Tintype

Exquisitely maintained or carefully restored tin panels adorn the ceilings of many a fine establishment in Olde New York. The coveted embellishment can even drive up the price of a rental and more importantly serve as a fire barrier. Popularized in the Victorian Age, they were the American answer to costly European plaster work. Today, you too can fake it with considerably less expensive vinyl wallpaper. Easily adhering to any surface, and paintable as well, the wallpaper adds a touch of class to your bachelorette pad. Me likey. ($25/roll)

Let There Be Light

After today's massive Florida blackout, I figured it might be a good idea to stock up on candles. I usually stick to the superfat pillar candles, but this 20-taper candelabrum is as pretty as it is impractical; two characteristics that seem to go well together in fashion. Sure to cast a bright light in the darkness with each candle lit, it makes for a lovely holiday centerpiece and perhaps even a romantic evening. ($98)

Desk Set

Sadly, Pier 1 Imports does not offer merchandise for sale through their website — in fact, the only useful webpage is buried in the Pressroom. Merchandise Previews is your sneak peak at future hot items along with their arrival dates. Make out with something swell by planning in advance, this shabby chic, possibly hand-painted, turquoise desk and chair set hits the stores in April. ($330)

Play Misty for Me

Having been raised in a warm and humid tropical climate, I never look forward to dry winters like this one. Skin, hair, eyes, and even nasal passages become irritated — sometimes painfully so — the only way to bear it all is with a humidifier. This model from Venta can output 3.5 gallons per day and boasts a whisper quiet motor. A special demineralization cartridge prohibits the growth of microorganisms, and the best part is that you only have to change it once a year. ($160)

You Got Served

The local Duane Reade is a constant reminder of what holiday season is currently upon us. But instead of gorging on discounted bags of what passes for Valentine's chocolate, gift yourself with some girly goodness like this set of decoupaged L-O-V-E plates. Serve up a special surprise for favored guests by displaying mounds of sweet good things with cheeky elegance. Da Butts! ($200)

Eye on the Sparrow

Cheaper and easier to install than wall paper, wall decals are the latest home decor rage. A sophisticated accent for any room, brighten up a bedroom or living room with a contrasting wall color as shown. Easy to apply and remove, it's an excellent option for fashionable apartment dwellers. ($130)

Soul Mat

Just when I thought luxe couldn't go any further, I stumble across this silk yoga mat. So much lovelier than the stinky foam thingee I currently use, lavender is sewn into the lining for a soft scent, making downward dog an uplifting experience. The opposite side is faux leather, keeping your mat firmly in one place, and paisley ribbon serves as the handle. Lovey! (£125/$247)

Pet Pod

How do you keep the cat off the bed? Get him his own stylish pet pod. Available in six colors to match your decor, the sherpa fleece-lined pod is made of foam and supported by a steel frame. Your pet will like that the raised platform is bed height, they can curl up all warm and snug from their new knee-high perch. You will love not having pet fur and kitty litter on your pristine comforter. Purrfect! ($155)

Green Clean

Sure you eat organic and separate your garbage but the clothes you wear everyday, your sheets and underwear even, are filled with toxic chemials because of your generic laundry detergent. It may smell like a "Mountain Spring" or "Clean Breeze," but those added perfumes, phosphates, and other harmful ingredients aggrevate allergies and worse. Enter ECOS Free & Clear Laundry Detergent, plant-based and non-toxic it gently cleans your laundry without leaving that horrible overpowering scent which I so despise. Lovey! ($17)

Gypsy Glass

Looking for instant drama and flair for the boudoir? Look no further than this handsome black crystal chandelier. Custom made by a married California design team, the Victorian gothic fixture is hand finished from solid brass painted jet black. Leaded crystals and glass bead accents add elegance to the solid form. Classic and contemporary, it's quite conducive to the modern aesthetic and a lovely addition to any room in the manse. ($758)

