The open living room-dining area is full of lively pieces in surprising combinations.

 
The open living room-dining area is full of lively pieces in surprising combinations. A Lladré chandelier composed of 104 suspended porcelain fairies is a stunning focal point, while dark Quick-Step flooring with luxurious, wide planks radiates sophistication. Familiar looks are updated with bold twists: Contemporary fabrics enrich the traditional silhouettes of the Beverly chesterfield from Williams-Sonoma Home and the Cleo chair by Anthropologie. On the wall hangs a painting by Michael Perrone. Paul McCobb's brass-finished coffee table from ReGeneration and Bill Sofield's Flat Iron table for Baker add a dash of mid-century to the scene, and refreshingly neutral Hunter Douglas shades provide privacy without blocking the beautiful light. (The rug is by Madeline Weinrib Atelier; the blue pillow, from ABC Carpet & Home; all other pillows are from Missoni Home. The paint throughout is from Ralph Lauren; painting and paperhanging by Dean Penna.)
The open living room-dining area is full of lively pieces in surprising combinations.

 
Block-printed wallpaper sets apart the dining area from the rest of the living area; the screen, also covered with wallpaper, hides an unsightly vent. Both papers are by Alpha Workshops. The console is from Homer. The lamps are from Jonathan Adler; the mirror and the black chair, from Oly, with upholstery by Waverly.

The Marcel Wanders-designed dining table from Cappellini features a modern top and turned aluminum legs. The four chairs around it differ—the red Victoria Ghost chair from Kartell, Czech chairs in red and white from the Conran Shop, and a black Oly Louis side chairbut all share the old-is-new aesthetic.

The china is by Marc Jacobs for Waterford; the silver, by Georg Jensen.
If you're looking to transform a smaller area, like an entryway, just remember the rule of three!

 
If you're looking to transform a smaller area, like an entryway, just remember the rule of three! All it takes is three easy pieces for this space to stand out. The Cloutier mirror is available at bbsimonhome.com; the Louis Console Table at nextdoortrends.com; and the Ultra Bellini Gloss Chair at conranusa.com.

Thinking about buying furniture online? It couldn't be easier, but to ensure satisfaction, consider these suggestions: If you can't visit a showroom to see the piece first, then make certain the company's return policy allows ample time for you to determine how the merchandise will work in place. Because colors can be deceiving on a computer screen, ask for material swatches or color chips before you make a large purchase. And to paraphrase the old carpentry rule, "Measure twice, buy once."
A red accent wall demarcates this nook as a library.

 
The apartment walls are painted white, but we used four shades of white to suggest subtle shifts of mood. Against this calming palette, punctuation points of color show up in the apartment, often to delineate a specific activity such as reading or dining.

A red accent wall demarcates this nook as a library. After careful measuring and a lengthy hunt, we installed Kartell's modular bookcase, which fits the space so well it looks like an expensive built-in. We couldn't resist upholstering Oly's Hanna chair in a to-the-trade fabric from Schumacher; visit your local design center to purchase it. The Oly lamp (with a shade from Oriental Lamp Shade Company) was spray-painted teal to complement the fabric.

The side table and Barbara Barry ceramics are from Baker Furniture; the books, from Strand Book Store.
We dressed up the kitchen cabinets with photographs of Riedel stemware printed on adhesive paper.

 
We dressed up the kitchen cabinets with photographs of Riedel stemware printed on adhesive paper. Then we lit the room with Bella Modern pendant lights because they resemble wineglasses. To bring in just the right amount of color, we alternated yellow and white stools from Design Within Reach.

The appliances are Thermador. The wine is Biltmore Estate; the espresso machine, Saeco. The fruit bowl and utensils are from Williams-Sonoma and the vase is from Clio Home.
Thanks to the Wallscapes wallpaper from Bless, one end of the master bedroom seems to open to a Berlin street.

