Friday Favorites 4/18/2014

Lynda Simonton, Online and Market Editor 
Many new design products cross my desk in a given week, so it can be hard to break through the clutter. However, when a press release introducing Axor’s Starck V came my way, I was stopped in my tracks. Creativity and technology collide in the creation of this stunning faucet, which is the result of collaboration between Hansgrohe and Philippe Starck.

The goal was to create a product that reflects the “vitality and emotionality of water.” The result is a transparent, minimal design that allows the beauty of pure water to be celebrated.

Axor Starck V

Sadly, this product is only available in Europe. Let’s hope this revolutionary faucet is met with such fanfare that we will be seeing it on this side of the pond sooner rather than later.

Maria LaPiana, Contributing Writer
While I haven’t seen so much as a bud in my yard yet, my mailbox is blooming with catalogs filled with ideas for jazzing up my garden—and stepping up my outdoor entertaining. (Because a good many companies are going green, my inbox is jammed with inspiration too.) The patterns are fresh, the colors are summer-bold, and the alfresco living rooms are more livable than ever. I especially like my options for outdoor dining. Here are a few I wouldn’t kick off my patio…

English Trestle Table, Provence Chairs from Restoration Hardware
Weathered teak table and bucket armchairs of all-weather wicker.

Jardine from West Elm
Table and chairs of weather-resistant FSC-certified wood with a driftwood finish.

Roma from Frontgate
Sturdy but lightweight extruded aluminum with brass accents.

Geneva from Pottery Barn
Fixed round dining table in concrete with all-weather wicker chairs.