The Lilliputian worlds artist Paula Hayes created inside bulbous blown glass balls started an obsession with terrariums that nearly a decade later shows no signs of fading. Now comes her next idea: green roofs made from mix-and-match pieces that fit together as neatly as Lego blocks.

"In urban life, people grab nature wherever they can," says Hayes, who lives and works in Brooklyn and is designing a green roof above her own studio. Its foundation will be a layer of lightweight, rubbery components she created over the years for clients.

Her goal: start a new obsession. "Imagine what you'd see, coming off the bridge in Long Island City, if all those big flat-roofed buildings had green plants on top, instead of tar," says Hayes, whose new, eponymously titled book features more than 200 photographs of her work. (N.B.: This evening from 6 to 8 o'clock, Hayes will sign copies at Lever House in Manhattan, 390 Park Park Ave; in the lobby will be an exhibit of her Land Mind aquariums.)

Photographs via Paula Hayes.

Above: Paula Hayes (The Monacelli Press: 2012) is $31.50 at Amazon.

Above: "The last time terrariums were popular was the 1970s, when they were kind of grungy, with algae growing on the glass," says Hayes. "Having a hole to stick your hand in makes it very much a part of your life."

Above: It can take up to seven years for Hayes' slow-growing terrarium landscapes to mature.

Above: "They're like theater, little scenes," says Hayes.

Above: The components of Hayes' Soft Retrofit Green Roofing System include her Pond Planters, which can be cinched tightly, or loosened, depending on the size of the root ball they need to accommodate.

Above: Hayes hopes to mass produce her custom roofing system, which includes low-sided Hex planters; the hexagonal planting trays fit together snugly to form a base for a roof garden.

Above: Layers of cast acrylic create a planter big enough for a tree.

Above: At a client's home with a view of the Atlantic Ocean, Hayes used a length of her rubber Garden Necklace to define the perimeter of the planting bed.

Above: On a terrace, a Pond Planter next to one of Hayes' Dumpling Planters, a design she patented in 2010.

Above: A birdhouse Hayes created.

Above: At a client's home where Hayes designed the landscape, she relied on existing concrete pillars to frame a view of Russian sage.

Ever since her first visit to the Cambridge art gallery Kettle’s Yard, interior designer Virginia White has been preoccupied with midcentury art; join us on a tour of her Islington house.

Our friend (and UK Vogue contributor) Jo Craven tipped us off to the charms of Virginia White’s North London home; for the past 30 years, White (who worked for John Stefanidis) has trawled junk shops, auction houses, and galleries in search of treasures from the 1930s to 1960s British art scene. "I have a grid reference in the back of my mind, thanks to my art history degree," White says of her collection, which features a roll call of British artists ranging from Ben Nicholson, Patrick Heron, David Hockney, Victor Pasmore, to Patrick Caulfield and Howard Hodgkin, along with plenty of unknown artists. Nothing is put in a shrine; it's all a moveable feast: "I’m always adding to it, plus the family have to fit around in it, too."

N.B. In autumn 2012, White will be staging a pop-up shop offering a limited-edition housewares line. For details, contact Virginia White.

Photography by Colin Hampden-White.

Above: White's first-ever auction purchase? "I hadn’t a clue how to bid, and I used my granny’s inheritance to buy this John Singer Sargent framed drawing. I was a bit freaked out, especially when the next day I was phoned by Berkeley University wanting to buy it from me." The black and white lampshade is by Claire O'Hea, and the sculpture, from Core One antiques in London, is from a French chateau. The silver cups were commissioned from Malcolm Appleby, jeweler to the Queen, and White bought one for each of her three girls. The porcelain nude sculpture is by up-and-coming sculptress Rachel Kneebone, who is represented by White Cube.

Above: "The chandelier was the first item I bought for this house, a starting brushstroke," White says.

Above: In the upstairs drawing room, a painting by Brian Ilsley, a London abstract expressionist artist who once worked in St. Ives, hangs above the fireplace. The smaller painting, artist unknown, is of a Greek island and was found in an auction house. The rug, by Kate Blee, is from Christopher Farr. The mid century leather and canvas campaign chair is by Kaare Klint.

Above: White's kitchen features Arabiscato marble countertops and a trio of pendant light fixtures by Tom Dixon.

