The Willow Chair is older than the classic chairs we usually featured – its over 100 years old.
Pioneer of the Modern Movement in Scotland, Charles Rennie Mackintosh created the Willow chair in 1903 for the Willow Tea Rooms in Glasgow. The chequer pattern of the back takes the form of a stylised tree, inspired by his interest in Japan design. His designs, including this chair, were a great influence on the Bauhaus movement that followed later.
Mackintosh only ever made one Willow Chair but since the 1960s thousands of reproductions have been made. Design Icons are selling their version with the seat upholstered in either cotton (priced £1115) or leather (priced £1155).
Up and down the country, English Heritage has slapped a Blue Plaque on just about anywhere anyone famous has lived – or indeed done something interesting. And in a bizarre bit of merchandising, English Heritage has teamed up with W2 to merchandise these plaques – with the end product typified by this Jimi Hendrix Blue Plaque mug.
Another timeless Eames design – the Eames Eiffel DSR chair.
