Riedel Raises the Bar
A specialist in fine wineglasses and decanters branches out into barware for 12 kinds of spirited drinks, from balloons (which give brandy room to bloom) to bubble-enhancing champagne flutes.
Riedel, $25 to $85 for two; WineEnthusiast.com
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Retooling the Shaker Box
Exquisitely plain style was a religion for the Shakers. Here's an update of their iconic oval boxes, featuring studs, subtle colors, and a glossy lacquer finish.
West Elm, $39 for three; WestElm.com
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Rugs on a Budget
We're floored by the gentle price of these handloomed flat-weave cotton rugs by Dash & Albert: Casual stripes—some pale, others earth tones or brights—go with any solid color.
4' x 6 rugs, $95 each; DashandAlbert.com for stores
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Update Your Tiles
Kitchen and bathroom renovations can be nightmarish—and expensive. 2Jane's waterproof stick-ons are a do-it-yourselfer's dream, revving up plain old tiles with crisp, attractive patterns.
Tile Tattoos by Mibo, $16 to $18 for six; 2Jane.com
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Hot Pot
They may resemble pricey artisan-made ceramics from some fashionably obscure French village, but these simple planters from Ikea are ridiculously cheap.
"Mandel" plant pots, $2 to $15; saucers, $1 to $10; Ikea.com for stores
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Photo: Courtesy of Thomasville
The Classics, Revisited
From Darryl Carter (above), a Washington, D.C., decorator celebrated for beautiful, livable interiors (his book The New Traditional appears later this month), here's furniture that's solid but not stolid, familiar yet wholly chic.
Darryl Carter for Thomasville, from $230; Thomasville.com for stores
You May Never Have to Buy Another Bulb
The award-winning Link Light lasts approximately 50,000 hours, or 15 to 20 years, with daily use. And its colorful, space-saving design doesn't hog your desktop.
Peter Stathis and Virtual Studio for Pablo, $350; 415-865-5000
Photo: Ben Goldstein/Studio D
At Last, Perfect Paint
It doesn't need primer, rarely requires more than one coat, and meets stringent harmful-chemical regulations. How perfect can a paint get? Benjamin Moore Paint's Aura is available in a 144-shade palette (plus all 3,300 of Moore's standard colors) and four finishes.
From $55 per gallon; BenjaminMoore.com for stores
Stylist: Eddy Alcantara for Mark Edward Inc.
The New Design Source
Avant-garde jewelry, offbeat ceramics...some of the world's best-educated artists (alumni and faculty) supply the Rhode Island School of Design's store—where design insiders shop—relaunching this month in the institution's new Jose Rafael Moneo–designed Chace Center building.
Duck mirror, $70; "Frida" necklace, $48; RISDWorks.com
Photo: Courtesy of Kirkland Designs. Brian Jones, Courtesy of RISD Museum of Art
Photo: Courtesy of Allsteel
The High-Design Desk Chair
Old-fashioned desk chairs, watch your backs: The Acuity delivers design (easy-to-reach controls; optional Edelman Leather custom colors) and support in one sleek package.
All Steel, base model, $1,250; premium, $2,525, AllSteelOffice.com for stores
Photo: Joel Koyama, courtesy of Design Within Reach
Prefab Housing Gets Hip
The 117-square-foot KitHaus K3 is a freestanding retreat/studio/office (from $29,500; DWR.com for more information); the multistory FlatPak house, with customizable components and materials, is the cheapest way we know to build an extra room—or a whole house.
From $220 per square foot; 612-788-5355
Hot Seat
White stacking chairs are so generic. The Myto—made of a revolutionary, easy-flowing industrial plastic and employing a radical cantilever design (no back legs)—is so inspired, it's in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art.
ICF, $495 each; MomaStore.org
The Return of Danish Modern
Dansk's teak-handled stainless steel, introduced in the '50s, anticipated today's fondness for simple lines and natural materials. It's back, as understated as ever.
Classic Fjord Flatware, $100 per five-piece setting; Dansk.com
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Earth-Friendly Wallpaper
This eco-conscious wallpaper by Graham & Brown uses water-based inks and materials from sustainable forests; its nature-inspired patterns—with names like Fossil and Rainforest—were brainstormed by imaginative design students.
$60 per double roll; GrahamBrown.com
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
A Matchless Table
Same whimsical floral motif, but each category in Royal Copenhagen's latest tableware line is a different color. The look is charming and spontaneous, like vintage dishes that don't quite match.
Elements Collection, $35 to $300; RoyalCopenhagen.com for stores
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Doctor in the House
Every home needs a first-aid kit—you might as well have an attractive one by a hip product designer. This classic model, updated.
Harry Allen for Johnson & Johnson, $20, Target; 800-440-0680 for stores
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Tumblers with Style
Tap water tastes like Perrier in these bold crystal tumblers. They're handmade in the Czech Republic using traditional techniques, but the emphatic geometrics—inspired by the '60s mod aesthetic—are very now.
Artel, $114 each, Avventura, NYC; 212-769-2510
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Aerate Your Wine in No Time
You uncork a nice vintage, then wait hours for it to "breathe." But insert this wizardly wand (its crystals accelerate oxygenation) and wine is drinkable in minutes.
Philip Stein Wine Decanting Wand, bottle size, $525; glass size, shown with case, $325, Neiman Marcus; 800-365-7989
Stylist: Marissa Gimeno for Halley Resources
Photo: Courtesy of Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Moves into Furniture
Wal-Mart's Canopy Collection, which includes this chic $299 console table, delivers the comforts of home at prices up to 40 percent lower than the chain's competitors.
$70 to $700; WalMart.com
Photo: Courtesy of Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn Goes Custom
This company has long done comfy, unfussy, upholstered furniture, but in limited fabrics. Now, it offers a choice of more than 80, from exotic-looking ikat to stately jacquard.
From $949 for the Madison chair; PotteryBarn.com for stores
