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Looking to upgrade your home with designer touches? Here’s a start

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Looking to upgrade your home with designer touches? Here’s a start

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JK3D Limited Lake Edition Flora Decanter, $1,375

Given the color of the glass and the sand-looking base, JK3D’s Flora Decanter was born in Los Angeles to make a statement. Whether you keep this treasure on display on a shelf or put it to use at a dinner party, your guests certainly won’t forget seeing it — that’s for sure. Julia Koerner, who specializes in computational design and 3D printing, and Austin Fields, who’s known for her experimental glassblowing techniques, found inspiration in flora and fauna, light, the ocean and California landscapes when they created the Flora Decanter. The Limited Lake Edition decanter comes in turquoise, deep blue and amber, and its digitally crafted and 3D-printed base is available in ash and sand. This limited-edition version of the decanter was created for the 2023 millstART exhibition in Austria. It was made with sustainable plant-based renewable material in Los Angeles for North America and in Vienna for Europe and other international markets.

Purchase 👉🏽 here.

Tom Ford Oud Wood candle, $135

Tom Ford Oud Wood Candle

Maybe it’s time for a break from the world — a chance to get cozy in your favorite space at home. If that’s the case, turn up your favorite track from “The Tortured Poets Department,” pour another glass of sauvignon blanc and light your Tom Ford Oud Wood candle. The candle, with its scent of wood and spices, is based on the brand’s fan-favorite Oud Wood fragrance, which has a rich woodsy scent featuring notes of cardamom, patchouli and amber. (When you’re finished cocooning, you can wear the scent into the world via the new Oud Wood parfum ($445 for 50 milliliters) or the beloved eau de parfum ($195 for 30 milliliters).

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Purchase 👉🏽 here.

Carl Hansen Children’s Wishbone Chair, $845

CARL HANSEN & SON CHILDREN’S WISHBONE CHAIR, $845

Danish architect and furniture designer Hans J. Wegner was a prolific and innovative force behind Danish Modernism, and among his pieces for Carl Hansen & Son is the Wishbone Chair, which was designed in 1949 and has remained in continuous production since 1950. To celebrate the 110th birthday of the godfather of Danish Modernism in April, Carl Hansen released a children’s version of the classic Wishbone Chair. The mini version is made from solid oak and woven paper cord and involved more that 100 production steps to produce. It’s available at various retailers, including Design Within Reach, 8612 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood , and the Carl Hansen & Son flagship store in San Francisco.

Visit the Carl Hansen website to find a dealer.

Roche Bobois Apex Outdoor ottoman, $2,005

ROCHE BOBOIS APEX OUTDOOR OTTOMAN, $2,005

Bring the indoors outdoors with this adorable outdoor ottoman from the spring and summer collection from Roche Bobois. It was designed by French product designer Sacha Lakic and comes in colors including vert d’eau (light blue), forêt (green), nuit (dark blue) and tangerine. Pro tip: This ottoman, which is made with fast-drying foam, looks just like a scrumptious popover or a delicious jelly candy. With that said, you might want to have a tray of snacks, drinks and other accoutrements for relaxing on hand in case you and your guests get hungry while you’re lounging by the pool.

Visit the Roche Bobois website for showroom details.

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Kelly Wearstler Studio Echo Collection bench, $7,995

KELLY WEARSTLER STUDIO ECHO COLLECTION BENCH, $7,995

The Kelly Wearstler Studio continues to indulge the sensibilities — this time, with its new Echo Collection of homewares. Inspired by California landscapes, the collection, with pieces ranging from $5,500 to $20,000, is made up of eight pieces: a handcrafted dining table, a drinks table, benches, a totem, a side table and stool. Each piece in the collection has repetitive organic forms as part of its design and comes in white gesso, natural Douglas fir and ebonized Douglas fir. Also, the Echo Collection is made at the Kelly Wearstler Studio near downtown Los Angeles, with each piece carved by one artisan who’s an expert in timber and has a background in sculpture.

Purchase 👉🏽 here.

Opame Collective Benton Box, $4,995

OPAME COLLECTIVE BENTON BOX, $4,995

Sometimes you need the perfect designer spot to hide all of your treasures (and deep, dark secrets). That’s where Opame Collective’s lovely Benton Box factors into your life. Reminiscent of a ceremonial box, this sculptural bronze-cast box, which has a separate lid, might be at home on a living-room or office shelf or close by you — say, on your nightstand. It can be purchased through various retailers including Fred Segal Home, and there’s a limited edition of eight available.

Purchase 👉🏽 here.

