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THE CLASSICS
The designer of 300 homes in the region still has an enthusiastic following, says chronicler Bret Parsons.
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MARKETPLACE
ON A DAY when the Dow lost 508 points and consumer confidence plummeted with the stock market, one might consider the sale of $2.13 million in home furnishings to be a respectable haul. But Richard Wright, director of the Chicago auction house Wright, couldn't help but wonder whether his Modern Design event on Tuesday signaled the beginning of the end for a seven-year run of record prices on 20th century furniture and other design collectibles. >>
THE SCOUT
With lean times ahead, more make-it-yourself décor is landing on the market in the form of clever and inexpensive crafts kits. Instead of buying fresh flowers each week, how about a bouquet of black-eyed susans that you construct? This kit from the Martha Stewart Create line for Wal-Mart stores comes with templates and enough colored crepe paper to make 18 flowers ($9.97). Because of the project's handmade quality, the results are surprisingly charming -- and more palatable than traditional fake flora. Stewart has rolled out dozens of inexpensive crafts kits, including some witty Halloween decorations, all on view at www. . >>
THE SCOUT
After a long emphasis on designer furniture, Design Within Reach has launched Tools for Living, a 1,500-square-foot store adjacent to the Santa Monica DWR with about 900 accessories for the home and office. Tools for Living will focus on "finding contemporary designs that are easy to use and have an honesty of materials, made by undiscovered names from around the world," says buyer Kari Woldum, right, with co-worker Sally Yang. The sleek shop opened last week with standout items that include unembellished linen towels for kitchen and bath by the Japanese firm Fog, and modern ice cream scoops, bottom right. Wool poufs from Holland look as if they must have been made with baseball bat-sized knitting needles. The Tools for Living concept has already sparked an online parody by Rob Price and Kathy Park of the New York firm Thwart Design, www.thwartdesign.com. "Tools for Dying plays on the idea of extending the reach of design even further -- 6 feet under," says Price, who created the popular Web page (including a satirical take on George Nelson's midcentury clocks, left) as a sequel to his 2005 send-up, Design Without Reach. Says Tools for Living's Woldum: "They didn't really research what we would be carrying in the store, but imitation is flattering, and we loved the spoof." 332 Santa Monica Blvd.; (310) 458-0543; www.dwr.com. >>
THE SCOUT
Scan the magazine racks today, and it's hard to imagine any title achieving this feat: More than 50 years after they were published, 118 issues of Arts & Architecture have been reprinted as a limited-edition boxed set -- 10 books, 6,076 pages in all. Every bit of content from 1945 through 1954 has been reproduced, starting with Editor John Entenza's announcement of the Case Study House program and his call to reinvent the modern American residence. The publisher, Taschen, says the printing will be limited to 5,000 numbered sets; they will arrive in stores next month and retail for $700. Part 2 of the reprint, covering 1955 to 1967, is expected to follow in late 2009 or early 2010. >>
Man of the House
Counting his blessings, and being thankful for sweater weather. >>
PLOTTING
Buying good seeds and sowing now could lead to a spring outburst. But this breed is different from garden varieties, so watch the watering and the weeds. >>
BEFORE scattering wildflower seeds, consider height, color, bloom time and benefit to the species that pollenate the plants you are sowing. The following recommendations include picks from Carol Bornstein, Davis Fross and Bart O'Brien, authors of "California Native Plants for the Garden." >>
MAJOR-DOMO
You enter your home after the high-tech gizmo reads your fingerprints. In other words, you can never lock yourself out again, in theory anyway. >>
DATEBOOK
A plant sale at the Huntington; a discussion on persimmons >>
Hot Property
The Old-World Tuscan-style house features a Pebble Tec pool and spa, waterfalls, cabana and a barbecue island. >>
ON THE WEB
AT A TIME when some developers might question whether consumers are willing to invest in anything, let alone a green condo, representatives for the new Evo tower in downtown Los Angeles say they're weathering the tough market by playing to the eco-consciousness of prospective buyers. >>
Meet author of 'Colcord Home' >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: BLAIR HILLS
Starting in the '50s, the vocal enclave pushed for parks, schools and a better life. >>
COMING SUNDAY
GRANITE, SLATE and marble give this modern, four-level house in the Mystic Hills neighborhood of Laguna Beach a cool, seamless sensibility. Newport Beach architect Brion Jeannette's design capitalizes on the property's hilltop perch, which offers unobstructed views of downtown Laguna, the ocean and Santa Catalina Island. Terraces look down on the 74-foot lap pool. There are five bedrooms and 6 1/2 bathrooms in 9,500 square feet of living space. Read more about this $12.5-million home for sale in the Sunday Business section or online at latimes.com/realestate. >>
DISPATCH: SIERRA MADRE
So many roses, so little space. >>
DATEBOOK
TODAY >>
Hot Property
Hot Property >>
LOST L.A.