Above: An Antelope chair by Ernest Race (made for the Festival of Britain in 1951).

Above: White bought the Iraqi rug (without even unrolling it) at Criterion Auction House, only to discover it fitted the room perfectly and had the lime green, turquoise, and pink shades she had envisaged for the room. On the walls is a still life drawing by Ben Nicholson as well as a piece by Elizabeth Frink. The trio of black lacquered tables from the 1950s never went into production; White will be offering a version of the tables in her upcoming pop-up shop.

Above: In a sitting room, 17th century Delft tiles found at Swaffhams in Somerset surround the fireplace. A horsehair-stuffed chair, found at a junk shop, is covered with fabric from Abbott and Boyd. On the mantle, a Majolica plate mingles with a clutch of Eric Ravilious for Wedgewood mugs that White has collected over the years. The cushion is by Clarissa Hulse and the sheepskins are from Scotland.

Above: The chairs in the master bedroom (from White's favorite antiques shop in Honiton) are covered in FEZ Steel on Tan fabric by China Seas from Tissus d'Hélène. The blinds are made with fabric from Christopher Farr.

Above: The wallpaper in the guest bath is Manor House by Marthe Armitage, personalized to White's own color specifications. A fabric swatch from her first employer, John Stefanidis, hangs behind the glass on the door. An 18th-century English fretwork mirror hangs next to a junk shop find.

Above: Virginia White at home with her whippet, Moss.

Sarah and I spotted summer's most inspired glassware yesterday at Williams-Sonoma.

We stopped in at the SF headquarters to see the new Agrarian line; on the way, we found ourselves captivated by the Organic line of glassware, embodying a casual Provençal vibe (think lazy Bandol afternoons). The glassware features just the right amount of curve and heft; plus, the subtle ripples give the goblets, water glasses, and compote bowls an informal, handmade look.

Above L: The Organic Glass Compote Bowls are $40 for a set of four at Williams-Sonoma. Above R: The Organic Double Old-Fashioned Glasses; $32 for a set of four at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: Organic Wine Glass in blue, green, or clear; $40 for a set of four at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: Organic Highball Glass; $40 for a set of four at Williams-Sonoma.

A vintage butler pantry morphs into a modern-day galley kitchen—with an artful Union Jack mural and dip-dyed cutting boards as wall art.

Designers Allison Bloom (a Remodelista veteran) of Dehn Bloom Design and Tinsley Hutson-Wiley took on the task of refurbishing a butler pantry at this year's San Francisco Decorator Showcase. The duo lined a wall with Heath tile, covered the countertops in zinc, and replaced the cabinet pulls with leather straps from Spinneybeck. Lots of ideas to steal here.

N.B. To see photos of the entire SF Decorator Showcase, go to Curbed SF.

Photography by John Merkl.

Above: The designers created a wall mural using milk-painted cutting boards from Lostine (the installation was inspired by MARCH in SF); the vintage boards are from Big Daddy's Antiques.

Above: "The lacquered Union Jack is a nod to the British tea-time tradition," Bloom says. "To create the mural, we removed the upper cupboards from the wall, covered it in plywood sheeting, and nailed strips of oak on top, which we then painted. We used Benjamin Moore Navajo White paint, a khaki- and kohl-colored stain, and then covered it in a high gloss lacquer to create a subtle sheen."

Above: The custom zinc countertops are by Copperworks and were mounted on top of the original granite counters, with a layer of foam pad in between. The designers had the cabinets refaced and installed Spinneybeck Leather Pulls. The canvas-colored, 6-by-12-inch Classic Field Tile is from Heath Ceramics. The designers added a vertical element to the tiled wall to break up the design and to counterbalance the flag on the opposite wall.

Above: Heath Ceramics on display on the painted oak shelving.

Above: A pair of Dustin Dodecahedron Wood Pendants by Ralph Lauren, shown in mahogany with antique brass ($483 from Circa Lighting) provides overhead illumination. The designers replaced the original dark wood floor with oak strips painted white.

Above: A pair of Vintage Toledo Bar Stools from Restoration Hardware (normally $315 each, currently on sale for $263) provide seating at the bar. The wire dress artwork hanging on the wall is by Kristine Mays. Bloom used Leviton Decora Switchplates in gray ($5.03 from Amazon) with brushed stainless switchplate covers.