Not From Concentrate

Fight off the cold and flu with fresh pressed juice from your very own commercial-quality juice extractor. Instead of paying $7 for 8oz. of carrot/apple/ginger from a bodega with questionable cleanliness practices, produce your own with fresh fruits and vegetable from the local green market. An extra-wide feed tube and professional grade motor are the essential features; allowing you to juice those super-huge carrots in record time without having to chop first. Ditch your vitamins and replace with a daily dose of liquidy goodness. Yummers! ($300)

Better Off Bed

Do not be alarmed, but you've been sleeping on a bed of toxins! Most likely your sheets were made from cotton grown with pesticides, treated with harsh dyes and even flame retardant chemicals. You made your bed of toxins, but you don't have to lie in it. Luxury certified organic cotton bedclothes, like the 460 thread count Bellissimo Italian Linens shown, let's you rest in toxin-free comfort. Of course, luxury organic products don't come cheap, a full size sheet set will set you back ($576).

Fancy a Shag?

Recently I got the chance to walk the white carpet. Yep, it was a fashion-week party and instead of a red carpet, the stars (and I) were compelled to walk on a half dozen deep-pile flokati rugs laid end to end. Hand shorn from the long, hairy fibers of New Zealand Drysdale sheep, the wool is then sent to Greece where they've been handweaving the rugs for centuries. Incredibly soft and plush, and oft used as bedding, the rugs are an ancient status symbol of sorts — the centerpiece of a Greek girl's dowry. Quite the affordable luxury methinks. ($250)

Branching Out

I once read that Ivana Trump's monthly bill for floral arrangements topped $100,000! One can reasonably assume she wasn't placing those expensive flowers in a free glass vase from the corner bodega. This porcelain vase, standing 10" tall and sculpted to look like a tree branch, is the more likely choice. Fired by a master craftsman in the famed Nymphenburg Porcelain Factory in Germany, it is individually signed and numbered. Take care of it so future descendants will get a good quote on Antiques Roadshow. ($649)

Installation Art

Spice up your cubicle with these witty self-adhesive wall decals. Peel and stick. It's that simple. And soon that little Blik character will be shaking his groove thing in your office or even the kids' room. Keith Haring would have loved the low price point, his desire was to create affordable art to be enjoyed by the masses. ($35)

Couture Club

Evening gowns with intricate embroidery require hundreds of hours of manual labor. The artisans who create this work typically spend their entire careers in one couture house like the House of Lanel which specializes in embroidery. This year, because of the weak dollar, I simply refuse to spend sixty thousand on a new gown. So I'll take a small dose of couture in the form of a limited edition, framed example like this gorgeous Oriental bottle sewn onto a silk satin canvas. A stunning piece of art for the boudoir. ($986)

Green Tea

Delight your guests and bring texture into your boring kitchen with this traditional Japanese tetsubin (cast-iron teapot). The delicate, raised design and special green glaze is cast into a realistic looking cantaloupe. Spoon loose tea into the stainless-steel mesh infuser for the perfect pot of tea each an every time. ($75)

License to Grill

First there was the tiny hibachi grill, great for small families. Then there was the George Forman grill, which of course isn't really a grill since you plug it in. Now we have this beautiful charcoal table grill, the next gen of hibachi. Made of porcelin and stainless steel, it's sleek, stylish and portable. Perfect for shish kebab and munchies at the park picnic. ($300)

Tea Cozy

One of a set of four, this Japanese tea cup is carved from a single block of Keyaki wood (shizen-boku). Prized for it's density and dramatic swirling grain, Keyaki is the most costly of the Japanese woods. The picture of elegant simplicity, it's a practical work of art. ($40)

Sake Sake Now

A perfect housewarming gift, non? The Velma orangey-red color is kickin' and, the sleek design on this ceramic sake set is decidedly sexy. Pearl River's got it for $32; browse the sake section for a multitude of options. Add a warm Japanese rice wine, I'm sure your local wine store will have a small selection because the flavor is spreading.