep it looking simple." We especially like the way the duo combines sleek modern surfaces with rustic wood cabinetry; suddenly knotty pine looks au courant when paired with snow-white Corian. To see more, go to i29.

HOME 8

Above: The austerity of a pure white kitchen is offset by pale pine cabinetry.

Above: The architects removed interior walls to create an open-plan living area anchored by a central storage unit.

Above: A long black shelf adds a graphic note to the main living space.

Above: Open shelving provides storage for kitchen staples arrayed in jars.

Above: A sleek stainless steel oven inset into a wall of pine cabinetry.

HOME 2

Above: Another Amsterdam apartment featuring a mix of sleek white surfaces and rustic wood.

Above: A simple, serene kitchen set off by wood cabinetry.

Above: A bath featuring pale gray floors and black painted trim; note the clever arrangement of the sink next to the tub.