A certain Pennsylvania Avenue address has spawned imitators across the continent, including Beverly Hills' once-grand Rosewall estate. >>
MAN OF THE HOUSE / CHRIS ERSKINE
THEY CALL THIS >>
The house at 212 S. Wilton Place will be one of five featured on the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society's "Looking Back in Time" tour, which will run from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The event will feature live entertainment and refreshments. Tickets, $30 for adults and $20 for full-time students age 22 and younger, can be purchased on South Wilton Place at 2nd and 3rd streets. The block will be closed to vehicles. For information, call (213) 243-8182. >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: MALIBU MOBILE-HOME PARKS
Bluff-side Paradise Cove and Point Dume Club take manufactured-home living to new heights. >>
DATEBOOK
TODAY >>
DATEBOOK
Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants hosts its annual Fall Festival. >>
HOME OF THE TIMES
A gleeful spirit inhabits the Spanish Revival villa where Flaunt magazine co-founder Jim Turner mixes and matches with effervescent flair. >>
THE CLASSICS
Architectural photographer Mary E. Nichols and Keith Wood saw good bones beneath the Wilton Place property's shabby facade. >>
The actress hired set decorator Rob Montalbano and designer Kelly Cole to create a rock 'n' roll space with lots of femininity. >>
THE SCOUT / REDISCOVERED
In the early 1900s, the American Terra Cotta & Ceramic Co. of Illinois launched an art pottery line called Teco. With designs by Chicago architects who worked in the Prairie style popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright, the minimalist pieces were defined by buttressed handles and feet. They were glazed in characteristic matte jade green, sandy yellow and cobalt blue. Teco vases produced between 1899 and 1920 often fetch four figures at auction, but they're now available from $60 to $195 as reissues by Prairie Arts (www.prairie-arts.com), a manufacturer of Wright screens and stencils. The firm recently added five Teco styles to its existing collection of seven; the pieces are available in three classic glazes and five contemporary colors. Outdoor Room, 17311 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, (310) 454-5509; Historic Lighting, 114 E. Lemon Ave., Monrovia, (626) 303-4899; and the Gamble House Bookstore, 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena, (626) 449-4178. >>
THE BUILDING
The lofts in this 1927 tower started out largely the same, but each owner's personality made them way different places. >>
ROCKER'S PLAYGROUND >>
THE SCOUT / MADE IN CALIFORNIA
In the community of Blue Jay near Lake Arrowhead, Graeme Gale has made the most of an environmental tragedy, recycling pine trees ravaged by fire or scarred by bark beetles. His elegantly rustic collection of picture frames, mirrors and custom furniture with blackened edges could work equally well in log cabins or concrete lofts. Gale also turns the gnarled limbs of manzanita into wonderfully sculptural table lamps. To see or buy the work: www.llcook.com/pictureframes.html. >>
Man of the House by Chris Erskine
When the going gets tough, the tough start selling stuff. >>
Jennifer Culp and John Hoffman use a few designer tricks to make their live-work space a welcoming retreat. >>
To permit or not permit? That's often the question with retrofit residential graywater installations. Gray water is legal in California per Appendix G of the California Plumbing Code, but getting a permit can be difficult. >>
THE SCOUT / FINDS
