Home base: Handcrafted ceramics help you see the light

The Orlando Sentinel (MCT) - Your kids are grown, so playing peekaboo with them is no longer fun_or even an option. Here's an alternative that is almost as cute: The Peekaboo modern pendant lighting and hanging candle holder collection by J Schatz.

These handcrafted ceramic fixtures have three symmetrically composed circular openings that allow light to peek through, creating a vibrant display of colorful lighting.

Candle holders are designed to be used with tea-light candles and are $95. Pendants can be installed as a canopy ceiling light or Halo compatible track light and are $235. The products are available in six colors.

Details: JSchatz.com or 1-866-344-5267.

PICKING RIGHT HEADBOARD

Now that you've figured out how to choose the right mattress, it's time to graduate to the next level: choosing a headboard.

The September-October issue of Southern Accents offers tips on that and more.

A few helpful hints:

A headboard from 48 to 52 inches high is good for comfort and reading.

If a room has soaring ceilings (12 feet or higher) or a lot of other details, use a simple shape for a sense of balance.

Solid, neutral fabrics are the most versatile and the easiest to clean.

Articles on furniture, entertaining and tips on trendy accent colors also are included.

SMALLER SPACES

Not everyone can afford to live in a McMansion, and frankly, not everyone wants to.

In 25 Apartments & Lofts Under 1,000 Square Feet by James Grayson Trulove (Collins Design; $39.95; paperback), you'll find ideas for compact homes with fully equipped kitchens, spalike bathrooms, entertaining spaces and offices.

Featuring the latest architecture and design innovations in styles ranging from classic to contemporary, the book highlights the importance of creating space or the illusion of it with materials such as glass, plastic, steel and stone.

One of the keys to getting away with this, according to Trulove, is to make living spaces do double and even triple duty.

Photography, site plans and architectural drawings are included.

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(Compiled and written by Martha Phifer. She can be reached at 407-420-5259 or mphifer@orlandosentinel.com.)

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© 2008, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).