100 interiors design icons: from budget buys to rare vintage gems — how many do you have?
From immediately recognisable hits to the if-you-know-you-know future collectables, thrifty hard-workers to six-figure rarities, how many of these design classics are already in your living space?
1. Anglepoise lamp
The glossy, adjustable lamp was created by George Carwardine, a car suspension designer, in 1931; that it remains mostly unchanged is testament to a true classic.
Original 1227 Brass Desk Lamp, £259, anglepoise.com
2. Pierre Jeanneret Chandigarh chair
A Good Taste staple, the 1950s-designed chairs were originally created for government workers. Hundreds were abandoned or sold off for a few rupees when tastes changed, but today you can occasionally find one listed on eBay for thousands of pounds. Kourtney Kardashian has a Jeanneret habit.
Pair of Chandigarh Easy Chairs by Pierre Jeanneret in original condition with original caning, £9,000, nicholaswells.com
3. Vitsœ by Dieter Rams Universal 606 modular shelving
‘My design classic is the Vitsœ shelving, it’s so useful, multifunctional and defies all trends and is a real legacy piece for me in terms of interiors; we’ve got it downstairs in our basement and it can come with us wherever we go. We know that we’re going to have it for a lifetime and be able to pass it down to our children,’ says Laura Jackson, founder of Glassette.
606 components, from £20, vitsoe.com
4. Alessi Juicy Salif Citrus Squeezer
Bringing a sci-fi swish to your morning juice, the Philippe Starck design is as functional as it is distinctive.
£80, uk.alessi.com
5. Le Creuset Cast Iron Round Casserole
Nearly 100 years old and still going strong. Available in a rainbow of shades, but orange is the OG.
From £195, lecreuset.co.uk
6. David Mellor Pride cutlery
The sleek, modernist design was created in 1953 — while Mellor was still a student at the Royal College of Art — and has been in constant production since then.
From £125 for a six-piece place setting, davidmellordesign.com
7. Matilda Goad & Co scallop lampshade
London’s very own Matilda Goad took lampshades to ‘it’ status with her wavy raffia designs.
From £80, matildagoad.com
8. Ettore Sottsass Ultrafragola mirror
The 1970s, wavy pink design launched a thousand dupes — and even more selfies.
£7,320, alexeagle.com
9. Ercol 333 Small chair
Established in 1920 by Italian designer Lucian R Ercolani who had the ambition to create ‘relevant and honest furniture’, the still family owned Ercol continues his legacy. The 1950s-designed 333 chair is the inspiration for the brand’s Heritage collection.
Heritage chair, from £390, ercol.com
10. Ercol Windsor Chair
See also the Windsor Chair, launched in 1950 at The Furniture Exhibition, and in production ever since.
Windsor dining chair, from £465, ercol.com
11. Hermes Avalon throw blanket
The comfort blanket of the 1 per cent (searches surged 500 per cent after it made a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in the Harry & Meghan doc).
£1,470, hermes.com
12. Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
Proof that comfort and style need not be mutually exclusive. The Charles and Ray Eames 1956 design has been produced by Vitra ever since.
From £6,835, vitra.com
13. Marcel Breuer Wassily chair
“My husband Matt Gibberd and I received a Wassily chair as a gift more than 20 years ago. I think it’s probably from the 1960s but it may be older. Matt’s parents gave it to us,” says Faye Toogood, founder of Toogood.
“Matt’s father was an architect and his grandfather was a really important modernist architect [Frederick Gibberd]. The chair is the point at which our two aesthetics meet. It is very angular, very simple and very elegant, with a tough canvas seat and back.”
From £1,601.40, aram.co.uk
14. Jermaine Gallacher candlesticks
London’s impish interiors whizz has a cult hit on his hands via the zigzag candlesticks.
£175 at jermainegallacher.com
15. Dualit toaster
“A Dualit toaster for its iconic design of course and the familiar whirring sound of the timer that signals breakfast time in our home each morning,” says Matilda Goad,
2 Slice NewGen Classic Toaster, £170, dualit.com
16. Mario Bellini for B&B Italia Camaleonda sofa
The curvy, puffy modular sofa is another one of those pieces that suddenly seems to be everywhere. Making its debut in 1970, it was reissued by B&B Italia in 2020. Warning: doesn’t come cheap.
