Design Milk is excited to announce that the 2024 Launch Pad competition is now open for applications! Together with Clever, we are once again partnering with WantedDesign Manhattan on this exciting opportunity sponsored by American Standard to discover the next wave of emerging and independent designers. Whether you’re a new designer or a creative who needs help getting more recognition for your innovative designs, this is the competition for you. Not only will you receive invaluable feedback, you’ll also connect with industry experts and leading manufacturers in design to turn your ideas, concepts, and prototypes into realized, manufactured products. As always, there will be two contest categories: Furniture/Home Accessories and Lighting.

Put your designs onto the world stage and apply today! The deadline for applications is January 5, 2024. WantedDesign Manhattan will take place at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) May 19-21, 2024 at the Javits Center for the third consecutive year. Learn more info about WantedDesign Manhattan 2024 Launch Pad here.

Best of Launch Pad 2023, Lighting: Orb Lamp by Studio Waah

For more on last year’s winners, click here!

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

We hope you’re ready to change up your desktop for the month because October’s Designer Desktop falls perfectly in line (pun intended) with the colors of fall. The pattern is designed by Annabel Inganni, Founder and Creative Director of Wolfum, a textile studio creating tabletop and home goods. From rugs and wallpaper to coasters and board games, Wolfum is known for its mesmerizing patterns that will make even the most die-hard minimalists have a change of heart.

This particular design chosen for Designer Desktop is “Adam,” named after Inganni’s dear high school friend. She explains:

We attended boarding school in Western MA in the ’90s, so this print is reminiscent of the cool urban/hippie vibe that the Berkshires (and our progressive school in particular) capsulated so perfectly in that era. A mixture of Baja inspired, earthy colors and linear structure that was embraced by us “city kids” out in the wild. I love the saturated, autumnal pallet that is at once structured and freeform. It is textured, vibrant, and cool.

Download this month’s Designer Desktop at the bottom!

Other Wolfum designs:

Download the desktop with the links below!

DESKTOP: 1024×768  1280×1024  1680×1050  1900×1200  2560×1440

MOBILE: iPhone XS  iPhone XS Max  iPad Pro

Learn more about Wolfum here and follow along on IG here.

View and download past Designer Desktops here.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

Extensive experimentation in three-dimensional shapes by designer Alessandro Stabile and the know-how of manufacturer LaCividina have come together in the perfect storm. The Taco Chair celebrates sustainability – not only the materials and production process used to create the seating, but also its future disposal. The concept is simple enough, a flat surface is developed into a three-dimensional frame using simple cuts and stitches, with felt being the natural material choice.

“My intention was first and foremost to create a high-quality armchair that was above all comfortable and functional, and based on a completely different technology from that used for the production of most traditional upholstered furniture,” explains Stabile.

Once paper and fabric models on 3D-printed frames and 1:1 scale prototypes were created, Stabile connected with LaCividina. “A natural choice, in a way,” says Fulvio Bulfoni, Chairman of the brand, “because of our great manufacturing capacity in terms of fabrics, stitching and upholstery, but above all for that aesthetic and formal relationship between the metal frame and the padding that has become a real strength of our products.”

While the Taco Chair isn’t your typical padded armchair, it is incredibly comfortable. That’s thanks to the two layers of 8-mm felt that act as both upholstery and support, enclosing a sheet of technical material that keeps its shape over time.

LaCividina employed a few simple elements during production to reduce manufacturing steps, resulting in lower energy and material consumption. And because it’s so lightweight, the Taco Chair is responsible for lower CO2 emissions during transport. Also, there are no adhesives used in the seating, making it easy to disassemble in its entirety at the end of life to be recycled.

