To Doze, to Design in Hong Kong

In a Tub, and Up to Your Ears in Relaxation

Japan's ofuro arrives in the U.S., as manufacturers adapt the traditional extra-deep soaking tub.

Setting the Stage for a Floral Tribute

'I'm hired to make it dramatic,' said the Tony Award-winning set designer Scott Pask of his role in presenting the New York Botanical Garden's Monet show.

When a Ticket-Taker and Turnstile Aren't Enough

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden's new Visitor Center combines architecture and landscape with the mobile harmony of a ballet.

Vicente Wolf on a Colorful Thai Home

The New York designer finds poetry and practical wisdom in Bangkok's eclectic Jim Thompson House.

Life and Art Mix Outside Kuala Lumpur

When Shalini Ganendra sought to expand her gallery, she envisioned a space where artists could wake up, show their work and have cocktails with patrons at sunset.

White Carrara Countertops, 1988-2012, RIP

Enough with the ubiquitous white surface, says Sara Ruffin Costello, who prefers more humble and hard-wearing materials.

Cool Again, Britannia Invades the Home

Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee has inspired designers to come up with products that capture the moment. With so much merchandising to choose from, this is the perfect opportunity to flex your collector's muscle.

• Photos: Design Save the Queen

Feathering a Summer Rental Nest

Good rugs, large bowls and other things a dwelling shouldn't be without, even if it's temporary.

Artist Doug Aitken

A walk through the West Coast artist's studio comes with a cup of ginger tea and a lesson in how to play a musical dining table with xylophone mallets.

For Sale: A Design Legend's Legacy

A décor website offers iconic items from Albert Hadley's own home.

A Garden to Honor Mom

A daughter creates a stone bench inscribed with her parents' "mantra for their marriage."

Trading a Backyard for a Train Station

Developers say communities situated near train stations with amenities within walking distance of condos and town houses are growing fast.

How Green Is Your Garden?

Some like it all one hue, others prefer a spectrum. Marian McEvoy on finding your personal outdoor palette.

Taking to the Bath

Digital detox no longer requires a week's escape into the wilderness. The bathroom is rapidly becoming the home's place of retreat.

Eclectic Design, Eclectic Identity

A colorful power player's San Antonio home.

• Photos

Refrigerator Evolution Heats Up

The refrigerator is striving to become the Swiss Army knife of the kitchen.

Who Put Lettuce in My Daffodils?

Bucking the idea that vegetable gardens belong in an out-of-view corner of the backyard, more gardeners are mixing edible plants with flowers throughout the landscape in ways that are inventive, decorative and occasionally stunning.

• Photos: Gardeners Turn to Tasty Plantings
• Video: Appetite Grows for Edible Gardens

French Poetry, Written in a Kiln

The ceramics of French potter Jean Griel will soon be exhibited in the U.S.

The New American Minimalism

Authentic, organic and local isn't just about your food—American minimalist furnishings with clean shapes and forthright finishes are all the rage.