Before the advent of cordless phones (and cell phones and Bluetooth), a telephone was a stationary thing. Back then, the place to answer calls and chat was called "a gossip bench" — see photos here. This long-lost breed of furniture is one part table (to hold your telephone) and one part chair or bench. While the piece is much less essential to any wireless gossip queen, it's no less lovely. I'm glad to see that Jonathan Adler has brought it back with the new Claude Modular System ($1,145 for shown). As always, Adler's put his signature Hollywood Regency meets midcentury modern in white twist on it, bringing an antiquated design into the retrospective future. While the shape of this piece is oh-so handsome, I'm really loving that tangerine-colored cushion. What do you think?