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Thanks to designer Giorgio Armani and the Italian company Sheer, cooking dinner can be the ultimate luxury. Armani/Casa launched its first kitchen system, Bridge, which features two-faced pieces that are crafted to look sleek and glamorous on one side while remaining functional on the other. Only natural materials cover the surfaces. Sheer Kitchen is a spherical cooking island and wall that encompasses all elements of a typical kitchen but allows the cook to move freely around the space without feeling confined by countertops and culinary contraptions. The island, whose hood lifts to become a vent and lamp, contains items like a stove top, sink and wine cooler, while the wall can hold a fridge and an oven.
Koenig House
Pierre Koenig's architectural masterpiece, Case Study House #21, above, is being auctioned off by Wright, the Chicago-based auction house. Built in Los Angeles in the 1950s, Koenig's Hollywood Hills home uses water and natural light to create an elegant living space. The 1,320-sq.-ft. steel-and-glass model of California modernism has an opening bid of $2.5 million. Its contents, including a 1958 Porsche kept in the 30-ft. carport, will be auctioned off separately.
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Lalanne
A bronze bench with a crocodile back, a cast-iron stove in the belly of a monkey, wooden chairs in the shape of birds: these are just some of the creations by Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne, the French couple known for their animal-motif sculptures and furniture. Their signature work, first recognized in the 1960s, will be on display until Jan. 13 at New York City's Paul Kasmin Gallery, where visitors can see such items as Claude's Apple Mouth, above.
Lindy Bag from Hermès
They're classic, iconic and sought after by women around the world. Everyone loves Hermès handbags, and the French fashion house's newest design will be the most coveted must-have when it's available in early spring. The Lindy Bag, above, joining in the company of the Birkin and the Kelly, has a softer, younger, less structured design than a typical Hermès.
Limited Edition
Standing out in the new year will be made possible with a selection of limited-edition bejeweled accessories. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Raymond Weil has created the commemorative Shine Pink Gold Limited Edition watch, above. Set with 100 diamonds in 18-carat pink gold, the 99 timepieces—which are numbered and signed—have an interchangeable band that can be a gold bracelet or black alligator strap. New Year's Eve partygoers can also sparkle with special Moët & Chandon champagne bottles. The dazzling Star of the Night, below, is the classic Brut Imperial bottle studded with Swarovski crystals and sealed with a pearlized White Star label.
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Ambra Medda