Category: Design and Interiors

He might be best known for his quirky clocks these days, but George Nelson also knocked up some pretty stylish furniture designs, including these George Nelson 5451 and 5452 tables.

Designed back in 1954, but with hints of the later space age look, the tables are classic form and function – a cast aluminium pedestal leg and a hard-wearing surface that’s bonded to an exposed ply structure. Which means something that’s likely to be around as long as you need it.

Take your pick from a black or white finish, prices start at £529.

Find out more at the TwentyTwentyOne website

Well, there’s no doubt which era that the Pierre Paulin 1970s Groovy lounge chair came from.

Yes, the 1970s – 1973 to be precise – and pictured here with a suitably 70s fabric (although you can go for something a little more conservative if you just like the shape). The base is made of anodised aluminium, with the upholstery creating a ‘low slung’, but extremely comfortable seat, albeit at a seriously hefty price.

And that price is £1,340.

Find out more at the Nest website

Vitra is perhaps best-known for its design classics rather than bathroom fittings, but we say more of the same if they look like the Istanbul bathroom collection by Ross Lovegrove.

Lovegrove has produced something modern, but also something screaming retro – we love the orange and avocado colour options and we also love the space age styling of the sink, bidet and toilet, perfect for anyone chasing that late 60s, early 70s look. And if you like your gadgets, the toilet also has LED lighting that operates upon ‘movement’. We’ll not think too much about that.

Check out an image of the avocado variation over the page and if you like what you see, you can pick it up now at C.P Hart. The 3all-hung washbasin sells for £875, the toilet is yours for £770 and you can pick up the bidet for £605.

Find out more at the C.P Hart website

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We have featured Oluce previously, most notably for its range of Joe Colombo-designed lights and lamps. But they don’t just specialise in a vintage designs, they also offer a nice line in retro designs too – like the Oluce Fiore suspension lamp.

Very much in the 60s space age style, the Fiore (designed by Marco Romanelli and Marta Laudani) is a mix of chrome and blown glass, with a choice of seven or 13 bulbs for the diffused light. If you’re after that 60s/70s look, it’s hard to beat.

Prices start at around £700.

Find out more at the Nest website

Not 30s style, this is a genuine 1930s design – the Sistrah T3 table lamp.

The Sistrah lights were designed by C.F. Otto Müller in collaboration with Karlsruhe Technical College in 1932 and are still made today with the original tools. The light comes from a two-tier clear glass ‘bell’ and a glass hood, all mouth-blown in the traditional way. And that distinctive stand is made of solid, nickel-plated brass, while the heavy base is nickel-plated cast steel.

If you’re looking for that 1930s period look, this is pretty much perfect – and yours for £425.

Find out more at the Manufactum website