Prices start at around £10,000, pamono.co.uk
17. Welsh blanket
The traditional handwoven tapestry blankets have found a whole new fanbase. See jen-jones.com and welshblankets.co.uk for an excellent selection.
18. Faye Toogood Roly Poly chair
“Having children reawakened my creativity in every way. It brought a softer, more childlike and playful approach seen in the Roly-Poly chair,” says Toogood of the design.
“I think it really resonates with many different life situations, and it ultimately retains its own life within the home.”
£7,320, t-o-o-g-o-o-d.com
19. Cornishware
The blue and white striped mugs, bowls and plates are a kitchen staple.
Arch tastemaker Jonathan Anderson catapulted it back to the zeitgeist (not that it ever really left) when he referenced it for his SS24 menswear collection. Invites were sent out via customised teapots, bowls etc.
Small Betty teapot, £30, cornishware.co.uk
20. Isamu Noguchi Akari lamp
The pioneering polymath has been the subject of a Barbican retrospective and continues to influence lighting with his sculptural paper lampshades.
£305, aram.co.uk
21. Yves Klein Ikb table
In any colour… So long as it’s blue.
From £19,117, 1stdibs.com
22. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair
Over 100 years old and looking as good as ever, the Barcelona chair is one of those pieces that even people who don’t know about design know about.
From £6,456, aram.co.uk
23. Le Corbusier LC04 chaise longue
Seriously good looking, surprisingly comfortable, shockingly modern. A true icon.
£4,789, aram.co.uk
24. William Morris wallpaper
The Arts and Crafts wallpaper has aged as well as Morris’s famous advice to “have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”.
morrisandco.sandersondesigngroup.com
25. Alvar Aalto vase
The curvy, fluid design dates from 1936 and is still coveted today. PS. South London’s brilliant Andu Masebo has an Aalto shelf, a wall-mounted design specifically designed to accommodate the contours of the 251mm Aalto vase.
Find pre-loved ones from comfortably under £100 on eBay.
26. Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair
Created as part of Jacobsen’s interior design for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen in 1960, this Danish design has truly gone global.
From £7,063, aram.co.uk
27. Eames Plastic Side Chair DSR
A clean classic that can find a place in (almost) any home.
£330, vitra.com
28. Flos Arco lamp
Liberally ripped off (imitation is the highest form of flattery) 1962’s swooping Arco lamp is innovative and elegant. Designed to do away with the need for messy wiring, it took its cue from a streetlamp.
£1,955, heals.com
29. Ubald Klug Terraza sofa
Another status sectional sofa, Klug’s 1970s design has a status price tag to match.
30. Isokon Penguin Donkey magazine rack
Belsize Park’s modernist Isokon building has played home to a vast array of design talents including Marcel Breuer and Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius (as well as some spies).
Another former resident, Egon Riss, designed the Penguin Donkey. The bent plywood design was perfectly proportioned to hold up to 80 Penguin paperbacks.
£900, shop.penguin.co.uk
31. Kvadrat/Raf Simons textiles
The Belgian designer’s cushions are a recurring accent in today’s best dressed homes.
32. Anissa Kermiche Popotin vase
Ultra-glamorous jeweller Kermiche helms a formidable homeware business, supercharged by bringing boobs and bums to mantelpieces and dining tables.
£65, anissakermiche.com
33. AGA range cooker
More than an oven, for AGA devotees they are a lifestyle.
From £5,013, agaliving.com
34. SMEG fridge
It might look straight out of 1950s America, but this retro-look fridge (from Italian appliances manufacturer, SMEG) actually debuted in 1997.
35. Isamu Noguchi Biomorphic table
Noguchi considered his 1944 Coffee Table to be his finest design.
From £2,150, vitra.com
36. Plumen LED bulb
The Design Museum’s 2011 Design of the Year, a spot in the permanent collections of MOMA and the V&A, who says lightbulbs can’t be… Important?
001 - Iconic LED Bulb - 120V, €46, plumen.com
37. Verner Panton S chair
Another hit from the Danish cannon, the plastic stacking chair is so iconic it’s shared a Vogue cover with a naked Kate Moss.
