Publique Living utilise veneer in several of their products, but their Veneer Bowls have a particularly retro look to them.
The bowls are square, measuring 12 inches by 12 inches and are made from thinly sliced wood veneer. They are big enough to use for a fruit bowl although perhaps stylish enough to have on display empty.
They are available from Greener Grass Design in a choice of Maple or Zebrawood (presumably a striped wood) veneer, priced $50 (approximately £26).
You can’t beat a chair with a bit of history. The Emeco 1006 Chairs certainly have history, in fact more than that, they have a military history!
Pictured here is the “Hudson” Rocking Armchair version, but the series also includes regular chairs and bar stools, and they were used in the past on US Navy destroyers and submarines. Pronounced “Ten-Oh-Six” the Emeco 1006 was produced as a collaboration between the Electric Machinery and Equipment Company (Emeco) and the Aluminium Company of America (Alcoa) back in 1944. Their aim was to produce a seaworthy chair that was resistant to corrosion and needed no maintenance. This resulted in the Emeco 1006, a chair made from a continuous piece of aluminium. Not only will these look good in your home, with credentials like that, they should last you a lifetime.
Available to buy from Modern Classics Direct, prices range from £199 for a chair, £249 for barstools and armchairs and £349 for chairs and rockers in polished metal.
Founded by designer Amy Smilovic, the Tibi brand specialises in eye-catching prints, inspired by Smilovic’s love of art and illustrations. In a Spring/Summer collection dominated by printed maxi and shift dresses, this Tibi Vintage Printed Mini Dress particularly stands out.
The kaleidoscopic psychedelic design may be too loud for some tastes, but it certainly works better than many high street attempts at such patterns and reminds me of the best of sixties graphic design.
It is made of 100% silk and costs £190 from Net-a-Porter.
Shopping for swimwear can be daunting enough at the best of times, but this year the shops seem particularly keen on garish Ibiza-inspired printed. If you’ve prefer a more sophisticated look on the beach, luckily Laura Ashley have a range that is just that. The best of range is this Poppy 50s Swimsuit.
It features a bold poppy print, in navy and a shade of pink that is rather delightfully described as “carnation”. It has a halter-neck and comes with a navy buckled belt that adds to its retro style.
It costs £35 and is available on the Laura Ashley website. There is also a bikini available in the same print.
Devotees of the decommissioned Routemaster bus may be interested in the current photography exhibition at the London Transport Museum. "Last Stop" is the first solo exhibition by Ralf Obergfell. Although German-born Obergfell found himself drawn to London ever since he first saw a Routemaster on television and this exhibition is his tribute to its design, drivers and passengers.
The exhibition is accompanied by a series of special events, of particular note is the talk on Thursday 5 June, entitled Pop Goes the Routemaster, given by Travis Elborough, author of the book “The Bus We Loved”. Last Stop runs until 27 July.
Further information can be found on the London Transport Museum’s website.
Designed in 1967, Eero Aarnio designed this chair so that it looked like a sweet and could be viewed from many angles, but he also had a more practical objective. His earlier design, the Ball Chair, had a lot of empty space so he designed the Pastil Chair to fit into that space, which made for more economical shipping.
Available in various colours, the Pastil Chair is made from fibreglass, so it is suitable for outdoor use and as various websites are keen to stress, it floats! So that’s good news if you are lucky enough to have your own swimming pool and probably an irrelevancy to the majority of us.
They are available to buy from various online sources, but Retro Republic has a copy (rather than an original) for £130 plus delivery charge.
