Inside & Out : Hot Rods

When it comes to curtain hardware and other accessories, Blome does not fall back on old standards. The company, a collaboration of up-and-coming architects, painters and designers from Europe, prides itself on setting new standards.

Among the Blome innovations: a system for hanging curtains on wires pulled tightly between polished metal ends.

Other unusual pieces include window hardware made of glass by Israeli David Palterer. The line, Giardino Misterioso, is said to have been inspired by “a magical path of flowers en route to the Garden of Eden.”

Each handblown glass finial and tieback (five finials and six ornamental tiebacks available from $500) has vivacious color, and its contours and flares are meant to bring pizazz and drama to more than just windows.

“They can be used in the bathroom, the foyer and for canopies over the bed,” said Blome spokeswoman Kelly Kapica. “Also, they work well as towel hooks and pot racks (in the kitchen).”

If you prefer hardware that’s less contemporary and more organic, there Palterer’s Leonardoend brackets (about $600) resemble sapling twigs and have an ethereal look. Designed for use with the curtain wire system, the cast bronze brackets with solid brass bases are available in six finishes.

Products form German-based Blome are available at Randolph & Hein at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. For more information and locations, call (800) 875-0042.

Adornments

A line of composition ornaments from J.P. Weaver of Glendale is designed to transform plain kitchen cabinets and drawers, giving them the look of hand-carved detailing.

“It’s a little more refinement for a traditional interior,” said Stephanie Croce, spokeswoman for J.P. Weaver.

Composition ornamentation has been around for several hundred years, and its uses are ever-increasing, especially for homeowners who want a more sophisticated environment, said J.P. Weaver owner Lenna Tyler Kast, who has a home in Newport Beach.

Kast was among the designers of the composition ornaments used in the state Capitol.

Composition ornaments are brown clay-like compounds made with wood byproducts and glues that allow them to bond to a surface. As the compound cures, it becomes hard like wood. It is a permanent fixture and will not fall off. The ornaments are simple to mount--first you steam them, then apply them to your cabinet.

“After it dries or cures, it can be painted to match or accent your cabinets,” said Croce.

J.P. Weaver has more than 8,000 designs available that range in price from $2 for smaller pieces to $200 or more for composite designs.

For more information or to order, call (818) 500-1740.

Cratering

Gift crates filled with fresh fruit, cheese, crackers and your spirit of choice--already chilled in galvanized buckets--are assembled and hand delivered to Orange County doorsteps by Anaheim-based Love Delivered.

There are chocolate baskets and crates, packages for new babies, and custom crates to suit any occasion, said Sharon Young, who along with her husband, Jonathon, own the business. Sharon Young, a former secretary, is the creator and designer. She and her husband bought the company three years ago. “We were over 40 and out of work, looking for a new challenge,” said Young, who lives in Santa Ana.

A one-day advance notice is required, and prices start at $42, including delivery, throughout Orange County. Add $15 for delivery to downtown Los Angeles.

For more information or to order, call (714) 531-5683.