Category: Design and Interiors

Think office desks today and you’ll instantly think of some cheap wooden flatpack creation from Ikea (or similar outlet). It’s rare for anyone to spend big on a desk, even if they work from home regularly. But if you’re an exception to the home-assembly rule, check out this amazing Papiro desk, designed by Augusto Mandeli and Walter Selva.

Originally introduced in 2004, the desk has the look and basic functionality of a modernist piece from 70 years previous – as well as looking a little like the desks Merrow Associates were producing in the 60s. There’s a choice of polished wood finishes (oak in this case), a chrome base and two drawers.

It’s priced at around £1,150. Not cheap, but a stylish addition to your home.

Find out more at the Style Store website

We’re very keen on recycling – especially if the end product is as attractive as the items in the Sarah Cihat Rehabilitated Dishware range.

All the items in the range are unwanted/vintage ceramics, usually picked up from charity shops or from factory excess. Then new patterns are added and the plates refired. Designs are varied and not all to my taste, but I do love this spaceman design, ideal for your space age home!

Prices from the US-based firm, vary, but all pieces fall between the $34 and $59 price points.

Find out more from the Sarah Cihat website

After receiving a book on Bauhaus for Christmas, I’m really getting into some of its stylish and functional designs. None more so than the MT8 Lamp, designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld.

Dating back to 1924, but still made today to the strict design blueprints of the original, it was ideal for providing both ambient and task light. It features a translucent globe made of clear and opaline glass, sat on a nickel-plated metal base, with plenty of light courtesy of the 75w bulb.

All of today’s lamps are consecutively numbered under the base and bear the Bauhaus logos. Available from Moma in the US and SCP and Aram in the UK, expect to pay around £500.

More on the lamp from the Moma Store

Another whacky chair for your retro living room – this time something that’s ideal for your space age pad – the Specter armchair.

It screams comfort and is made from a rich and dense micro fibre, along with a solid core foam cushion and chrome plated steel base.

The one downside for me is that I can’t find it available in the UK. But if you’re in the US (or are willing to pay the shipping costs), you can pick it up for around $600 (just over £300).

Find out more at the Loft Style website

We like to feature good design on Retro To Go, and we are big fans of Robin and Lucienne Day. We featured some of her re-issued tea towel designs, and now it’s Robin’s turn again with his classic Polo chair.

The Polo chair designed in 1973 was the first indoor/outdoor polpropylene chair. Described at the time as aesthetically satisfying, ergonomically correct and phenomenally hard wearing. It was re-issued in 2000 in twelve different colours, with limited edition runs of seasonal colours.

However the added bonus of this chair is the price of £49, which puts in within the budget of most people, and makes a nice change from the usual high price you have to pay for designer chairs.

Find out more on the Loft webiste

Hopefully you saw our feature on the vintage London Transport greetings cards from Umpen Editions recently. Well, it’s not the only new range for 2007, they also have the Lucky Numbers birthday cards.

The cards are available in ages 0-13, plus 16, 18, 21 and every decade from 30 through to 100. If the typeface looks familiar, it’s probably from some 60s-based merchandising or advertising, with the numbers referencing the colourways and decorative typefaces of 1960s pop Victoriana.

Simple, but very stylish and effective. The cards should retail for around £2 each. Check out the Umpen Editions website for your nearest stockist.

Visit the Umpen Editions website