WITH A legacy that includes designs by Charles and Ray Eames and George Nelson, Herman Miller has long produced office furniture that looked good enough to take home. Now, with more folks working from their residences, the company has launched the Lifework Portfolio, new desks and storage units for the home that coordinate with midcentury classics. The Airia desk (shown here, $2,199), designed by Kaiju Studios, is made from cast aluminum and walnut. It features a cord bay for electronic devices and removable cork-lined trays in a center drawer. The accompanying media cabinet is $899. The Cognita storage bench (not shown), designed by Blue Dot, works in almost any room. Floating on steel legs, the $999 walnut case has two drawers topped by a catch-all tray; a cushioned upholstered seat lifts open for file storage. Available at Jules Seltzer Associates, 8833 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 274-7243; www.julesseltzer.com. >>
Britney Spears-- pop princess or pop pariah -- has listed her Beverly Hills Post Office home for $7.9 million. >>
KIDS
Modernist children's furniture may be nearing cliché-dom, but the Sam collection by the new Los Angeles firm Muu includes hundreds of custom options that are clever, cute and not at all cookie-cutter. Customers can specify colors, graphics reminiscent of Alexander Girard and fonts for names, which are digitally printed on panels that can be swapped out later if Mom or Dad wants a fresh look or if a new sibling arrives. The crib ($1,375) is pictured here with a toddler bed rail conversion kit ($225). Additional graphic panels are $80 to $135. All the pieces, including storage units not shown here, are made in the U.S. with sustainable materials, the firm says. Available at Petit Trésor, 11677 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 820-6300; www.muukids.com. >>
THE REALIST IDEALIST
She reroutes her washing machine wastewater to the yard. Daunting task? Yes. Impossible? No. >>
DATEBOOK
SEPT. 27 >>
For a closer view >>
ARCHITECTURE
The duo used angled ceilings, an open floor plan, and a courtyard and light wells to let in the sunshine. >>
Neighborly Advice: The Riviera
The Santa Barbara enclave's sweeping ocean views and hillside scenery come with steep prices. >>
Events and seminars in the Los Angeles area. >>
HOT PROPERTY
The four-bedroom house is in tear-down condition and features a 50-foot swimming pool and guesthouse. It was Shirley Temple Black's former home. >>
Hot Property
Whenever I walk into a hospital emergency room, I still look for Nurse Hathaway -- the one who will go the extra mile for her patients, even if someone who looks like George Clooney is her distracting beau. >>
Hot Property
Hot Property >>
Hot Property
Hot Property >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: BRIGGS TERRACE
High-performing schools and large lot sizes draw home seekers to this hilly enclave. >>
Some of Edward Sorano and Scott Ellis' shopping spots: >>
HOT PROPERTY
The director-actor may have paid up to $11 million. He also owns oceanfront property in Malibu and Costa Rica and an island in Fiji. >>
THE CART
SETTING a playful sushi scene is easy with the latest sassy tabletop accessories: lily pond platters, bird-shaped soy sauce dispensers and fish-rimmed glasses. Throw in some colorful, easy-to-use chopsticks and block toys in sushi shapes, and the kids may want some too. >>
DATEBOOK
Restoration Trade Fair & Fundraiser, an annual event of the Rose Park Neighborhood Assn., features about 50 vendors. >>
MAN OF THE HOUSE
Cleats, doughnuts and bail money: Welcome to youth soccer >>
TRENDS
With more limits on the height and footprint of homes, particularly in beach cities, the underground area adds footage for such extras as theaters and wine cellars. >>
THE SCOUT
Newcomers such as Ruum, featuring midcentury furniture, and Number Nine, a Vietnamese restaurant, open their doors on East 4th Street with 6-year veteran X-Scape furnishings. >>
BEHIND THE LOOK
A little money and a lot of bargain hunting at garage sales, thrift stores and store sales pay off. >>
Hot Property
Hot Property >>
Hot Property
Hot Property >>
SPORTY ART
The influence of midcentury masters is also apparent in the designs that make functional use out of decks. >>
DATEBOOK
The MAK Center for Art and Architecture hosts a tour of three homes by architect John Lautner. >>