A simple DIY to add useful space (and a Western note) to your interior.

Spotted on Winston's Roost: A wall-mounted magazine rack or newspaper holder made from two doweled bathroom shelves. Just tie an adjustable leather strap or old belt between the dowels, creating a vertical barrier to keep lightweight reading material in check.

Above: The idea carried out with two matching belts.

Above: Space your shelves at the desired distance (hanging one upside down) and you're nearly done.

Above: For a similar look, the Western Braided Rawhide Belt with brass buckles and clips is $30 at Steed Fine Hoarding and Tack.

For a while now we've been noticing (and admiring) graphic messages as art: on posters, calendars, and painted directly onto walls.

Above: "I Love You" is painted on the door from an interior remodel by Seattle architect and designer Roy McMakin of Domestic Architecture.

Above: Massimo Vignelli's Perpetual Wall Calendar is made of heavyweight paperboard in Italy; $78 at Fitzsu.

Above: Numerical stickers from French company Harmonie Interieure; prices start at €22 for a 60-by-35-centimer decal (US shoppers can use PayPal or credit cards); peruse the line at Harmonie Interieure.

Above:For homesick New Yorkers; framed vintage bus scroll from the 1940s; from San Francisco designer Will Wick at Sarlo Wick on 1st Dibs.

Above: Drum as art; photo by Richard Birch.

Above: Schoolhouse Numbered Hooks are $15 each from Pottery Barn.

Above: 100 percent cotton/linen Numbered Edition Napkins; $120 for a set of six at Supermarket.

Above: A storage cabinet pictured on Emma's DesignBlogg (L) and Blik Prose custom adhesive words for your walls (R). Go to What Is Blik and submit your words for a price quote.

Above: Oil and Vinegar Cruet in the Bauhaus Tradition; £14 each from Manufactum, designed by Bauhaus potter Theodor Bogler.

Above: A message printed on the wall from Varpunen.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on May 1, 2008.

The place to stay if you're paying a visit to MASS MoCA in the heart of the northern Berkshires: The Porches Inn in the once-faded, now vibrant town of North Adams.

Porches is located on the grounds of MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art), a collection of galleries and performance spaces housed in a once-dilapidated 19th-century mill complex. Decorated in what the owners call "industrial granny chic," the interiors of the inn, which is carved out of a row of Victorian houses, "pay homage to the generations of mill workers’ families who lived there." Photos via The Porches Inn, unless otherwise noted.

Above: North Adams was once a milltown; the Porches Inn is located in a row of finely detailed Victorian houses; photo via The First Few.

Above: Vintage plates as decor; photo via Design Tripper.

Above: A sunny yellow breakfast room with a New England vibe.

Above: A view into one of the inn's 47 bedrooms; photo via Design Tripper.

Above: Framed needlepoint decor: an example of "industrial granny chic"; photo via Design Tripper.

Above: Vintage pieces are used throughout the interior.

Above: A spacious bath with slate flooring.

Our friend Sara Carter is both an artist and a collector. Her Northern California home is layered with art, each vignette created for the particular needs of the space (whether it's a corner in a hallway or a focal point over the fireplace). How does she put it all together?

"I look at a space and intuitively sense what needs to go there," she says. "The sensibility of living in a space is important to me; I like to fill the walls with work I love." In her collection: a drawing by Willem de Kooning, photographs by Cara Phillips, works by Suzanne Caporael, Florence Pierce, and portraits in oil by Karim Hamid. An artist on her wish list? Scottish abstract painter Callum Innes. To see Carter's own work, go to Sara Carter.

Photography by Douglas Sterling for Remodelista.

Above: A Rose Tarlow chair sits in a corner of Carter's bedroom; a row of works by Suzanne Caporael wraps around the corner.

Above: Oil portraits of the artist and her daughter by Karim Hamid.

Above: One of Carter's early works from her Travel Series (acrylic on canvas) hangs above the fireplace. The mantle was designed by architect Jerome Buttrick of Buttrick Wong, who oversaw recent renovations of the house. Carter commissioned the fireplace screen based on one she admired; it becomes a work of art in itself.

Above: A portrait of Rafael, painted in the late 15th century; "it's not grand, but it's done in the style of the Italian painters of the period," Carter says. The mahogany side table is from Rose Tarlow.

