David Rager, the US-born, Paris-based design impresario behind Paris's Candelaria, recently clued us in to his latest venture: a cocktail bar in Pigalle called Glass that he designed with Cheri Messerli.

"It's a little darker and more focused on the music/DJ vibe. It's in Pigalle in a former 'hostess bar,' where a beer costs 20 bucks because it comes with some extra attention (the street is still lined with bars like this). We didn't change the facade, but we gutted the interior and installed an acoustic 'box' so we can crank up the volume and have some small live performances. Cheri and I designed everything in this one, including the furniture (benches, a circular banquette that converts to a stage, stools, and cocktail tables). We were inspired after a trip to Tokyo, so all of the bench seating has built-in storage below the seat for your jackets and bags. We worked with London-based artist Andere Monjo, who created the distressed/watercolored mirrored tables, and artist Adrian Rubi Dentzel, who made the light-up resin tiles for the floor."

For information, go to Glass. You can also check out the Glass playlist on Peachr.

Above: Rager designed all the graphics for the bar.

Above: The interior is painted black.

Above: Brass lamps from Japanese artist Oji Masanori illuminate the space.

Above: London-based artist Andere Monjo created the distressed/watercolored mirror tables for the space.

Above: The banquettes offer storage opportunities.

Above: Revelers at an early musical event.

N.B. To see more of David and Cheri's work, go to House Call: David Rager and Cheri Messerli in Paris and Restaurant Visit: Taqueria Candelaria in Paris.

When the character of a house is defined by its historic details, it would be natural to want to preserve these details, right? Even if surgery is required?

Drew Lang of Lang Architecture (a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory) points out that his renovation of a 1910 historic Brooklyn townhouse is actually a “restoration project, infused with carefully positioned and articulated modern amenities.” In order to enlarge the kitchen by four feet, the highly detailed panels in the dining room needed to be taken apart and then reassembled to make it seem that the reproportioned dining room had always been in that configuration. “The result is an enlarged and modernized kitchen,” he says, “which was the single most important objective for our client.”

Above: The classic stoop entry of the Park Slope townhouse in Brooklyn.

Above: A false ceiling was removed and the original height of the kitchen was restored. The stacked cabinets take advantage of the height and provided extra storage while a Hood Classic Globe Chandelier from Rejuvenation hangs from the ceiling. The sink is a Shaws Original Fireclay Sink.

Above: The hand-painted terra cotta tiles were sourced from Urban Archeology.

Above: The push button switch and subway tiles with dark grout were chosen to fit in with the existing historical details of the house. The client selected a small scale subway tile from Home & Stone in Brooklyn to keep with the scale of the kitchen.

Above: Schoolhouse Electric offers dimmer light switches with a retro look: We like the solid brass Push Button One Gang Coverplate ($18) paired with the Three-Way Dimmer Switch ($44) at Schoolhouse Electric & Supply.

Above: A stainless steel Wolf range contrasts with traditionally detailed wood cabinets, which were hand sanded and distressed after being painted. The Dakota Wire Pull and Dakota Cup Pull from Restoration Hardware enhance the effect.

Above: The paint color for the cabinets was Benjamin Moore Wilmington Spruce.

Above: An example of the historical detail: Plaster moldings and wood filigree, which have been painstakingly restored.

Above: A detail of the an existing door and its original hardware.

Above: A Before image of the kitchen shows the false ceiling.

Above: The new kitchen is now four feet larger than the original kitchen.

N.B. See 146 more images of Brooklyn Townhouses in our Gallery of Rooms and Spaces.

If I had to pick one gift to give this holiday season, it would be a handmade candle from Le Feu de L'Eau. Why? These one-of-a-kind, organically formed candles are created in water, forming ripples of colored hues making them a sculpture of sorts.

Artist and designer Wendy Polish grew up watching her father, an inventor, make candles in water, a process he pioneered. "He would fill plastic trash cans with water and pour hot wax down a wick that led into the water," Polish says. "When the wax hit the water, it would make the most incredible shapes." Since then, Polish and her father have refined the process (he began his wax experiments in 1968), and in January of this year, Polish launched her candle business, Le Feu de L'Eau, with her longtime friend, makeup artist Jo Strettell.

