Drool Zone

Have you ever wondered how the other half (or rather .0005 percent) adorns their homes? Just imagine for a moment that there were no car payments, no rent checks, no mortgage worries, no student loan sharks, no utility bills, no need for groceries – and you get to spend it all on really cool furniture. What might you buy?

If you love sleek contemporary styling, retro space age sensibility or sensuous eye candy, one of these pieces might find its way into your fabulous collection.

THE DOLCE VITA CHAISE LOUNGE

Of the several treasures we discovered at Ligne Roset (275 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 248-723-2500) the Dolce Vita chaise lounge is perhaps the most stunning. All sensuous curves and luxe fabric, this red number was designed by Pascal Morgue in 1996. Inspired by his artist-wife’s figure paintings, Morgue designed this piece, along with a chair and love seat, to caress the body’s contours.

The award-winning Dolce Vita ("Sweet Life") set conjures a sense of repose and relaxation yet remains visually captivating, artful. The chaise shown here is a right arm variety in crimson Alcantara (a luxurious suede fabric known for being durable and soft). Nearly 300 fabric and color options are available to Ligne Roset customers and since each item is custom-ordered, delivery takes approximately 12-14 weeks. Upholstered with Alcantara (the priciest fabric) the chaise sells for a startling $2,340. That’s enough to make you reconsider Grandma’s hideous plastic furniture covers.

THE CLOUD NINE SWIVEL CHAIR

This gorgeous piece is manufactured by American Leather and available at Bright Ideas, which is temporarily located on Orchard Lake Road near Thirteen Mile in Farmington Hills (they move back to 220 S. Main in Royal Oak in mid-May. Call 248-541-9940).

Inspired by the current retro craze, the chair was created by famed midcentury designer Vladimir Kagan, who was known for his unconventional approach to sculpting furniture.

As the name suggests, the chair swivels (or rather, glides) and is extraordinarily comfortable for such a stylish piece. The Cloud Nine rests on chrome legs, with an elongated, triangular headrest and sloping, roadster-style arm.

Shown here is the "right arm" version in a "Retro Apricot" shade. Leather is available in different grades, with the highest priced at about $1,650. Customers may also choose from 75 different colors and textures. And if you want to mix things up a bit, the headrest can be ordered in a contrasting shade – say red and olive, black and white, orange and blue, etc. Sofas and rockers are also available in the same line.

THE TITCHKA ARMCHAIR

Designed by Didier Gomez in 1996, this petite armchair fits neatly within a 3-foot-6-inch cube, yet is amazingly comfortable. It’s also ideal for folks who like to rearrange their furniture frequently, move often, cram lots of stuff into their homes or just sit in preposterously cute little chairs. Or, as Ligne Roset’s Barbara Bunting puts it, "Those who appreciate understatement." Influenced by the classic designs of Bauhaus, Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe, the Titchka features aluminum legs and comes in your choice of fabric, from wool to cotton to suede, in virtually any color including vibrant red or lilac tones. It also features an elegantly studded back.

"(The design) combines originality and tradition," says Bunting. Pictured here in gray Alcantara, the chair costs about $1,680, depending on fabric.

THE ORBIT TV

Spotted at Mezzanine (306 S. Main, Suite 1-D, Ann Arbor, 734-930-0757), this egg-shaped wonder provides the perfect backdrop for B-movie horror flicks, "Twilight Zone" reruns and Saturday mornings with "The Jetsons."

Peter Andringa culled his inspiration for this 1997 original design from midcentury architectural all-star Eero Saarinen. Although it hails back to ‘60s styling (an Orbit TV even showed up on-screen in Austin Powers’ bachelor pad), the fully functioning color television is VCR- and cable-ready, with a 14-inch screen and remote control.

Clearly, function is secondary to the Orbit’s status as an art object. And you can tailor it to suit your decorating needs. The "egg" portion is available in six different color combinations: White with a green "sensor," magenta with a blue sensor, blue with magenta, lime with blue, yellow with green or orange with green. At $1,695 delivered, it’s a much cooler investment than your parents’ big screen TV.

LE CORBUSIER TWO-SEAT SOFA

Also at Bright Ideas, it’s difficult to believe this compact little sofa was first designed in the 1920s. Influenced by the streamlined modernist sensibility, the original piece was built by master architect Le Corbusier. Since the design is now public domain, this Italian reproduction is manufactured true to the original. One of the store’s best-selling pieces, it’s a quality design at the somewhat reasonable price of $2,499. Coordinating items are also available, including arm chairs and a chaise lounge. Its classic appeal is sure to remain intact decades from now.

A Ligne Roset signature piece, this dream bed was designed by German-born Peter Maly in the mid-’80s. As is evidenced by this incredibly flexible design, Maly valued function as highly as form. The mattress lies on a wood frame fitted with slats that conform to the shape and position of the user’s body to provide the utmost comfort.

"People say they miss this bed so much when they are traveling that they can’t wait to go home to it," says Bunting.

Made to be custom-designed by the purchaser, the bed comes in three different wood varieties and can be fitted with any number of cushions, from none to six. The cushions are placed anywhere along the bed frame, altering the look from spare to nestlike. All pieces, from the frame to mattress to cushions, are purchased separately.

One of the store’s most popular pieces, the bed can be ordered in double to king sizes. In addition, the mattress and cushions are available in any of Ligne Roset’s fabrics to complement your decor.

Minimalist in design, this item is, according to Bunting, "more a piece of artwork than a bed."

Accordingly, expect to shell out around $5,600.

Christina Kallery says it’s time to get out of that wobbly Cheez Curl-infested loveseat and mail off those sweepstakes forms. You may already be a winner.