Meet Emily, my new downtown friend

So glad I dropped by Design within Reach  the other day, when I made a rare trip down to the corner of Spadina and King. Met the delightful Emily Scott, an account exec there, and we took a little spin around the showroom floor. At the time, I had my eye open for outdoor furniture and decor so two things stood out (see below) But I couldn’t help but keep wandering back to an  Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair from Herman Miller (see pic above).I think it’s the Platonic ideal of a chair. More on that and other stuff from HM soon.

I know melamine is all the rage these days, and there’s some great stuff  out there (check out JacKryn France  (at right) 
and Pottery Barn) made from the newest generation of this retro material, but I loved Stefania di Petrillo’s handcrafted Variopinte  enamel dinnerware, which I also saw at DwR. The hot hues are made by crushing natural pigments mixed with glass powder and applying it by hand to metal before firing. That means no two firings produce exactly the same result, and each plate is a little piece of original art. It’s also is non-toxic and dishwasher safe, which satisfies my housewifely side. 

Also loved the Oppiacei table, designed by Diego Grandi and Manolo Bossi for Skitsch. Made of fine porcelain, Oppiacei is shaped like a poppy seedpod from the poppy plant, (oppiacei is the Italian word for opiates). It comes in white or a metallic glaze) Not only is it beautiful, the removable tabletop can be used as a serving tray. So all you need is a few flutes and a bottle of Veuve and the evening can commence.