Categories / Design and Interiors

Vitra space age BaObab Desk by Philippe Starck

Stark_desk

A little underwhelmed by a traditional wooden desk? Maybe the space age BaObab Desk by Vitra is more your style.

Designed by Philippe Starck, the BaObab is described as a ‘a sculptural piece of furniture’, combining those 70s-style looks with everyday functionality – including cable management, storage space and plenty of surface for your desktop clutter.

There’s also a colour choice of light yellow, light grey, aqua, lime green and red, one of which is sure to fit in with your home office decor. All that does come at a price though – £1,928.

Find out more at the Utility Design website

Categories / Toys and Games

The original Slinky returns as a collector’s edition

Slinky

Take a trip back to more simple times – when the height of fun was a Slinky.

First seen in 1945 (courtesy of mechanical engineer Richard James), it’s essentially a large metal coil – but one that can walk down the stairs as the coils stretch and reform. This Slinky is a newly-launched collector’s edition based on the original, with a black matte coating and a replica vintage box.

Cheap enough for anyone, it sells for £7.95.

Find out more at the Bloomsbury Store website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Alessi 1970s Spirale ashtray

Spirale

Yes, we know smoking isn’t particularly socially acceptable these days – but we also know a lot of people do still smoke. So something as stylish as the Alessi Spirale ashtray will still have a considerable appeal.

Designed by Achille Castiglioni for Alessi in 1970, it would still look like a cool ornament whether you were a smoker or not, thanks to the mirrored stainless steel body and that spring detailing – which actually holds cigarettes in place.

Available in two sizes, with prices starting at £36.

Find out more at the Nest website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Jean-Marie Massaud Heaven table range – inspired by Warren Platner 1960s classics

Heaven

What goes around comes around – and it certainly looks like the Warren Platner designs from the 1960s have returned in the form of the Heaven range of tables from Jean-Marie Massaud.

I’ve done a quick compare and contrast and aside from the size and the way the wire frame is knitted together, there’s not a lot of difference – except that the Heaven range comes out cheaper.

Good for indoor and outdoor use, the tables are available in various shapes, with matching stools and chairs too, all made from toughened glass and pre-galvanised tubular steel. The one here has a diameter of 80cm and a height of 75cm, selling for around £447.

Find out more at the Made In Design website

Categories / Cars and Bikes, Gadgets and Tech

Vintage Mini USB drives – with working headlights

Austin_mini_usb_drive

Looking for an excuse to keep a toy car on your desk? Well, if you pick up a vintage Mini USB drive, you can use it for saving your computer files.

And there’s not just one drive either, but a range, including the new Mini and plenty of variations of the old Mini, headed up by a rally version and a vintage police Mini. Obviously, they connect to your PC, but they also pack a couple of tricks. Firstly, the USB connector retracts inside the boot when you don’t need it and secondly, when it’s connected to your PC, the headlights light up.

The cars go on sale in August from Vavolo – no news of a price as yet.

Vavolo website

Via Technabob