To learn more about the Taco Chair, visit lacividina.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

As a celebration of all things Porsche, the Porsche Rennsport Reunion is the event for the Porsche-devoted. Now in its seventh year, the multi-day event has become a sort of mecca amongst motorheads seeking to experience, discuss, and connect in what could be considered a combination of a car show with a motorsport event focused on the Porsche brand. Needless to say, there will be cars parked to admire and others moving rather quickly across the track. Of course, there’s also going to be plenty of Porsche branded merch on-site, including some strapping limited edition Aer x Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 backpacks and slings.

The small collection is represented by a backpack and sling, designed to honor the 75 years of the Porsche legacy. The limited edition bags don the sports car brand’s colors – Guards Red, Schwarz Black, Geyser Gray, Crayon, and Speed Yellow – with athletic contrast detailing across the zippers further embellished with “Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7” branding to ensure envy amongst friends.

The ballistic nylon exterior bags themselves are actually the Aer City Pack backpack and City Sling 2 restyled in new colors, so you can peep the features in its existing standard iterations here and here.

An interesting note for design lovers with a thing for Porsche: this year’s 2023 Rennsport Reunion 7 will be co-sponsored by Knoll (yes, that Knoll). The iconic furniture brand will be setting up the Knoll Terrace trackside for visitors to take in the event from the comfort of Knoll furnishings, all staged within the event’s Porschehaus. A fine pairing, indeed.

Speaking of pairs, Porsche Design has released special edition Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 Mirage Sport Tech Sneakers. A pair of these sneakers would complete the entire look in combination with one of those red backpacks or slings.

Just remember to pick up one of these limited edition Aer x Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 Bags at the all ages event; these on-site exclusives won’t be available anywhere else outside the gates of WeatherTech Raceway in Monterey, California from September 28th through October 1st. More information here.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Back in 2012, Dan Mazzarini launched BHDM Design, and since has added ARCHIVE by Dan Mazzarini as a “blogazine” extension of the brand. As Principal and Creative Director, he tells stories through built environments, hotels, restaurants, startups, corporate interiors, single and multi-family homes, and far more. Dan and his team use a “hospitality-forward” approach to projects, creating compelling, unique narratives with elements of surprise and delight throughout the user experience.

“I remember sneaking into the Hudson Hotel, designed by Philippe Starck, a few months after it opened. I was an underaged midwestern kid on a college weekend in NYC – and definitely looked it. I remember taking the escalator up to the lobby, walking through the sexy, moody hallway to the library bar and entering a bustling scene. I ordered a Merlot (can you imagine?!) and stood back and watched… all of it happening. At that moment I realized the importance that design could have on a space, and set my sights on creating spaces that people wanted to be a part of,” Dan said of the moment he knew design was the road he was meant to travel.

Throughout his career, Dan has worked in historic spaces like Grand Central Terminal and the Harvard Club of New York, and helped to create new concepts for Google, One Medical, Hudson’s Bay Company, and Target. He’s also worked with heritage brands such as Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade, and Calvin Klein, and has aided in defining new brands like Tend, Real, and Casper.

He’s put in all the work, but there are others who have been instrumental in helping Dan arrive at where he is today. “My parents both supported my creative talent and taught me the importance of ambition and hard work. They both worked full time jobs, and taught me the value of rolling up your sleeves and putting your heart into what you do everyday,” he shared.

“My first bosses, Robin Kramer and Philip Rosenzweig, trusted me with far more responsibility than my experience deserved. They taught me the ins and outs of retail, how to build brands, and how to treat people with kindness,” Dan said. “Robin taught me so much about how I speak about and sell our work. They were the best and most formative people I could have started my career with, and I’m still grateful.”

Last, but not least, “Brian Humphrey, with whom I started BHDM. Brian and I have a 20-year friendship, and I am forever honored to work beside him. He is the most creative and visionary person I’ve worked with – while I can sketch, sell, and do a lot of talking with my hands, he is the superlative at quietly conjuring up images of spaces that are unique, inspired, and beautiful. He’s the best, and I love working with him.”