£325, vitra.com
38. Thonet and Sons 214 Bentwood chair
AKA No. 14, the mid-19th century bistro chair is one of the earliest, and most enduringly successful, examples of mass-produced furniture.
£680, skandium.com
39. Willy Guhl Diabolo planter
“The Diablo was an iconic piece within his collection and a definitive shape of the era, the height of cool, mid-century simplicity,” says Jasmine McGarr, co-owner of garden design and antiques company, Feraland
“In the garden they can play an important architectural role, to create focal points or provide hard lines within the soft layers of the planting.”
From £776, 1stdibs.com
40. Tekla sheets
Bragging rights bedding? Believe it. Copenhagen’s Tekla’s come in slightly odd Scandi shades. See also: the towels, PJs and dressing gowns.
From £31, teklafabrics.com
41. Afra and Tobia Scarpa Soriana chair
Designed by the husband and wife team for Cassina in 1969, it scooped the Compasso d'Oro Award in 1970.
£5,650, harrods.com
42. Charlotte Perriand 526 Nuage shelving unit
Crisp, confident, functional; Charlotte Perriand’s modular shelving is shockingly desirable. Designed in the 1950s and reissued by Cassina for the past decade.
£8,652, twentytwentyone.com
43. Gaetano Pesce Amazonia vase
‘Gaetano Pesce is a real design pioneer, a master of colour and materials and a real innovator. His design furniture is so sought after with some furniture fetching hundreds of thousands of pounds,” says Belma Gaudio, founder & creative director of KOIBIRD
“We love his vases as they are completely toddler proof and unbreakable!”
£385, koibird.com
44. Laura Ashley fabrics
There is something honest and unapologetically identifiable about the world of Laura Ashley. A renewed interest in the clothes (thank designer Batsheva Hay and/or ‘cottagecore’) makes the case for hanging onto your chintz.
45. Paustian Furniture Collection Arctander chair
Also known as the Clam chair, the 1944 design was widely misattributed before Philip Arctander finally got the credit. Reintroduced in 2016 by Paustian, the sheepskin ones are a fashion world favourite.
£6,134, skandium.com
46. Poole Pottery Blue Bird
The 1930s design is one of Poole Pottery’s most famous. Find pieces on eBay for a song.
47. Frank Gehry Wiggle side chair
One man’s trash is another’s future design icon. Gehry struck on the inspiration for his 1972 creation when he came across a pile of discarded cardboard outside his office.
£989, vitra.com
48. Robin Day Polyside chair
Even if you don’t own one, you’ve definitely sat in one.
£40.60, justforschools.co.uk
49. IKEA Billy bookcase
Launched in 1979 the Billy bookcase is wildly successful. According to IKEA, one is sold every five seconds.
From £55, ikea.com
50. Marc Newson Orgone chair
Arguably the most influential living designer, Marc Newson has given us sneakers and concept jets, headphones and cameras. 1993’s Orgone chair is a classic.
From £2,426, pamono.co.uk
51. Gerrit Reitfeld Red and Blue chair
Like a Mondrian’s been made 4D with its geometric lines and punchy primary colours, the Red and Blue chair is indicative of the Dutch De Stijl movement. Originally designed in 1918, later versions can be found online.
From £1,600, vinterior.co
52. Eileen Gray Bibendum chair
Eileen Gray’s curvy masterpiece was named after the Michelin man. Found in many of her interiors, including the living room of e1027. Want one in yours? Aram Designs holds the worldwide license.
From £3,500, aram.co.uk
53. Aesop handwash
You might think it a bit of a stretch, but has any item come to instantly exemplify millennial aspiration quite like Aesop’s unmistakable handwash?
£31, aesop.com
54. Big Green Egg barbeque
Ditto the BEG… Has any item come to instantly exemplify alpha aspiration quite like the posh BBQ?
£1,415, biggreenegg.co.uk
55. Michel Ducaroy Ligne Roset Togo sofa
Yes, it’s modular sofa! Designed for Ligne Roset in 1973, Michel Ducaroy hit on the idea for squished, cushy settee on looking at a toothpaste tube (true!).
56. Florence Knoll Hairpin stacking table
The collectable table formerly known as the Model 75 stool. An accessible piece of design history.
