Categories / Design and Interiors, Kids

Vitra Eames Elephant returns – in affordable polypropylene

Vitra_elephant

Last year saw the release of the Eames Plywood Elephant from Vitra, which was designed in 1945, but never actually commercially issued. Just 1,000 were issued in 2007, all selling (and selling out) for £1,000. If you missed out on that, there’s a new Vitra Eames Elephant on the market for 2008 – and it’s cheaper.

The new version uses polypropylene instead of plywood, but keeps the same shape and dimensions. It’s ideal for a kids bedroom (it was originally intended as a toy) or as an eye-catching piece of home design in any room. And as it’s now made of plastic, you can even use it in the garden.

Sized at 76cm x 36cm (W) x 41cm (H) and in five colours, you can pre-order the new version now (for September delivery) for £139.95.

Find out more at the Utility Design website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Hi Sklo Lo Sklo – Czech glass design from the 1950s to the 1970s

Sklo
His last book was a must-buy for any budding collector of West German ceramics and now Mark Hill is looking at glass – Czech glass to be precise.

Hi Sklo Lo Sklo coincides with a Norfolk-based exhibition of Czech glass. If you can’t make it there, the book offers you pretty much everything you need to know about this seriously undervalued area, offering up a background to the industry, identifying key designs and indeed the manufacturers to look out for, including the Sklo Union group, Exbor, Borské Sklo, Harrachov, Skrdlovice, Moser and Zelezny Brod.

It also looks at the designers responsible for these mid-century gems (including Emanuel and Jan Beranek, Josef Hospodka, Vladimir Jelinek, Rudolf Jurnikl, Milan Metelak, Josef Svarc, Jirí Suhajek, Frantisek Vizner, Karel Wunsch, Vladimir Zahour and Frantisek Zemek) and highlights 200 classic pieces in full colour. A must-have for any fan of vintage glass, you can buy a copy directly from the author online for £20.

Find out more at the Sklo website

Categories / Design and Interiors, Homeware

Djinn Chairs and Sofas

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The Djinn chairs and sofas were used in the Space Station scenes in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. It was designed by Olivier Mourgue for the French company Airborne earlier in the 1960s.

Airbourne no longer exists but some authentic Djinn products are still around. At the moment, 20th Century Marks has various pieces available, including this sofa, a chaise, a chair without arms and stools. They are available in various colours, and have all been reupholstered.

If you would like to recreate that iconic look in your lounge, visit 20th Century Marks for further information.

Categories / Art and Photography, Toys and Games

Cowboys and Custard’s Vintage Box Frames

Hello_sailor_1

The company Comboys and Custard created a range of Vintage Box Frames, inspired by childhood nostalgia.

The frames are painted with period paints and waxed to give an antique feel and filled with a variety of vintage items including small toys, childhood ephemera, postcards and prints. Many of them include genuine 1930s Bisque dolls.

Each one is unique and prices vary according their contents, from £55 to £75. Pictured here is one entitled “Hello Sailor” which costs £75. Visit the Cowboys and Custard shop on Not on the High Street to view the whole range.

Categories / Retro Women's Fashion

Mod Cloth Evening Stroll Jacket

Mod_girl_coat

Buying a winter coat is always an investment, so most of us err on the side of dullness to make sure it goes with just about everything. Avoiding all-over print doesn’t have to mean boring, though, with this Evening Stroll coat from Mod Cloth.

With a classic basic swing coat design, the daisy print buttons and cuff details make this a great sixties look fit for Carnaby Street in its pomp. The fitted waist and oversized buttons give this that cute dolly edge without being too girlish.

It’s available online from Mod Cloth for $114.99.

Find out more from the website