Now, Dan is bringing his designs, ideas, tips, and favorite essentials directly to you with the launch of ARCHIVE by Dan Mazzarini, a “blogazine” providing a curated selection of home and lifestyle products, all shopped from his favorite resources. Through ARCHIVE, he’s able to educate, encourage, and inspire a broader network of consumers who want to incorporate luxury to their everyday living.

Today, Dan Mazzarini joins us for Friday Five!

Photo: Amy Neunsinger for Architectural Digest

1. Nancy Meyers Everything

A goddess at her game, I’ve been watching and daydreaming about Nancy Meyers movies for 25 years. She seems to not only capture relatable emotion, but paints the most pitch-perfect settings in all her movies. If I had it to do all over again, I’d love to work with her in Hollywood. Wouldn’t that be the best?

Photos courtesy Hotel Costes

2. Hotel Costes, Paris

I have such fond memories of this space. The Jacques Garcia designed portion was the first hotel I stayed at in Paris (thank you, Ralph Lauren…) and since, I’ve brought so many people that I love to visit. It’s moody and sumptuous, lavish and seductive – so foreign from anything in the States. It feels like it’s been there for a hundred years. Oh – and the candles have become a signature scent, I buy them by the case.

Photo: Dan Mazzarini

3. March, San Francisco

Scatter my ashes at March. While I’ve yet to meet Sam Hamilton, the store’s founder and creative guru, I’m indebted to her vision. NorCal indoor/outdoor meets the peak of chic in the carefully curated finds she brings to her store. Custom splatterware, bespoke flatware, and other tabletop are all seasonally complemented with unique finds and art. And set against a black and white and neutral backdrop? Ooooolala!

Photo: Adam Macchia

4. Michael McGuire’s Art

I met Michael when I was working at Ralph Lauren. He creates beautiful, architectural-feeling line art that I use in our work all the time. It seems to fit in all settings and to top it off, he’s just the sweetest guy.

Photo: Reid Rolls

5. Stan Smiths

I know, I know – everyone wears them now, but I can’t give up my Stan Smiths. I have multiple pairs of a vintage red and white polka dot version by Pharrell (which I have stockpiled from eBay.) They’re comfy and classic, and yes, I wear them with a suit.

Work by Dan Mazzarini + BHDM:

Modern Catskills A-Frame When a young NYC-based couple purchased this treasured Catskills A-Frame, they entrusted BHDM to breathe fresh life into the 1970s home. The two-bedroom retreat, complete with a loft office that functions as additional sleeping quarters, yields contemporary elements while protecting the charm of the original home. Nestled into the snowy Belleayre mountain, the A-Frame is tailored to complement and capture its surrounding landscape. Designed by architect Ikuyo Tagawa nearly 50 years ago, 27 skylight windows are built into the steep-pitched roof to capture glimpses of vibrant foliage and snowy peaks. Newly installed metal and glass framing hone those sight lines without compromising visual and acoustic privacy. The home’s sound bones were left intact, including its distinctive windows and original end-grain floors, allowing BHDM to embrace its quirks with complementary modern additions. As the home was constructed to blend into the landscape, much of the furniture throughout quietly complements the home’s surrounding nature. Photo: Tim Williams

East Hampton Residence For this space, our goal was to create a chic space where our client could work remotely – something we’ve of course seen more and more of over the past few years. To do this, we incorporated dark, textured walls that contrast with the brightness of the rest of the house. Sculptural light above adds interest and modernity, while a textured jute rug anchors the office and softens the overall aesthetic. Photo: Adam Mecchia

Hyatt Regency SoMa in San Francisco BHDM envisioned the reimagination of the hotel through an art-centric lens, utilizing a defined palette of textures and motifs while seeking inspiration from its location in the heart of San Francisco’s Art District. Throughout the public spaces, as well as the guest rooms, the notion of an architectural ‘grid’ is a leitmotif, represented in applications from terrazzo floors to ceiling treatments, fabrics, and carpets. Rope and weaving, ceramics and sculpture, painting and sketching, and more are influences found throughout. As art is a defining brand pillar for the hotel, it was important that BHDM incorporated the work of local artists in its design. In forming a partnership with The Academy of Art University of San Francisco, they were able to secure original custom art by local students and alumni. Photo: Reid Rolls

