Ideas with attitude

“MADE in the USA,” the reality show in which inventors vie to get their product on the Home Shopping Network, premiered last week and already it has a winner: judge Karim Rashid. Unlike his fellow judges -- Atari Inc. and Chuck E. Cheese founder Nolan Bushnell and Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano -- the bespectacled Rashid, shown below, has earned the right to deliver dismissive comments like a dapper Dr. Evil. With more than 2,000 home furnishing and fashion designs in production, including Umbra’s plastic Oh chair and the ultra-hip Method dish soap, Rashid brings more than attitude to the table. Witness his latest dinner collections for the Turkish design firm Gaia & Gino. Happy People is mouth-blown crystal with two usable ends, so a wine glass, when turned over, can be used for drinking cordials. Morphescape, above, is a collection of architectural porcelain modules inspired by the skyline of Istanbul. The pieces, $55 to $150 each, can be used as plates, vases, cruets and candlesticks. Both lines are at Utopia Design in Studio City, (818) 755-9030. For “Made in the USA” showtimes on the USA Network, go to www.usanetwork.com/series/madeintheusa.

*

HAPPENING: Revisiting classics in California crafts

Working in ceramics, fibers, wood and metal, Jerry and Evelyn Ackerman frequently contributed to the renowned California Design exhibitions that ran from 1954 to 1976 -- a creative movement documented in Jo Lauria and Suzanne Baizerman’s forthcoming book, “California Design: The Legacy of West Coast Craft and Style” (Chronicle). “Post-World War II Los Angeles was the time and place where new ideas, new technologies and economic affluence converged to position furniture at the center of design innovation,” writes Lauria, co-host of a lecture ($15) and book signing with Baizerman at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the L.A. County Museum of Art. The authors will recognize designers of the era including the Ackermans, above, photographed with their 1960s work at Reform Gallery. A meet-and-greet will follow at Reform, 816 N. La Cienega Blvd.; (310) 854-1033.

*

FREE: A lineup of makeover tips

Domino, the fledgling decor shopping magazine, is setting up camp tomorrow at the H.D. Buttercup showroom with a bevy of interior designers who will evaluate photos of your design problems and offer solutions for free. Also on the roster: Landscape artist Eduardo Xol will conduct gardening classes, feng shui coach Cheryl Janis will cheer on your chi, Ortolan chef Christophe Eme will give cooking lessons, and graphic artist Freddi Cerasoli, left, will consult on paint and color. Hand massages and manicures? They’re free. The event runs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at H.D. Buttercup, 3225 Helms Ave., Los Angeles; (310) 558-8900; www.dominotogo.com.

*

FINDS: Pavers that’ll floor you

The designer’s road to heaven can be paved with good intentions -- and good taste. Smith-Laredo’s concrete pavers boast better scratch resistance than traditional terra cotta and are richly colored with nontoxic mineral pigments. The San Diego County firm has introduced two collections by interior designer David-Michael, including Casa Monterey, which has hand-tooled edges and a distressed finish with echoes of early California. The line is available in seven colors, including adobe and lichen, shown here with a satiny Moderne paver. Prices range from $9 to $27 per square foot at Living Green in Culver City, (310) 838-8442, and in Santa Barbara, (805) 966-1319; www.livinggreen.com.