DISPATCH: ALTADENA
Gardeners gather for swaps, hoping to unload extra produce so that it won't go to waste. >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: OLD MAGNOLIA
The old-fashioned downtown, with shops, restaurants and Metrolink, is within walking distance. >>
Hot Property
First, one of Hollywood's most enigmatic stars gave a voice to unrepresented screenwriters and short-film directors. And now he's bought them a Los Angeles work-live space in which to hang their baseball caps. >>
Source bookProject: Kitchen remodel >>PARDON OUR DUST
The 'Rate My Space' host updated the kitchen in his 1920s bungalow for about $20,000 and met a three-week deadline. His secret? Being decisive. >>
TRENDS
The rich often pay big money to protect their homes, whether from thieves, intruders or nuclear attack. >>
BEHIND THE LOOK
Sharon Bowman and Joe Fineman tweaked the floor plan of their ranch-style house and turned their living room into an outdoor entertainment center. >>
INNER LIFE
The Etnies entrepreneur brings a boldly idiosyncratic update to a 1948 Newport Beach home, guided by tile designer Xavier Llongueras. >>
Hot Property
Hot Property >>
Man of the House by Chris Erskine
He eagerly trots off to school while Dad marvels at the well-traveled road to the school steps. >>
TRENDS
Depending on what city you live in (and sometimes what part of your city), the rules vary that govern how much greenery you have . Best to check before ripping out the grass and pouring concrete. >>
DATEBOOK
Louise Gonzalez will lead a workshop on "Summer in the Native Garden." >>
THE MONTHLY GARDENER
September can be too hot to think about fall planting -- or to do much of anything but water. Just remember that even if Santa Ana winds kick up the temperatures, the days are short and the sun is low, new plants can still thrive. >>
DEALS
Also last chance: Environment Furniture at 20% to 70% off. >>
TRENDS
Amid a slow housing market, Realtors are offering omelet bars, homemade cookies and other delectables to lure agents to their listings. >>
Meet Kelsey the flipper. >>
WOODWORK | JOHN NYQUIST
The influence, and value, of the woodworker's graceful chairs and tables continue to grow. >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: NORTHWOOD
The neighborhood places high value on scholastic achievement and abundant public parks. >>
ARCHITECTURE
Once it is reassembled, the new owner will restore and sell it. >>
MAJORDOMO
Dudes, it's as sleek and cool as a certain sports car. There's even a TV. But what if you want toast? >>
POT-POURRI
Dioramas by Anna Goeser of Pot-ted are dish gardens for people with a love of kitsch. >>
BOOK REVIEW
Owning instead of renting, even in the current climate, pays a financial dividend, the authors explain. >>
INNER LIFE
Grandma Gloria Swanson's influence is felt in every room of Brooke Anderson's home, which was designed by Gregory Ain. >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: HERMON
Hermon experiences a renaissance as businesses move in and homes are remodeled. >>
TRENDS
Improper installation or product sizing can get in the way of any instant energy savings. Before installing, consider all the specifications. >>
PET PROJECT
Seven pieces of plywood, some tread and carpeting may give your pet a leg up on a good night's rest. >>
HOT PROPERTY
Hot Property >>
ARCHITECTURE
The homeowners, 'complete modernists,' wanted to maintain the ranch-style home's simplicity and add their own contemporary touch. Skylights and wider floor space set the tone. >>
DESIGN
The striped structure has a hard time blending in to the neighborhood. >>
Getting the look: Santa Monica architect Aleks Istanbullu built a conventional wood-frame building, wrapped it with a black waterproofing membrane, then topped it with CertainTeed, a fiber cement siding. The basic architectural element is a 4-by-20-foot strip of siding composed of two 4-by-10-foot sheets, stacked vertically. >>
TRENDS
