Design Notebook

A dirty (laundry) secret

Don't let the laundry hamper your efforts at clean, modern living. The folks at brabantia solid company from the Dutch town of Aalst have thought of everything with their steel whites-and-colors sorting model.

In 1919 15 people in a small factory in the Dutch town of Aalst started out making milk sieves, watering cans, funnels, buckets and cigar tins. Today the company has gone uber cool. The Netherlands kind of cool. They say they're making tomorrow's domestic items today. Their stuff comes with a "future-proof guarantee," which means they swear what you buy from them won't look all goofy 10 years from now. Cute, huh? Anyway, brabantia has a whole line of contemporary steel laundry hampers. The 'Selector" ($100 to $150) has been developed to separate the laundry. You can drop laundry quickly and separate it all at once with the two-section laundry bag inside. The body in comes matte or polished steel and with a this-just-out "fingerprint-proof" matte steel. The top for all is made of rubber wood. Look for them at The Container Store, Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens-N-Things. To see the line check out www.brabantia.com.

Got a big crowd coming for the holidays and can't think of a one of them who would like to sit at the little card table next to the grownups? Perhaps a table fit for a king is what you need.

Kelly McCombs of Kelly McCombs Timeless Interiors has just the thing. The Seattle interior designer, who works in home-spun haute (chintz, checks, mohair, leather, velvets, linen, plaids, curleyques, crystals, antiques, pillows) has designed a really big harvest table ready for really big dining action. Her 12-foot-long table with six drawers (for silverware, placemats, napkins, what have you) is made of 200-year-old reclaimed fir. This is the kind of table built for direct, enthusiastic living, no fussy coverings required — put the plate on the table. They are available in a variety of sizes, finishes and legs. The 12-footer seats 12 comfortably (14 if you're a particularly close family) and sells for about $7,600.

Check out McCombs' comfy vision of home, available via a new Web site, www.kellymccombs.com, or at her showroom by appointment, 206-956-8366, 85 S. Atlantic St., Seattle.