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

If you’ve dreamed of having your home designed by Sarah Sherman Samuel, now’s your chance! The prolific interior designer has introduced a new collection that’s perfect for autumn with Lulu and Georgia. The Sarah Sherman Samuel Collection is full of warm, modern style, and includes furniture, rugs, and decor, as well as her first lighting and bedding.

“Like everything I design, there are so many personal pieces in this new line. I designed cabinet doors with my dad, drew inspiration from my Finnish background, and find inspiration in so many different places,” said the designer. “It’s so exciting to see my products come to life. Plus, I’ve wanted to design lighting and bedding for so long and it’s finally here!”

Each piece of the collection is meticulously crafted, with nature often acting as the starting point for the designs. “As a whole, nature is always and forever the driving force of inspiration for my work,” she shared. “From color palette to shapes and motifs, nothing inspires me more than the natural world.”

There’s lots of excitement around the bedding components of the Sarah Sherman Samuel Collection, and we can definitely understand why. “I wanted to create a collection with a good amount of variety in shapes and styles that are unique but also ultra cozy with subtle details to make them stand out. There are large quilted bed covers, scalloped edge pillow cases, ruffled edge shams, and even a skirted bedspread,” she detailed.

“I wanted to use natural fibers that feel luxe, but still relaxed so we went with hemp,” she said of the material selection. “I love hemp because it’s super soft and gets softer with age, but is also incredibly durable. It’s also very breathable and more absorbent than most fabrics, so it is thermoregulating, keeping you warm in cooler temperatures and cool when it’s hot out.”

Sarah Sherman Samuel

To learn more about the Sarah Sherman Samuels Collection for Lulu and Georgia, visit luluandgeorgia.com.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Eco-minded audio maker House of Marley has been trying to hit the right note between delivering accomplished audio performance alongside sustainably sourced designs since 2010, and its hard not to credit the brand for their efforts to increasingly integrate more and more mindfully sourced materials when cheaper and less environmentally-friendly options are par for the course. Well over a decade later the brand’s catalog of speakers, headphones, and turntables have become increasingly more reflective of their sustainable ethos, something visibly apparent with their new flagship Stir It Up Lux turntable, a Bluetooth-enabled vinyl spinner designed to appeal to a multitude of senses.

House of Marley has kept the Stir It Up Lux design fairly straightforward, with subtle branding and organically modern presence delivered by its simple rounded bamboo plinth. The plinth is a degree warmer in real life than the photos above show, exhibiting a consistent flat grain that keeps the design on this side of contemporary rather than crunchy-green.

Compared to the more affordably appointed Stir It Up model which sits upon a large black base and has a noticeably thinner bamboo plinth, the Lux edition’s denser and heavier slab of bamboo is better equipped to absorb vibrations. The turntable also feels a lot more premium, with aluminum components, belt-driven glass platter and aforementioned plentiful plinth combining for a satisfying heft.

The Stir it Up Lux knurled dial located in the lower left of the plinth allows for switching between 33 1/3 and 45 RMP speeds, with a headphone port. The turntable also features auto stop/start, and anti-skate adjustment.

Conversely, the design projects an airier presence thanks to its floating plinth seated upon four vibration absorbing feet. The absence of plastic in look, feel, and construction – at least externally – imparts confidence the Stir It Up Lux should age well.