Polish and her candles made their debut at last year's Remodelista Holiday Market in LA (thanks to Jamie Rosenthal of Lost and Found); we're pleased she will be back, this time at our Remodelista Holiday Market in SF; if you can't make it this Saturday, check out Le Feu de L'Eau.

Photography by Ryan Robert Miller.

Above: Brit-born LA makeup artist Jo Strettell with artist and designer Wendy Polish. The creative duo bring their shared love of art, beauty, and fragrance together in Le Feu de L'Eau.

Above: Candles in Midnight Blue with a fragrance of black and red currant.

Above: A collection of Fire of Midnight Blue candle shells in their different color permeations, ready to be filled.

Above: Candle wicks.

Above: Wax shells after being filled and wicked.

Above: Fire of Gray with musk and smoke fragrance. Every batch comes out slightly differently, depending on the temperature of the water and the weather.

Above: Le Feu de L'Eau translates to "The Fire of Water," every candle label is screen-printed by hand on Belgian linen.

Above: The candle packaging is an homage to Josef Albers.

Above: Le Feu Bleu Phthalo candles were inspired by indigo-dyed fabric.

After studying ceramics in West Virginia, Kelly Farley worked briefly at Smith & Hawken in his native Chicago before loading up his car and heading West in search of a place to call home.

After a year in Colorado and a stint in New Mexico, Farley landed in Berkeley, where his brother was living. A fortuitous invitation to a clay firing at Richard Carter’s Studio in Pope Valley changed his life. As he says, “When I stepped foot on the property, I felt like I was at home.“ Carter invited him to join his residential program, and he's been there ever since. "When I began, I was focused on being Guy Wolff and making flower pots." Carter intervened, and encouraged him to move from the functional into art. “That’s when I started making my sculptures; it was freeing. With Richard, it was all about expression and bringing the inner voice out." He made large sculpture pieces, most notably installations of ceramic balls hanging from long metal chains, but the financial prospects of being an artist saw Farley return to the functional, this time with a newfound respect for the craft.

A year ago, Farley launched his line of nesting bowls at our Remodelista Holiday Market, which promptly sold out; this year he returns with an expanded line of goods. Check him out at the Remodelista Holiday Market in SF this Saturday or online at Pope Valley Pottery.

Photography by Aya Brackett for Remodelista.

Above: A collection of Farley's wares on display.

Above: Farley's nesting bowls inspired by a mix of French country rustic and the Industrial age.

Above: One of Farley's sculptural pieces hanging from a tree outside his studio.

Above: Farley chops up the clay and weighs each piece. It’s a very precise process especially for the nesting bowl sets as they have to be close to the archetype while being handmade.

Above: Wedging the clay on a smooth surface

Above: Kelly at the wheel working on a vase.

Above: The vase taking form.

Above: Farley's collection of bowls and other pieces on a rack. He uses a white glaze to allow the focus to be on the form.

Above: Loading the pieces in the propane gas kiln for firing.

Above: Farley outside his studio in Pope Valley.

See our previous post on Richard Carter: A Rustic Farmhouse and Artist's Studio in Pope Valley.

Explore more House Calls.

Tonight at SummerHouse@57 in Mill Valley, John Robshaw is on hand to sign his new book, "John Robshaw Prints: Textiles, Block Printing, Global Inspiration, and Interiors," which he wrote with Elizabeth Garnsey. A combination autobiography and travelog, the book offers a close-up look at hand-blocked textile production. Robshaw earned a fine arts degree at Pratt and studied traditional block printing in China; after journeying to India to find natural indigo dye for his paintings, he fell in love with the local fabric-making traditions.

Interested in meeting the master of exotic color and pattern? Robshaw will be at Summerhouse@57 in Mill Valley this evening from 6 to 8 pm (57 Throckmorton Street) to sign books; local restaurateur Mitchell Rosenthal will be preparing Indian food, and wine will be served. For more information, go to SummerHouse@57; to see more of his work, go to John Robshaw Textiles.

Above: John spends several months a year producing his designs in small workshops in India, Cambodia, Vietnam, and elsewhere. One of his homes away from home is the town of Sanganer, a suburb of Jaipur. "My travels have introduced me to dozens of indigenous printing techniques," he writes. "Block printing became my teacher and my muse, and my temperamental mistress. If my personality were an art form, I would be block printing."

Above: A car slipcovered in samples of John Robshaw patterns.

