Pottery Barn

We probably should be flattered. Pottery Barn -- outpost of yuppie mallville, castle of style, bearer of absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to a barn -- has named a new sofa "the Baltimore," just like us. It's a boxy little thing, with round arms and short legs, and comes upholstered in four different shades of velvet -- including Oriole-esque orange. It's soft yet firm, hip and classic at the same time, costs $1,399, and is incredibly ironic considering this: There is no Pottery Barn store in Baltimore proper.

With colorful dishware gleaming and bins stuffed to overflowing with every possible kitchen gadget, Sur La Table opened in Towson Town Center Friday. Music sung by French vocalists played and espresso was flowing as visitors surveyed the new 4,800-square-foot store managed by Anthony Harris. The store, which will employ more than 20 full- and part-time workers, is still hiring, Harris said. Sur La Table began in 1972 in Seattle's Pike Place Market with a philosophy that the kitchen is the center of the home.

Urban shiftWhat do you do if you've named your chain the Pottery Barn and the rustic look has run its course? That's easy: You ignore your name and introduce a sleek new line of home furnishings in your stores, from curvy leather chairs to velvet draperies. You call your aesthetic shift "City Living" to disassociate yourself as much as you can from anything farm-like.The good news is that Pottery Barn's urbane new furniture and accessories work well with its rustic pine armoires and jute rugs.

Interior designers have always said the easiest and least expensive way to refresh a room is to paint the walls a new color. But before you pull out the brushes and paint cans, there might be a simpler solution: throw pillows. The bold, exotic styles appearing in stores and catalogs offer homeowners a splash of style for inside or outside the house, a bit of decor dynamite that's as easy as buy, bag and toss. "There's more variety than in years past," says Sheryl Green, a buyer and "one of the family" at Lux Bond & Green in Connecticut.

The home office is starting to look more like home. That's the message of collections from Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Ethan Allen and other furniture makers that are integrating pieces that work into overall home design. They're catering to a growing market of people who work at home at least part of the time. The International Telework Association & Council says a recent survey showed 24.1 million Americans -- nearly one-fifth of the work force -- worked at home at least one day during the last year.

With colorful dishware gleaming and bins stuffed to overflowing with every possible kitchen gadget, Sur La Table opened in Towson Town Center Friday. Music sung by French vocalists played and espresso was flowing as visitors surveyed the new 4,800-square-foot store managed by Anthony Harris. The store, which will employ more than 20 full- and part-time workers, is still hiring, Harris said. Sur La Table began in 1972 in Seattle's Pike Place Market with a philosophy that the kitchen is the center of the home.

Interior designers have always said the easiest and least expensive way to refresh a room is to paint the walls a new color. But before you pull out the brushes and paint cans, there might be a simpler solution: throw pillows. The bold, exotic styles appearing in stores and catalogs offer homeowners a splash of style for inside or outside the house, a bit of decor dynamite that's as easy as buy, bag and toss. "There's more variety than in years past," says Sheryl Green, a buyer and "one of the family" at Lux Bond & Green in Connecticut.

Collectors, dealers and casual buyers strolled through 550 antiques displays at the Baltimore Convention Center during the weekend united by the goal of finding a real treasure among the gobs of rugs, furniture and collectibles. But one of the world's oldest businesses -- "someone in the Bible is referred to as an antiquarian," said Frank Farbenbloom, founder of the company that has operated the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair for 21 years -- had a distinctly modern tone. The fair was punctuated by the sounds of cell phones and Internet dial-ups.

Attention shoppers: Pottery Barn, McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant and Lucky Brand Jeans are coming to Westfield Annapolis Mall. Mall officials announced yesterday that 21 national retailers -- 10 of which are new to Anne Arundel County -- would soon call Westfield home and gave community leaders and entrepreneurs a hard-hat tour of the expansion site, which is scheduled to be complete in November. New stores range from a variety of popular clothing retailers, such as Levi's and H&M, to specialty stores and boutiques.

No sex, much misunderstanding. Endless trips to Pottery Barn, constant second-guessing and soul-wrenching regret as well. That's marriage today, according to the great American TV sitcom. Fox has been offering its take on the institution since September with Brad Garrett in 'Til Death. Tonight comes CBS with Rules of Engagement, featuring three men and two women variously running from, tiptoeing up to or locked in a slow, sad, sexless dance on the killing floor of matrimony. On TV Rules of Engagement premieres at 9:30 tonight on WJZ (Channel 13)

The home office is starting to look more like home. That's the message of collections from Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Ethan Allen and other furniture makers that are integrating pieces that work into overall home design. They're catering to a growing market of people who work at home at least part of the time. The International Telework Association & Council says a recent survey showed 24.1 million Americans -- nearly one-fifth of the work force -- worked at home at least one day during the last year.

We probably should be flattered. Pottery Barn -- outpost of yuppie mallville, castle of style, bearer of absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to a barn -- has named a new sofa "the Baltimore," just like us. It's a boxy little thing, with round arms and short legs, and comes upholstered in four different shades of velvet -- including Oriole-esque orange. It's soft yet firm, hip and classic at the same time, costs $1,399, and is incredibly ironic considering this: There is no Pottery Barn store in Baltimore proper.

Collectors, dealers and casual buyers strolled through 550 antiques displays at the Baltimore Convention Center during the weekend united by the goal of finding a real treasure among the gobs of rugs, furniture and collectibles. But one of the world's oldest businesses -- "someone in the Bible is referred to as an antiquarian," said Frank Farbenbloom, founder of the company that has operated the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair for 21 years -- had a distinctly modern tone. The fair was punctuated by the sounds of cell phones and Internet dial-ups.

Urban shiftWhat do you do if you've named your chain the Pottery Barn and the rustic look has run its course? That's easy: You ignore your name and introduce a sleek new line of home furnishings in your stores, from curvy leather chairs to velvet draperies. You call your aesthetic shift "City Living" to disassociate yourself as much as you can from anything farm-like.The good news is that Pottery Barn's urbane new furniture and accessories work well with its rustic pine armoires and jute rugs.

Wireworking, a craft that began in the early 17th century, has long been popular with artists and collectors, but recently it has become a hot commodity in the home-furnishings market as well. Surprisingly affordable yet exceptionally decorative, wire pieces are showing up in a variety of imaginative forms for uses throughout the home and garden. Its humble fabrication fits in well with the simpler, less contrived interiors so current now.SHOPPING GUIDEDOWN TO THE WIREPage 50 -- Triple hat stand, $30, and teapot, $13.50, both at La Terra.

The holiday table creates a festive mood, evoking warm memories and an aura of comfort. Red and green are just part of the story. This year's tableware seems to hark back to a time of Victorian opulence. Shimmering gold and silver are the dominant colors, showing up in items from glassware to ornamental fruit. ,, Look for lush jewel tones in china and linens, and everywhere, an abundance of warm, glowing candlelight. This is the time of year to entertain in style. Bring out the best and let it shine on.SHOPPING GUIDETable Talk(Page 58)