£315, store.moma.org
57. Tord Boontje Garland light
Inspired by a walk in a forest, and created for Habitat in 2002, the Garland has since blossomed into museum-permanent-collection status.
£49, shop.tordboontje.com
58. Bialetti Moka Express coffee maker
La dolce vita in a silver pot, Bialetti’s stove-top coffee maker has been serving caffeine connoisseurs for 90 years.
€28.90, bialetti.com
59. Bodum Chambord teapot
And if you’re more into tea, this-Memphis style design can now fetch north of £100 second hand.
£196, vinterior.co
60. Sussex chair
“Bobbin furniture has been having such a moment recently and so much of it is rooted in the Sussex chair. They lend a classic elegance to any space,” says interior designer Lucy Williams.
“I love that they work in more period traditional houses but equally you can pair them with modern designs.”
Vintage, from £495 at vinterior.co
61. Jochen Holz for HAY jug
Classic HAY: purposeful with design integrity.
62. Clara von Zweigbergk for HAY trays
See also the colourful stainless steel trays, another example of the Danish homeware emporium’s playful practicality.
From £21, connox.co.uk
63. Muji stacking boxes
The pared-back pragmatism of Muji makes it the great universal crowd pleaser. The nifty stacking boxes earn their place in any home.
From £10.95, muji.eu
64. Spode Blue Italian tableware
The ornate blue and white design has weathered trends for over 200 years.
From £12, spade.co.uk
65. Karim Rashid Umbra Garbo waste can
Yes, even your bin can have icon status.
£8, Umbra.com
66. Chesterfield sofa
Relax and open up… So comfortable that Sigmund Freud sat his patients on one.
From £2000, fleminghowland.com
67. Flos Taccia Table Lamp
‘Designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962, I love its industrial design, unique sculptural form, and the scale of it.’ Sophie Ashby, founder of Studio Ashby
£2,390, flos.com
68. Gerd Lange De Sede DS 125 sofa
Angular design dating from 1978.
Vintage or £14,450 from thecambridgechaircompany.com
69. Charlotte Perriand Les Arcs stacking chair
Designed for Les Arcs ski resort in the 1960s, the leather and metal chairs are peak chic. Seek them out at Vinterior, eBay, 1stDibs and more.
Vintage, from £1500 for set of 4 at vinterior.co.uk
70. Bordallo Pinheiro Cabbage earthenware
Whimsical, collectable, and a novel approach to getting your five a day.
From £54, bordallopinheiro.com
71. Donald Judd Corner chair
Polymath artist Donald Judd began designing furniture for his 101 Spring Street residence in New York (now a pilgrimage site for design and art aficionados), and then later for his Marfa home. Stripped back and spare, the minimalist’s dream.
$9,300, judd.furniture
72. Philippe Starck for Kartell Louis Ghost chair
Versailles via 2001: A Space Odyssey is the vibe.
From £294, heals.com
73. Tom Dixon Melt light
Resembling globs of liquid metal, Tom Dixon’s melt collection exudes a naturalistic, organic light.
From £230, tomdixon.net
74. Vladimir Kagan Serpentine sofa
Widely copied, super desirable, the curvy couch was introduced in 1950 – and looks better than ever.
Vintage, £7,430 on etsy.com
75. Gio Ponti for Ginori 1735 porcelain
The 300-year old Florentine studio’s vibrant work is opulent and ornate. Aritsitc director between 1923 and 1933, Ponti’s designs are some of the maison’s most famous. Ginori1735.com
Various, ginori1735.com
76. Rattan peacock chair
A hotly debated origins story has done nothing to diminish the wicker chair’s fame. Pick up pre-loved styles for a song.
Vintage, from £200 on vinterior.com
77. Dior Maison Toile de Jouy
The pretty pastoral design originates from the 18th century. A favourite of Monsieur Dior, it has become a house signature, found on cushions, candles, cups and more.
From £130, dior.com
78. Vincent Van Duysen for Zara Home
A rare opportunity to access that Belgian architect and designer’s work (he was one of the visionaries behind the Kardashian-West Calabasas compound). We predict Van Duysen’s ongoing collaboration with Zara to only grow in value.
