A chic lounge chair can make a living room or bedroom. These two cradle you like a hand (but blissfully don't look like those chairs actually shaped like hands) and one is 10 times (!) cheaper than the other.

Splurge: Mute chair, $3,150, Council Design
Upholstered in 100% wool and available in charcoal, white, blue, and red.

Steal: Tirup swivel armchair, $299, IKEA
Choose from cotton (in yellow or white) or leather upholstery (in white, black, or lilac) for $349.

Little dudes grow up so quickly, it's sometimes hard to believe they were ever that small. So wouldn't it be amazing to create photo books showcasing the growth of your baby? Well, we've found two genius companies that do just that.

Splurge: Good Stock creates custom books with baby photos, letters or drawings. These gorgeously designed, high quality tomes would make any coffee table proud. Just beware the hefty price tag: $1,750 for a 50-page large book.

Steal: Apple can also made books featuring your favorite snapshots. The process is more DIY and the quality not as polished, but the bright side is the rock-bottom price: From $30 for a 20-page book.

One of our favorite new trends in tabletop is silhouette plates. Always striking, whether graphic and modern or retro and funky, these plates will pop next to your other white dishes. Here are some of the best for any budget.

SPLURGE:

Garner Motif Platters by Rosenthal, $125, (800) 804-8070 for ordering information

STEAL:

Boy/Girl Dinnerware by Christopher Jagmin Design, $48-50 for two plates

Umbrella Girl by Rust Designs, $20

After the holidays, our pocketbooks are feeling a little lighter than usual. (I had to dig through my bag for change to pay for this morning's latte.) So, for 2008, we're launching a new Nesting category: Splurge vs. Steal. We'll show you lovely splurge-worthy pieces, as well as cheaper knock-offs. Let's start with kids' chairs...

SPLURGES:

The Eames child's armchair, $299, Eames child's side chair, $225, and Eames child's DCM chair, $299, are all 2/3 the size of the originals--but just as iconic.

These brand-new Petit Chaise chairs, $185, are made from recyled furniture parts, so each has a distinct look. The chairs are officially launching this spring, but you can pre-order them through Bookhou's website.

These custom-made mini armchairs, available in a range of fabrics, would bring a Victorian flair to any nursery. But at  299 to 499 euro, they'd also bring a dent to your wallet.

STEALS:

Bianca & Family offers vintage kids' furniture, including a 1960's rattan chair, 90 euro, yellow Casalino chair, 110 euro, and plastic kindergarten chair, 25 euro.

But, of course, IKEA wins the day with their rattan Agen chair for $19.99 and a red Nyfiken children's chair at, no joke, $3.99. Funny, that was the price of my latte.