It makes sense, doesn't it, that the cleanliness-obsessed Swiss would produce the world's best-looking trash receptacle? And offer it in several guises (including a stool-height bin with a felted wool seat cushion).

Founded in Zurich in 1928, Patent Ochsner is a household name in Switzerland. "The name is synonymous with waste disposal," the company says. "For decades, there was hardly a Swiss household that didn't have a stainless steel rubbish bin with the Swiss cross and the words Patent Ochsner embossed on the lid." Now, the company has launched a reedition of the iconic Ochsner bin, made from stainless steel; the larger size is available with a beech wood seat and felt cushion for instant seating.

Above: The Compact Bin with Sweep Set is made of rust-free stainless steel and certified FSC beech wood with a horsehair brush; SFR 278.

Above: The lid is stamped with the Swiss cross symbol.

Above: Patent Ochsner Standard 37L Bin (SFR 258) with Felt Seat Cushion (SFR 44) and Beech Wood Seat (SFR 54).

Above: The Patent Ochsner stainless steel, beech wood, and horsehair Dustpan Set is SFR 45.

Interested in more classic cleaning implements? Check out 10 Best Old-World Household Essentials.

Wouldn't it be easier to design a kitchen sans appliances? So often, a kitchen's large appliances are a motley crew of shapes and finishes that distract from your overall scheme. In fact, it's surprising how much appliances can vary, even within one brand. If all appliances matched, they would be instantly ready to drop into your thoroughly considered design.

Enter Fisher & Paykel's new line of ActiveSmart™ refrigerators, designed to coordinate (sleekly) with the rest of the iconic brand's appliances. The pieces are beautiful in themselves—the stainless steel detailing is minimalist and elegant—but won't compete with your design (or with one other).

And ActiveSmart™ refrigerators are designed to save you time and worry in the long haul. With multiple air ducts, variable speed fans, and a humidity control system, ActiveSmart™ technology keeps your food fresher for longer, minimizing waste from spoiled food. 

For more information, visit Fisher & Paykel. 

Above: The redesigned ActiveSmart™ refrigerator line complements other Fisher & Paykel appliances such as the 60cm Built-In Oven range and the award-winning DishDrawer™. The range has a variety of options in stainless steel and white as well as options to conceal your fridge behind cabinetry if desired. 

Above: So long to dust-collecting dead space around the refrigerator. ActiveSmart™ refrigerators are available with surround kits to make the fridge blend seamlessly into nearby cabinetry. 

Above: Fisher & Paykel completely redesigned the water dispenser, so it no longer takes up precious space inside the refrigerator. A sleek black interface and stainless steel strip detail make the dispenser coordinate stylishly with the rest of the Fisher & Paykel appliance family. Inside the fridge, an ergonomic control panel allows instant temperature control, and even flaunts an "ice boost" feature that produces extra ice stored in a separate, adjustable compartment—an entertainer's dream. 

Above: Fisher & Paykel's New Zealand-based design team created new hinges that close quietly every time—midnight ice cream, anyone? The ActiveSmart™ French Door Ice & Water Refrigerator in 900mm wide is $2,850. A 790mm version and many more configurations are also available.   

Here's a collection of our favorite pick-your-own orchards in the East, the West, and the in-between. Most orchards are open on weekends from late August through October or early November. Always call (or check an orchard's website) to verify crop availability in advance as nature's timetable varies and different varieties of tree fruits mature at different times. Bags, buckets, and picking poles are often supplied. And, each orchard will have its own set of rules. Resist the urge to climb trees and ignore the advice from your city-slicker friends to shake the tree to get the ripest fruit. 

Want to know what is available to pick in your area? PickYourOwn.org offers state-by-state listings of what's open and growing.

Above: July and August mean peach picking at Fishkill Farms in Dutchess County, New York, an 1.5-hour's drive north of New York City (put that on next year's calendar). Come September the attention turns to many varieties of apples. Photograph by Nicole Franzen.

Take Alexa's Tour of Fishkill Apple Orchards.

Above: Another day trip destination from New York City is Cedar Heights Orchards in Rhinebeck. Pick apples while taking in views of the Catskills. 

Above: Late summer peach picking rolls into apple picking season at Silverman's Farm in Easton, Southern Connecticut. Photograph via Fishkill Farms.

Above: Choose among an abundance of apple farms in Maine on a dedicated website: MaineApples.org. Photograph via Fishkill Farms.

Above: The family owned and operated Larriland Farm in Western Howard County, Maryland, has more than 30 acres of U-pick crops ranging from late summer peaches and apples, to berries and flowers.

Above: Photograph via the Great Lakes Gazette.

Michigan is third in line behind Washington State and New York in US apple production. Located outside of Ann Arbor, Wasem Fruit Farm offers U-pick apples, plums, and raspberries (and pumpkins). 

