I’ll be the first to admit that the Otium Sofa by La Palma does not look the most cosy but what it lacks in obvious comfort, it makes up for with its sleek appearance.
Designed by Mario Ruiz, it is made from walnut on a stainless steel base. It has principally been designed for commercial use such as waiting rooms and reception areas, where you perhaps don’t want people to get too comfortable. Two cushions designed for the sofa are available separately.
It costs £2,750 from Made in Design.
La Redoute is already promoting its Autumn Winter 2011 collection which includes this Summer of Love Duvet Cover.
Made from 100% cotton, the cover has a brown background printed with the words “peace” and “love” in retro typefaces, along with hearts, stars and CND signs. The catalogue website claims it is a tribute to the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, but then gets things a bit wrong by mentioning the 1970s, by which time the Summer of Love had definitely ended. The duvet cover is available in three sizes (140cm, 200cm or 240cm) which are priced £27, £39 and £55 respectively. A matching flat sheet is also available.
Buy online at La Redoute.
Always nice to see one of these on eBay. While the Olivetti Valentine typewriter by Ettore Sottsass isn't as useful as it once was, it is still a design icon – and in this case, still cheap.
Designed back in 1969 (and named after its day of launch – Valentine's Day), this lightweight period gem comes with its own matching carry case to protect the inner machine, although if you bought it, you'd probably want to have it shown off on a desk or table without the casing.
It's described as being in 'absolute working and cosmetic condition', as well as having 'no scratches, dings or cracks'. No reserve, so bid away, the current price is just 62 pence.
Fashion meets design with the Converse x Marimekko All Star Ox plimsolls.
Two classic Maija Isola-designed Marimekko cloths, Unikko above and Paprika over the page, are used for the uppers of this classic Converse shoe, with a contrast lining, two sets of laces, embroidered branding on the tongue plus a matching carry bag.
Available online, it sells for £60.
If cool and kitsch is more important to you than cutting-edge technology in the morning, you just might be the perfect customer for this Snoopy alarm clock.
Featuring the ever-popular Peanuts character (now over 50 years old would you believe) and his sidekick Woodstock having a snooze on the dog house, the clock is an old school bell-ringing clock, which has both a light and an alarm. Which is probably why it needs a battery rather than just being a wind-up clock.
Cheap enough, you can get one online for £13.50.
Fans of our sister site WowHaus will be fighting each other to get their hands on this rather impressive coffee table book from Taschen.
Case Study Houses is an intensive retrospective of post-war home design in California. The project, which took place between 1945 and 1966, saw the design of 36 prototype homes, conceived by such luminaries as Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Eero Saarinen, that have defined what we now think of as the mid-century modern home. The book is a mammoth tome, packed with photographs from then and now, as well as original documents, extensive floor plans and intricate sketches of each of these iconic buildings. A fascinating insight into one of the most exciting periods in modernist architecture.
Case Study Houses is £135 from Amazon. See the website for more details.
