Silicone Valley

Iridescent color glows in the silicone home accessories by Carol Motty of New York. Casting her vases, coasters and accent flowers and animals in silicone sets her work apart.

Silicone is not easy to work with because of its flexibility and fluidity, so Motty hand-casts all her pieces--a labor-intensive process, she says--that enables her to control the silicone’s movements. As a result, no two pieces are alike.

Motty, who is constantly experimenting with colors and other pigments, recently used the shell of a dead sea turtle she found to mold a piece for herself.

Because of its excellent molding capabilities, “all the lines and markings of the shell show up beautifully” says Motty.

For more information on the cone-shaped vases ($450), sunflowers ($250) and other pieces, call (212) 924-2588.

Modern Swirls

Ethan Allen, known as a maker of traditional furniture, is now moving into contemporary design with its 35-piece Radius collection.

Marked by soft round lines and a mix of wood and metal, the furniture has an Art Deco look. Among the pieces is the metal accent chair ($449), which has a nickel-plated back and maple veneers.

Ethan Allen has stores in Costa Mesa, Lake Forest and Santa Ana. (800) 228-9229.

Glamour Again

Old Hollywood glamour gets a reprise in the sofa stylings of Monique and Sergio Savarese for Dialogica. The husband-and-wife designing team mixes in colors reminiscent of van Gogh, giving their sofas--part of their recently introduced New Horizons collection--a fresh but familiar look.

The collection also includes complementing rugs, tables, beds and lounge chairs.

The Savareses, who started Dialogica six years ago, do not follow traditional steps in designing furniture. “We do not do sketches of our design,” Monique Savarese says, “because we prefer to go directly to full-scale prototypes. That way, we can quickly make adjustments and capture the spontaneity of the designs.”

Among the collection’s six sofas, which are available in several materials and colors, are the Aphors ($4,350 in velvet) with its tufted back and rolled arms, the Eve ($3,975 in velvet) with its curved and swirled arms and back, and the Lawrence ($3,975 in velvet), which has the appearance of a sectional piece.

Dialogica furniture is available in Los Angeles, 8304 Melrose Ave. (213) 951-1993.