Above: A showroom bedroom that John designed in collaboration with LA decorator Peter Dunham. "Peter requested many yards of expensive fabric," writes John, "so, being the thrifty fellow I am, I decided to patch up a wall with prints I already had."

Above: John Robshaw Prints: Textiles, Block Printing, Global Inspiration, and Interiors is $26.40 at Amazon.

Perhaps the most fun I ever had in designing a room was when I styled my children's nurseries. It was a time before plastic princesses and action figures began to muddy the waters, when I could indulge in my own sense of playfulness and whimsy.

Back then, I didn't have nearly the variety of rare and international goods as are available today. If I had it all to do over again, here is what I would choose.

Above: Available with two or three gulls, this graceful Seagull Mobile is hand stitched by Masami Akatsuka of Cocon; €84 and €122.

Above: A modern twist on the classic pull toy, Enzo the Dog by Studio delle Alpi, comes in a variety contemporary patterns and hues; €55.

Above: Discovered via our friend Deborah at Kickcan and Conkers, the German Company Zenzi Design fashions a series of hinged Wooden Animals, including lion, badger, fox, and elephant; €38

Above: From Barcelona, La Casa De Coto crochets Cotton Poufs in a variety of colors, including these serene stars; $64 to $120.

Above: Handmade by Furze Chan, these lovable peanut dolls make for some truly huggable companions; $62.

Above: Made from 100 percent cotton, Auggie's Baby Quilts get softer with each wash; $78.

Explore more: Gift Ideas for Children.

Cabinetmaker, furniture restorer, worldly antique dealer: Meet Max Rollitt, a young designer with an old soul, as we tour the project that launched his interior design career.

The owners of a recently purchased Hampshire vicarage found themselves in Rollitt’s nearby antiques shop wondering about a sofa from his bespoke furniture line. Soon realizing that they probably needed more than just a sofa, they ended up hiring Rollitt as their dealer and decorator. With his expertise in antiques and his well-chosen inventory, Rollitt was able to test things out and source them as required. The result? Within the space of a few months, Rollitt managed to turn the vicarage into a well loved and lived in home. To see more interior design work by this emerging talent, go to Max Rollitt.

Photography by John Hammond and Dave Gibbons.

Above: Max Rollitt, an antiques dealer turned designer.

Above: The vicarage has three formal reception rooms, including the sitting room. The fireplace mantel was sourced at Jamb.

Above: The brass candlestick and fireplace surround have a worn patina that matches the antique gold framed mirror. A holiday garland adorns the wall over the mirrors. (N.B. See our Easy Holiday Garland video to make your own.)

Above: Rollitt's eclectic style with a mixing of objects in style and value is sure of touch but not heavy handed.

Above: One of the three formal reception rooms is the dining room.

Above: Color accents are achieved through soft textiles.

Above: In many of the rooms, Rollitt used broad pine planks from the drying shelves of Victorian potteries as the flooring material.

Above: Vintage flags frame the doorway to the back of the house, where there is an informal sitting room.

Above: A working kitchen is designed around daily use.

Above: The fireplace mantel in the bathroom.

Above: Even the bathroom offers design opportunities.

Above: Rollitt's mixture of textiles and colors creates a welcome retreat in the bedroom.

N.B. Does it stand to reason that antique dealers are good designers? See At Home with London's Antiques Whisperer and tell us what you think.

Is the evening bag the holy grail of the well-considered wardrobe? We think so. Read on to discover our solutions to this vexing problem.

We tend to be an opinionated group at Remodelista: some of us frown at clutches, some of us balk at shoulder bags. All of us prefer dresses with pockets (perfect for stashing a lipstick, a $20 bill, even a cell phone). A few weeks ago, I found myself at an evening event with my trusty Filson Bag in tow. Unfortunately, the event wasn't quite casual enough; I decided it was time to grow up and embrace the evening bag.

Have you found the perfect solution? We'd love to hear your ideas (leave your picks in the comments section below).

Above: Julie is a fan of the Lilly Bag from Steven Allen, which is available in burgundy, brown, and black ($198) and is reminiscent of the pricier Celine Trio Bag.

Above: Meredith covets the Small Leather Clutch from Billy Kirk for being just barely "evening enough"; $176 from Spartan in Austin.