County Line Orchard's 40 acres of U-pick apples are located an hour outside of Chicago.  

Above: Washington State is the largest producer of apples in the US. Stutzman Ranch in Wenatchee sits in the heart of the state's apple growing region. Crops on offer for U-pick include peaches, nectarines, apples (including Fuji as pictured), pears, and grapes. North of Seattle in Ferndale, Apple Creek Orchard opens in October and provides wagons for easy strolling through the apple rows. Photograph via the Good Fruit Guide.

Above: Fuyu Persimmons (shown) and several Asian pear and apple varieties are among the fall harvest offerings at Gabriel Farm in Sebastopol, just north of San Francisco. This small family farm operates its U-pick on a CSA model. Photograph via Jim and Alice's Garden.

Above: Sitting on the Central California coast, the Swanton Pacific Ranch is owned and operated by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, whose students live, learn, and work this ranch. They offer a huge variety of U-pick apples. Photograph by Nicole Franzen.

Above: While Southern California is often associated with lush orange groves, there are several options for the traditional fall tree fruit harvest. The organic Apple Starr Orchard in Julian, California is about an hour from San Diego. Their orchards are planted with several apple and pear varieties, including Bosc pears (as shown). 

There are several U-pick orchards in Oak Glen, about 80 miles east of Los Angeles at the base of the San Bernardino mountains. These include the Willow Brook Apple Farm and Riley's at Los Rios Rancho. Palmdale and Leona Valley are also dotted with orchards, the latter being the place to go for summer cherry picking. 

Before you head out, read Erin's great Pick Your Own Tips.  And, consider some help to Pick Fruit the Easy Way. Photograph via Apple Creek Orchard.

The natural instinct when remodeling a house with wall-to-wall carpet is to take it up, right? Before you can confirm what's underneath, you hold high hopes for finding a wood floor that was covered up in a past era (when they didn't know any better), but it's best not to set your expectations too high. More likely than not, the carpet was a cheap solution to cover up a floor that was already in poor condition. 

In the minimal remodel of our Connecticut home, we were delighted that the floors were primarily wood and required a mere polish and buff to restore them to their optimum condition. When we lifted the carpet on the stairs, we discovered wood treads in pristine condition and optimistically assumed that we would find the same in the four bathrooms, whose floors had all been either carpeted or covered in vinyl tiles.

And while we weren't completely wrong, the floors were too far gone to be restored, and here began my dilemma. We did not want to spend any of our already limited budget on floors in bathrooms that were going to eventually require updating anyway, so I asked our builder what he thought the best and least expensive short-term solution would be. Based on his recommendation, we went with painted plywood. 

Unless otherwise noted, photography by Christine Chang Hanway.

Above: A plywood floor that has been painted with a high gloss white paint. Photograph by Sally Schneider via The Improvised Life. 

A material more typically associated with subfloor material, plywood was not designed to be used as a finished surface covering. It can, however, be made to look and act like one with a few extra steps outlined here for a mere $1 to $2 a square foot in materials. 

Above: A corner detail in my bathroom with a Cotton Woven Bath Rug in Silver Sage from Restoration Hardware; $34 to $169, depending on size.

Above: The painted plywood floors in my bathrooms all have a Silver Sage trim.

Above: Short term solution? Maybe not in my case. My hard-to-please mother visited this summer and proclaimed that our bathroom floors were genius. I might just quit while I'm ahead.  

See the what they looked like before we removed the carpet in Minimal Moves for Maximum Impact.

Obsessed with white wood floors? See Scandi Whitewashed Floors: Before and After to see the lengths Izabella went to for hers.  

Québécois chef Hugue Dufour and his wife, Sarah Obraitis, have been the talk of New York's fringe restaurant scene even since they arrived in Queens a few years ago and rewrote the rules of diner cooking. They've since moved to PS1, the Museum of Modern Art's outpost in Long Island City. At their cafe, M.Wells Dinette, they dish up veal cheek stroganoff, shrimp spaetzle with spicy sausage, blood pudding, meat pie of "coxcomb and balls," and other hearty fare lauded by every restaurant critic in town (the Village Voice called it "extreme grand-mere cuisine"). But it's the clever and economical school room design that has us taking note.

For more information, go to M. Wells Dinette.

Above: Inspired by the building's former use as an elementary school, the cafe is furnished classroom-style. Sarah Obraitis and Dinette partner Keith Cappucicio masterminded the design by corraling talented friends and using finds from obscure corners of the web, such as military supply sites for mess hall trays.The communal tables are made of plywood with a walnut veneer and were custom-built by architect/furniture-maker Andrew Coslow. They're paired with classic metal and plastic school chairs from W.B. Mason, some of which have book racks. Photograph by Jesse Winter. 