The Lux is equipped with an Audio-Technica 95E elliptical stylus with adjustable counterweight and aluminum headshell adorned with a subtle Jamaican-themed detail. The 95E rates as an entry level cartridge, but a model historically appreciated for balanced performance and certainly good enough for the casual vinyl lover who wants plug-and-play satisfaction. Those already planning an upgrades path will appreciate the replaceable design, allowing the stylus to be swapped out with one of numerous replacement styluses available that rate as mid-tier.

The Lux moniker is deserved in its choice of materials, but the turntable is squarely an enthusiast-friendly audio component, with a built-in, switchable pre-amp. It can operate as a BYO-speaker affair, with playback possible using wireless Bluetooth audio speaker(s), non-powered speakers connected to an amplifier, or powered speakers. House of Marley also prepackages the Lux turntable with a pair of Get Together Duo Speakers for a discounted, out-the-box-ready experience.

The pairing method is straightforward with a simple press and hold button setting to connect via Bluetooth 5.3. We did run into a small hiccup pairing the turntable with a non-House of Marley Bluetooth speaker (a connectivity issue we later discovered attributed to the speaker rather than the turntable). When used with a provided Get Together 2, the process was quick and without issue, making the argument for keeping brand components consistent.

Alongside RCA out connections, there’s a lone USB-C out port located alongside the rear of the turntable. The port is not for connecting devices for playback, but instead intended to charge House of Marley Speakers or any USB-C powered audio device.

Included is double-sided cork slipmat, with one side featuring a Bob Marley-adorned zoetrope pattern that animates the reggae legend in multitude in mesmerizing fashion. For those with more sedate sensibilities, don’t fret, the flip side of the slipmat is plain dark cork.

Cedella Marley, daughter of Bob Marley, opines vinyl’s purity in the appreciation and experience of music, “There’s no skipping tracks, so you’re listening to the album exactly as the artist intended you to.” And House of Marley’s Stir It Up Lux turntable keeps things appreciably simple tastefully embellished with an eco-conscious aesthetic that distinguishes itself from the multitude of turntables available today.

The Stir It Up Lux Bluetooth Turntable is available directly from the House of Marley website, Amazon, and select retailers for $400, with the optional Get Together 2 available for $250.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

The Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection recently underwent a complete design transformation with refreshed interiors spearheaded by Meyer Davis. Named Mauna Lani, a term which translates to “mountain reaching heaven,” the resort resonates profoundly with the innate spirituality and cultural heritage that Hawaii embodies. The newly renovated property aimed to forge a deep connection between its guests and the vibrant, untamed land that it graces.

Visitors stepping into the resort are greeted by an aesthetic that aligns with a modern yet organic ethos. The design strategy prioritizes serenity and connection, utilizing natural materials such as hardwood complemented by a color palette that mirrors the surrounding environment. Each living space is a sanctuary of tranquility, featuring furnished lanai balconies that serve as the perfect vantage point to soak in the mesmerizing mountain and ocean views.

The property pays deep respects to its roots, including creating a position for resident historian and cultural ambassador Danny Akaka, fondly known by many as “Uncle” Danny. He is an embodiment of the rich Hawaiian heritage that the resort seeks to preserve and promote. In addition, Hawaii-native Kelly Sueda was brought on board to design some of the spaces, bringing in his natural talent of art advisory and scouting to introduce unique furniture and sculptures along with overseeing the completion of two massive floor-to-ceiling murals placed on either side of the main lobby.

Nicole Franzen

Nicole Franzen

Nicole Franzen

Leo Lei translates his passion for minimalism into his daily-updated blog Leibal. In addition, you can find uniquely designed minimalist objects and furniture at the Leibal Store.

Accenture, a global consulting organization, is taking its employees and clients on a wild ride with its new Chicago Innovation Hub, designed by leading design and architecture firm Gensler. From its first floor to its last, the newly branded Accenture Tower is a sensorial experience that takes visitors and clients on an immersive innovation journey through a digital and physical landscape. This “vertical city” offers workspaces, specialty labs, and hospitality areas, throughout the multiple floors.