Above: Stacey sports a Claire Vivier Foldover Clutch in poppy ($156), but for the clutch-challenged we like Vivier's Sac Bretelle, above; $168.

Above: Not your average evening clutch: Jill Sander's Plastic Envelope Clutch is made from a glossy, transparent black plastic, is $230 from Totokaelo in Seattle, and is on Alexa's wish list.

Above: The most reluctant evening bag wearer among us is Sarah (she uses her husband, David, to stash her essentials on evenings out). In his absence, she'll wear a Sofie D'Hoore dress and stash her lipstick in one pocket and her iPhone in the other. In a pinch, she'll tote this Makeup Bag from Erica Tanov; $92.

Above: Christine uses her black Ally Capellino handbag for most evening events. Its frame shape is a classic, and Christine swears the leather has gotten better over time.

Above: Christine saves her gray satin Prada bag for the fanciest of occasions; its steely gray color has never let her down. (But sorry sourcing news: she found the bag in a vintage shop and has never seen another one like it.)

Above: Justine is coveting this Leather Pouch from Dutch designers Bruin Label. The bags can be worn as necklaces and are available in anthracite, taupe, and off-white; currently on sale for €75 at Zeimijn Design.

Above: Alexa's purely aspirational evening bag is Japanese designer Undercover's Cowhide/Cotton Purse with a woven cotton back and keychain that holds a tiny flash drive; $864 from Maryam Nassir Zadeh.

Above: Another Ally Capellino pick: Janet is coveting the timeless Kiki Bag in black; £308.

Looking for more on what to wear? See 37 posts in our Style section.

Every year, around this time, I promise myself I'm going to get a proper Christmas tree stand; one that will last a lifetime and that can (ideally) be folded up and stored year after year. Here are the five best options out there right now:

Above: Folding Stainless Steel Christmas Tree Stand; €192 from Christmas Tree Stand in Hungary.

Above: The Christmas Tree Stand designed by Maria Haard for Design House Stockholm is available in green, red, or white; go to Design House Stockholm for ordering information.

Above: The Skeppshult Tree Stand is $127 from Royal Design.

Above: We love the no-nonsense, American-industrial look of these heavyweight steel Christmas tree stands, handmade in Bear Lake, Michigan, by Floyd Bowling Jr. and Sr. since 1989. The T-bolts make securing the tree easy, and the tripod legs prevent wobbling on uneven floors. One happy customer wrote, "It belongs in the permanent collection at MoMA." Bowling's Last Stand offers three models: The 10XTS Model shown below supports a tree up to 10 feet tall and costs $180; the 12XTS supports trees up to 12 feet tall, and the 16XTC is for behomeths up to 16 feet tall.

Above: The Turboprop Christmas Tree Stand is €118 from Magazin.

Artists Randall Buck and Jee Levin of New York-based design house Trove take their inspiration from disparate sources: Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds," for instance, and most recently, the audience of the Teatro La Fine, the famed Venice opera house (currently available at Anthropologie).

Above: Troves artists Randall Buck and Jee Levin. Photo via MocoLoco.

Above: Trove's Fuoco Wallpaper is based on a historic photograph of Teatro La Fenice, the famed Venice opera house that burned to the ground not once, but twice. The photograph was originally taken after the theater was rebuilt following a fire that completely destroyed it in 1836. Trove's Fuoco Opera House Wallpaper is digitally printed on PVC-free pre-pasted paper and is available in rolls of 54 square feet (9 feet long and 72 inches wide); $398 at Anthropologie.

Above: Buck and Levin were inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds in their design for their Indi line of paper.

Above L: Ciel. Above R: Nyx.

N.B.: See our earlier Wallpaper Features for more ideas.

Now that I'm starting my own Christmas tree decorating tradition (think tiny tree in a small apartment), I'm longing for a tree topper comparable to the antique Dutch ornaments my family has passed down for generations. Here are 5 tree toppers, a mix of DIY and easy-to-buy, all with an heirloom feel.

Above: The German Tree Topper, with its intricate woodwork designs, is handmade at the Dregano studio in Seiffen, Germany; $48 from Schoolhouse Electric.

Above: The Silvered Star Glass Topper is made by SkLO Studios, a collaboration between a Czech glass blower and an American husband-wife design team; $88 from Anthropologie.