Above: Clipboards painted with chalkboard paint serve as hand-written specials menus. The dinette is open during museum hours: Thursday to Monday from 12 to 6 pm, and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Photograph by Robert Caplin via The New York Times.

Above: Notebooks, crayons, pencils, and toy magnifying glasses are tucked inside the cubbies at each seat. "People come just for us, but we also have have a built-in audience of museum goers who like to sit and write and draw," says Sarah. Photograph by Robert Caplin via The New York Times.

Above: The kitchen is divided from the dining room by a metal showcase. The stools and stainless steel paneling pay homage to the couple's diner days. Photograph by Jesse Winter.

Above: The matte stainless panels and shelves were fabricated by De Raffele, an old-school diner manufacturer based in New Rochelle, New York. The kitchen sink was found at salvage source Build It Green NYC! in Astoria. Other fixtures include a Groen Eclipse 30-gallon braising pan (big enough to cook 40 lobsters) and an Alto-Shaam Electric CombiOven that steams, smokes, broils, grills, and fries. Photograph by Jesse Winter.

Above: A sandwich of caviar and whipped butter served on a stainless steel tray.

Above: The M.Wells bread saw, made of ash and cherry by chef Hugue's family workshop in Canada, is available for $40 each via the dinette's website. He says its blade never dulls and is ideal for slicing paper-thin tomatoes and roast beef, as well as baguettes. 

Above: Lone diners get their own desks on a wall that overlooks the museum book shop. Photograph via Yelp.

Above: One of two chalkboards display the ever-changing menu. Escargot + bone marrow = ? Photograph by Robert Caplin via The New York Times.

For more lessons in school house style see, Restaurant Visit: Nanashi in Paris, Design Sleuth: School Lockers, and A New Take on the Classic School Chair.

Last month's Barbara Bestor-designed New England Kitchen by Way of LA left our readers wanting a tour of the rest of the house. Here's a look at the other room she tackled for owners Abby Weintraub and Matt Manfredi: an everything-you-could-wish-for master bath carved out of a tiny existing bath and a pair of adjoining closets. "As with the kitchen," says Abby, "we wanted a room that looked generic in the best sense of the word."

Photography by Jessica Comingore for Remodelista.

Above: The house, which is in Hancock Park, LA, dates from 1941 and the existing master bath was barely big enough for one person. "At first we weren't sure if we could fit a tub and shower, but once we sacrificed part of a large linen closet, as well as the two closets, we were in good shape," says Abby. "It's still not big, but it's a completely different story." Bestor designed the bathtub and shower as a series of rectangles that are echoed by the wall and floor tiles and steel-framed window. The geometry and openness make the space feel much larger than it is.

 Above: The oversized subway wall tiles are 4-by-12-inch Arctic White in a matte glaze from Daltile; because they cover so much of the room, they ended up being the most expensive detail (approximately $2,400, not including shipping and labor). The floor is clad in honed Carrara 2-by-4-inch subway tiles. Abby planned to order them from a New Jersey supplier, but Matt tracked them down locally at Oracle Stone + Tile at a lower cost plus free shipping. They were $11.90 a square foot (and came to about $600 total). The Purist Shower Head by Kohler is $204.19 from Amazon. 

Abby points out that ordinarily their contractor would have taken care of the tile and fixture ordering, but as a money-saving measure, the couple struck an agreement with their team to do their own sourcing and purchasing—and, along the way, questioned the wisdom of this measure. They nonetheless ended up with details that they love.

Above: Polished Carrara marble frames the bath and continues on the custom cabinet that's just big enough for a pair of sinks. The door color is Benjamin Moore Baltic Gray.

Above: Abby gave much thought to the sink and shower fixtures: "With faucets, so many are almost right, but then there's something proportionally weird or a choice that makes them almost great but ultimately not right."  She had initially wanted unlacquered brass fittings but couldn't find any that were "not too modern, not too traditional, and affordable." Bestor urged her to consider chrome. "She said, you'll never hate it, whereas brass has a very specific look that we might get tired of." In the midst of Abby's search, Waterworks introduced its Studio Line at half the price of many of its designs. She chose the cross-handled option, $567, from Waterwork's Flyte collection and likes it so much she used it to upgrade the other bathrooms in the house. "When fittings are very visible, I think it's worth paying for something well made and beautiful."

 Above: The Toto Dual Flush Toilet ($324 at Homeclick) is low flow and sized to fit even the smallest bathroom (Abby later added it to their tiny powder room). In lieu of towel bars, which would interrupt the clean lines of the room, the couple opted to have two towel hooks next to the shower and one on the door. "The setup feels liberating and easy," says Abby. The showerside bench is a Restoration Hardware hand-me-down from Abby's parents. "If I had my way," she says, "it would be replaced with something modern and Shaker-inspired."

 Above: The steel-framed window is original to the room. Frosted panes were added to the bottom panels for privacy.

