The Rotor Coffee Table ($1,498) is a wonderful combination of minimalism and versatility, which for me makes it a “must have when I get rich” piece. At first glance, it’s nothing more than a low-slung, wenge-finished cube. Upon closer inspection you’ll find that the table is actually composed of five discrete slabs, three of which can pivot around a single stainless steel axis.

If you’re the kind of person who likes to regularly change things up, this is the ideal piece for you–the middle tiers rotate a full 360 degrees, allowing for an infinite variety of configurations. One small warning: the table isn’t really designed to hold heavy objects, so go easy on the surface area (which can increase by up to 500%). Each tier is wrapped in a rich Iroko hardwood veneer, while adjustable glides are included for leveling.
$1,498, dwr.com

The Botanist line of benches, end tables and cocktail tables by Orange22 takes minimalist sensibility and adds a splash of femininity to an otherwise austere template. Each piece is composed of a single piece of bent aluminum with rounded corners and is available in three varieties: Natural, Flow and Flora.

The Natural version is covered with an epoxy coated real wood veneer, with your choice of seven different finishes. I love the selection – if you’re looking for a lighter template, maple and rift oak will suit you best, while those who want a richer palette can choose from dark ebony and wenge.

Both the Flow and Flora versions sport a high impact powder coat with five colors: blue, red, white, black or brushed aluminum. The obvious showpiece is the Flora version, which sports a flowery graphic that is precision-cut by water jets. While black or white look sharp, nothing beats the amazing energy of the red flora bench!
$675-$1550, plushpod.com

The workspace needn’t be a deadzone when it comes to style – in fact, I’d go as far as to say that stylish furnishings may even help increase productivity. The Autopilot Workstation ($1,250) by Material Furniture features an organic silhouette that betrays its environmentally friendly roots. The Autopilot is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to be built from sustainable wood: specifically, premium 3/4″ maple europly. Available in maple or dark walnut finish, this curvaceous desk comes with a pullout keyboard tray and your choice of a Citron, Ice Blue, Tangerine or White laminate top.

If you’re looking for something with straight lines, the elegant Liege Desk ($2,200) may be right up your alley. Supported by crossed stainless steel legs and topped with a slender desktop, the sleek desk keeps its visual footprint to a bare minimum. With an earthy oak or chestnut finish, the Liege is quietly sophisticated.

Workspaces are what you make of them – and with the OFFI Overlap Tray ($99), you can literally make your workspace anywhere. A single sharp pocket with an extra flared lip allows you to simultaneously rest your laptop, hold documents, and perch a drink on the tray. A wonderful impromptu desk, the Overlap is made out of molded plywood and is finished in either birch or walnut.

Extra seats are always a good thing to have, especially when you have unexpected guests. First up: it’s easy to stack the sturdy Tribo Stool ($198) when not in use, thanks to three indentations that fit the stool’s chromed stainless legs. Made out of Tauari and Tamburi Brazilian hardwoods, the Tribo has an expensive, classy look yet is undeniably functional.

Slightly less functional but eminently more intriguing is the Twister Stool ($475) by Yuriko Takahashi. Each seat features a gently torqued surface, but the real fun starts when you chain them together to form undulating benches. Made from sustainable birch and steel hardware, the stools don’t look all that comfortable – but they’ll definitely entertain your friends.

If the Tribo is “functional and classy”, the Falter Stool ($198) is “flatly utilitarian”. The lightweight, portable seat is able to fold away into a thin, 1″ panel when not in use. The Falter Stool is hingeless, instead relying on flexible 3F board to simultaneously retain its shape and allow for repeated opening and closing. Although it appears flimsy, I was surprised to learn that it can easily hold up to 300 lbs–easily enough for even the heftiest of friends. It’s not pretty, but I think it’s perfect fit or people like me who live in tight spaces: no more relegating friends and family to the floor!

I’ve never found rugs to be particularly interesting, but after seeing Angela Adams’ work I’ve found myself looking for similar pieces everywhere. Her hand-tufted rugs aren’t for everybody – those looking for designs on the serious end of the spectrum (traditional and/or plain) will likely find Angela’s artwork to be a bit too playful. However, it’s precisely the whimsical nature of her designs that I like: spaces are consistently uneven, shapes are irregular and lines are never quite parallel. Above: the Lulu ($70-$1,550) and Kenga ($299-$1,550) rugs both employ large, oblong ellipsoids – a good choice if you’re looking for an uncomplicated pattern.

