A small cardboard box rests on the shelves next to my easel at home. The austere container belies the treasures that lie within its drab confines. Only the mysterious black-winged dragon and the singular message "depuis [since] 1720," that emblazon the top hint at the potent contents: spectacularly colored pastels produced by the Paris-based company, H. Roché.
These perfect little sticks wield as much enchantment in my world of art and design as any magic wand. In tandem with water colors, acrylics, and inks, they turn white sheets of paper into riots of pattern, color, and narrative. Not only do they allow me to dress up my home with my own artworks, they connect me to generations of acclaimed artists who depended on the unique pastel hues to create their masterpieces—icons such as Edgar Degas, Edouard Vuillard, Alphonse Legros, Jules Cheret, and Alfred Sisley, to name but a few of the long-departed artists; and Sam Szafran, Pierre Skira, and Irving Petlin to cite some of those among the living. The pastels, which are sold in kits of varying sizes, are still handmade in accordance with the original formulas. In 1999, the trade secrets were passed down to Isabelle Roché, the great-grandniece of Dr. Henri Roché, a chemistry student of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur and a pharmacist, who in 1878 left the profession to purchase a then-158-year-old art-supply shop.
Like Roché, Pasteur was passionate about pastels and worked with him to perfect his production methods. The company, renamed H. Roché, then devoted itself exclusively to making pastels that satisfied the exacting standards of its clientele.
When Cynthia Rowley presented her fall 2007 ready-to-wear collection during New York City's Fashion Week, the show's lead sponsor was not a watchmaker or an electronics firm: it was paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams. The company, which plans an ongoing association with Rowley, used the event to kick off its new Concepts of Color collection. The palette of 250 shades, divided into 10 color families, was integrated throughout the show's set; attendees received a gift bag with a color fan and an M&M-filled mini paint can with a label designed by Rowley. Although Rowley didn't collaborate with Sherwin-Williams on the collection, the company was attracted to her for her exuberant use of color.
The partnership is not as unlikely as it first may seem. Rowley is no stranger to the domestic arena, having coauthored living guide Home Swell Home (Atria) with Ilene Rosenzweig and codesigned a subsequent Swell housewares and bedding collection with her at Target. I spoke with Rowley after the show to find out more about the relationship between fashion and home, what hues are hot for fall, and which colors she chose for her new town house. —Style Provocateur
When you mention the word "tile" to most people, ceramic tiles, Italian porcelains, or Moorish mosaics come to mind. For Katja Gruijters, a Dutch food designer, tiles are works of art that have flavor, smell, sound, and color.
For "Tasting Lace: An Edible Lace High Tea," an event held January 29 at New York City's Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), Gruijters baked 60 of her colorful, delicious squares with lace designs, which she calls Ander Kant, for a group of guests. Presented together as a patchwork installation, the roughly 17 cm pieces came in a variety of types, including chocolate, genoise, sugar, and shortbread, and in a host of flavors, such as kiwi, lemon, cinnamon, apple, and raspberry.
The process of making, breaking, and then consuming the tiles is "a new ritual," says Gruijters. People are afraid to interact with art, let alone destroy something that is beautiful, she explains. She loves to watch the range of facial expressions of the participants as they splinter the tiles with sculpture tools, or cut off sections with a knife. Once you take part in this experience, she says, you'll "never look at lace in the same way." Nor will I ever look at tiles in the same way, either.
Gruijters' Ander Kant are featured in the exhibit "Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting," on view at MAD through June 17. Chocolate and sugar tiles are also for sale at the museum gift shop for $15 to $28 each. - Susan Weiman, Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief
Home receives many design submissions each year that have us asking, "Are they kidding?" which got me thinking about the dearth of good design humor. In fact, if you Google "design wit," some annoying search engineer wants to know if you meant to look for "design with." (No, I didn't.) And if you should look online for "Designer walks into a bar" you'll be asked, in essence, "Are you kidding?"
To me, this classic setup is funny, even without a punch line. And yet, surely somewhere out there, there must be someone who can come up with at least one laugh-out-loud ending to it. E-mail your best shot to homemag@hfmn.com and put "JokeFest" in the subject line. We'll award a tin of spackle—and a year's subscription to Home—to the wittiest entry, and the best ones will be posted on the Home Blog. Entries must be received by midnight Eastern Time April 1. The winner will be determined in a low-tech and utterly subjective manner. Keep it clean (this is a family website), and include an e-mail address where we can track you down and lay that spackle and subscription on you. —DecoRooter
I've had bad luck with goldfish. Charlie lived for six years, which must be some kind of record for a pet won at a kindergarten fair. He survived two cross-country car trips in a tin canister, turned from bright orange to the lovely pinkish hue of rose gold as he aged, and met an untimely death when a cloud of bug spray that was meant for a palmetto roach drifted over his uncovered bowl. (Sorry, Charlie!) Orange Julius, a pet-store purchase, came next. I don't recall the precise details of his demise; by that time we had a cat and…wait a minute, what did happen to that fish?
Perhaps I would have taken better care of my piscine pets had I been able to keep them in a Fish 'n Flush. In fact, I'm sure I would have. For one thing, I would have sunk about $299 into the toilet-tank kit, an investment sure to capture my attention. And for another, I would have spent more time in their company, perhaps even reading them One Fish, Two Fish.