Above: Consider making the tree topper yourself with this DIY black star project from Design and Form.

Above: Another wooden option is the Large Shaved Wood Tree Topper made in Erzgebirge, Germany for $69.95 from The Wooden Wagon.

Above: With a few pieces of felt and silver thread, The Purl Bee has a simple step-by-step DIY project.

Above: The Tin Star Tree Topper is made in Pennsylvania for $58 from Terrain.

Above: The Gilded Star Tree Topper is made from natural twigs and gilded in gold; currently on sale for $15 from West Elm.

N.B.: Setting up your tree at home? See our companion post on 5 Favorites: Tree Stands.

In rural coastal Norway, Hotel Union Øye boasts that it has been "a favorite venue of royalty, writers, and lovers for generations." Read on to understand the allure.

Union Øye's three floors have stood since 1891 in the village of Øye along a dramatic fjord. Its appeal to lovers? No telephones, no television, but lots of velvet and moody lighting. For lovers of history, most of the hotel's 27 rooms are named after famous guests. (Among the impressive roster: Karen Blixen, Edvard Grieg, and Roald Amundsen.) Lovers of the outdoors can take advantage of 11 pm sunsets during the summer months, and lovers of decor are free to browse the hotel's unoccupied rooms, each filled to the brim with storied antiques. For booking information, visit Hotel Union Øye.

Above: The grand hotel, in the Swiss cottage architectural style; photo by Steve M. Royset via Hotel Union Øye.

Above: A peek into Det Blå Rommet, "the blue room." Photo via Hotel Union Øye.

Above: Most rooms flaunt canopy beds, chandeliers, and royalty-evoking headboards. Photo via Hotel Union Øye.

Above: Paneled walls, crocheted bedspreads, and heavy drapery are part of the hotel's Victorian Gothic interior. Photo via 62Nord.

Above: A glimpse into the Edvard Grieg room.

Above: A moody green room with an imposing four poster bed.

Above: (L) Guests can hike the grounds among mountains reflected in the nearby fjord. (R) No shortage of curiosities can be found in Union Øye. Photos via 62Nord.

Looking for more Inspiration? See 1084 photos of Hotels in our Gallery of Rooms and Spaces.

In this age of throwaway fashion, Belgian designer Sofie d’Hoore’s creations are anything but. Maybe that's why we're obsessed—and on fire to give you a first look at her 2013 spring/summer collection.

Hers is an unlikely story: d'Hoore trained as a dentist (her father is a doctor) but segued into fashion after realizing she was more interested in clothing design; she went on to study textile engineering in Ghent and entered the Antwerp Academy in 1985. After stints at fashion houses in Milan and in Brussels, she launched her own line in 1992. Her mission? To create comfortable, well-structured clothes with an architectural rigor: she focuses on purity of lines, strict cutting, and fabrics of the highest caliber; it's been said that "she flirts with absolute modernism." She also designs a men's line, but it's impossible to find in the US.

N.B.: The Sofie d'Hoore line is available in the US at MAC Modern Appealing Clothing in San Francisco, Jack Straw in Seattle, Noodle Stories in LA (the line is curiously hard to find in NYC; Blue Tree occasionally has pieces); in the UK, her designs can be found at Egg.

Above: The architect in me goes weak at the knees for narrow pleats and crisp darts.

Above: Life is not whole without a classic shirt dress. Don't be surprised if you see Sarah in this. She already has one in navy.

Above: Our favorite summer dress: d'Hoore's sleeveless style can be dressed up or down depending on the accessories you choose; it's a perfect layering piece that can be worn over T-shirts or under a cardigan or jacket. Professional traveler Heidi Swanson from 101 Cookbooks never goes anywhere without hers; see Heidi Swanson's Travel Kit.

Above: To be filed under "If you have to buy one dress..."

Above: Remodelista's resident DIY video queen Alexa has her eye on this one.

N.B.: Want to learn more about Sofie d'Hoore? See There's Something About Sofie.

When you wear Harris Tweed, you are wearing a piece of the Hebrides. Its beaches, sky, rocks, pools, and heather are all ingredients of tweed. As are the sheep, of course. The island weavers put it all together.

The colors of Harris Tweed come from outdoors and a wonderful thing about this woven cloth is that it allows you to live an outdoor life as well. Besides insulating, the natural lanolin in the untreated wool keeps off the wet and somehow repels dirt, taking on a "weathered" look. The older your tweed, the more it resembles the land it came from.

