John Lewis is currently promoting their collection of beanbags, the best of which undoubtedly being the Sanderson Dandelion Beanbag.
Here a piece of furniture more often associated with the late 1960s and 1970s is mixed with a 1950s style fabric, but I think it works well. The Dandelion fabric is in the “Chaffinch” colourway, which is various shades of green.
The beanbag costs £95 from John Lewis.
More retro-styled designs from the hands of Lotta Kuhlhorn – in this case this colourful and, dare I say it, festive Eva tea towel.
The illustration shows a well-stocked kitchen shelf, with everything from foodstuffs like apples, pretzels and sausages to kitchen implements like rolling pins and pots and pans. There's a definite 50s look to the design, not dissimilar to some of Louise Fougstedt's designs from the same decade (now available at New House Textiles). And, with that candy cane that's pictured it does have something of a Christmassy feel and could be worth getting as a stocking filler.
Also available in red, as well as the green version shown above, the tea towel costs $18.
Buy it from huset-shop
This Chrome Spotlight Table Light by lighting specialist Ryness is a simple design, but still has a retro “atomic” look to it.
The lamp is made from iron with a chrome finish, which gives it a sleek look that means it will look stylish but unobtrusive on any desk.
It costs just £30 via My Deco.
London transport system features heavily in retro-inspired products, so it makes a nice change to see something from another city, such as this New York Subway Map Paperweight.
Paperweights themselves are something of a retro item as we move away from paper and towards electronic storage (although my desk is just as swamped in paper as ever). The glass paperweights contain a small section of old New York Subway maps, with the exact part of the map varying so no two are the same. The paperweight is available in a choice of shapes, either oval or round, both priced £18.
The New York Subway Map Paperweight is available from House Inventory.
There's no doubt that this Watermelon tea towel by Vera would brighten up a kitchen. 'Vera' stands for the American designer Vera Neumann who was famous for her designs for silks and textiles, starting from the 1940s.
Her designs are being reissued on new materials, first with the Teacup alley wallpaper and now with this range of tea towels. Look closely at the image and you'll see the design features her trademark 'Vera' signature and ladybird. This vibrant watermelon print is just one of several food related designs available – the other designs include images of kebabs and buffets, both being much more stylish than they sound and definitely worth investigating.
The tea towel costs £9.
Buy it from the Lollipop shoppe
Zoe Murphy specialises in reusing midcentury furniture, by restoring it and adding her own creative flourishes to the pieces, inspired by 1950s, seaside resorts, cafes and 1930s cinema.
The Margate Collection is typical of her work, consisting of retro furniture that has been revamped with illustrations that pay homage the quintessential seaside resort of Margate. Many of the patterns and bright colours are inspired by Formica tables found in seaside cafes. These are bespoke items, and Zoe Murphy is able to create design on your own vintage furniture as well as keeping a small stock of her own ready to revamp. Prices start at £650.
Visit Zoe Murphy’s website for further details.