Francesca Grace Somme bed collection, $3,500 and up

FRANCESCA GRACE SOMME BED COLLECTION, $3,500 AND UP

Are you looking for a dreamy upgrade to your current bed — one with a touch of whimsy, character and French inspiration? If so, you’re in luck thanks to Los Angeles home stager and celebrity interior designer Francesca Grace, who has designed the lovely Somme collection of five beds with names such as Cosette, Penelope, Amélie, Estelle and Colette. The bed-frame options come with walnut wood-trim headboards, satin or velvet upholstery and bullion fringe around the base. (The frames don’t require box springs.) Prices range from a twin at $3,500 to a spacious California King at $7,700.

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Purchase 👉🏽 here.

Casa Branca x Nine Fair backgammon board, $2,500

CASA BRANCA X NINE FAIR BACKGAMMON BOARD, $2,500

It’s the perfect time to learn backgammon and other board games thanks to a host of fashion and lifestyle brands producing them with colorful designer touches this season. Take for example Casa Branca x Nine Fair’s fun and festive backgammon board collaboration. (We particularly like the mushroom design and we can’t stop thinking about the Apple TV+ show “Palm Royale” whenever we look at these boards.) Produced by Nine Fair, the boards were hand-painted by artist and Casa Branca collaborator Margot Larkin. They come in three fresh designs: malachite, mushrooms and what’s being called a graphic version of wicker.

Purchase 👉🏽 here.

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Lifestyle

Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political. : It’s Been a Minute

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Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political. : It’s Been a Minute
How do romantic tropes and fantasies impact how you understand politics?You might be a fan of Romantic Fantasy, or as the internet calls it: Romantasy. Even if you’re not, you would recognize the tradwives or fascism. Romantasies combine supernatural characters and plotlines with the rush of a whirlwind romance novel, and, in this episode, we’re exploring how the politics of some of these books have an effect on politics in the real world.Brittany is joined by Netta Baker,  Advanced Instructor of English at Virginia Tech, and Princess Weekes, video essayist and online pop culture critic. They get into how this genre demolishes misogyny while reinforcing conservative politics.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
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Lifestyle

Supermodel Carol Alt ‘Memba Her?!

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Supermodel Carol Alt ‘Memba Her?!

American model Carol Alt was only 22 years old — and 5′ 11″ — when she shot to stardom after she was featured on the cover of the 1982 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.

Alt was featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and Cosmopolitan, as well as, scoring sought after ad campaigns like Cover Girl, Hanes, Givenchy and Diet Pepsi.

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‘Fireworks’ wins Caldecott, Newbery is awarded to ‘All the Blues in the Sky’

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‘Fireworks’ wins Caldecott, Newbery is awarded to ‘All the Blues in the Sky’

Fireworks, by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Cátia Chien has won the Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children, and All the Blues in the Sky, written by Renée Watson has been awarded the Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature.

Clarion Books; Bloomsbury Children’s Books


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Clarion Books; Bloomsbury Children’s Books

The best books for children and young adults were awarded the country’s top honors by the American Library Association on Monday.

Illustrator Cátia Chien and author Matthew Burgess took home the Caldecott Medal for the book Fireworks. The Caldecott is given annually to the most distinguished American picture book for children. Fireworks follows two young siblings as they eagerly await the start of a July 4th fireworks show. Paired with Chien’s vibrant illustrations, Burgess’ poetic language enhances the sensory experience of fireworks.” When you write poems with kids, you see how immediately they get this,” Burgess told NPR in 2025 in a conversation about his book Words with Wings and Magic Things. “If you read a poem aloud to kids, they start to dance in their seats.”

The Newbery Medal, awarded for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature, went to Renée Watson for All the Blues in the Sky. This middle-grade novel, also told in verse, follows 13-year-old Sage, who struggles with grief following the death of her best friend. Watson is also the author of Piecing Me Together, which won the 2018 Coretta Scott King Award and was also a Newbery Medal honor book. “I hope that my books provide space for young people to explore, and say, “Yeah, I feel seen,” Watson told NPR in 2018. “That’s what I want young people to do — to talk to each other and to the adults in their lives.”

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This year’s recipients of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards include Will’s Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes (author award) and The Library in the Woods, by Calvin Alexander Ramsey and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (illustrator award). Arriel Vinson’s Under the Neon Lights received the Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe Award for New Talent.

Los Angeles based artist Kadir Nelson was honored with the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. His work has appeared in more than 30 children’s books.

This year’s Newbery Honor Books were The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli, by Karina Yan Glaser; A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez by María Dolores Águila and The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri.

Caldecott Honors books were Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan, Our Lake by Angie Kang, Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer, and Sundust by Zeke Peña.

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Edited by Jennifer Vanasco and Beth Novey.

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