This Liberty print stool is an interesting take on a classic design.
It’s got the shape of a classic early twentieth century stool, with wooden seat and metal legs. However, the primary attraction lies in the Liberty pattern which is printed onto the seat. There’s four designs to pick from all in a classic Liberty style. Pictured is the Caesar pattern, an idiosyncratic peacock feather pattern.
Each stool costs £80.
Buy them online
This Portofino design tea towel is a charming highlight of the new Autumn collection at the V&A shop.
The design, featuring scenes of pleasure and leisure, dates to the 1950s when it was known as Bistro, a wallpaper produced by The Wall Paper Manufacturers. Held in the vast collection of the V&A, it's been plucked from the archives and given a new purpose and adapted for use on oven gloves and an apron, as well as the tea towel pictured. Perfect for any wannabe 50s-style housewives.
Not on sale yet, you can pre-order this tea towel for delivery next month. It costs £6.
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Is there a more decadent piece of furniture than the chaise longue? Falling somewhere between a bed and chair, it manages to be less useful than both and suggests a life of leisure that doesn’t fit with modern life or homes. Still that doesn’t stop me looking at them, imaging that one day I might possibly have need of one, and if such a day ever comes then this Stripy Chaise Longue will be considered.
It has the classic chaise longue shape but is saved from looking too out-dated by the striped chenille fabric by the Designers Guild, in daringly clashing lime and pinks.
It costs £1,500 from Mooch and you’ll have to pay another £47 each if you want the matching chaise cushions to go with it.
For fans of retro Americana, an Etsy seller going by the name of lacklustreco has a good stock of Vintage Gas Station Numbers available to buy.
They have a variety of numbers in various sizes; medium measuring 12 inches tall by 7.5 inches wide, large 20 by 12.75 and the enormous XL size 30 by 16. The exact age of the signs isn’t given, but they are vintage so have various degree of weathering that adds to their character.
They are priced $16, $26 and $52, although adding shipping costs will inevitably push the price up especially to send them anywhere outside of the USA. Buy them from Etsy.
Finally it seems that Urban Outfitters in the UK is expanding its homeware section and whilst it still has someway to go before it is as good as its USA counterpart, little gems like the Long Distance Love Plate make it worth visiting.
The ceramic plate features illustrations of various old-fashioned telephone styles Many look like traditional Bakelite phones, some look like the Princess phone, although sadly none are Scaniphones or Trimphones, my preferred choice of retro telephony.
The plate measures 22cm in diameter, is microwave and dishwasher safe and costs £6 from Urban Outfitters.
With its distinctive looks, this Cyber wall lamp could easily fit into a 1970s interior. However, it's a contemporary design, courtesy of Litecraft, and something of a bargain too.
The lamp is made from a glass shade with an orange surround. Made from plastic, the colour, material and shape of the surround all help to create the retro look. The wall fitting is chrome. On looks alone, it's an interesting piece, but the lamp also promises to offer soft and ambient lighting.
Sounds worth trying out for the price of only £12.90.
Buy it from Debenhams
