Can you identify what this object is?

Can you?

How about this one:

I follow this web site called Contemporist.  Though the houses they show are sometimes very interesting, there’s no way I could live in a place so stark and uncluttered as a contemporary house. There’s no way I’d want most of the furniture shown there either. Most of that stuff looks horribly uncomfortable. It is interesting… but not very practical. These are both stools. Seriously, if you walked into an empty room and these were the only things in there, would you KNOW they were to sit upon?

Doubtful.

These are beautiful and practical. This is very cool. And if you go over there be sure to check out the lighting section, too.