Inspiration can come from the most unexpected places, such as the kitchen of Ukranian patisserie artist Dinara Kasko.

The experience of eating is much influenced by our interactions with the tableware on which the food is serve, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that designers would attempt to forger deeper connections between us and our tableware.

American designer Fernando Mastrangelo uses cement mixed with unusual materials such as coloured sand, salt, coffee and glass to create intriguing furniture and decorative objects which showcase the raw beauty of the materials.

Dutch artist Lizan Freijsen is obsessed with stains.

Loft conversions are often associated with light and space, but this atmospheric attic room shows how a dark brooding space can become a stylish sanctuary.

Savannah, Georgia based Korean-Brazilian designer Eny Lee Parker's love for terracotta goes far beyond the odd planter and carafe.

Unlike the rickety and ramshackle nature of most tree houses in the popular imagination, this charming abode in a heavily forested area outside Cape Town follows a rigorously geometric arrangement but still manages to blend perfectly into its woodland surroundings.

We were delighted to come across the furniture and lighting collections from Seatle-based design studio Iacoli & McAllister during the recent Sight Unseen Offsite exhibition in New York.

The phrase "bachelor's pad" often evokes images of wild party spaces full of extravagant boys' toys.  

Steel is widely admired for its strength and integrity, qualities which are celebrated by the furniture collection of Dutch architect Dimitri Kruithof.

Those who have misgivings about living in bungalows are sure to change their minds after seeing the Light Corridor house by Australian architects Figr.

During our recent visit to the ICFF trade fair in New York we were drawn irresistibly to the eye-catching display of mirrors at the Bower Studios stand (and that's not just because we like the image reflected in the mirrors).