INSIDE & OUT : Guiding Light

The magic of this Mission-style candle lantern is found in its simplicity.

Designed by Dave Thomas, Rene Burton and Kevin Mundt, owners of Areo, a home accessories store in Laguna Beach, the San Juan lantern ($160) has a hinged door for easy access and a perforated bottom for air flow.

The lantern, which can be used inside or outdoors, is handmade of iron and has an antique black finish. It holds a 6-by-6-inch pillar candle, which has three wicks for a dramatic effect.

The lantern, part of Areo’s HomArt collection, measures 10 inches by 10 inches by 22 inches tall and is a popular item for the store, which opened about two years ago and is expanding.

“We sell about two or three a day,” said Burton, who worked for 10 years at Crate & Barrel before becoming a partner at Areo last year.

Thomas, whose background is in commercial interiors; Mundt, a marketing specialist, and Burton create their works for everyday use from all-natural or recycled materials.

Areo is at 207 Ocean Ave., Laguna Beach. Phone: (714) 376-0535.

Tools of the Table

Just when you thought you knew the right time to use the salad fork and the dessert spoon, your host or hostess throws in a fish knife and a baked-potato fork.

Fortunately, there is a source to help you find out where and when to use such eating utensils. “Forks, Knives & Spoons,” is a book by Peri Wolfman and Charles Gold on the history of such settings.

The book also addresses cleaning and storage of silverware and includes some recipes that will give you an excuse to bring out your fancy forks.

Published by Crown, the book ($25) is expected in stores next month.

Plugged In

To fire up this barbecue, all you need to do is plug it into an outside 110-volt outlet, preheat 10 minutes and go.

Using a patented vacuum technology, the Thermos Thermal Electric Grill seals in moisture and heat while using about the same amount of energy as a 1,500-watt blow dryer. Because it runs on electricity, the grill also reduces polluting emissions.

Inside the double-walled vacuum dome, the temperature reaches about 600 degrees and cooks as quickly as traditional charcoal grills. For a smoky flavor, wood chips can be added.

“The element is encased like that of a waffle iron,” said Jim Fitzgerald, a spokesman for the Illinois-based company. The die-cast heating element resolves a problem that existed with early designs for the grill--it did not get hot enough.

Thermos’ electric grill (about $279) is non-polluting and is an alternative for those who live in apartments and condominiums that restrict the use of gas barbecues. The heating element and grill come apart for easy cleaning.

The team that designed the grill did extensive research throughout the country, including studies in Orange County. The grill is sold at home and garden centers throughout the county.