It’s also nice to know that Angela Adams’ rugs are Rugmark-labeled; the label signifies that no illegal child labor is utilized in their manufacture. Hand-tufted in India using 100% New Zealand wool, her rugs are also famous for their three-dimensionality; differing pile heights are interesting aesthetically but also maximize tactile feedback. Translated into more casual terms: they’re great for rolling around on the floor (yes, I am man enough to admit to having done this on occasion). Above: the Mammy ($299-$1,550), Islands ($70-$1,550) and Munjoy ($2990-$1,550) rugs are fairly busy and therefore require more careful placement–but remain fun pieces nonetheless.

Tired of the same old lighting? While not new, Martinelli Luce’s serpentine lamps from the 1960s are sure to add a little zest to your decor. There’s a heavy dose of modern retro design in each of these pieces; the Cobra Table Lamp ($890) is classic Martinelli, with bubblicious curves and matte white resin. I love the swiveling arm – it allows you to switch from a spherical to a sinuisodal shape at a whim. The S-form in particular resembles an inquisitive, probing snake – it’s almost as if the lamp itself is alive.

If the Cobra seems animalistic, the Serpente Table Lamp ($980) and Serpente Floor Lamp ($1,499) are positively alien. The semi-translucent opal methacrylate diffusers that form the shade glow like something out of a 50′s B-movie, while the sinous neck briefly coils along the periphery of the circular base. These lamps don’t just light up your work surface–they seem to be intimately involved in your work.

For the more light-hearted, the Pipistrello Lamp ($1500) takes on a playful, plant-like shape with a four-lobed diffuser and cute, cone-like bases. The stainless steel segmented necks are functional, allowing the lamps to be telescoped from 26″ to 34″. Three of these lamps are actually housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York – so owning them would be like having part of the Permanent Collection in your own home. Way cool!
nova68.com

For those of us who want our decor to look like a million bucks but don’t have the cash, Alsa’s FXSheeting may be the answer to our prayers. Made from sheets of metal bonded to Lexan plastic (the same stuff used in iPods and Nalgene bottles), FXSheeting can quickly give the look of brushed metal, carbon fiber, and even solid wood to just about any surface. The results are so smooth that I had to do a double take on the dining table above–yes, those are copper sheeted placemats you see.

Installation is incredibly painless: just peel and stick. Generally available in 24″ to 36″ rolls, the sheeting requires little more than a smooth surface to deliver beautiful results. The before-and-afters above really drive home the incredible difference this ultra-specialized contact paper can make. Above: I love the plain-jane countertop converted into a stainless steel surface (without the heft) and the carbon-fiber/stainless steel jewelry box.

My top pick goes to the beautifully-finished brushed brass nesting tables – in fact, I think the larger one was previously a $20 Ikea coffee table. If you’d like to get a taste of what FXSheeting has to offer, consider ordering their sample pack. At $79, you get 13 varieties of their most popular surfaces in 6″ x 12″ sheets – good enough for a few test runs!
$12-$15/sq.ft., alsacorp.com

Efficient folks with an affinity for contemporary design would likely suffer a massive migraine if he/she were to ever lay eyes upon Prealpi’s gorgeous Plaza bed. On one hand, the average human being spends approximately 30% of their lifespan in sleeping. On the other hand, you’re not exactly conscious during that time, so why bother with something pricey? An ugly conundrum, but simultaneously a very pretty one.

Located in Follina, Italy, Prealpi has single-handedly redefined my definition of “perfect platform beds” with the Plaza. There’s really only one thing that grabs my attention: the downward-sweeping curve of the headboard as it merges gracefully with the bedframe. It’s utterly simple, but utterly elegant. There’s also a bit of Alpine poetry in the headboard’s shape, as it mirrors Prealpi’s factory’s location at the base of the similarly downward-sweeping Veneto Alps.

Other classic platform bed elements help to round out the Plaza: the 2″ sunken center, the two inch thick wood used throughout the frame, and the requisite 10″ platform surrounding the mattress. The White leather variant definitely has my vote for jaw-dropping bedroom goodness, but Moro Oak in a Wenge finish would likely be easier to keep clean and more in line with my masculine sensibilities. Available in both Queen and King sizes, Spacify also includes a ten-drawer Accenti dresser and two illuminated nightstands.
$8,037.00 (wood), spacify
$9,832.50 (leather), spacify

Contemporary decor is generally dominated by products from Europe and North America, so it’s always a nice change of pace to find furniture from Asia. Located in Toronto, Greentea Design carries a beautiful inventory of Korean hand-made tables and storage pieces. Asian furniture tends to focus heavily on the natural patterns and forms of wood, and the company continues this custom by primarily using Gingko and Elm hardwoods. Many of their furnishings likewise emphasize traditional shapes, including the intriguing Wheel Tansu mobile cabinet ($625) and the unforgettable Joy Jones step chests ($2800).

