Author: Justine Harvey

Winter probably isn’t behind us yet, but already shops are preparing for warmer weather with more outdoor products coming onto the market, as is illustrated by this being the second planter we’ve featured this week.

This Cage Planter is from Heal’s and is made of wirework in either green or white. Like Habitat’s space age planters, these too will make quite a statement in your patio or garden.

They cost £117.45 each and can be ordered from the Heal’s website although they are waiting stock delivery at the moment, so you may have to wait a little while to get your hands on it.

Blue Marmalade produces environmentally-friendly designs, many of which are in Sixties-looking pure white such as the Crease Magazine Rack.

It is also available in a red/white combination but it loses the space-age style that the all white one has.  It is supplied flat-packed (adding to its green credentials) but the pieces just slot together, so it should not cause any problems even for the least DIY capable.

The Crease Magazine Rack costs £32 and can be bought from The Green Haus website.

The Sussex Credenza/Sideboard is described as “retro modern” but the degree of each probably depends on the finish you pick.

Designed by Terence Woodgate, the sideboard is available in a choice of natural oak, oak stained wenge(pictured) or white lacquer. It is also available in two sizes, 152.6cm or 202 cm long, as well as a lower TV cabinet version.

The smaller sideboard costs £1,595.00 with the larger just over £2,000.  Visit Utility Design to buy.

Noteworthy tea towels crop up from time to time, whether it is from our favourite designers or to accompany exhibition. Today I discovered a website that specialises in designer tea towel and goes by the glorious name of To Dry For.

They stock some familiar retro designs including You, Penguin book covers, People will Always Need Plates architecture designs, and slogans such as “Eat Your Greens” and “Tea Revives”. My favourites are these “Fancy A Brew” towels, featuring an old-fashioned teapot in eitherlime green or sky blue.

Prices range from £8 to 11.50. Visit To Dry For to see their extensive stock.