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Cool + Collected is our regular Friday post covering modern lifestyle topics from around the globe. You'll find everything from design icon biographies to modern art, photography and architectural surprises. And of course modern design!

+One thing we love is beautiful photography and nobody knows it better than National Geographic. There's a blog dedicated to nothing but vintage National Geographic photography and it's amazing to scroll through. 

+Ladies, creatives and home lovers you must head over to The Everygirl and check out their amazing giveaway to celebrate their 1-year anniversary. There's even a Robert Abbey lamp giveaway from yours truly.  

+Hey LED lovers, who also love your dogs. Check out these super cool dog leashes made of tiny LED lights.

+If you love Los Angeles, aren't sure yet or just want a little intelligent insight, Moby shares his architectural thoughts on Dwell.

+No matter what you're doing this weekend, you'll wish you were vacationing at this home in the San Juan Islands of Washington. The entire home is a transformer, with adjusting roof, walls and even floors depending on the weather and time of day. You can watch the stars from a bathtub!

I’ve been more than a little obsessed with finding the “perfect” desk chair. As I pin away looking for workspace inspiration I’m constantly asking myself “could I see myself sitting in that chair?” Because everyone knows, a modern chair is the key to any stylish home office.

That’s why I decided to pick my favorite office chairs I’d put in my very own workspace. These three options will have you inspired while you’re working.

Zuo Anime Transparent Modern Set of 4 Dining Chairs

There are tons of styles to choose from – modern, traditional, a regular desk chair – you get my drift.

Pascal White Plastic Side Chairs

It’s high time we jazz things up in your office space and all of these options will do the trick.

Wishbone Y Natural Wood Side Chairs

I hope one of these options strikes your fancy and has you wanting to update your space.

Images: Desire to Inspire, Style at Home, Dwell

Palm Springs Modernism Week takes the SoCal desert by storm every February. To take a break from this snow-bird's roster of design events, tours and exhibitions (as well as endless unsanctioned parties and pop-ups), consider losing yourself just outside of town in the desert sun at the Hotel Lautner.

Formerly the iconic Desert Hot Springs Motel, this famed John Lautner property was recently purchased and renovated by Los Angeles based interior designer Tracy Beckmann of Tracy Beckman Design and furniture designer Ryan Trowbridge of Brown + Trowbridge. Although  Beckmann has been making a name for herself for her slick, glammed-up commercial and hospitality spaces, Hotel Lautner is more of an exercise in Modernist provenance, showcasing the designer's love for Mid-Century design.

This is Madmen gone wild West. Interiors are true to the period with the "Bachelor Pad" room (pictured below) sporty a smoky, low-slung vibe.

 Each room comes with a kitchenette, perfect for mixing a twilight martini. Period ceramics and art dot each of the rooms. We like how ceramic and painted table lamps throughout give each space an authentic vintage feel too. 

Taken all together, this beautiful retreat is hard to leave. Comfortable rooms, a wading pool, BBQ pits, and the experience (if for a day) of living in a Lautner? You can count us in again next February. In the meantime, we'll be re-creating the place at home.

Doughnut Cross Brass Robert Abbey Ceiling Light

Wire Chrome Modern Zuo Bar Chairs

Arteriors Home Trenton Lacquered Wood Console

Zuo Whitby Glass and Chrome Dining Table

Trac Tree Brushed Steel Adjustable Task Floor Lamp

Palm Springs Modernism Week continues until February 24, 2013. We hope to see you there!

Images: Hotel Lautner

We all know that when decorating a room, the cheapest way to change the look is through accessories. You can add color, texture and even pattern by adding a few modern pillows. Pillows can instantly make a sofa feel warmer, add color to a chair and create a pretty haven in a bedroom. And being one of the least expensive elements in a room, you will spend way less than replacing a piece of furniture.

The modern sofa (above) would have looked a little lonely without those awesome patterned pillows.

I love how the designer of this room (above) picked up the color palette from the rug and added that palette to the pillows on this sofa. It looks playful and fun yet still feels sophisticated. The mix of patterns also creates an extra cool look.

This leather sofa (above) is already a fantastic piece without any help. These two pillows add a little bit of dimension and depth to this cozy, masculine room. They also helped maintain the monochromatic palette, which creates a very mature space.

If you're tired of your bedding, switch out your shams and add a few new throw pillows. You’ll feel like you got a new bed set! When deciding on how many pillows you should display on a bed, don’t go overboard. Display a few pillows that add that “wow” factor.

Here are a few pillows that would add greatness to any room.

Infinity Black Multilines 18" Square Down Throw Pillow

Surya 18" Square Cumin Yellow Throw Pillow

Shock 20" Square Blue and Beige Stripe Throw Pillow

Mirabelle Sky Blue Burst Set of 2 Safavieh Accent Pillows

Infinity Metallic Silver Links 18" Square Down Throw Pillow

Images: Alvhem, Bloesem, La Maison d’ Anna G, Bliss.

Decorating for a kids doesn't mean you have to throw style out the door. I find that adding a few stylish anchor pieces, that work for any age, is the best way to achieve stylish design in a kids space. 

And for me, the best place to start is with lighting. Light fixtures always set the tenor for the room. After all, the pendant light is usually in the center, or the focal point, of the room. 

Don't be afraid to think outside of the box. I have been known to use modern lighting, suited for a minimalist-minded grown up, in a nursery that was otherwise quite whimsical. I have also gone the route of using a fancy, unexpected and very shimmery chandelier in the playroom.

The great part about decorating for little ones is that you can mix things up and take creativity a bit further than you might in other rooms of your home.

Another added bonus is that when you use lighting (or any decor piece) that suites your grown up taste, it can easily be moved into another room of the house or simply "grow" with your child into the next stage or room style.

1. Eurofase Bronx Black Pendant Light 2. Possini Euro Design White Flower 3. Dandelion Shade Possini 4. Tech Top Charcoal Gray Drum Shade Suspension Ceiling Light

While I think there are endless options, these four fixtures are a favorite and would work well for both little ones and grown ups alike.

Images: Le Shop, Family Living, La Dolce Vita