Each Greentea piece is hand-crafted down to the hand-rubbed finish and hand-forged metal hardware, and can be customized to your specifications. I’m particularly impressed by how their furniture manages to be simultaneously traditional and modern. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the combination of clean, simple lines, restrained use of ornamentation, and rich, solid woods – all of which parallel contemporary sensibilities. The Wicker TV Stand ($1600), Wide Maru Coffee Table ($2600) and Large Rice Chest ($2400) easily complement any existing modern décor.

The award for maximum “Wow!” factor needs to go to their Mizuya kitchen collection. Pictured above with a Fruitwood stain and Iron Hirute hardware, The Counter ($3200) and Island ($2500) are amazingly architectural in design. From bamboo-themed fluted doors to cantilevered frames, the Mizuya pieces are miniature buildings in their own right. Even Donald Trump–a man who knows a thing or two about buildings–featured the Mizuya Collection in a contestant suite on his show, The Apprentice. If those pictures don’t make you say “Wow!”, I don’t know what will!
greenteadesign.com

One of my favorite modern furniture designers is downtown LA’s Steelogic, a company which regularly employs stainless steel and anodized aluminum in its designs. Their name naturally connotes cold and rational thought – and their minimalist bent (engineering pun, take cover!) would certainly embrace that description.

It is therefore a pleasant surprise that many of its pieces manage to stir up powerful emotions; from the smoothly undulating lines of the Wave Dish ($228) and Radius End Table ($1789) to the nitty gritty urban feel of Magrak A ($155), Steelogic’s innovative yet fundamental approach to metal shaping inevitably places its furniture at the spiritual locus of any room (or conversation contained therein). As if its stylistic strengths weren’t enough, the company is also ecologically warm and fuzzy (not exactly the terminology you’d apply to steel adherents) — all of its steel products utilize 85% scrap metal.

My favorite Steelogic products are the Planks Table ($7,031), Planks Bench ($2,482) and the Low Coffee Table ($2,331) all three of which constantly play up perpendicularly-oriented shapes in what I think amounts to a geometrician’s wet dream. The trio and its other shiny siblings could likely be rebuilt using wood constituents, but it is with metal and its intrinsic sheen that many of Steelogic’s pieces manage to transcend functionality and take on a sculptural beauty.
2modern.com

Furniture that looks good enough to eat: good or bad? I don’t often find myself waxing philosophical, which makes the Hollow Ottomans above all the more interesting. The ottomans are part of a line of furniture by Los Angeles-based designer Lebello that utilizes polycarbonate “strings” roped into a wicker-like consistency. “Hollow” is composed of a pastel interior wrapped in a rich chocolate shell, which results in functional yet eye-catching footstools.

The ottomans are outdoor and indoor friendly thanks to their durable polycarbonate construction. Primarily a functional material, polycarbonates can be found in everything from DVDs and eyeglasses. An imaginative designer eventually realized that the plastic was also easily molded and dyed. Thousands of upscale dishes and rainbow Apple iMacs later, the pretty but practical Hollow Ottoman was born.

Rest your feet, store books in the middle, or expose them to the elements – Hollow Ottomans can take it all. They are, unfortunately, inedible. Which brings me to my last point: these footstools look a lot like fruit-flavored taffy candy. It’s a toss-up between calling these “delicious” or “delightful” ottomans, so don’t be surprised if you catch me nibbling on the corners.
$220, lebello.com, surrounding.com

I love furniture that is both simple yet functional, and Componibili storage units fit that definition handily. Created in 1969 by the late Italian designer and architect Ms. Anna Castelli Ferrieri, “Componibili” are little more than plastic cylindrical and square containers – but what fantastic containers they are!

Created in the same year that saw the last episode of the original Star Trek, you can almost hear the futuristic “whoosh” of Componibili’s sliding doors. Kids in particular seem to be enamored by its cubbyhole characteristics; adults use them as anything from nightstands to bathroom storage. Extremely versatile, Componibili can be stacked or moved around on small wheels.

Is it just me or do these guys look a bit like the Kodama from Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke? Alright, it’s probably just me – but with over 30 years in production and a presence in NY MOMA’s collection, these little guys have definitely developed a life of their own.
$50-$140, unicahome.com