Photographs by Murdo MacLeod.

Above: A bundle of raw unfinished tweed, on the isle of Harris. After it comes off the weaver's loom, it is folded and prepared to be sent to a textiles mill, for the finishing process. Scottish photographer Murdo MacLeod, who is from a family of weavers, says that in his childhood these bundles were a common sight along the side of the road, ready to be picked up and taken away.

"A universal truth is that Harris Tweed has soul," declares Harris Tweed Hebrides, the collective credited with re-igniting the fortunes of the traditional tweed industry through clever market repositioning. It has become a "young" fabric again. Shown above: A cross Blackface ram, on the isle of Harris, Scotland.

Above: The orb stamp, one of the world's oldest protected trademarks. Closely associated with Vivienne Westwood over the years (she borrowed the orb for her own branding), Harris Tweed has been in need of a new sponsor. Now it is enjoying mass appeal, both in couture and on the high street.

Above: A Scots landscape turned into bolts of fabric. The wool is dyed before being woven, and is made in limited quantities each year. "Welcome to the champagne of fabrics," says Andrew Allen on the blog of Harris Tweed Hebrides.

Above: Dun Carloway, a well-preserved fort on the isle of Lewis, dating from the first century BC. The walls are about three meters thick, built without mortar.

Above: The isle of Lewis, or Leodhas in Gaelic. Harris and Lewis are the same island. They—it?—are in the Outer Hebrides.

Above: Yarn bobbins, with colors which never jar, housed inside "flying shuttles."

Above: Most Harris Tweed is woven in Lewis, and all Harris Tweed must be woven in the Outer Hebrides at the weaver's home.

Above: Sea-battered Lewis.

Above: Donald John Mackay, a tweed industry survivor on the isle of Harris. Mackay is one of 140 full-time workers now employed in the making of tweed. For more on the life of a traditional weaver, see The Guardian.

Not exclusively for dudes, but five gifts worth considering for the man in your life.

Above: Channeling the rugged Californian wilderness, Juniper Ridge's John Muir Trail gift box includes Wild Plum Campground Cologne and Yuba Trail Crew Soap; $112 from Juniper Ridge.

Above: For the aspiring race car driver: The Limit, by Michael Cannell, "tells the story of Phil Hill—a lowly California mechanic who would become the first American-born driver to win the Grand Prix—and, on the fiftieth anniversary of his triumph, brings to life a vanished world of glamor, valor, and daring." The Limit is $17.15 at Amazon.

Above: We've been fans of Joey Roth's speakers for a while now; those looking to amp up their sound will be pleased to know of his newly launched Subwoofer. According to Roth, the ceramic subwoofer "is neither boomy nor aggressive, but a balanced completion of the ceramic speakers"; $695 from Joey Roth. N.B. Bay Area shoppers, Roth will be debuting the speakers at our Holiday Market this coming Saturday, 8th December.

Above: Deck Towel's Theo is a posh beach towel of sorts made of striped linen; it works equally well as a bed throw or as a wrap on the beach; $200 from Deck Towel.

Above: This Canvas Dopp Kit; is a well-priced modern take on the classic leather kit; $20 from West Elm's Market Collection.

Formerly based in London, Anna Karlin moved to NYC in 2010; since then, she has been distilling her aesthetic through a wide range of endeavors: digital, print, branding, interior, and set design (working for clients from Swarovski Crystal to U2).

This past October, Karlin debuted her Furniture and Fine Objects collection, working with a limited but luxe palette (ash wood, hand-blown glass, and brass) and simple shapes that reference American craftsmanship. The collection is produced entirely in New York; Karlin's New York City showroom is located at 64 Allen Street, 4A, and is open by appointment only.

Photography by Don Freeman for Anna Karlin.

Above: The Cap and Wine Opener is made of sold cast brass and sold individually or as a set.

Above: The Chess Stools are cold-rolled out of hollow steel and plated in brass.

Above: The Glassware is a set of four tumblers, a decanter, and a water jug.

Above: The adjustable Screw Top Stools are hand tooled screw spindle with brass stopper.

Above: A detail of the Screw Top Stools inlaid with a brass cross.

