Going under the product name of Hebi, this Goose Neck Metal Desk Lamp from Habitat is based on an iconic 1970’s Japanese design.
Available in red or black, it is made from powder coated metal and reaches nearly a metre and a half in total length. Hebi costs £85.
You can view it in both colours and in different poses on the Habitat website, although you’ll have to go to a Habitat store to buy one.
Spring has barely made an appearance in the UK yet, so whilst we’d rather be shopping for sunglasses and picnic sets, buying a new umbrella seems like the more practical option right now. This Orla Kiely Umbrella is part of a range the designer has produced exclusively for the Tate.
It is decorated in a typically retro Orla Kiely style with a yellow geometric pattern, which is a cheerful spring colour, in contrast to the weather! It is also available in red, which doesn’t seem to be on the website at the moment, but is in the Tate Modern shop, if you happen to be passing that way.
The Orla Kiely Umbrella costs £35 and can be ordered from the Tate Shop Online.
Tara Dakin specialise in buying old furniture from charity shops and giving them a makeover that mixes retro and contemporary influences. Currently for sale on their website is this Hand-Painted 1970s Sideboard.
The exterior has been painted turquoise and overlaid with a black flock leaf pattern. The result is a striking and original piece.
It costs £400 and can be bought online from the Tara Dakin website.
It is difficult to know how to describe Keiichi Tanaami’s Wondergirl. I suppose it is an ornament of sorts, but this is no twee porcelain figurine. It is part of his Rolling 60’s collection and there were only 200 of the large Wondergirl figures produced.
Japanese artist Tanaami came into prominence in the sixties for his psychedelic designs which appeared in publications such as Studio Voice and Oz and Wondergirl is typical of his style.
Its certainly an interesting piece and if you think you’ve got somewhere suitable to display it in your home (I haven’t in mine!), it is available to buy now through the Paul Smith website for £65.
Recycling is so fashionable these days and every day we come across a new use for an old product. In this instance, large catering-size tins have been reused to create a new form of seating.
These Recycled Tin Stools are sturdy and big enough to seat an adult and come with a choice of fabric or waterproof canvas seat covers. They cost £69.50 for the canvas seated model and ten pounds more for the patterned fabric version. The design on the tin varies.
For more information, visit the Pedlars website.
Of course, you could always make one yourself if you have access to a large enough tin!
That isn’t a typo. The Rootmaster Bustaurant is a vegan restaurant in an old bus, and from there a new word, "bustaurant", has been created. It is currently parked in Elys Yard off Brick Lane in London.
The lower deck has been converted into a kitchen with a takeaway hatch, whilst the upstairs now offers seating for 28 diners. The bus can also be hired for private parties, although you have to adhere to their strict vegan policy. Lentils, tofu and brown rice do feature heavily in their dishes, but many of them do sound pretty good. They also sell organic wines and beers.
For those of your interested in such matters, the bus is one of the later examples of the RML, number 2690 which entered into service with London Transport at Aldenham depot in September 1967 and was in service until 2004.
Further details of Rootmaster’s philosophy, menus and history can be found on their website.
