Dishin’

With vibrant color and interesting design, Girl Talk dinnerware is sure to spark some lively conversation at your table.

The first collection created by Denise Ford and Cathy Chung of Laguna Beach for their company, Glazed Donuts, is made with an in-glaze process, rather than the standard on-glaze technique, which gives the pieces a high-gloss finish. During the in-glaze process, the coloring agents sink beneath a layer of glass during firing, giving the dinnerware a smooth rather than raised surface.

The dinnerware is environmentally safe and can be used in the microwave and cleaned in the dishwasher.

Chung, who is Korean American, and Ford, who is part Russian, say their diverse heritage has been a big influence on their designs. “We think the girls [on the dishes] look Oriental, and they are so delicate-looking,” says Chung, who grew up in Tustin and attended Foothill High School.

Chung and Ford, who will host an invitation-only showing of their works Thursday at Antonello Ristorante in Santa Ana, plan to introduce another design later this year and another three or four lines next year.

The Girl Talk collection has six pieces--a dinner plate ($50), salad plate ($30), 9-inch bowl ($40), cup and saucer ($40), 12-inch charger ($85) and demitasse ($35)--and is available at Artisance Gallery, 278 Beach, Laguna Beach.

For more information about the showing, call (714) 494-5154.

Iron Maiden

These metal furnishings are anything but heavy.

Showcasing soft, classic curves and sculptural properties, Miami designer Alexandra Diez is broadening the scope of wrought iron, especially when combined with materials such as wood.

“Iron possesses truly fascinating characteristics,” says Diez, who was born and raised in Nicaragua and educated in Rome, “the most impressive being its capability to be bent in different ways. I have been able to give my imagination free rein and penetrate the universe of curves.”

Diez’s Tikal chest and Bohemia frame/mirror of mahogany and black iron are just two examples that exemplify her philosophy. Diez’s line (from $150 to $2,000) also includes sofas, chairs, dining suites, consoles, lamps, chandeliers and pedestals.

The chest is 59 inches wide, 19 inches deep and 31 1/2 inches high. The frame/mirror is 31 inches wide and 36 inches high. Both are available in six finishes--copper, antique copper, bronze, black, rust and polished.

For more information, call (305) 576-1345.

Down to the Wire

If you need to reconfigure your wiring, the Wiremold Co. can offer help that doesn’t require a sledgehammer.

Adding or relocating an outlet is no longer a major project when you use the Access Raceway system. The system conceals and organizes electrical wiring and low-voltage cabling in sleek molding. The raceway is divided to accommodate electrical power and communications cabling. The device plate has a duplex outlet plus jacks for phone, data, coax and other types of low-voltage cabling.

The molding is available in durable vinyl and maple, cherry, oak and mahogany. The system is UL listed.

For information or the nearest distributor, call (800) 621-0049.