Years back, I learned about the lesser-known sonambient work of Italian-American designer Harry Bertoia. Bertoia, celebrated for his now-iconic wire mesh seating, created a series of sound sculptures ...

Last Saturday, as I was putting the finishing touches on my deck — new rug, new plants, new weather-proof seat cushions — I heard the familiar tings, pings and clunketty-clunks from my three sets of ...