Above: A tiled niche in the shower holds shampoo—so there's no need for a cluttered-looking shower caddy.

 Above: The Carrara floor is finished with dirt-concealing gray grout.

 Remodeling your own bathroom? Browse our Bathroom Gallery for inspiration and advice, including a DIY towel bar (from rope) and the most inventive toilet paper storage.

While we usually don't display our hangers, a new storage series from Danish company Skagerak will make us do just the opposite.  

We've long admired Danish Company Skagerak's teak accessories, and were pleasantly surprised when we came across their new furniture series Georg, designed by Christina Liljenberg Halstrøm. Unlike many clothing racks and hangers (which permanently live in closets), this collection is beautiful enough to be showcased in any space. To learn more about Georg, visit Skagerak.  

Above: The series consists of a bracket table, a bench, a stool, a mirror, and a clothes rack with hangers. 

Above: The pieces feature a mix of natural materials: FSC-certified oak, leather, and wool.

Above: The Georg Bench is made of oak and has a wool cushion. The bench is £449 and available via the Skagerak online store. 

Above: A set of Georg Oak Hangers with a leather strap is £45 from Skagerak. 

Above: The floating Georg Wardrobe Rack is £129 from Skagerak. 

Above: The Georg Mirror is £249 from Skagerak's online store. 

Above: The Georg Console Table leans against a wall; £399 from Skagerak. 

Above: The Georg Stool comes with a wool cushion; £199 from Skargerak. 

Above: A desk area with the Georgo Stool and Console Table.

Looking for more Skagerak products? Here are three we covet and covered: A Teak Stool, a Teak Bathroom Mat, and a Cutter Mini-Wardrobe.

Portland, OR-based designer Karen John of Heartwork is on a mission to bring color to the workspace with her line of US-made, well-priced cabinetry pieces in a range of unexpected shades, from hot pink to teal blue. Want to get in on the colorfest? Tell us what color inspires you and you could win an $800 shopping spree from Heartwork. Read on for details.

As founder of Heartwork, a Portland, Oregon-based furniture company, much of John's work is fueled by color. "Traditionally, the office has been devoid of color choices, with most pieces being offered in variations of gray, beige, or black," she says. John and her team at Heartwork are working to change this, offering a line of USA-made, durable, well-priced pieces in a range of colors. From Bravado, a limited-edition bright pink that inspires "courage and boldness," to mint, a soothing shade that bridges "the vintage past and future near," each piece is built to express the work ethos and goals of an individual or team.

We'd like to know: What color inspires you at work? Is it bright red? Or perhaps a cooler shade of teal? Let us know in the comments section below to win an $800 shopping spree from Heartwork. We'll be choosing one winner at random. The giveaway closes Sunday, September 15, at 9pm EST.

Above: "One of the most fun things about color is how you apply it," say John. "Whether it is a single cabinet for a pop of color, or a mixing of colorful pieces and materials, you can create a work environment that reflects and inspires you best." Seen here, the Bravo Pedestal in Red; $350.

Above: The metal storage pieces are perfect for any work or living space. Shown here, the Modern Media Credenza with casters (in teal) is $895.

Above: In August, Heartwork launched Bravado, its first limited edition color collection. A bright pink that represents "courage and boldness," the collection is available until supplies last and includes the Cargo Cabinet shown; $775 and $875.

Above: The line features a series of mix-and-match 18/20 gauge steel storage and media cabinets, bookshelves, desk pedestals, filing drawers, and more. The Classified Vertical Files are available in 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-drawer options; $395 to $875.

In 2005, when Craig Olson and Sean Igo opened Canoe in Portland, OR, their interiors and design shop proved well ahead of the curve and helped put Portland on the design map. The pair recently added another retail outpost to their empire: Spruce Apothecary, which takes the same idea of well-made, enduring goods and applies it to grooming products. As Olson says, "The concept for the shop was to combine some of the best contemporary brands like Malin+Goetz and REN with classic European heritage products. We also have some oddball discovery items in the Canoe vein." Bonus points: the store interior is just as good as the products they feature. For more, go to Spruce Apothecary. 

Photography by Josh Partee.

Above: The wood-clad exterior of Spruce Apothecary, located in Portland's newly developed Union Way. 

Above: According to Olson, "The interior of the shop was intended to be simple and calm with an exposed block wall painted a green/black color and contrasting bright white steel shelving, with some bits of tarnished brass."

Above:  Olson, who once lived in Germany, says the apothecary shops there were a source of inspiration.

Above: Men's grooming products on display.

Above: "We’re working on a fragrance line with a local perfumer and will be developing a bath product line as well," Olson says.

Above: The black brick wall is partially covered in oiled cedar slats, adding texture to the space.

Above: Bright white steel shelving is used for displaying goods.

