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10 of the best 1970s-style watches

10 of the best 1970s-style watches

Five of the best vintage Adidas trainers reissues

Five of the best vintage Adidas trainers reissues

Vintage and 1960s t-shirt designs by Mr B’s Soulful Tees

Vintage and 1960s t-shirt designs by Mr B’s Soulful Tees

Categories / Cars and Bikes, eBay watch

eBay watch: 1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

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Karmann

I know we have featured one of these in the past, but I couldn't resist highlighting this superb example of a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia currently on eBay.

It dates from 1967, but according to the seller, the car has been 'completely taken apart, sand blasted then rebuilt', with new brakes, wheels, tyres, interior and paint job, while the engine has been taken apart, rebuilt and re-chromed professionally. In addition, the engine has been tunes and the gearbox reconditioned. It's certainly an impressive restoration.

Downside? Well, left hand drive if you're not used to it and possibly the price. Right now it's at £1, but with a reserve, that means nothing. You can take a chance that the reserve is fairly low or you can simply splash out on the 'buy it now' priced of £8,500 if you happen to be feeling flush.

Find out more at the eBay website

Categories / Design and Interiors, Homeware

Boomerang Beat fabric from Tonic Living

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Tonic Living create faithful reproductions of vintage textiles. Their website is full of superb examples of retro style fabrics but this Boomerang Beat print particularly stands out. The classic mid century atomic pattern is printed on hardwearing textured cotton barkcloth, making it a perfect choice for upholstery.

You can buy the material by the yard or, if your sewing skills are a little rusty, Tonic Living offer a custom sewing service for curtains and blinds.

$14.95 per yard from Tonic Living.

Categories / Design and Interiors

Brie Harrison Vintage Rose cushion

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Brie harrison cushions

For a funkier – though still retro – take on floral designs, take a look at the work of Brie Harrison, such as her Vintage Rose cushion. 

Harrison is a Suffolk-based print designer and illustrator. Here she takes the very traditional floral motif of the rose and depicts it in a manner reminiscent of 1940s/50s pattern designs. However, the overall look is given a contemporary twist by the fresh colours of the flowers which really stand out against the black background. Take a look also at her Folk flower cushion, a design with a more 1970s feel. 

Each design is available printed onto a linen or satin cover. Both come with a goose feather and down filling. For a cheaper option, the designs are also available on gift wrap and as cards. 

The cushions cost £55 each. 

Buy it online

Categories / Design and Interiors

Odin chairs at Made.com

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Odin chairs
More retro furniture from Made.com, this time the mid-century style Odin chairs.

The design of the chair seems to combine elements from other classic chairs: that chair back, for example, looks a bit like the Arne Jacobsen Ant chair, while the seat is like that on the Ercol Butterfly chair. Whatever the individual influences, the overall look is definitely classic mid-century. 

They're part of Made.com's Nordic collection, referencing Scandinavian design. The chairs are made from plywood with a walnut veneer and have chrome steel legs. They arrive requiring assembly. 

As always with Made.com, there's a long wait for the chairs to be made and delivered but that's reflected in the price – in this case a very reasonable £139 for the pair. 

See them online

Categories / Homeware

Union Jack Ottoman from Graham and Green

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Union Jacks were undeniably one of the big trends in 2010, and one that shows no sign of abating if this Union Jack Ottoman is anything to go by.

As is often the case with Union Jack decorated pieces, it makes a strong statement, and could just as easily look tacky as cool if in the wrong surroundings, but in a large room where the rest of the decor is simple, it could work. The ottoman measures 46cm high by 128cm wide x 78cm deep, with the internal storage space being slightly less.

The ottoman is available to buy online for £995 from Graham and Green.

Categories / Homeware

Meyer Prestige Deco Toaster

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Not as solid or as impressive looking as some other retro toasters, such as those by DeLonghi, the Meyer Prestige Deco Toasters nonetheless offer a way to add a fun retro touch to the kitchen.

There are two 1960s-inspired designs to chose from; Hoops featuring a red/grey/black pattern of ovals and Checked, with a monochrome op-art style check design (pictured here0. Both variations offer the same features; namely 2 variable toasting slots, reheat/defrost/bagel settings and 6 position variable browning control.

The toaster costs £40 from Leekes