Brick-and-mortar stores are closing as dealers -- and collectors -- migrate to the Internet and auction houses. >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: FRENCH PARK
The historic district includes Victorian, Craftsman and English Tudor styles. >>
ON SALE: HOME DECOR
The shops: Zipper Art Form + Function, Allan Jeffries Framing, Tortoise, Classic Tile & Mosaic, Rolling Greens, Brick and Mortar, Smith & Hawken >>
INNER LIFE
The Encino home, featured in the L.A. Times 50 years ago, has the architect's signature open floor plan and a design that blends seamlessly with the outside. >>
Hot Property
GOODTHINGS also come in threes: Nicole Kidman has a beautiful new baby girl, a cool new place she bought in Beverly Hills, and a starring role in the big-screen version of Broadway's smash hit "Nine." >>
TWEAKED
The basic hanging unit gets back panels to dress up with colorful decor. >>
THE MONTHLY GARDENER
Even if the heat comes blasting into your corner of Southern California, there's plenty to do. The biggest task at hand is preparing for planting season: Map out your new trees and shrubs, bulbs (which begin arriving in stores in September), winter vegetables, perhaps some ground cover. >>
GARDEN
The documentary film 'A Man Named Pearl' explores the Southerner's passion for tree sculpting, which has become his life's work. >>
DESIGN
A storied party house's design centerpiece comes with a tale of its own. >>
THE CALIFORNIA GARDEN
The artist, creator of the controversial gardens, may no longer have design oversight but his vision has established deep roots. >>
THE SCOUT
His Majesty and Her Majesty crown mirrors from Elena Coleman and Libby Kountzman >>
THE SCOUT
Idea Space Design, which has created interiors for L.A. clients as diverse as football giant Keyshawn Johnson and novelist Bret Easton Ellis, is relocating its office and closing its furniture and accessories showroom in Beverly Hills. In a sale that runs through the end of the month, the firm will offer 50% to 75% reductions on its home decor. Designs emphasize clean lines and heroic proportions, exemplified by the diamond-tufted Cortisan wing chair shown above, with a 5-foot-high seat back; the piece is marked down to $2,150 from $4,300. Prices have been cut by half also for the zebrawood Roma Cube (now $1,050), whose gray vinyl top doubles as a stool and side table, and the rift-cut oak tray (now $198). Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays at 351 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 360-7140 or ideaspacedesign.com. >>
THE SCOUT
With the popularity of Greek flokatis, Berber tribal graphics from Morocco and other ethnic rugs, it's hardly surprising that Patricia Urquiola has launched her first carpet collection. >>
THE SCOUT
For designer Kelly LaPlante, being green isn't black or white. >>
BACK STORY
A Massachusetts aristocrat saw a quick solution to a lack of lawn chairs while vacationing in New York's Adirondack Mountains more than 100 years ago. >>
INNER LIFE
Architect Lloyd Russell created the home, near Palm Springs, as an escape for musician and surf wear entrepreneur Jim Austin. >>
THE CALIFORNIA GARDEN
A Canoga Park backyard is a calm meditation on its owner's Indian roots. >>
LETTERS
Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful article and accompanying photos of the Sarkissian garden in Modjeska [Beauty and the Drought,&rdquo, July 10]. You've made me appreciate my gardening friends and their efforts. >>
THE SCOUT
At Floor-Model, Danish Modern doesn't necessarily mean designer labels. "The goal is to make the aesthetic of midcentury furniture from Scandinavian countries accessible," says owner David Pierce. And more affordable: Through Sunday, Floor-Model is offering 20% to 40% off its inventory of teak tables, rosewood buffets and upholstered seating in the style of the swivel lounge chair shown here. Mahogany sofas with loose cushions start at $1,400, and oak dining chairs are now priced from $200 each. Floor-Model ( www.floor-model.com) is one of the dozens of vendors participating in the twice-a-year sale of 20% to 70% off at the 150,000-square-foot showroom of H.D. Buttercup, 3225 Helms Ave., L.A. (310) 558-8900 or www.hdbuttercup.com. >>