Above: Conveniently sandwiched between two Portland mainstays: Powell Books and the Ace Hotel, Union Way is a skylit covered passage between two adjoining buildings, with Spruce Apothecary being one of several local stores to recently open there.

For more on Craig Olson and Sean Igo, see Steal This Look: Canoe in Portland and check out their renovation of a home in Scottsdale, Arizona: Northwest Heads Southwest.

Are stenciled floors—once associated with colonial New England houses—making a comeback (especially in new abstract patterns)? We're starting to think so. Here are 10 we've spotted (and admired) recently:

Above: A stenciled checkerboard effect in a project by Alvhem Makleri & Interior.

Above: Black painted geometric trim at The Goodhood Store on Coronet Street in London. Photograph by Julie Carlson for Remodelista.

Above: Natural wood floors with a wash of light gray checkerboard from the Oyoy look book in Fabrics & Linens from Danish Oyoy.

Above: A black stenciled floor from Portland-based photographer Parker Fitzgerald.

Above: We first came across the Bedford Post Inn in Westchester County on The Martha Blog back in 2009 and it's still a favorite (especially the floors).

Above: Black and white geometric floors carry from the dining room into an open bedroom via SF Girl by Bay.

Above: Light oak wood floors are patterned in black triangles at Weekday in downtown Amsterdam, via Superfuture.

Above: An entryway painted in a diamond pattern in Tasmania; photo by Sharyn Cairns for Homelife.

Above: Le Depanneur, a new Parisian restaurant designed by David Rager and Cheri Messerli, features abstract geometric painted floors; photo by Valerie Dray for the New York Times.

Above: White-painted checkerboard squares in a rustic room via Cottage Living.

For more tips on inexpensive wood flooring, go to Remodeling 101: Painted Plywood—the Best Budget Wood Floor.

Discovered on Finnish blogger Naku's Bambula: copper hooks made from plumbing parts. For detailed instructions, go to Bambula.

Above: The hooks add a coppery glimmer to an otherwise neutral kitchen space.

Above: A bag of 10 half-inch Copper 90 Degree Elbows is $5.97 and a Copper Tube Cap is $2.62 from Home Depot.

Above: Naku sawed a wood dowel into discs that she fit into each pipe (not easy, but worth the effort). Lowe's has a good selection of wooden dowels.

Can't get enough of copper? See 50 photos of Copper Decor in our Gallery of rooms and spaces. 

When it comes to washing machines, are we biased? Yes. In our opinion, front-loading washers are it. Here are our ten picks.

In the five years since we last reported on front-loading washers, manufacturers have tackled the one big issue that plagued the machines: mold and mildew from standing water. They took the issue head on and created anti-bacterial surfaces, improved water drainage, and developed automatic door-propping devices. With that issue fixed and entry-level pricing at more affordable levels, what is there not to like about front-loading washing machines? They offer superior cleaning with far less water than the best top-loaders. They accommodate larger loads and achieve better moisture extraction in the spin cycle, which means shorter (and less costly) drying times. And they can either be put side-by-side or stacked with a dryer to save space. 

We've researched the current market offerings of full-sized (typically 27-inches wide) washers and used reviews, personal experience, and consults with appliance repair and sales experts to narrow our picks. All the offerings are Energy Star certified, have stainless steel drums, glass doors, and can be installed side-by-side or stacked for flexibility. 

Have a front-loading washer you love? Share your experience in the comments below.

(OK, we admit it, there is a downside: having to stoop down to access the machine. An accessory worth considering is a laundry pedestal with a drawer that raises your washer off of the floor to eliminate stooping and provide storage space for detergents or other laundry tools.) 

Above: LG front loading machines have the best repair record on the market. The LG SteamWasher Series (WM2650HRA) offers a 3.6-cubic-foot capacity stainless drum, nine wash cycles, and a steam option. We like LG's door plunger feature that secures the door in a slightly open position when not in use to allow the interior to dry and stay mold and mildew free. The direct-drive motor has a 10-year warranty, and the drum carries a lifetime warranty. Available in white or cherry red as shown; $895.50 ($805.50 for the white) at AJ Madison.

Above: The entry-level LG Front Load Washer (WM2250CW) has nearly all the same features except steam. Its drum is slightly smaller (3.5 cubic feet) and it has seven wash cycles. And it has the direct-drive motor and LG's warranty of 10 years on the motor; lifetime on the drum; $715.50. Both at AJ Madison. 

Above: What do you get with the top-of-the-line LG washer? The LG TurboWash Series (WM8000HVA) has the largest drum capacity on the market at 5.1 cubic feet. To get that capacity, the washer measures in at 29 inches, 2 inches wider than the standard washer size. It offers 14 wash programs, steam options, and a fast but effective cleaning cycle (LG claims it is 20 minutes faster than standard) that is super energy efficient. Available in white or graphite steel (as shown); $1,255 and $1,345 respectively at AJ Madison.