 
There's an element of escape in this bedroom. Thanks to the Wallscapes wallpaper from Bless, one end of the master bedroom seems to open to a Berlin street. The bed floats in the middle of the room, and a Plexiglas headboard attached to the Brocade Home frame helps to keep the space light and open. A Sealy mattress is topped with Springmaid Platinum Hotel Mirage bedding with crisp blue borders. The Madeline Weinrib Atelier rug and the Nicole Farhi Home cashmere throw are a soothing gray and complement similar colors in the mural.

The Alto credenza is from Design Within Reach; the Tolomeo floor lamp, from Artemide. The vases are from Clio Home and Calvin Klein Home.
The apartment's hidden treasures include this jewel-box closet.

 
The apartment's hidden treasures include this jewel-box closet, which houses plenty to bolster the glamour quotient: metallic wallpaper from Graham & Brown, a vanity and shelving from California Closets found at californiaclosets.com, an eye-catching stool from Just Scandinavian, custom mirror frames by Larson-Juhl, calf and lambskin travel accessories from Smythson, satin and cotton hangers from Gracious Home and Stacks and Stacks, and a wonderfully decadent chandelier from Brocade Home.

The alcove doubles as a workstation, thanks to a MacBook from Best Buy and storage boxes from the Container Store. A plush Mohawk carpet is easy on bare feet, and a Schlage keypad lock keeps valuables safe.
Build a spa room in your home.

 
If you've got the luxury of an extra room, why not turn it into the spa of your dreams?

Above, the wooden shutters from Hunter Douglas bring a coastal feel to the city environment. Pictures of water, including the photograph by Grant Ernhart (with a frame from Larson-Juhl), enhance the illusion. A stationary massage table from TopMassageTables.com is padded with three layers of high-quality foam and topped with a Corian tray by FTF Design Studio.

Below, the three white Samsung 26-inch flat-screen televisions from Best Buy, a striking canvas for video art, let an indecisive viewer watch everything she wants without constant flipping. Three DVD players, TiVo, and a Sonos sound system are hidden in a Ligne Roset console. The tray is by FTF Design Studio; the Ganesh statue, from ABC Carpet & Home; the glass bowl, from Williams-Sonoma.
To complete the spa room, an ample closet houses bathrobes, towels, dumbbells, water and spa products.

 
To complete the spa room, an ample 90-by-76-inch closet houses Yves Delorme bathrobes, Springmaid towels, Gym Source dumbbells, Antipodes water, and Côté Bastide spa products. "Closet design is much more than measuring a space and throwing in some shelves and drawers," says Carolyn Musher, the design consultant for California Closets who worked with O at Home on the plans. Because storage needs change over time, Musher adds, "everything is adjustable." Natura Design Solutions crafted the wallpaper from a digitally reproduced seascape; the foam-backed Studio flooring is by American Harlequin.
The bathroom needed a spark of personality.

 
The bathroom needed a spark of personality, so we installed light blue shelves and moldings that transformed the bare walls into an unexpected and innovative showcase for a whimsical porcelain collection.

The pieces range in style and tone, but they play together nicely because they're mostly all white. (Herons' Realm vase, goats, and bears are from Lladré; the sculpted Flowers Boxes, from Tozai Home.)
This powder room is full of pizzazz.

 
This powder room is full of pizzazz, though it's grounded by striped wallpaper from Waverly. For a shower curtain that makes a big statement, all it takes is a big towel (this one is an Alex Katz print from Art Production Fund) backed by striped fabric and hung from grommets.

Since nosy guests always want to see what's in the medicine cabinet, we removed the door to show off beautifully packaged products from two companies that have been in business since the 19th century, Claus Porto (available through the luxury toiletry company Lafco New York) and Roger&Gallet.
Apartment dwellers appreciate the luxury of an in-house laundry room.

 
Apartment dwellers appreciate the luxury of an in-house laundry room. The stackable, energy-efficient Axxis condensation dryer from Bosch doesn't require an exhaust vent, and its companion washer is designed to minimize water and energy consumption. The hypoallergenic laundry soap and fragrance-free dryer sheets are from Shaklee.