FINDS
Drop the name Marimekko and most folks will picture the giant fruit and flowers or op art graphics found on bedding at Crate & Barrel. >>
THE SCOUT
Organic, sustainable and energy-efficient products are the stars of the show at Green and Greener, an eco-conscious general store created by interior designer Alegre Ramos. The month-old store in Valley Village offers green design consultations and special-order materials that include recycled glass tile and clay plaster wall finishes. It also sells vintage furniture and contemporary housewares such as cork jigsaw puzzle place mats from Mio Culture, $19.99 for a box of 12 pieces. The low-wattage Bubbly Chandelier, which Ramos made for the store, saves electricity without sacrificing style, recycling Champagne bottles as pendants for compact fluorescent bulbs. As shown here, the made-to-order piece of five bottles and five 1-watt LED bubbles is $1,150, with customers providing their own empties. 4838 Laurel Canyon Blvd. (818) 358-4313 or www.green-and-greener.com. >>
THE SCOUT
It looks like a 1950s set, with 'maybe a little Jetsons mixed in,' says maker Joe Wilkerson. >>
ARCHITECTURE
Michael Burch and Diane Wilk have enhanced the traditional yet modern elements of the 1925 home with their attention to craftsmanship. >>
THE CALIFORNIA GARDEN
Sarah and Geoff Sarkissian's creek-side property thoughtfully reflects its canyon habitat, with hardy, starkly beautiful plants and an intricate water-retaining system. >>
MODERN LIFE
As couples wrestle with fertility and adoption issues, many decide to fix up baby's bedroom while others wait until it's time. >>
MAN OF THE HOUSE BY CHRIS ERSKINE
You can't get away from the electronic world. >>
MAN OF THE HOUSE BY CHRIS ERSKINE
The latest lifestyle: mall as home. Our intrepid columnist tests the idea with an Americana sleepover. >>
LIVE/WORK
The couple relies heavily on transparent doors and ceiling-floors to let the sun shine in. >>
THE CALIFORNIA GARDEN
Southern California's climate is ideal for these fruits that originated in Asia. >>
PET PROJECT
Landscape architect Stephanie Rubin and sculptor Chris Isner sell such homes with rooftop gardens for $1,000 to $4,000, but you can make your own for much less. >>
INNER LIFE
The 'killer view' drew Marcel Sitcoske and Michael Oddo to the site; free-flowing interior spaces kept them there. >>
THE MONTHLY GARDENER
Find a place in the shade, pour yourself a tall iced tea and take July off. There's not much for gardeners to do this month other than to water. Plants in containers need the most, but even those in the ground need frequent irrigation. That's unless, of course, you were clever enough to plant mostly native and other non-thirsty Mediterranean-climate plants, though even they may need a deep soaking at some point. >>
THE SCOUT
New York-based wallpaper designer Carly Margolis found the inspiration for her latest pattern on a visit to Casa de Milagros, an orphanage in Peru. Using a hand-rendered chakana -- an Inca spiritual symbol representing heaven, Earth and hell -- as a repeated graphic element, Margolis integrated drawings by the children throughout the hand-silk screened print. Available in chocolate brown, olive and turquoise, the wallpaper is $155 per roll. Proceeds will go directly to Casa de Milagros. The paper is sold in a two-roll minimum, which will cover about 66 square feet. www.cavernhome.com. >>
THE SCOUT
The Pasadena designer uses scraps of solid walnut to form a free-standing patchwork. >>
THE SCOUT
They combine elegant and spindly silhouettes with a gentle surrealism. >>
THE SCOUT
Designer uses an Yves Saint Laurent square to top off a high-style ottoman with Lucite legs. >>
LETTERS