Above: Carter found the 1800s pewter bowl at a local antique store; she fills it with a collection of stone eggs and other objects, including a Kosta Boda glass head.

Above: Two photographs by Cara Phillips hang in a hallway; Phillips is noted for her use of UV imaging in her work.

Above: Carter's own acrylic on canvas from the Grid Series hangs above two Windsor chairs flanking a Ciao table by Gary Hutton Design.

The mania that had Holland in its clutches four hundred years ago, sending the price for a single tulip bulb higher than $2,000, seems totally reasonable to me. Look at one in bloom, and tell me you disagree.

Many varieties that men feverishly mortgaged houses to buy in the 1630s are extinct—which may be for the best, because who can say what sort of a frenzy it would send us into to behold with the naked eye the delicate licks of deep pink flame on the petals of 'Semper Augustus,' or the purplish veins that crazed the petals of 'Viceroy'? I know I wouldn't trust myself. Others, like 'Zomerschoon,' are still grown. You can buy that particular survivor, dating from 1620 and still exhibiting the telltale "broken" pattern so prized by the Dutch masters, for $25 apiece from Old House Gardens. Limit: three bulbs.

Above: Some tulips owe two-tone coloring to genetics (rather than to a Tulip Breaking Virus spread by aphids). For regular-old, non-viral, dark purple tulips accented with cream, consider the Mysterious Passion Blend; it's $18.99 for 18 bulbs and ships in the fall, from Dutch Bulbs. Image by Tony Basilio, via Flickr.

Above: "Tulips come from parts of the world with almost no moisture in the summer; the eastern United States can seem swamp-like, from a tulip's perspective," says Scott Kunst of Old House Gardens. "After the leaves yellow, dig them up and store them in a hanging mesh bag. Then they will keep multiplying." Image via Little Flower School.

Above: In England, the Tulip Society continues to create and exhibit broken tulips, such as the feathered 'Columbine' (Above). Broken tulips must be kept away from other bulbs. "They're restricted in the Netherlands, because if you have large bulb fields next to each other, it's virtually impossible to isolate the virus. You get a lot of broken tulips in the mix," says Kunst.

Above: Tulipa 'Rem's Favorite' is not a broken tulip; it dates only to 2000, and its striations are the result of a cross between 'Hans Anrud' and T. 'Bestraald.' 'Rem's Favorite' ships in the fall from Brent and Becky's Bulbs. Image by Phillip James, via Flickr.

Above: Two broken varieties, 'Adonis' (Top) and 'Black and White,' ship seasonally from Old House Gardens, the only seller in the United States to import the old flame and feather varieties from Hortus Bulborum, the Netherlands' sole producer. "Twenty years ago, Hortus kept these rare jewels close to the chest," Kunst says. "Little by little, they're sharing them."

Above: Old favorites in a modern garden: We recently shared tips for how to incorporate tulips in a modern planting scheme. Image via Ben Pentreath.

Picasso said, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Here's a collection of images that prove the point.

Above: Casual drawings are displayed with a thin strip of washi tape from Le Dans La.

Above: Small round magnets attach children's art to the front door at Jill Malek's studio from Design Sponge.

Above: Remodelista editor Sarah displays a pink woodblock print made by her daughter Imogen: "I like to mix in pieces by my children on my inspiration pinboard. It's a constant work in progress."

Above: Jan Eleni copies and resizes kids art projects into a custom Jan Eleni Collage; prices start at $950 for the 40 image archival print.

Above: Remodelista editor Christine Hanway displays a drawing by her son Will ("it's of a sushi chef at work. I paired it with a photograph of Japan taken by architect Cary Bernstein").

A pair of Dutch artists dissect vegetables and research elemental dyes in their tiny Eindhoven studio; the results reveal the depth and range of color achievable using pigments derived from beets, cabbage, eggplant, and more.

Daniera ter Haar and Christoph Brach's fascination with the raw dying process has resulted to several installations highlighting the stages of the dying process. Den Haag design shop Edwin Pelser recently commissioned Raw Color , the duo's design firm, to create a series of silk scarves dyed with vegetable pigments. The artists derived the pigments from beets, purple cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, purple heirloom potatoes, and colored bell peppers, which yielded eighteen different vibrant shades. For information on the silk scarves, contact Edwin Pelser for pricing and availability.

