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Domestic Goddess By Rebecca Teagarden

Domestic Goddess

Well, ah declare! The Big Yellow Orb in the sky has seen fit to dry us out and cheer us up once again. So, been sneaking out of work lately? Thought so. It's the Seattle work ethic: If it's sunny, we're outta there. Rush hour starts at noon on our 90-day holiday. Ah, summer. The season Seattle awaited. Let us kick back and fire up (the grill). We at the DG palatial offices just call it like we see it, the big payoff for the long, wet, gray slog. So, go out and play, dears, and don't forget to a) wear sunscreen, and b) protect your frosty beverage from the Big Yellow Orb with an attractive, tooth-picky drink parasol.

A new view

Just look at that view. Water, woods, meadow — all right there in the window. Not outside the window. In the window. The view is captured inside this window with SentryGlas Expressions from DuPont. For anybody who doesn't want to spend another morning looking at the side of your neighbor's house, all one need do is send off an image and it is digitally enlarged, printed and sandwiched in glass. These windows allow you to alter your reality off the end of your porch or deck via some strategically hung panes. There are side benefits, too, such as noise reduction, UV protection and solar/thermal control. The price is $30 to $60 per square foot for orders 500 square feet and above (but orders need not be that large). The printing is done in Wilmington, Del., and there are associated laminators available across the country. Check them out at www.dupont.com or call 1-800-438-7225.

Bumbershoot extraordinaire

How does your garden glow? Richly with a Hedge Row illuminated patio umbrella. With colors and designs conjuring old-world elegance, Hedge Row Decorative Outdoors sells hand-painted and illuminated 8 ½-foot market umbrellas. The umbrellas are made of an outdoor acrylic fabric designed for durability and weathering. They come in a choice of nine hand-dyed background colors, acrylic tassels and hand-turned finials. Umbrellas come in colors that sound oh-so elegant in sage, parchment, slate, mica, sand, mahogany, alabaster, pebble and lapis. Lighting is optional. The basic umbrella costs $1,350, and an umbrella with lighting accessories is $1,699. See them in action shading diners on the sidewalk at Cascadia Restaurant in Belltown or check them out at www.theumbrellaman.com or call 626-398-7990.

Table this notion

Anybody for a PicNik? That is the oh-so-clever Danish spelling for the sleekest of picnic tables designed by Dirk Wynants and Xavier Lust (the Domestic Goddess wishes she had made up that name. But, sigh, she did not.) If you work at Amgen on the Seattle waterfront, you know what we're talking about. The aluminum table-and-chair sets dot the complex's outdoor pavilion. For the rest of you, here's the deal: these two-seater tables can be fixed to the ground and paired up with another PicNik table for a more traditional look (seating four). The two-seater is perfect for a balcony or other small space. Single tables or pairs used back-to-back are wheel-chair accessible. They even stack for storage. They come in contemporary colors of white, apple green, sky blue, khaki, earth as well as in high-gloss white or black. Pricing starts at $4,500. There's a wild go-with to complete the look: It's furry. "Dolly" is a set of two sheepskin seat covers and a sheepskin wine cooler (you heard it here first) for $340. See them at Inform, 1220 Western Ave., Seattle, 206-622-1608, or check them out online at www.extremis.be.

While one is sitting at one's hip picnic table under one's elegant umbrella one might want to enjoy a fruity cocktail sipped from the very best glasses. Here they are, courtesy of Carlo Moretti, one of Murano's premier glassblowers. The glasses, each signed, come in a large collection of designs and in two shapes. Each is hand-designed, but they can be reordered. Cost is $99 for double old-fashioned and $82 for the single old-fashioned. These little glass sculptures are a classic staple at Egbert's Home Furniture, which has carried Moretti's signature glassware for its entire 29-year history. Moretti is known both for his color and design. "You can certainly see the Venetian roots in the glass, but it's a more contemporary take on those Venetian designs," says Rob Whitson, manager at Egbert's. The store is at 2231 First Ave. in Seattle. Phone is 206-728-5682.

The Domestic Goddess can be reached at pacificnw@seattletimes.com.