As far as I could tell, my college neighbor Dan liked just two things: lounging around and being outside. Many an afternoon when I headed to class I'd see him out on the patio sprawled out on a beaten-up sofa, sunning himself. If only he lived next door to me now, I'd tell him first, get a job, and second, that La-Z-Boy (lazboy.com), along with Brown Jordan International (bji.com), have created an outdoor perch that would let him do what he enjoys most in style.
Called the Whitley recliner, the seat has a built in footrest that can be adjusted to three positions—upright, elevated leg, and full recline. It has a rustproof aluminum frame covered in all-weather resinweave, which means he could leave the chair out in the rain without fear of rot. The recliner's arms and legs are reinforced with decorative, cast-aluminum ends, so it's OK if he gets klutzy and bangs it into something, which he would, while its red cushions—fluffy and able to withstand hours of use at a time—are upholstered in Solarium, a quick-drying, weather-resistant fabric.
I've been consistently impressed by Umbra's U+ Studio Collection (umbra.com), the funky, more experimental line relaunched two years ago by the Toronto-based furnishings company. And although U+ features work by numerous designers, including Karim Rashid and Michelle Ivankovic, I'm most often drawn to the work of one in particular: Matt Carr, the talent behind many of the line's mirrors and clocks. His style is best described as modern Scandinavian, with sleek lines, unfussy surfaces, and lots of glass, wood, and metal. I was fortunate enough to meet him two weeks ago at the New York Gift Show, where he walked me through his forthcoming pieces for U+, many of which are a departure from his usual aesthetic. Here's a sneak peek of the items, all of which should be available by March 1. —Decor Darling
PISA BOOK SHELF That's Carr himself standing next to this leaning tower of shelves, which can add storage and a strong sculptural element to any room. Comprising dark wood veneer; designer not included. 63½" high x 12½" wide x 29" deep. $550. Umbra.com.
TREASURE CLOCK The eclectic timepiece was inspired by a desire to "create a sustainable product that gives new life to discarded toys," says Carr. Constructed from natural birch and second-hand playthings, each clock is unique, and only 200 will be made. Available in white, shown, and black. 15½" high x 15½" wide. $145. U+ Studio Collection; 800-387-5122, Umbra.com.
CADO STOOL Versatile and sophisticated, this leather multitasker combines seating, a serving surface, and a hidden storage area. Pretty cool. 18" high x 18½" wide 18½" deep. $399. Umbra.com.
Dozens of new products debuted last week at the International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida, including a jewel-encrusted dishwasher and entry-door locks that recognize your fingerprints. But none is generating more buzz than Gaggenau's BL 253 Lift Oven.
The stylish German import is 24 inches wide and mounts to the wall; the bottom drops down so food can be easily loaded into it before it's raised into the cooking cavity. Simple up and down buttons operate a ceramic base, lowering it directly from the oven (a sensor makes sure it stops before reaching countertop objects). The base holds up to 24 pounds.
The unit has a sleek, stainless steel–tinted glass front and several interior racks, and it cooks using 11 heating methods, including convection. When you lower it to check on dinner, you don't have the energy loss you would with a conventional oven because the heat rises back into the cavity. The makers expect the space-saving appliance to be used as a secondary oven in places such as pool houses, bonus rooms, and in-law suites. It will be available in July and will retail for about $3,000. —Brick Chick
Inspired by the vivid color scheme of a Miami home in our upcoming March issue (on sale February 13), this edition of Wallfleur is 1960s-centric. With its over-the-top floral pattern and the quintessential butterfly symbolizing the wild freedom of the hippie culture, this digital wallpaper will sock it to your decor.
To download this design onto your computer, just click on the link for your screen resolution. Once you see the full image, right-click on it and select "Set as Background" or "Set as Wallpaper." Or you can download the free PDF. Check back soon for more patterns—all exclusive to homemag.com and inspired by ideas in the magazine. —Wallflower
The wood shop teacher's message on my voicemail was cheery and brief: "Your son Reed's project is ready to be picked up." Picked up? I called Tim back to ask, “Can't my son just bring it home on the bus?” After a short pause, he said gently, "I'm afraid you'll need a van." We did, and now the bench, shown left, lives in my kitchen until we figure out a better spot for it in our small apartment.
Fortunately, most of my children's art projects aren't this large, but they do have a way of accumulating to the point of threatening to bury the entire family. Some can be winnowed out (yes, I admit it; sometimes I throw them away), but favorite pieces deserve a better fate.
Clamshell boxes are great for storing small drawings, booklets, three-dimensional pieces, seashell art, etc. I made a set of boxes for each child. As each box fills up, I just add another one to the set. The art is protected from light and dust, and can be easily retrieved and enjoyed.
Home receives many design submissions each year that have us asking, "Are they kidding?" which got me thinking about the dearth of good design humor. In fact, if you Google "design wit," some annoying search engineer wants to know if you meant to look for "design with." (No, I didn't.) And if you should look online for "Designer walks into a bar" you'll be asked, in essence, "Are you kidding?"
Dozens of new products debuted last week at the International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida, including a jewel-encrusted dishwasher and entry-door locks that recognize your fingerprints. But none is generating more buzz than 
The wood shop teacher's message on my voicemail was cheery and brief: "Your son Reed's project is ready to be picked up." Picked up? I called Tim back to ask, “Can't my son just bring it home on the bus?” After a short pause, he said gently, "I'm afraid you'll need a van." We did, and now the bench, shown left, lives in my kitchen until we figure out a better spot for it in our small apartment. 
Clamshell boxes