N.B.: See photographs of the 70-square-meter Raw Color Studio based in a former factory building called the Klokgebouw.

Above: Three shades of "raw yellow" reveal subtle differences.

Above: The finished silk scarves from the Raw Textile project.

Above: A showcase of color before it is used on paper or textiles from the Liquid Palette installation.

Above: Red beets give way to a range of color from ochre to deep purple.

Above: Silk is submerged in glass jars filled with dye.

Above: Swatches of color reveal a range of colors.

I met photographer Martyn Thompson recently when he was riding his bicycle in my Brooklyn neighborhood, scouting locations. Dressed in a kilt with fur accessories (he started out as a fashion designer), Thompson was clearly a man on an artistic mission. Intrigued, I went out and bought his most recent book, simply titled Interiors. You should too.

Thompson's photographic career was set in motion some 25 years ago, when he began shooting the avant-garde garments he was designing at the time. As it turned out, Thompson’s images attracted more attention than the clothes themselves, launching his career as a sought-after image maker. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Thompson has lived in London (where he was seduced by glam rock and the aesthetic of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren). He now lives and works in Brooklyn; to see more of his work, go to Martyn Thompson Studio.

The cover shot of John Derian's house on Cape Cod.

Above: The vintage wallpaper uncovered and untouched in John Derian's Cape Cod house.

Above: Hotelier Sean McPhearson's townhouse bathroom.

Above: A brick wall painted pink in Dave Alhadef's Brooklyn home. Alhadef is the owner and creative force behind The Future Perfect shops in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Above: Another view of Alhadef's Brooklyn home.

Sometimes it’s a small detail that gives you a glimpse into a person’s life; in the case of Lauren McIntosh, it was a loaf of brown bread displayed under an elegant glass cloche on her kitchen counter like a still life. Simple, thoughtful, and aesthetically compelling, it is symbolic of McIntosh's whole approach to living: creating beauty.

"I have these rules that everything has to be beautiful and to look good," she says. "You don't have to have plastic in your life." The third-generation Californian and longtime artist (see her work at Repetti in New York and Obsolete in LA) is also the co-owner of Berkeley’s legendary Tail of the Yak, where she and her partner Alice Erb sell carefully sourced traditional arts and crafts from around the globe. Read on to discover more about McIntosh's approach to the artful life.

Photography by Aya Brackett for Remodelista.

Above: McIntosh works in a loft-like studio in her Berkeley Hills home. She typically uses gouache on paper.

Above: McIntosh at her easel in her studio; French doors open on to a lush English country style garden, where a tortoise roams. McIntosh picked up her eyeglasses on a recent trip to Venice:"They are made of horn and titanium and are really strong," she says.

Above: McIntosh wears rings made from amethyst with pearls and flat cut garnets on her left hand. She sources English and European antique jewelry for Tail of the Yak. " I prefer the Georgian era over Victorian, it's rustic and less fussy," she says.

Above: McIntosh wears a black John Paul Gaultier dress from the designer's archives (she traded it for a painting) paired with a black apron that was a gift from a friend. She's a fan of Dosa, which she picks up from Atomic Gardens in Oakland, and she also likes to wear some of the Ukranian and Mexican pieces on sale at her store. Her footwear of choice? Vegan Dr. Martens (she's vegetarian). In this photo, she holds a paper lantern, one of many she created for a recent fundraiser at Creative Growth, the Oakland-based organization that serves artists with developmental, physical, and mental disabilities; McIntosh and her husband are longtime supporters. Hanging above the dining table is a paper chandelier, another of her own creations.

Above: The artist's studio, with a floral piece created by Louesa Roebuck for a recent Remodelista installation.

Above: McIntosh plaits her hair for the curl effect; her earrings were made in Chile from horse hair and are sold at Tail of the Yak for $85. Her lip color of choice? Yves Saint Laurent's 04 Rouge Vermillon; $32.

A few days ago, Louesa Roebuck (our renegade florist friend) and I piled into a car and headed to the leafy suburbs south of San Francisco to see another friend, artist Sara Carter. Her garden was packed full of camellia, rhododendrons, and dogwood, making it ripe for the picking. The prior owner planted this garden 80 years ago, and it has pretty much remained the same ever since. We set Louesa loose.