I enjoyed your piece on Otto Heino [94 and Still Fired Up, June 26]. I'm so glad he's still at it. Thank you for seeking him out and writing that piece. >>
THE SCOUT
Modernist architect Richard Neutra anticipated the need for space-saving dual-purpose furniture by creating the Camel table -- so named because with a simple adjustment of L-shaped legs, it rises from low-slung coffee table to a standard-height surface for dinner guests. A 1954 Camel, shown here, custom-made for the Hammerman residence in Bel-Air, will be offered (Lot 120) at at noon Sunday. The Neutra Camel is expected to fetch $15,000 to $20,000. A 1950s Hendrik Van Keppel & Taylor Green version manufactured by the defunct L.A. firm Brown Saltman (Lot 160) is estimated to sell for $1,000 to $1,500. Previews 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday. Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave., Suite B538, West Hollywood. (323) 904-1950 or www.lamodern.com. >>
THE SCOUT
Other pieces include the Sunbrella cushion and Peter Schaffner's Pix cafe table, all at Design Within Reach >>
THE SCOUT
A former antiques dealer, interior designer Windsor Smith re-imagines classic English and American furniture for the California home in her debut collection. "Everything is a little taller, a little deeper, the lines are more relaxed and scaled to how we live today," she says of her designs, which include, left, the lacquered Brittany Secretary, $12,000, with antiqued mirror doors, nickel hardware and a drop-down writing desk and the leather upholstered, nailhead-trimmed Directoire chair, $4,200. The line also has an innovative two-sided sofa and updated Georgian and Chippendale cabinets that can house flat-screen TVs. "Opulence is coming back in a more simplified way," says Smith, left, in her Mandeville Canyon home. "I want it to feel like the cool kids have invaded the ancestral home." The locally handcrafted pieces, custom ordered through Smith, take eight to 12 weeks to complete. www.windsorsmithhome.com >>
CERAMICS | OTTO HEINO
The Ojai man was at the heart of the 1950s studio movement. Six decades later, a new generation is drawn to his earthy pieces with distinctive glazes. >>
IN THE BACKYARD
An exhibit shows how the 17th century artist's work advanced the study of entomology. >>
GARDENSCAPES
Designer Stephen Gabor used desert plants for drama and added fruit trees and roses for playful color. >>
THE SCOUT
The throw pillows are made from flags that were waved during holiday parades in the late 1800s and early 1900s. >>
DESIGN
FOR ALL the buzz surrounding modern prefab architecture, few of these projects actually move beyond the conception stage to become built environments. The number of full-fledged modern prefab houses built nationwide in 2008 will be in the dozens, not hundreds. >>
Man of the House by Chris Erskine
A coach raises a toast (is it just lemonade?) to his undefeated T-ball team. >>
SET PIECES
She welcomes kids into a fantasy world where her whimsical food-art creations include 'sushi' made from Twinkies. >>
TRENDS
Even in this economy, remodeling projects still call for professional-grade appliances and high-end finishes. How did the kitchen become a way to impress rather than a place to cook? And is change on the horizon? >>
WHERE I LIVE
Cooking in cramped spaces has never been a problem for the cookbook writer, who grew to appreciate the efficient simplicity of petite kitchens. >>
THE SCOUT
Pieces from the Echo Park workshop include a Low Table, made from five grain-matched planks of sustainably harvested white oak. >>
THE SCOUT
Ballard Designs' metalwork creates a modern silhouette of the classic manicured trees. >>
THE SCOUT
Charles and Ray Eames became the first furniture designers ever to be honored by the U.S. Postal Service. >>
HAPPENING
Founded in 1889, the Swedish design and manufacturing firm Kasthall is renowned for its highly textured, richly colored linen and wool rugs. >>
TRENDS
The religious symbol as decoration? It's complicated. >>
GARDENING
PAT MARFISI calls E |