Visitors are able to navigate this city-like office with their phones using an Accenture-developed app. Through QR codes, the app can activate the turnstiles located on each floor, track occupancy in realtime, and reserve various meeting rooms. Moving from the 20th floor to the 26th of the Accenture Tower, visitors follow a “safari” that begins with spaces that help facilitate with making. This features immersion rooms, labs, production spaces, and a broadcast studio.

Afterwards, the results of those previous spaces are put on digital and physical showcases that highlight the process and product. Finally, the top floors, surrounded by Chicago’s cityscape, are meant to be client-facing, with spaces to foster ideation, connection, and collaboration. To support this, meeting rooms, co-working lounges, and refuel stations are provided.

Throughout the seven floors, custom millwork, movable walls, and flexible furniture allow employees the Sims-like ability to design their own spaces as they see fit, based on their ever-changing needs throughout the day. Whether it’s for all-staff gatherings, community events, heads-down work, or impromptu meetings, these environments can be reconfigured and adapted with ease.

Expanding on the design, Sara Adams, Design Director at Gensler shares:

The glittering spectrum of light the city reflects served as inspiration for the color and finishes throughout the space, with architectural elements and textures seen throughout the vibrant neighborhoods of Chicago, creating a unique human-centric experience on each floor.

Photography by Kendall McCaugherty.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

Luxury audio brand Devialet has a bit of a reputation as design raconteurs in the home audio realm, offering some of the most uniquely realized audio speakers in the market, most memorably their wildly futuristic, sci-fi styled, 4500-watts Devialet Gold Phantom wireless speaker. The rest of the brand’s catalog is populated with similarly unconventional designs, ranging from earbuds, amps, portable speakers, and home theater audio exhibiting a similar ultramodern aesthetic.

Which brings us to the Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris, a special edition of the French brand’s iF Design Award 2023 and Red Dot Winner 2023 award-winning Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 soundbar. Devialet’s standard matte black soundbar was handsome and capable enough already. Adorned in gold leaf across the all-in-one speaker’s central plate, the design takes on an elevated presence denoting its special nature.

The luxuriously golden design isn’t just a random theme, but one inspired by the gilded interiors of Paris’s Opéra Garnier, arguably the world’s most famous opera house. And like that ornately designed venue, the embellishment is paired with an attention to its acoustics. An entire symphony of drivers is concealed within, including 17 custom neodymium drivers, 9 full-range aluminum drivers, and 8 aluminum long-throw subwoofers to deliver the low end in force.

There are also 4 microphones designed for tuning the speaker optimized to its environment, a process not unlike Sonos’ Trueplay room calibration.

While the Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris Soundbar doesn’t pack the ridiculous 4500-watts like the Devialet Gold Phantom, it still holds more than its own with 950-watts total amplification power to call upon when delivering Dolby Atmos content, or streaming audio via AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, or Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

The collector’s edition centers around a unique 41mm anodized aluminum drive unit housed within a perforated orb that seems almost like it is melting into the 22-carat moon gold central plate that surrounds it. Across the standard black edition, the spherical drive unit’s presence is subtle. But expressed against a golden canvas, the orb really does become a centerpiece.

Noting the Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris soundbar operates either horizontally on a flat surface or wall mounted vertically, the orb is designed to rotate to optimize audible clarity of the central channel, a welcome feature noting how much of television and movie dialogue has become nearly unintelligible the last few years.

The Devialet Dione and special edition Opéra de Paris soundbar are both designed as audio component introverts, meaning the system is not designed to be paired with a separate subwoofer and/or surrounds.

With its special edition designation so too comes attached a special price, one adding a near $1,000 premium for the gold leaf detailing: $2,900. But for those seeking a soundbar toeing the line between a component that blends in by nature of its sleek dimensions while also standing out proudly as an emotionally expressive object, the Devialet Dione Opéra de Paris is hard to beat.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.