Gina Bazer

The newest freestanding bathtubs have more in common with streamlined modern sculpture than they do with the heavy, claw-footed, cast-iron vessels of yore. The high-tech acrylics and Corian-like engineered materials used in these contemporary styles give their surfaces a soft, silky feel, making bath time more indulgent than ever. Read more

Do you feel blue when you work chez vous? We asked Julia Archer, owner of the hip new Forest Park–based home office store, At Work Design, to choose five elements from her shop that can give your office the kick it needs. At Work Design, 7500 W. Madison St., Forest Park, 708-488-9297; atworkdesign.com Read more

The idea that a glittering chandelier can work in any space has moved into the kitchen—right over the cooktop. Elica just introduced a line of range hoods that not only ventilate but also (glamorously) light up your stove. Shown here, the Star, made up of hundreds of glass prisms (about $3,750). There are also shaded-pendant styles; all models use halogen bulbs. Available through designers in late summer at Elica, 947 Merchandise Mart, 312-410-7343; elica.com Read more

If you’re in the market for stone but aren’t up for a weekend trek to a massive suburban warehouse, check out Studio Stone Design, a 1,500-square-foot outpost of Stone Design (a major Midwest supplier whose Glendale Heights warehouse contains some 14,000 stone slabs). The Lincoln Park location features 120 panels of granite, onyx, and other stones, as well as a virtual warehouse in the form of a 56-by-96-inch HDTV that allows customers to peruse high-resolution photos of the Glendale Heights selection. Studio Stone Design, 1355 W. Concord Pl., 630-858-9658; stone-design.com Read more

Contemporary Spanish kitchen and bath design house Porcelanosa has moved into LuxeHome at the Merchandise Mart, where it will compete with the similar in aesthetic Italian (Ernestomeda, Poliform) and German (Poggenpohl) lines already there. What does Porcelanosa have that the others don’t? For starters, a photo of George Clooney in its promotional materials (he is a customer). Furthermore, the company offers a complete line of porcelain and ceramic tile and mosaics in addition to its kitchen and bath collections. Porcelanosa, 149 Merchandise Mart; porcelanosa-usa.com Read more

The articulated Karbon faucet by Kohler pivots like crazy to send water right where you want it. It comes in a variety of finishes, from $1,015, at The Kohler Store, 100 Merchandise Mart, 312-755-2510; thekohlerstore.com. Read more