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Public restrooms never figured much when it came to design. They were viewed as strictly utilitarian spaces, barely worth a budget. But ye olde loo has become the new frontier, style-wise, as presented by Restroom: Contemporary Design (Laurence King Publishing, 2008). Author Jennifer Hudson explores such swanky spaces as Adam D. Tihany's restrooms for Club Privé at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Philippe Starck's chandelier-and-graffiti-filled bathroom for a Moscow restaurant, and dozens of other public, hotel and restaurant toilets. www.laurenceking.com.

Most of us think of turquoise in terms of jewelry. Ann Sacks thinks tile. The tile company's new Asteria line of tiles is made with jewelry-grade stone, polished to bring out color and shading. The stones are cut into small squares and selectively grouped to create four distinct tiles. Asteria can be used for fireplace surrounds, shower walls, floor accents or other applications, as well as outdoors where freeze/thaw is not a factor. www.annsacks.com.

KnollTextiles' new line of fabrics, Luxe, was designed by creative director Dorothy Cosonas to meet the needs of high-end corporate and hospitality markets, as well as those of the residential designer. Available in 10 patterns and 71 colorways, the line includes Jaipur, inspired by a tunic design and made in India; Garden City, based on a circular motif from an Oscar de la Renta dress; and North Island, shown here on a chair, a pebbly texture inspired by an archival fashion textile. www.knoll-luxe.com.

This is the perfect time of the year to think about outdoor fabrics. Sunbrella's two breezy collections, Shadow and Mist, offer numerous options to help you complete outdoor designs. Shadow is an open-weave fabric with 85 percent shade coverage that's suitable for umbrellas, cushions, window treatments and upholstery. It's available in 15 colors. Mist is a sheer, shimmery option for draperies and gazebos, available in several neutral hues. Available through Silver State Fabrics, 1010 W. 2610 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84119, (801) 972-6770, www.silverstatetextiles.com; or www.sunbrella.com.

Clearwater from Americh offers a line of 50 freestanding bathtubs, made with a twin-skinned acrylic vacuum-molded process that creates an insulated barrier to increase the thermal properties of each tub. Designs range from a romantic, claw-foot style to the contemporary, rectangular Icebath, shown here. The tubs, which are appropriate for residential and commercial use, can also be fitted with a spa system. www.clearwateramerica.com.

Richard Schultz Design has reinterpreted the comfy wing chair into a breezy outdoor line. The Wing Collection includes chairs of varying seat-back heights and several tables, made with powder-coated, folded aluminum. Available in several colors and finishes, the line also can be coated in custom colors. The tables come with teak, bamboo or porcelain tops, while pads for the chairs are C.O.M. Available through the Gerrity Group, 5193 W. Oquendo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118, (702) 255-8267, www.thegerritygroup.com; InnerSpace Resources, Tempe, AZ, (480) 298-7318; or www.richardschultz.com.