Above: The Dining Table is made of ash wood and inlaid with brass; it features three sliding doors on each side, each with a brass number.

Above: Karlin, an alumni of The Glasgow School of Art, values local craftsmanship as much as modern production; based in New York City, she successfully marries the two.

N.B.: Looking for more brass? See 53 images of Bronze & Brass in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.

Every year around this time, we embark on a search for the most aesthetically appealing menorahs out there; here's the best of 2012 (sadly, some of our favorites have fallen off the list: Canoe, where is your walnut menorah? Bring it back!):

Above: Designed by Pratt Institute graduate Brad Ascalon for Design Within Reach, the Ascalon Menorah (candles included) is $275 at Design Within Reach.

Above: Nick and the Candlestick, designed by Lindsey Adelman, features nine brass holders at varying heights; $1,200 from Matter.

Above: The Cast Iron Menorah, designed by Josh Owen, features a tray for catching wax drippings and resting used matches; $145 at Horne.

Above: The Modern Menorah from Sausalito-based Roost is made of silver-plated brass with a shesham base (candles included); $87 at the Light Shop.

The bar cart is back (or maybe it never really went away); here are five we're actively considering:

Above: The brass-plated iron Libations Bar Cart from Crate & Barrel is $599.

Above: The Industrial Vintage Steel Trolley Bar Cart is $1,183 from Kathy Kuo Home via Amazon.

Above: The Ernest White Bar Cart was designed by Mash Studios for CB2; $149.

Above: The Arteriors Ponce Iron Bar Cart is $1,200 from Amazon.

Above: 1950s Milo Bar cart in antiqued brass (it's also available in silver) is $895 at Restoration Hardware.

After surveying the treats at Ten Belles a few weeks ago, we were naturally curious about its sister restaurant. Le Bal Café, we're happy to report, does not disappoint.

Owned by Ten Belles chefs and partners Alice Quillet and Anna Trattles, as well as Anselme Blayney, Le Bal Café possesses a similar mix of edited yet eclectic modern design, paired with fresh, down-home cooking. The menu is neo-British, featuring delights such as Patates Douces, Oignons Rouges, and Pickled Walnut, a combination of warm roasted sweet potatoes and red onions tossed with pickled walnuts. Complementing the robust fare, the largely black and white design scheme, which is subtly peppered with mid-century finds, has a cool, contemporary vibe.

Housed on the ground floor of the building designed by Agence Search, Le Bal Café is part of LE BAL, an independent venue dedicated to documentary photography.

Above: Illuminated by striking pendants by Mattias Stahlbom, the café's menu, posted on a blackboard-painted wall, lists daily specials and drinks. Image courtesy of Lost in Cheeseland.

Above: In the dining area, vintage Jacobsen chairs and mid-century lighting found at a Paris flea flank tables from a Dutch flea market. Patrons may also choose to dine at the bar on stools from Substance.

Above: A yummy-looking crumble is presented on a vintage plate, found at a garage sale. Image courtesy of Lost in Cheeseland.

Above: Accommodating more diners on fair days, the terrace features chairs from Swedish designers Mass Productions; the tables are by Fermob.

Above: Much like the galleries above, Le Bal Café also features a rotating exhibition of photos.

Above: Under the black board menu, hooks from Muuto are by Lars Tornoe. Image courtesy of Lost in Cheeseland.

Above: More mismatched vintage platters serve up the offerings at Sunday Brunch.

N.B.: Heading to Paris? See 41 of our favorite places to shop, eat and stay in The City of Lights.

Just a reminder that this Saturday we will be throwing our third annual holiday market—our biggest to date—at Heath's new location in the Mission. We hope to see you there. Here's the skinny:

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10 am to 5 pm
• Location: Heath Ceramics, 2900 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94110
• Parking: Plenty of parking; admission is free
• Food: Blue Bottle coffee and Alicia's Tamales Los Mayas (the best around!)

For details on the offerings, see our Remodelista Holiday Market post or check out our Facebook page. Here's a look at some of our sellers.

N.B. If you been coveting some Heath ceramics, this is for you: Heath Ceramics will offer Remodelista Market attendees a one-time 10 percent discount to be used in the Heath San Francisco showroom on Saturday, Dec. 8, only. To redeem the discount, please print out this invitation and bring along to show at the time of purchase.