Above: The entry-level steam washer from Samsung offers eight wash cycles, including steam and sanitizing, an internal water heater for temperature control, and vibration reduction technology for super quiet operation. The Samsung Front Load Steam Washer (WF365BTBGWR) is $809 at Plessers.

Above: Samsung is known for pushing the technology envelope in the appliance department: case in point, the Smart Control app for the Samsung Front Load Washer (WF455ARGS), which allows you to monitor your laundry's progress from afar. The high-capacity (4.5 cubic feet) drum has a diamond-shaped drain holes to reduce fabric damage. Available in white or onyx; $1,169 and $1,259 respectively at Plessers.  

Above: The highly rated American-made Whirlpool Duet Steam Washer (WFW9750WW) offers a 3.9-cubic-foot capacity and 14 wash cycles, including steam and sanitizing. It offers temperature and load-size sensing technologies for efficient cleaning and water conservation $894.60 at AJ Madison. N.B.: See the Duet in Allison's Laundry Room.

Above: Also manufactured in Ohio by Whirlpool, the Maytag Maxima Series Front Load Washer (MHW6000AG) has a 4.3-cubic-foot capacity, a steam-for-stains option, and 11 wash cycles. Maytag has been working to repair its reputation and offers a 10-year warranty, a direct drive motor, and commercial grade parts. Available in white or granite; $984.60 and $1,074.60 at AJ Madison. Looking to buy "local"? See our round-up of American-Made Appliances.

Above: The Electrolux IQ-Touch Series (EIFLS55I) has a 4.07-cubic-foot capacity and a steam option among the 11 wash cycles. Its load balancing system means that it is especially quiet, a good choice if you need laundry near (or in) your bedroom; $899 in white and $1,073.70 in Mediterranean blue at AJ Madison.

Above: The GE Profile Front Load Steam Washer (PFWS4600LWW) offers 4.3 cubic feet of space and features like a Smart Dispense system, which holds up to six months of detergent and dispenses with each wash, plus an overnight cycle that washes and dries a small load in eight hours while you sleep; $1,409 (white) and $1,699 (champagne) at AJ Madison.

Above: The GE (GFWS260) Front Load Washer at 28vinches wide has a slightly broader girth than the standard. With that comes a 4.5-cubic-foot capacity, as well as steam and sanitizing cycles with 12 wash settings. Available in white, metallic, and red; $987.30 in white and $1,077.30 in the color options at AJ Madison.

No laundry room? See our ideas to Cleverly Camouflage the Washer/Dryer. 

Swiss designer Nikolas Kerl has our attention—his first collection of everyday objects includes the Charles Hook rendered in three marble varieties (we'll take one of each). To learn more, visit Nikolas Kerl. 

Above: The Coat Hooks are available in three different marble types: black, white, and green. 

Above: The coat hook measure 4 inches by 2.4 inches. Hardware and hidden mounting is included.

Above: The Coat Hook is made from untreated ash and polished marble. 

Above: The natural marble grain makes each coat hook a one-of-a-kind object.

Above: The hook can be ordered directly via Kerl.

Do you have a thing for wooden hooks? Check out High/Low: Dot Wall Hooks, and don't miss 10 Easy Pieces: Inventive Wood Wall Hooks. 

At Remodelista, we always appreciate a carefully considered coat of white paint and a bit of rusticity; here are six of our favorite kitchens and baths from our archives. The white paint will set you up with an airy blank slate, and the rusticity will flatter whatever you add next—be it pricey antiques or a modern Ikea sofa—and will help keep your design from looking too precious. We recommend this simple two-step strategy without reservation. 

Kitchen

Above: Oakland-based Jamie Kidson created a light and airy breakfast room in her 1935 Mission Revival-style home. To see more of the project, go to House of Spirits: Jamie Kidson's Mission Revival in Oakland. 

Above: Designer and artist Paula Greif endeavored to make everything in her Brooklyn kitchen by hand; a hooked rug lies in front of the stove, and Greif's ceramics dot the open shelves. Her inspiration was Alexander Calder, who "extended his creativity to every corner of his existence." For all of Greif's hand-hewn details, see The Handmade Kitchen: Paula Greif in Brooklyn. 

Above: This Maine kitchen's shiplap walls connote the cabin's nautical past, while new Vermont soapstone counters, open display shelving, and modern appliances set it firmly in the 21st century. For more on the kitchen, see A Cottage Reborn in Rural Maine.

Bath

Above: Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory member Sheila Narusawa Architects applied a traditional Cape Cod look to this Orleans, Massachusetts remodel. For tips on recreating the look, see Steal This Look: Simple Cape Cod Bath. 