Photographs by Sarah Lonsdale.

Above: A dogwood tree and a rhododendron bush line the pathway, with Louesa inspired by the latter's "Indian, Kipling-esque flowers, with their explosion of pink."

Above: Louesa tackling the dogwood. She likes to cut from beneath, as the flowers tend to be less sun-damaged (especially late in the season).

Above: Louesa cutting back the rhododendron branches. She notes that "people have very delineated ideas about what is an outside shrubbery or tree and what's a cutting flower. They tend not to cut these, but I love the pink pompon-like flowers".

Above: Rhododendrons mixed with dogwood, displayed below one of Sara Carter's paintings from the Grid Series.

Above: Louesa, who found some hardy dwarf Korean lilac with lavender flowers tucked away in a corner, says, "This is one of the most wonderfully fragrant lilacs." Solomon's Seal, picked up from a friend's garden en route, proves a perfect addition.

Above: Louesa is partial to the sweeping curves of the rhododendron branches.

The first time photographer Michael Mundy walked up to the door of a perfect stranger (a friend of a friend) with the intent of spending an afternoon shooting photos, he had no idea it would be the start of a regular series. This week marks the two-year anniversary of An Afternoon With; it's our go-to site for a glance into the lives of some of New York's most creative residents.

Mundy and the site's co-founder, Nhi Nguyen, developed the portraiture project based on the premise that the things people live with tell a story; every home expresses a personal style. This week, the artists who have told their story on An Afternoon With came together to meet face-to-face for the first time, at Parlor in Soho.

Marking the two-year anniversary, we've rounded up some of our favorite stories of New York artists from An Afternoon With.

Above: Paintings set against an indigo wall in the home of John Silvis, a Brooklyn-based artist and art adviser.

Above: Photos displayed near the kitchen at the Brooklyn home of photographer Mikael Kennedy.

Above: In the home office of fashion illustrator Richard Haines.

Above: Objects on the windowsill at the Manhattan home of artist Robert Fontanelli.

Above: Artist Antonio Serna and Peggy Tan (and cat) lounge in their Manhattan apartment.

Above: In the home office of artist and musician Kim Krans.

Above: In the open loft of visual artist Yasmine Chatila and James Holland, a film producer.

Above: A worktable belonging to tattoo artist turned multi-media artist Ruth Marten.

Above: A minimal bedroom at the home of visual artist and book editor Martynka Wawrzyniak.

The ultimate kitchen luxury? According to a friend who's a professional chef, it's the pot filler faucet.

Consider this: A gallon of water weighs more than eight pounds. Pot filler faucets eliminate back strain caused by heavy lifting (and spilling) in the kitchen and are perfect for filling large pots or tea kettles on the stove. Our round-up features wall-mounted styles, but many pot filler faucets are also available in a deck-mounted configuration (good for use with stoves in kitchen islands). The key is to place the faucet close enough to the stove top so that you can reach it easily. Our favorite faucets feature swing arms that stay out of the way by folding against the wall.

TRADITIONAL

Above: Our all-time favorite is the Steam Valve Original Wall Mount Pot Filler, shown in brushed stainless with wheel handles. Additional handle options include metal lever or and black or white ceramic levers; $806.25 at Quality Bath.

Above: Watermark's Contemporary Pot Filler with a single cross remote valve has a 26-inch reach and is available in several finishes; $368.25 in chrome at Quality Bath.

Above: Julie uses a Chicago pot filler faucet. "It turned out to be one of our best remodeling decisions; we use it constantly," she says. Chicago Faucets 515 Wall-Mounted Pot Filler Faucet with an 18-inch double-jointed spout and metal lever handles; $218.74 at Faucet.com.

Above: From laboratory faucet manufacturer Zurn, the 13-inch double-jointed swing spout Zurn Wall-Mounted Single Lever Faucet works well in tight spaces; $156.58 at Faucet Direct.

Above: The Chesterfield Wall-Mount Pot Filler Faucet with double cross handles is available in 26 finishes, including polished chrome (shown) and extends 26 5/8 inches from the wall; $397.20 and up, depending on finish, at Faucet Direct.

