This Aaron Thomas Hand Screen Printed Pillar Umbrella Stand ($389) was designed specifically for design fiend and international hotshot Kanye West. But, after Thomas carefully hand-illustrated the Roman-style pillar, burnt screens, and laid out the design, West ended up not purchasing them! It's made of acrylic and measures 10x 24 inches. If I had the dough, I'd snatch one up in a second. But, I Read more

Have you checked out the Umbra Loft line at your local Target? It's like their younger, hipper home decor stuff at decent prices — and they didn't forget home tech, either. Their Charging Valet Studio has a modern Victorian look, with ornate curves on a black MDF box for your power strip and cords. I rather like the look — it feels fresh and stylish, and the best part is that it's so Read more

If my job is any indication, I'm not exactly a numbers person. But, paint-by-numbers? That's another story. So, when I spotted the Umbra U+ Collection Photo Clock ($80) on a recent trip to the SFMoMA (in the gift shop, of course), I thought I'd died and gone paint-by-numbers heaven. A clock, with a beautiful design, ornate hands, that I can personalize with my own raw direction-following talent? Read more

One of the best ways to add some flair to a baby shower or a baby's birthday party is to print out some pictures of the guest of honor and display them. For a baby shower, take baby pictures of the expectant couple and make photo copies of the originals. For a kid's birthday party, find the tot's best shots and do the same. Use a corner cutter ($9) to soften the edges. If you want to make them Read more

It's always nice to have a 2-in-1. Shampoo+Conditioner. Boyfriend/Roommate. The possibilities are endless, and they certainly come in handy when you're trying to save space. One place in the home which easily collects clutter is the coffee table, so I was ecstatic to see some great magazine rack/coffee table combos out there. Good: This Magtable Coffee Table ($158 ) has been around the block a Read more

Umbra already wowed me with its Conceal Book Shelf ($10.50) and Conceal Towel Shelf ($18), which make things appear to float in mid-air. Now, the company is appealing to one of my major obsessions — magazines — with its newest product. The Illuzine Magazine Rack ($31.50), designed by Satina Turner, is equipped with metal rungs for hanging magazines. When all of the rungs are covered, the Read more

I love the slightly surreal effect of this Umbra Biblioteca Bookshelf ($525), which was designed by Matt Carr and goes on sale next month. The designer came up with the idea for the piece after finding two vintage coffee tables and using them to make a similar shelf for his own house. I love the something-from-something-else look, and as Happy Mundane points out, a crafty type could make a Read more