Above: This remodeled bath in a former general store in rural Maine channels a seaside cottage. A simple oil painting against shiplap walls completes the look. For more, see A Cottage Reborn in Rural Maine. 

Above: A vintage rug and translucent ochre curtains give designer Estee Stanley's bath an old-world look, but the home is located in the bustle of central LA. For details on the remodel and Stanley's cream-colored walls, see LA Woman: At Home with Hollywood's Style Guru.

Presented by Scotiabank®

On Remodelista, one of our most popular all-time posts is 10 Easy Pieces: Architects' White Paint Picks, cataloging 10 can't-go-wrong shades of white for interior spaces.

Is there an exterior paint job in your future? Over at Gardenista, the editors have you covered: they've polled our favorite architects on the best white exterior paints. Head over to 10 Easy Pieces: Architects' White Exterior Paint Picks to see what the experts say.

Swatch photographs by Katie Newburn for Gardenista.

Above: The winners range from Benjamin Moore Brilliant White to Farrow & Ball's All White.

Above: NYC-based 2Michaels and architect Larry Weinberg chose a Benjamin Moore shade for a house on Martha's Vineyard.

Above: O'Neill Rose Architects used shades from Benjamin Moore and Donald Kaufman on the exterior of this Connecticut House.

Get the intel at 10 Easy Pieces: Architects' White Exterior Paint Picks.

While working on his thesis at Parsons, Ryden Rizzo found himself watching a series of YouTube tutorials about basic woodworking. Pairing his past experience with technology and lighting design with this newfound self-taught skill, Rizzo went back to Sea Cliff, New York, and cleaned out his parents' garage.

After building a few small pieces for friends, Rizzo founded Allied Maker, a company selling bespoke lighting and home items. He takes pride in stamping "Made in USA" on everything that he sells and packs shipments in full recycled and biodegradable materials. For more information, visit Allied Maker.

Above: The Writers Lamp was, as Rizzo says, "created from the desire to have an arch shaped desk lamp that was heavy, rich in materials, yet simple and subservient." The spun brass shade sits on a handmade white oak base that is finished to expose the quarter-sawn flakes in the wood's grain; $180.

Above: The adjustable head swivels to 90 degrees.

Above: The Leo Task Lamp ($400) is made from quarter-sawn smoked oak wood that is fumed under pressure to accelerate the natural aging process, resulting in a dark brown color all the way through the wood: "It's what oak will look like in 1,000 years," Rizzo says.

Above: Along with the smoked oak shade, the task lamp includes a 10-pound cast iron weighted base with a leather laminated bottom.

Above: The Walnut-Maple Lamp was inspired by a book on Japanese joinery; Rizzo wanted to highlight the technique in a series of lamps. This lamp includes solid brass hardware and a black linen or white cotton lamp shade; $599. 

Above: The American black walnut is seamlessly jointed with a "bird's mouth" joint of Fingered maple on top: "the two pieces are cut and joined together using a combination of 20 clamps."

Above: The Brass & Oak Wall Lamp references a classic hand bell and is made from solid brass and white oak and includes a cotton cord. A hand-carved handle on top of the shade allows for lighting adjustments; $284.

Above: The oak lamp base measures 5 by 3.5 inches.

For more from our favorite lighting designers, see 10 Easy Pieces: Affordable Lighting from a New Crop of Designers.

A small business is a labor of love. And for shopkeepers, that often means that the line between work and home life is blurred. So why fight it? That was the thinking of a shop owner in Tokyo and his architects (Osamu Nishida, Hirotaka Isshiki and Rei Yanai of ON Design); together, they created the ultimate live/work space.

Fika, located in Nagasaki, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, is a weekend shop that functions as the owner's residence during the week. Fika's owner has a strong connection to Scandinavian sundries and was looking to display his goods in a commercial space that felt more like a rotating private collection; a place where customers could connect with the items. Loosely translating to "coffee break" in Swedish, Fika has an upstairs and downstairs kitchen, so customers can see the kitchen products in use.

Photography by Koichi Torimura via This Is Paper.

Above: ON Design maximized the 355-square-foot plot of land with a tall and thin building.

Above: A private entrance is located around the back of the shop.

Above: The two-story building features a high-rise shelf that, on the lower level, functions as display and on the second floor, as shelving for the private residence.

Above: Woven birch baskets, clothespins, antique silver, and the classic dala horse are some of the many accessories on the shop shelves.

Above: An upstairs loft and compact outdoor deck for the shopkeeper.

Above: Upstairs furniture and tableware are used by the owner and later displayed on shelves downstairs (marked as second \-hand pieces).

Above: The long commute: a lofted attic bed is just upstairs from the shop.

Above: A view from the exterior through a window as tall as the shop's main shelving.

