The Best Bet
Locally grown and vibrating with color, dahlias are the last glorious hurrah from a late-summer garden, before fall sets in and cut flowers have to be flown in from warmer climes. There will be bunches aplenty at the Union Square Greenmarket until first frost, or keep the memory alive for $75 an arrangement from Lotus by Luis Callazo (122 W. 26th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-463-0555).
A Cabinet of Curiosities
When closed, this cabinet resembles a piece of luggage that might have accompanied a wealthy woman onto the Queen Mary. When open, it reveals dozens of tiny drawers to hold all the makeup and jewelry a lady of such stature would be expected to own ($2,450 at the Conran Shop, 407 E. 59th St., nr. First Ave.; 212-755-9079).
Stylishly Hiding the Family Silver
Asprey’s mahogany and kingwood urns are worthy of display in any palace—or palatial apartment. Each one stores six place settings of sterling-silver flatware ($54,000 for two at Asprey, 723 Fifth Ave., at 56th St.; 212-688-1811).
The Best Murphy Bed In Town
It’s a New York staple, and Manhattan Cabinetryhas been custom-making it locally for 29 years (As shown: queen-size, in melamine from $5,982; 227 E. 59th St., nr. Second Ave.; 212-750-9800 or 455 Park Ave. South; 212-889-8808).
Slim Speakers That Deliver Big Sound
When the stereo is off, these KEF CiFDT speakers are wallflowers, lying flush where they are mounted. Turn your tuner on, and they swing out of the wall or ceiling, filling a space with sound ($500 at Park Avenue Audio, 425 Park Ave. S., at 29th St.; 212-685-8101).
A Kitchen in a Box
For small-apartment dwellers tempted to just scrap the kitchen altogether, Topdeq’s portable, foldable unit has a 36-gallon refrigerator, freezer, stainless-steel sink, and single-burner stove. Water and power supply and drain not included ($3,695 at topdeq.com).
Extended Shelf Life
Villeroy & Boch’s Pure Stone shelf looks like nothing more than that—but the clever design also houses a drawer and is compact enough to install anywhere ($1,520 at AF New York, 22 W. 21st St., nr. Fifth Ave., fifth fl.; 212-243-5400).