Yes! The Juicy Salif by Philippe Starck for Alessi is a design icon of the 1990s and is often purchased and displayed as a sculpture rather than for it’s intended use as a juicer. I can’t really blame anyone for wanting to show it off, it’s a nice piece.

There’s no need to display it on the mantel or on a shelf though, it’s aluminum construction will hold up well to repeated juicing and it will look better in the kitchen anyway. Not to mention the fact that you can get one for under $100 at any number of online retailers… if you’re interested in buying one, click here.

Go ahead, treat yourself to a new piece of design, and a glass of fresh juice!

Global chef’s knives have always been known and loved for their quality and more than anything their sharp edge. The secret is in the metal used to craft the knife (and more importantly, the blade).

Global knives are known for their hard steel alloys. This makes for a blade that is slightly more difficult to sharpen, but results in a much sharper edge that stays sharper longer.

There is a difference between the European brands and the Global (Japanese)… and choosing the right one is probably more a thing of personal preference than performance since both are excellent.

Back to the Global chef’s knife… One thing I found interesting is that balance is achieved by injecting sand into the handle, this keeps the balance dynamic and fluid as the knife is used.

More than anything I think you’ll agree that it really looks the part and having one will certainly make you feel like a chef, even if you can’t really cook like one!

If there’s one thing I love, that’s good table linens. There’s nothing quite like setting the table with great table linens and enjoying how much they can add to the simple act of dining.

The problem is that it can get expensive if you opt to go for the best brands and special editions at high-end home stores. Luckily we ordinary folks have stores like Ikea! I know it’s not “the finest money can buy” but you can still get a lot of style for not so much money.

I’ve included a picture of the Lisbet table runner from Ikea (it’s available in blue also, maybe I should have used that one). The point is, this table runner is only $6 but still looks nice and can inject some color into your kitchen. This is by far the easiest and cheapest way I know of to transform the look/feel of a room. Tablecloths, table runners, placemats and napkins can be mixed and matched into a million combinations to reflect your mood.

That’s my tip of the day. :)

Not long ago I featured a vase (Nekko vase) by PA Design… I’ve decided to give you a peek at something else, the Kangourou Pocket (don’t blame me for the spelling, that’s what it’s called!).

This handy little pouch is made of soft molded rubber with several small suction cups on it’s back and drain holes on the bottom. It’s perfect for use around the bathroom & kitchen because it can stick to just about any smooth surface (tiles, doors, glass, mirrors, etc.) and it’s even large enough to hold things such as your hairbrush, spatula or other mid sized objects.

The best part is it can’t break (since it’s made of rubber) so it’s just as well suited for the kids. The Kangourou pocket comes in white, green & blue and costs about $20 (I’m assuming for the set of 3).

The other day I was leaving a comment on AT, the discussion was all about faucet mounted water filters. It seams that a lot of people are turned off by them because the cold tap water isn’t cold enough. The first thing that came to my head was “water pitcher” to keep the filtered water cold (like the classic Brita).

So I decided to look for some stylish water pitchers that just about anyone would love to look at in their refrigerator. After finding a few really nice ones I decided to post about the Bodum ICE TEA JUG.

Why? Because it combines style and function so well… and it costs $25. Yes, you can have a really great water pitcher for half that, but it’s not always about price.

With the Bodum ICE TEA JUG you get Great Looks, Good Capacity (3L), Practicality (it’s made of quality plastic so it’s not so prone to breaking) and Functionality. The best feature and the one that got my attention is the separator/divider. It lets you put things like Ice or fresh Mint leaves into the pitcher and keeps them there while you pour!

Did I mention it’s Dishwasher safe?

Quality table linens are one of those little luxuries I like to afford myself once in a while… you know what I’m talking about.

All those little things like nice towels, bed sheets and flatware. For a not-so-huge amount of money you can get something of great value. Basically anything you have constant contact with on a daily basis should provide you with a certain (if small) pleasure. The pleasure of knowing that you have something of quality & value that didn’t break the bank.

In the spotlight today: Dwelltable Linens – Flora Placemats.

They’re 100% Linen so the quality is definitely there and because they’re Dwell, so is the style. These little details tend to leave a good impression on guests (if that’s your intention) for little money… and more importantly, you can use them even when you’re alone.