In the latest issue of Domino, readers got a tour of British designer Matthew Williamson's vibrant and enchanted Hampstead, London, cottage. Williamson didn't execute one stitch of reservation when it came to designing his digs, filling his home top to bottom with finds from all ages and places, and infusing it with a surplus of color. One of my favorite furnishings of his is a high back, woven rattan leaf chair sitting in the corner of his dining room. Williamson admitted that he wasn't sure if the chair was Mexican or Indian, but loved it enough not to care. Turns out, it's neither!
To see where I found this wacky and wonderful chair, read more

Nicholas Cage is one busy real estate hobbyist. Having put his Vegas manse on the market in July, he's now relisting his sprawling Bel Air mansion. Previously owned by such legends as Tom Jones and Dean Martin, Cage bought the mansion from Jones in 1998 for $6.49 million. I'm not exactly sure what huge changes Cage has made to the place, but they've got to be extensive to justify the initial asking price of $35 million. To get the details on this Bel Air English manor-style mansion, read more

Of all the household chores on my plate, I've always had a strange affection for ironing. I could iron for hours on end with the nightly news going in front of me, kicking every crease and fold to the curb, with no complaints. But, I don't like to iron when I'm in a rush, because I'll undoubtedly burn something (myself included), and I don't get a chance to fully execute my ironing perfection. I was recently delighted by a trick for cutting my ironing time in half, though, allowing me a few extra minutes at obsessive-compulsive wrinkle elimination. By wrapping your ironing board in aluminum foil, the heat of the iron will be reflected onto the underside of your garment, so as you iron the fibers on both sides of your garment will be warmed. It's kind of an obvious one, but I'd never thought of it before. Good, huh?
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I guess my thing for gray is still going strong, because I'm seriously jonesing for the West Elm Octagonal Table Lamp ($49.99). I adore its charcoal poly resin base, and subtle light gray shade. Color aside (it's available in white too, fyi), it has a killer shape that's almost like looking at turned wood through a kaleidoscope; quite seductive, I must say. I think it would look fab atop the CB2 Smart Marble Top Side Table ($179), with some chrome Dupioni Silk Pole Pocket Drapes ($69 and up). What do you think?

Ever since the '50s, when Gerry Thomas invented the Swanson TV dinner, it's been very easy for Americans to watch the tube and eat dinner at the same time. In fact, many of us Neanderthals find ourselves eating over the kitchen sink, while we're driving, or just plopped on the couch. If we really want to be fancy, sometimes we'll eat at the kitchen table. Classy, right? Okay, well, I know not all of you fit this profile, and some I'm sure eat at the dining table every night. But, it makes me sad to think that our beautiful dining rooms sit unused in our homes, or in some cases are converted into bedrooms and other living areas. While I do admit to eating in a rush, I do love setting a tablecloth on the dining table, lighting some candles, and inviting friends over for a long, conversation-filled dinner. I say we should all move back to the dining room, even if we're still eating frozen dinners.
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