Looking for more architecture in Japan? See Akasaka Shinichiro Atelier in Japan, Transparent Living by Sou Fujimoto Architects, and 10 Favorites: Smart and Skinny Houses in Japan.

Last week, we profiled 10 of the most beautiful—and functional—closet systems around. Today, architect and designer members of our Professional Directory share the closet systems they specify for their own clients, from custom and high-end to bargain priced.

For Julie's picks, see 10 Easy Pieces: Modular Closet Systems, High to Low.

Above: In a client's 650-square-foot Chelsea loft, Robert Garneau of Studio Garneau designed an efficient closet and shelving system replete with pull-down rods and door mirrors, all built by a local woodworker. Says Garneau, "In places like NYC it's often necessary to go custom in order to use every square inch." For details on the loft and its envy-inducing closets, see The Architect Is In: A Tiny Live/Work Loft Made Large. 

Above: Henrybuilt, an American designer of built-in kitchen systems, also offers customizable closet solutions that include features like electrical outlets built into shelving, leather-lined drawers, and hidden laundry baskets held in place by concealed magnets. Architect Jack Wettling (see below) specifies Henrybuilt when he's not designing custom systems for his clients. Photos via Henrybuilt. 

Above: UK architects Stiff + Trevillion like to partner with bespoke furniture company Knuckey Furniture in West Sussex, England, where two woodworkers fulfill their custom orders by hand in a tiny workshop. Here, a custom closet system in American white oak illustrates Knuckey's exceptional craftsmanship.

Above: On the high end, architect Amy Alper loves Poliform closets. Her "low" pick is Elfa from The Container Store. Alper has used the system in a client's laundry room as well as in her own home. She cites its merits as being sturdy, simple, and above all, flexible (which, says Alper, California Closets are not). Its flexibility means it can be easily dressed up with trim pieces and custom features, making Elfa suitable in any situation. Photo via The Container Store. (N.B. Elfa is currently on sale at The Container Store, down 25 percent.)

Above: NYC-based Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture designed a custom millwork closet and drawer system for his son's room in his family's Boerum Hill, Brooklyn house.

Above: SF Bay Area designer Nicole Hollis loves Italian design house Porro for their stylish systems. Says Hollis, "They have cutting-edge hardware and the most beautiful finishes and colors." The Scorrevole system shown here is meant to be a walk-in closet that takes the shape of a wardrobe. Photo via Porro. 

Above: For an affordable modern closet, Nashville residential architect Marcus DiPietro likes the no-nonsense Rakks system's aluminum poles and rods. Here, DiPietro used Rakks components for a home closet with custom-made cabinets and shelves.

Above: Over time, SF-based Boor Bridges Architecture has found that using a quality custom cabinet shop provides a far superior product at only a small upcharge over California Closets. As architect Bonnie Bridges notes, "We have tried to like California Closets as they have so many showrooms and clients are comfortable with the idea of using them, but the quality leaves a lot to be desired." On recent projects, the firm has partnered with Deegan Woodworks. Here, a custom laundry and clothing system for a house in Pacific Heights. 

Above: For this NoHo loft, NYC-based Wettling Architects designed a closet system with burled walnut millwork and completely customized interiors. They used a variety of inserts from Häfele, like fold-out ironing boards and slide-out hampers, tailored to their client's needs. "Going custom allows us to respond creatively to individual lifestyles and needs, and to address each client's preferences with total flexibility within their given space."

For more of our closet picks, go to 10 Easy Pieces: Modular Closet Systems, High to Low and 5 Favorites: Closet Storage Systems.

We've enjoyed watching the progress of LA-based Scout Regalia ever since Benjamin Luddy and Makoto Mizutani set up their design practice in 2008. Their latest product? An iteration of the ubiquitous coat hook. Using a local fabricator, the pair have designed the SR Wall Hook with heavy gauge powder coated steel for durable everyday use. The SR Wall Hook is $18 from Scout Regalia.

Above: The SR Wall Hook comes in the two colors shown: fluorescent orange red and navy gray. 

Above: The hooks come with stainless steel phillips head screws and drywall anchors.

Looking for more storage ideas? Check out our gallery with over 65 Hooks to choose from.

Currently coveting: the limited-edition Portable Lucent Lamp from Schoolhouse Electric. An alternative to their Lucent Sconce, the portable version can be moved from desk to bedside table to living room. Made in the Schoolhouse Factory in Portland, Oregon, the lamp is constructed from a reclaimed antique wire glass diffuser, clear-coated steel with stainless steel hardware, and a twisted cloth cord. 

Above: The Portable Lucent Lamp includes a foot plate with felt for use on furniture and eight feet of twisted cloth cord in khaki (shown below), red, and black; $229 (the Lucent Wall Sconce is $205 from Schoolhouse Electric).

Looking for more office lighting solutions? Take a look at all of the Desk Lamps and Clip-on Lights in our Shop section.