When it came to sprucing up your living spaces this year, one destination beat out the rest for top home accessories store of 2010. Congrats to modern furniture and accessories shop Design Within Reach! From gold-lined bowls to the reinvented Eames Hang-It-All, DWR knows how to mix the iconic with the off-kilter for a selection of high-end home goodies worth drooling over.
And great job this year to West Elm, who came in as a close second. Don't forget to check out all our Best of 2010 content!
When I asked you what furniture store came out on top this year, it was a close call between two high-end, modern retailers, but we have a champ!
Design Within Reach was your pick for furniture store of 2010, and with its sleek collection of iconic and innovative pieces, it's no surprise you all are as enamored with the home-outfitting destination as we are. In addition to our usual lust for DWR's designer collections, this year we saw the store remake two classic chairs and spotted a movie's pool lounger from its catalog.
We must also give a shout out to the close runner-up, West Elm! And check out all our Best of 2010 polls and results!
There are plenty of practical items we all want and need for our homes: a well-made sofa, unique art, and accents that reflect our personalities. But then there are those fantasy gifts that we dream of decorating our home — or surrounding outdoor space — with. 
For me, that dream gift is the Modo Chandelier ($6,000), which was used in Metropolitan Home's Modern by Design showhouse. Designed in 2009, this piece was inspired by off-the-shelf industrial parts Jason Miller found close to his Brooklyn studio. I absolutely love this chandelier, but I can't imagine anyone gifting it to me nor would I purchase it myself, in part because I've already hung another favorite pendant in my living room. Tell me, what's your totally impractical yet absolutely must-want decor dream gift?
If your pooches plan to get wet'n'wild this Summer, look no further than these stylish toys now 50 percent off.
Found at Design Within Reach, the "dog trainers" are made of durable canvas similar to lawn cushions and stuffed with cork so they float — it's easy to keep an eye on the pretty toys ($12.50–$17.50) in any pool or lake. Simply grab the plastic handle and toss for pets from puppyhood to water dog expert. Say splash!
Designed in 1958 by Charles and Ray Eames, the Eames Aluminum Management Chair ($2,299) is a revolutionary task chair that changed the face of office design. Its subtle shape and smart leather conforms to the body's shape, proving that comfort and aesthetics can exist simultaneously at a desk. The Eameses were some of the first designers to utilize affordable aluminum to create a lightweight, corrosion-resistant frame, and today the chair maintains its popularity, for those who can afford it. Unfortunately, that's a bit of a problem, as the price doesn't sit well with many! To hear where you can snatch up the next best thing, read more
A lot of people don't like modern because it can be cold, but sometimes when it is that means it's really, really cool.
Such is the case with DWR's Aluminum Mouse Pad ($35), which is spare, striking and literally cold to the touch (except for the felt wrist rest, natch).
It may lack a certain patterned flair of say, a Marimekko mouse pad, but if you're edging away from using mouse pads because of their Office Space-type looks, then this version might work great for your own fabulous office space.
I've already shown you plenty of ways to make your home eco chic indoors, but there are also some ways you can eco-fy the space outside your home. For one, you can sprout a couch which will actually produce oxygen (!), and you can also be smart about the hour you water your garden. 
Beyond that, you can trade in your loud, gas-guzzling lawn mower for the Neuton Battery-Powered Mower ($479). Obviously, this mower cuts back on CO2 emissions, but it doesn't contaminate your ground water either. According to the product description, "The EPA estimates that of the 800 million gallons of gas used to fuel lawn mowers in the U.S. every year, about 17 million gallons are spilled, which can contaminate ground water." Running on a 24-volt battery, the mower will cut your grass for 45 to 60 minutes, and it also features a mulching plug, bagger, side discharge chute, safety key and two wrenches. Now if you could only hire someone to do it for you, sit back, and enjoy an ice-cold brew, poolside . . .
Paulo Mendes da Rocha’s Paulistano Chair ($1,500) was designed in 1957, but just made its way to the US market from Brazil in 2006. Its frame is a continuous 17-ft. piece of solid stainless steel, shaped to withstand 200 lbs. of pressure. It's said to be "exceptionally comfortable" and flexes to suit upright or relaxed seated positions. Regardless, it's darn good looking. A variety of chair covers are offered, including leather, but the cotton Missoni cover is just plain irresistible. I don't know about you, but I'm aching to sink my seat into it.
Need an odd weekend project? Then try Design Within Reach's Champagne Chair Contest. Your mission, if you choose to accept it: Create an original miniature chair using only the foil, label, cage, and cork from no more than two Champagne bottles. The Champagne chairs will be judged by a panel of industry experts, and the winning designers will receive DWR Gift Cards.
Hurry though—all entries must be received via email by the end of the day on Monday, January 7th!
To find out how to enter, just read more
