Wright Auction House is holding the Important Design auction, Session 1, Sunday, May 18 at noon. We've checked out the lots and chose a interesting piece from each decade, starting in the 40's, right up through today...Jump below for our picks:

1940's: Pair of 45 Chairs by Finn Juhl, 1945. Teak, upholstery. Estimate 15 - 20,000. 1950's: Sconces by Serge Mouille, 1954. Aluminum. Estimate 8-12,000. 1960's: Armchair by John Nyquist, 1965. Carved walnut. Estimate 7 - 9,000. 1970's: Nesting Tables by Michel LeFevre. 1978. Macassar. Estimate 5-7000. 1980's: Bed by Tom Dixon, 1987, Galvanized Steel. Estimate 40,000. 1990's: Chandelier by Elizabeth Garouste and Mattia Bonetti, 1995, Gilt wrought iron and frosted blown glass, Estimate 20 - 30,000. Today: Quasi Cabinet Prototype by Benjamin Aranda and Christopher Lasch, 2007, Lacquered MDF. Estimate 25 - 30,000. The Important Design Auction, Session 1 takes place this Sunday, May 20 at noon. Wright Auction House is located at 1440 West Hubbard Street in Chicago. Viewing is open now from 10am-5pm daily. All info is here.

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The yellow and gray trend has been all over the place lately, and while we still think it is a great combination, we like to switch things up a bit and think lavender or mauve is a great substitution. The general feeling is basically the same - we'd lean towards a grayish light purple - but might be enough of a change to keep it fresh.

If you were on it in kindergarten you probably remember that purple and yellow are complimentary colors, and therefore look pretty good together (or were you the kid in the corner eating paste?). Again, we'd suggest maintaining a healthy dose of gray in the lavender and keeping it a light hue in order to keep your room from feeling like an Easter explosion, but with a strong golden yellow we think it could be a good pair for any room. As for the turquoise... maybe an accent in an adjacent room? It's lovely in the picture but we're pretty sure we couldn't pull it off. Image: Mzelle Biscotte.

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LA, hot enough for you today? Looks like tomorrow is going to even be hotter (just our luck, we're leaving prime beach weather and heading into forecasts of rain in NYC). We think Malibu architect Bruce Bolander had the hot LA weather in mind when he placed the awning windows at the bottom, instead of the top, of the Bark Studio residence for improved air flow. It's also an interesting architectural detail, and possibly a great pet door if you think about it. More interior photos under the jump...

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The folks over at Sustainable Style Foundation tipped us off on 1 Hotel & Residences, a luxury, "eco-sensitive" hotel and condo development on 2nd and Pine in Seattle, right up from Pike Place Market.

A project of Barry Sternlicht of the W Hotel chain, the 23 storey building is set to have 110 hotel suites and 98 condos (in the $1-1.5 million range), and then the expected: an athletic club, a spa, a restaurant. Less expected and adding to the eco-cache is an organic grocery store, and, supposedly, free parking for hybrids.

Despite its proximity to Seattle's retail core, 2nd and Pine is seedy and drab (the lot itself was previously a parking lot) and we're happy to see something, anything, go in here. The interior schematics look promising for a more organic style that's not too cheesy, and we hope the big promises around sustainably pan out to match. The project is set to open in 2009. Reposted from 9.28.07

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Last week, Gregory blogged a folding grill. To complete your summertime entertaining kit, pair it with this folding bar cart and quench your guest's thirst while the smell of barbequed food whets their appetite for your smoke infused fare...

The well-named Gastone, made of steel and aluminum with polyurethane trays, is sturdy enough to hold a evening's worth of mixers and glasses, that you can wheel over to your guests. In five colours, you can find one to match your decor, indoors or out. When the party's over, just fold it up and put it away to await your next fete. Available through All Modern

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