The shop of the V&A museum keeps on surprising us with its unusual gift ideas. The latest item to leave me slightly bewildered is this pair of Baby Pants.
Made from rubberised cotton they are designed to slip over a nappy. The fabric is printed with a 1950s design taken from wrapping paper. There is a choice of umbrellas or mushrooms. They cost £12 a pair and are available in two sizes, 6-12 months or 12-24 months.
Visit the V&A Shop for more details.
I’m always on the look out for affordable classics – and that definitely applies to the Guzzini Bread Basket.
Originally offered for sale in the 1950s, it has recently returned to the shelves, still looking as contemporary as ever. It uses injection moulding techniques to mimic the look of glass, with a finish that gives it a transparent shimmer. Even the inside has been though about – white to hide any scratches.
Sized at 24 x 24 x 6.5cm and available in a variety of colours, it retails for £14.69.
Find out more at the Forma website
He’s made his mark in just about every other area of home design, so it’s no surprise to see Jonathan Adler launching a retro-inspired wallpaper range.
Actually, when we say retro-inspired, we actually mean David Hicks-inspired, as the designs on display seem not dissimilar to some we’ve seen in our old Hicks books. But that’s no bad thing. There are 24 different colour/pattern options to choose from, each sold as a ‘jumbo roll’, which is 27 inches wide and around 45 feet long.
Might be best to keep for a feature wall though, with prices at $195 per roll, which is around £100.
Find out more at the Jonathan Adler website
I’m always amazed that cutting-edge tech company like Casio is still making throwback 80s watches, but there’s obviously a market for the Casio retro Data Bank and Digital watches.
The more expensive of the two is the Data Bank, with its brushed steel finish, calculator keypad, dual time and alarm functions. The Casio Digital is more basic, but still offers an alarm and data functions.
Both are available online, with the Data Bank retailing for £40 and the Digital selling for £20.
Find out more at the ASOS website
Got a plain wall that needs livening up? Maybe these 70s Style wall stickers by Trine Andersen could do the trick.
They’re part of a larger range of wall stickers designed by Trine Andersen for Ferm Living. This one is in two parts, both in black and with self adhesive, although there’s full instructions if you have problems positioning on the wall.
Available online, 70s Style retail for £110.37.
Find out more at the Scandinavian Design Center website
Got cash to splash? You can throw it at a Hans Wegner Wing armchair.
Originally designed in 1960, but only produced in limited numbers, it’s now back in production via Carl Hansen with a stainless steel underframe and a choice of upholstery in fabric or leather.
That style and comfort doesn’t come cheap though – expect to pay just under £2,300.
Find out more at the Lollipop Shoppe website
