Frank Lloyd Wright

It's practically impossible to ignore Frank Lloyd Wright's influences on modern architecture. The residential projects he designed were breathtaking.

Simplicity of design. A unity with nature and the conformity of the building to its lot. Natural light. Beautiful woodwork. Elegant stained glass. Organic design.

The list of superlatives, innovations, and refreshing architectural insights would extend a mile, but we'll let this video of Fallingwater, one of his most famous homes, tell a more complete story of why we admire this designer so much.

Oki Sato

The Canadian-born Japanese product designer believes in the importance of encountering "small surprises" in our surroundings ... and he also believes the products that his Nendo design company creates should have a strong sense of storytelling. In this video you'll hear Oki Sato discuss his design philosophy as it relates to his intriguing reflective pond table (top photo).

Other surprising, story-filled products from Mr. Sato's Nendo operation:

skiima sofa - lighting and tables can be flexibly arranged within the seating system

moya low table - mysterious floating surface

shadowstand - iPhone stand that appears to cast a shadow

transparent lamp - fun with optics

scatter shelf - reflective angles on this shelf system play tricks on the eye

fadeout chair - floating on air?

decoboco sofa - three different cushion thicknesses

yori bench - slight twist moves people closer together