At least 20 some years ago I witnessed the dramatic impact of adding a piece of Lucite furniture to a room. At that time, I was a recent transplant to Omaha and made the acquaintance of another designer who invited me to her home. Carefully and dramatically, she chose to showcase a collection of heirloom quilts in a clear Lucite trunk.

Lucite trunk

The use of the trunk was magical in her living room. Since that experience I have seen clear acrylic furniture used in many applications. I used this ‘crystal table’ from the Mariette Himes Gomez collection by Hickory Chair in the Seattle Street of Dreams home I designed.

For a practical but dramatic accent, consider the Magino stool which does double duty as a magazine rack from Umbra.

The good news is that very often these acrylic furniture pieces will not break the bank!

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Walking in my neighborhood I am attracted to the scents of incense drifting out the door. Last week I also noticed the candles with crisp citrus fragrance in a showroom at the Seattle Design Center. It seems fragrance is a part of civilization and cultures so no wonder we associate certain scents with customs such as religious rituals, special occasions or therapies. The ancient Egyptians made fragrance use paramount in religious and secular life. Early Hindu vapor rooms were looked upon not only to soften the skin, but also to induce a desirable frame of mind. In 538 A.D., when Buddhism was introduced into Japan from China, an essential part of the religious observances was burning of incense. Fragrance truly blossomed under the reign of Louis XIV during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. In North America, the Indians taught early American settlers to make torch candles from fragrant pine branches.

Using scents in our home is truly a ‘less is more’ moment. Too much overwhelms just as too much perfume upstages the one wearing it. “Environmental fragrancing should be very subtle; you shouldn’t be knocked out by it,” said Theresa Molnar, executive director of Manhattan-based The Fragrance Foundation and its research and education division, the Sense of Smell Institute. “You should enjoy it when it’s there,” she continued. “It shouldn’t be so overpowering that it’s all you can think of.”

When choosing a scent, Ms. Molnar said, think about the atmosphere you want to create. For example, in an entryway or living room, you might consider an energizing and uplifting floral fragrance, while calming scents like lavender or jasmine would be appropriate in the bedroom. In the kitchen, where there already are food smells, try a cinnamon or herbal fragrances or something fresh like cucumber.

People tend to choose fragrance based on memory perception, according to Catie Briscoe of Crabtree & Evelyn, explaining that scents activate part of the brain related to memory, leading us to choose those we relate to or have experienced. One of my favorite scents is sandalwood, a scent I associate with a trade showroom that shows Asian inspired style.

My all time favorite scent is one from L’Occitane, Amber. Here is the description: A voluptuous blend of Oriental scents. The sweetness of vanilla is combined with a bouquet of spices, incense, myrrh and labdanum.

If you want something that delivers fragrance continually, use a reed diffuser.

Whichever way you go, candles or diffusers, floral, spicy, botanical or citrus aromas, fragrance experts agree that how you scent your home all depends on you. Said Ms. Deyette: “It all comes down to individual choice.”

Earlier this month, Kohler dazzled attendees of the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS)
with its newest products for the kitchen and bath. These offerings including an ultra-organized kitchen sink, a new matte white surface, and, my favorite, a simply ingenious multi-spray handshower.
These all new products designed by Kohler’s team push the limits of creativity and technology. The outcome: our lives are more efficient, a little more fun, and a lot more beautiful.

The Stages sink from the Chef-Inspired Collection features a selection of accessories designed to accompany each stage of the cooking process. An ample basin and wet work surface are perfect for rinsing and drying foods, and the wooden cutting board and sliding trays fit neatly into the sink, making space for food prep and utensils. Even cleaning up is simple: the angled basin bottom directs water and waste right to the drain.

The gentle texture of worn river rock and the warm, white tone of winter snow come together in Honed White, the new matte color by Kohler. While the matte color brings a natural and organic feel to your space, the glaze ensures easy cleaning and durability.

My Favorite

The Flipside handshower brings you four distinct showering sensations, each with its own dedicated sprayface on your choice of three unique models. Innovative Flipstream™ technology makes selecting a spray both simple and stylish. Just flip the sprayhead on its axis-no impossible twisting-to enjoy the spray that best suits your needs. Switch between the traditional, soothing Koverage, the softer, silkier spray of Kotton, the exhilarating, circular pattern Komotion or the targeted Kurrent spray. With three style options, there’s a handshower for every bathroom and a spray sensation for every need.

Please send your comments, I enjoy receiving them. And visit the Kohler website for lots more information including water conservation. More tips .

Continuing on the Swedish theme, I have some ideas of how you can adapt Swedish style into your home. But first some background about Swedish style. The major influence for Swedish design is closely identifiedwith the Gustavian style, named after King Gustav III. With inspiration derived from French court pieces, Swedish style simplifies the ornateness and busy details of the French influence, as this region has plainer taste. The Swedes love their simplicity so they minimize details in furnishings by using clean lines, minimal carved detail, gentle curves and legs that are delicate and taper to the floor.

In a country that is dark for half of the year, the Swedes have come to cleverly use color to lift their spirits and brighten dark, gloomy spaces. White and the palest, powdery soft shades of blue are often seen in Swedish design, and bring a lightness to the interiors of this northern European style.

Wood is crucial in Swedish style and Swedish style is distinguished as incorporating painted pieces to make them look simply sophisticated. Painted, bleached or stained wood in pale tones of white or grey with distressing retains its elegance that is 18th century.

Swedish interiors keep accessories to a minimum, allowing open space and light to take center stage. Useful, visually appealing accessories include crystal and painted chandeliers, wood-gilt framed mirrors, natural raffia or light-colored woven textured rugs, soft, pale ceramics and clear glass pieces in simple shapes.

“Calm interiors, soothing, pale color palettes, elegance with a lightness in color and mood, formal but not stuffy with a comfortable, casually aged feel - that’s the essence of Swedish design.”
Penelope Voisen

Tips to create Swedish style in your home

• use pale, light and textured surfaces and furnishings
• select simply-woven, textured white fabrics in cotton and linen
• white and soothing blue shades on walls, furniture and upholstery
• woods are bleached, painted or stained with white or soft, pale paints
• minimal accessories allows space and light to take center stage

About the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) a great place to spot brilliant new designs and emerging trends in the design world.

More than 550 exhibitors display contemporary furniture, seating, carpet and flooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, and kitchen and bath for residential and commercial interiors. This assemblage of national and international exhibitors affords the chance to experience the most selective scope of the globe’s finest, most creative, individual, and original avant-garde home and contract products – handily and temptingly showcased in one venue.

Inhabitat shared their favorite green designs and here are some of mine.

Ikea Palm Lamp

Donna Wilson puffs

More Donna Wilson

Offi Transforming Table

Recycled Bag Lady