Above: Rohl's Country Kitchen Single Handle Wall Mount Pot Filler Faucet with an 11-inch swivel spout; $201 in chrome (other finishes available) at AJ Madison.

Above: The Easton Classic Wall Mounted Extension Pot Filler Faucet with a 13-inch reach and swivel spout; $578 (in chrome) and up, depending on finish, at Waterworks.

MODERN

Above: Vola Wall Mounted Pot Filler Faucet with single handle and a 10-inch swivel spout; $468.75 for the polished chrome finish (other finishes available) at eFaucets.

Above: Dornbracht Tara Wall Mounted Pot Filler Faucet has an extendable swivel spout with a 12- to 19-inch projection; $428.40 in polished chrome at Cotswold Kitchen and Bath.

Above: Westbrass Two-Handle Wall-Mount Pot Filler (Model 34682) has a 24.5-inch reach; $261.80 at Home to Dream Home.

Above: The Elkay Ella Wall-Mount Pot Filler has a 360-degree swing arm with a 21-inch reach; $380.59 in polished stainless (shown) and $287.62 in satin stainless at Amazon.

Above: Whitehaus Decohaus Wall-Mounted Pot Filler Faucet with cross handle (also available with a lever) and a 13-inch long double-jointed arm available in polished chrome or brushed nickel; $406.10 at Wayfair.

Above: Kallista One Wall-Mounted Pot Filler has a 22-inch reach; $1,051 in chrome finish. Also available in nickel silver and brushed nickel through Kallista.

Spotted (and admired) recently: a new line of furniture from Hamburg-based Loehr—in particular, we covet the Faber stool.

Founded in 2011, the family-run company Loehr (winner of the 2012 Interior Innovation Award from the German Design Council) uses traditional craftsmanship and high-quality materials. The JL 1 Faber stool is made from solid oak, with legs that purposely echo the traditional half-timbered houses of northern Europe. For more information, contact Loehr.

Above: The stool is also available as a Bar Stool.

Above: The JL 1 Faber Stool is available in pure red, natural stained oak, mouse gray, jet black, signal white, and ocean blue.

Above: The stool with oak legs and jet black top.

We've identified a challenger to our beloved Vipp kitchen waste bin: the Wesco Kickmaster Bin from German company Westermann & Co.

Yes, it's expensive, but it will be the last trash bin you ever buy. Made from powder-coated sheet steel, the Wesco brings German engineering to your kitchen (think of it as a Mercedes for your scullery).

Above: The Wesco Kickmaster Trash Can is available in red, white, or gray; $279.95 at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: The Wesco Kickmaster Trash Can is also available in red or white; $279.95 at Williams-Sonoma.

German Bauhaus master Willem Wagenfeld designed some of the century's most thrilling glassware; happily, several of his pieces were recently reissued by Jenaer Glas.

N.B. Also see Hotels & Lodging: Hotel Sigtuna in Sweden, with rooms featuring Wilhelm Wagenfeld Bauhaus Table Lamps. Now we segue to kitchen pieces by Wagenfeld.

Above: Jenaer Glas recently reissued the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Egg Coddler; it's currently on sale for $12.99 (down from $17.99) at Fortessa.

Above: Jenaer Glas also recently released the iconic Wagenfeld Teapot with lid and filter; currently on sale for $119.99 (down from $159.99) at Fortessa. The Wagenfeld Tea Cup and Saucer set is €41.90 at Connox. A Wagenfeld Creamer and Sugar Bowl set is €31.90 at Connox.

Above: Designed in 1935, Wagenfeld's modular Kubus stacking containers, which are in the permanent collection at MoMA, can occasionally be found at auctions and through antiques dealers specializing in mid-century pieces.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original post ran on April 27, 2009.

Designed by Ilse Crawford, the Das Kranzbach spa hotel in the Bavarian Alps features an unlikely mix of elements (Tyrolean chairs with George Nelson bubble lamps?). Somehow it all works.

Crawford has revamped the interiors using her signature mix of unexpected color combinations and daring furniture mashups. Suddenly George Nelson bubble lamps look new again when hung in clusters; white bentwood chairs are at ease next to Arne Jacobsen Swan chairs. Traditional Windsor dining chairs seem fashionable when painted glossy red. How does she do it?

This post is an update; the original ran on December 25, 2009.