From Janet:

The Italians and their kitchens. The Fires Line cooktop by Italian kitchen system designer Binova is especially appealing. Featuring a single row of burners, the cooktop is perfect for a narrow countertop. It can be centered on an island (out of reach of children’s hands) for easy access from either side.  Just approved for the US market in the last six months, it costs approximately $3,500. View the entire Binova line here. Contact USA dealer Haute Living at (312) 329-9000 for pricing and ordering information.

From Julie:

Michigan-based Jebred Furniture recently launched an online site; the company’s painted poplar pieces are stylish, reasonably priced ($260 for the chairs; $390 for the loveseats, and $115 for the side tables), and come in a dozen colors, ranging from pale pink to hot lime. They remind us of a Rietveld chair crossed with an Adirondack.

From Julie:

While perusing lighting designer Lindsey Adelman’s blog, we came across the work of NY architect Alex Scott Porter. After graduating from Columbia’s School of Architecture, she worked at the New Jersey Barn Company, disassembling antique timber-frame barns and designing reassembled structures; later she worked for the Polshek Partnership and for Francois de Menil. There’s a lot to like about this barn-like house in Amagansett Porter designed, starting with the fact that she used characterful salvaged timber throughout the project and created a seamless indoor/outdoor feel.

A look at some chair mashups around the web:

Below: Dwell.

Below: Apartment Therapy.

Below: Sarah Jessica Parker’s Hamptons dining room at Desire to Inspire.

Below: Remodelista.

Below: SF Girl by Bay.

Below: Marie Claire Maison.

Below: Platt Dana Architects.

Below: Desire to Inspire.

Below: Roy McMakin chairs at Remodelista.

Below: Vt Wonen.

From Francesca:

I first came across the Flair home design store in Florence (other locations include Milan and Capri), along the Arno River; a NY branch just opened in New York this week at 88 Broome Street. Owners Alessandra Tabacchi and Franco Mariotti mix new pieces with antiques to achieve “a rich yet sober aesthetic.” Among their wares are Plexiglass and chrome pieces from the fifties and seventies, Vietnamese lacquer, and Venetian white-opal glassware.

From Julie:

Spotted on Design*Sponge: New Birds and Bees handblown glass and cloth-covered cord table lights from Brooklyn-based Lindsay Adelman. $950 through Future Perfect.

From Julie:

Los Angeles furniture maker Cisco Brothers has just introduced a new line of locally made handblown pendant lamps inspired by vintage wine jugs. Priced from $395 to $495, they are available at Cisco Home’s stores in LA (440 N. La Brea Ave.; 323-932-1155 and 474 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena; 626-584-1273). Via the LA Times.

From Francesca:

The rigorous simplicity of this dining room by architects Tsao & McKown appeals to us. The matte finished oak table is custom made by Carlton House, one of the best millworkers in New York City. The glossy sideboard is another custom piece, made by laminating a photograph and sealing it with layers of resin, a painstaking process. The wicker chairs are from the English manufacturer Lloyd Loom.

Recreate the look for less using the following elements:

Below: Oak Sophia Credenza from custom furniture maker Ohio Design, based in Oakland, CA; $1,475. Using PrintTechnology, a photo transfer process, owner David Pierce overlays photos of flora and fauna on his pieces.

Below: Staach Cain Collection Dining Table; 68 inches long, available in maple veneer or seven different colors; $1,160 at Design Public.

Below: Agen Rattan Chair; $34.99 at Ikea.

Below: Meridian Grande Pendant with linen shade and brushed nickel fittings; $390 at Design Public.

Below: Swiss Railway Clock from Mondaine; $175 at New York’s Moma Shop.

Below: Or consider Russell Callow’s refurbished vintage oversized Czech Railway Clock; £195 at London Timepiece.

From Julie:

Quite possibly the most perfect tape dispenser we’ve seen. Unless you live in Japan, however, it remains unattainable. Made of Nambu ironware; go to Jurgen Lehl.

From Julie:

Our favorite retailer, the Conran Shop in New York (407 East 59th St.), holds its annual sample sale from April 11-12. A range of accessories and furniture?including the Manila chair below?will be discounted up to 70 percent. Via Dwell.