79. Jean-Michel Frank sofa
“I love the modernity of it. Given it was designed in the 1930s, its simple lines and beautiful proportion, means that it stands the test of time and works in almost any setting,” says Bryan O’Sullivan, interior designer and founder of Bryan O'Sullivan Studio.
80. Ron Arad Bookworm shelves
“The ‘Bookworm’ bookshelf designed by Ron Arad is beyond iconic — I love it for its sculptural aesthetic,” says Hollie Bowden, founder of Hollie Bowden Interiors.
From £303, heals.com
81. Falcon Enamelware
A design classic that’s also child-friendly? Not a myth. Falcon’s sturdy enamelware is available in a range of colours – but white with a blue rim remains the OG.
From £6 for a small sauce dish, falconenamelware.com
82. IKEA Poäng chair
IKEA is coming for your high-street. The 40-year-old Poäng chair will be there — if not already in your home.
From £80, ikea.com
83. Louis Poulsen PH5 pendant lamp
Another predictably good-looking, functional Danish design. Created by Poul Hennigsen for Louis Poulsen in 1958, the PH5 pendant allows for ideal light distribution.
From £875, louispoulsen.com
84. Alvar Aalto for Artek, Stool 60
Curved legs, round seat, stackable: the functional 90-year-old design has sold millions of units. A bona fide icon.
£234, twentytwentyone.com
85. Wegner Wishbone chair
Yes, another desirable Danish design. Created for Carl Hansen & Son in 1949, the Wishbone is still made (and coveted) today.
From £524, aram.co.uk
86. String shelving
Affordable modular shelves with distinctive ladder style supports.
From £150, skandium.com
87. Kilner jars
Established in 1842, Kilner’s clever, vacuum-sealed storage jars are still a kitchen staple.
88. Campbell Rey for Nordic Knots Climbing Vine rug
Created for Hotel Il Pellicano (the height of style, forever), no further explanation needed.
From £695, nordicknots.com
89. Jonathan Adler Druggist Weed tray
Tongue-in-chic! Renowned for his exuberant interior designs, Jonathan Adler brings a playfulness to interiors. The Druggist accessories are a humorous place to begin.
£50, uk.jonathanadler.com
90. Kitchenaid Artisan Mixer
Instantly recognisable, retro-look, best-in-class kitchen accessory from the brand that’s over 100 years old.
From £449, kitchenaid.com
91. Elsa Peretti Tiffany & Co thumb-print bowls
As elegant, striking and sensual as her Bone Cuffs, the thumb-print designs are pure Peretti. See also the world’s sleekest paperweights.
From £50, tiffany.co.uk
92. Missoni zigzag cushions
We have witnessed Serious Fashion People stuffing multiplies under their tops post-Missoni show.
From £230, mytheresa.com
93. Fornasetti Tema E Variazioni plates
That is the enigmatic face of opera singer Lina Cavalieri gazing at you from Piero Fornasetti’s most famous designs. Find her in multiple interpretations across a variety of pieces.
From £160, fornasetti.com
94. G Plan 6250 Chair
AKA the Blofeld chair thanks to its Bond villain cameo.
£735, vinterior.co
95. Marimekko Unikko pattern
A poppy print that pops. The jolly, buoyant floral was created in 1964 and remains one of the Finnish textile brand’s best-loved designs.
96. Baccarat Havana ashtray
Obviously, don’t smoke. But, if you must – a Baccarat crystal ashtray is suitably decadent. (See also Murano glass).
£690, baccarat.com
97. Dinosaur Designs salad servers and bowls
In a delicious, intense colour palette, the Australian design studio’s resin creations are irresistible.
Servers, £100, dinosaurdesigns.co.uk
98. Sori Yanaghi Butterfly stool
Japanese designer Sori Yanaghi’s gently curved stool was designed in the 1950s.
From £695, vitra.com
99. Pierre Frey Toile de Nantes fabric
The posh French fabric maison’s take on an ikat pattern.
100. Jean Prouvé Standard chair
Not just because we approve of the name. Considering himself an engineer as well as a designer and architect, Prouvé’s designs were informed by structure first. The Standard chairs have been produced by Vitra since 2002.
From £815, vitra.com
