Steals of the Season

Photograph by Kana Okada

The Ultimate Summer Hangout

Wait...how is it possible that no one thought to marry the porch swing and daybed before now? As idyllic as a hammock but a whole lot sturdier, this hardwood lounger from Pottery Barn comes topped with a water-resistant, canvas-covered mattress. And you can prop yourself up in style with these outdoor pillows.

Daybed, $1,129, 82 by 45.5 inches; pillows, $25 to $32 each
PotteryBarn.com

Photographs: Karl Juengel/Studio D; Styling: Kendra Smoot

The Best Deals Under the Sun

A sense of humor at a sensible price: These not-so-serious warm-weather extras refuse to burn through your budget—everything here costs $50 or less!

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:

A melamine plate this bold eliminates the need for a floral centerpiece. ($6, 11 inches, Anthropologie, 800-309-2500)
Inspired by Japanese anime, these three ceramic dishes say, "Load us up with olives." ($45 for set, from 3 by 4 inches to 6 by 7 1/2 inches, Ceramic Japan, MoMAStore.org)
Marimekko's wooden calf tray cheekily corrals burger fixings. ($42, 13 by 17 inches, Marimekko.us for stores)
Pesky picnic invaders get recast as helpful napkin rings. ($24 for four, NotNeutral.com)
Daisy Hill's vinyl placemats go preppy-punk, thanks to nailhead trim. ($50 each, 15 by 15 inches, Chequers, 970-925-7572)
These magnetic thermometers will run circles around everything else stuck to your fridge. ($30 each, 3 inches, Sarut Group, at Pylons-usa.com)
Lightly's handcut acrylic mirror offers new meaning to the phrase fly on the wall. ($43, 12 inches long, HaskerHome.com)

Photograph by Kana Okada

An Instant Picture Window

If you feel trapped between dramatic drapes and dull miniblinds, consider this: Melissa Borrell's elegant and inventive shade offers a vastly better view—umbrella trees that glow when lit by the sun.

$425, 37 by 55 inches, MelissaBorrell.com
Table, $349, CB2.com
Bird statuette, $30, StrayDogDesigns.com

Griffin's Evolve iPod dock can go anywhere in your home.

Photographs: Kana Okada, Karl Juengel/Studio D.

Sound Advice for Your Home

Used to be that you paid a bundle—and tore open a few walls—if you wanted to pipe music throughout the house. But here's a system that gives the same power for a lot less dough (no contractor required). Griffin's Evolve iPod dock wirelessly transmits tunes up to 150 feet away (half a football field) so you can place the speakers anywhere—in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or all of the above.

$300 dock includes two speakers—extras are $130 each and come with a charger
GriffinTechnology.com

Also shown: Classic English style white porcelain teapot with infuser, $13; York apothecary jar in clear glass with chrome lid, $10; Jonathan Adler white lacquer tumbler, $12; and Simply white porcelain soap dish, $35, all Gracious Home, 800-338-7809, GraciousHome.com. Lykta table lamp in white, $13, Ikea, 877-345-4532; Ikea.com.

Photograph by Karl Juengel/Studio D.

Graphic linens might not make handwashing dishes a blast, but they do turn a humble housekeeping staple into pop art.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT:

This line drawing of a cup tower has the easy charm of a back-of-a-napkin sketch. ($18, Jam Tart, ThreePotatoFourShop.com)
London's Albert Bridge gets inverted, but does not fall down. ($17, SnowdenFlood.com)
South African illustrator Heather Moore screenprints a jumble of spoons onto durable hopsack. ($11, SkinnyLaminx.Etsy.com)
Teresa Green's delicately rendered birdcage image sings with style. ($30; at Hable Construction, 877-HABLE 04)
Echoes of The Partridge Family's opening credits animate this blue-feathered flock. ($20, Wayne Pate, GoodShapeDesign.com)
Designers at Atelier LZC fashioned this folkloric pattern of roosters and nesting dolls after traveling throughout Eastern Europe. ($22, RoseandRadish.com)
Unity Peg's witty cloth underscores scullery's true goal: an empty kitchen sink. ($20, GreenerGrassDesign.com)