20% off all chairs, sofas, lamps, beds, ottomans, tables by Poltrona Frau from September 9 - 23, 2011.

25% off kitchen cabinetry manufactured by Varenna by Poliform from August 1 - 31, 2011.

25% off all sofas, chairs, sideboards, tables and beds by Poliform from August 1 - 31, 2011.

The Cesta, a magic lantern created by well-known designer Miguel Milá, consists of a cherry wood structure and an inner ball of light. Its oval volume and handle make it equally ideal for table tops and the floor. Cherry wood structure. White opaline glass lampshade. Requires 75W E26 incandescent lamp. Manufactured by Santa & Cole.

Individual pendants result from a complex glass blowing technique which result in a distorted clear glass spherical shape with a composed collection of inner shapes, one of which is made of opaque milk glass and houses a low voltage bulb. These pendants are designed to cluster in hexagonal shapes which nestle into each other to create patterns as dictated by the needs of the interior. Manufactured by Bocci

Atlanta-based Kelly Market profiled switchmodern's design savant Roy Otwell on her blog. Roy's everywhere these days with good reason. He and partner Doug Henderson are constantly searching the world for the best modern design, and they find it, procure it, and offer it all on switchmodern.

switchmodern's design savant, Roy Otwell, believes parents can imbue their progeny with good taste by creating well-designed environments for them to thrive in while they're still impressionable. Roy bestowed this insight recently in The New York Observer's March supplement, Playground. switchmodern has an impressive collection of future heirlooms to get you started.

switchmodern doesn't sell kites. Yet. Now that we've seen London-based illustrator Daniel Frost's kites, we're rethinking. His playful designs are suitable for framing, if you happen to live in a windless cove or don't like togo outside. Frost recently had a 2-day show at SHFT Copenhagen Shop exhibiting his beautifully-crafted handmade kites. Whimsical characters populate The Big Kite Show—floating, parachuting, springing and rocketing through the gallery and adorning the walls. Let us know if you want a kite.

Attention airline hostages! Get your art fix at the SFO Museum while running from the gate you had to the gate you need a half-mile away. You won't get this kind of cultural buzz at EWR, LGA, JFK, ATL, CLT, or even LAS.Created in 1980, SFO Museum was the first cultural institution of its kind located in an international airport. An ever-changing schedule of exhibitions on a diverse range of subjects provides an educational and cultural experience for the nearly 30 million passengers who use the Airport annually. SFO Museum has become an integral part of the San Francisco International Airport, and its exhibitions are an established tradition enjoyed by frequent visitors from the San Francisco Bay Area and travelers from all over the world.

THE PIONEERS OF AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN GET THEIR OWN STAMPS

switchmodern thanks the United States Postal Service's art director Derry Noyes for once again putting some design history on our mail. We collected the Masterworks of Modern Architecture stamps in 2005 and Charles + Ray Eames in 2008.

The Pioneers of American Industrial Design stamp pane honors 12 of the nation's most important and influential industrial designers. Encompassing everything from furniture and electric kitchen appliances to corporate office buildings and passenger trains, the work of these designers helped shape the look of everyday life in the 20th century. The stamps go on sale in July.

switchmodern loves Morris Lapidus (1902-2001). Idiosyncratic, baroque, and flamboyant, Lapidus knew his audience and never compromised his vision. After a career in retail interior design, his first large commission was the Miami Beach Sans Souci Hotel, followed by several transformative hotel commissions along Collins Avenue. In 1952, he landed the largest luxury hotel in Miami Beach, the Fontainebleau Hotel, which was followed the next year by the equally successful Eden Roc. In 2000 Lapidus was honored by the Cooper-Hewitt as an "American Original,"an award created especially for him. From seductive modern shops and private residences to iconic hotels and residential towers in New York, Miami Beach, the Caribbean, and beyond, this iconoclast proves that "too much is never enough." switchmodern hosted a book signing with Deborah Desilets, author of Morris Lapidus:An Architecture of Joy. Dennis Miller Associates' collection of Lapidus furniture are on display, along with a selection of the architect's watercolors.

SCENES FROM A PARTY AT SWITCH SHOWROOM IN ATLANTA

Left: the author, Deborah Desilets. Middle: switchmodern proprietor, Roy Otwell. Right: Morris Lapidus' watercolors