Latest articles from Retro To Go

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• Ercol for John Lewis 1950s-style Chiltern open display cabinet
• eBay watch: 1970s Fiat 124 Spider
• Retro Onepiece Swimsuit by Seafolly
• Coral Spot Cami from Dorothy Perkins
• For sale: 1930 grade II-listed Bauhaus property in The Common, Chipperfield, Herts by E. Maxwell Fry
• Revamped 1950s Nursery School Chairs
• Pac-Man Ghosts T-Shirt
• Beyond Fabric Sewing Room Event
• Cox & Cox Stripey Double Deck Chair
• Towards a New Britain by Blue Print
• Vintage Craft Workshop by Cathy Callahan
• 2012 Volkswagen Beetle gets an official launch

Ercol for John Lewis 1950s-style Chiltern open display cabinet Posted: 19 Apr 2011 01:20 PM PDT Based on an original 1950s design is this Ercol for John Lewis Chiltern open display cabinet. Exclusive to John Lewis, the Chiltern cabinet has a certain midcentury cool. Made from solid white oak, with a matt lacquer, it features rounded, angled edges, slim legs and criss-cross strutwork. The cabinet also features three glass shelves and a bottom drawer. Standing around 180cm high, it sells for £999. Find out more at the John Lewis website

eBay watch: 1970s Fiat 124 Spider Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:13 PM PDT The sun is out, the sky is blue and our minds drift to thoughts of a convertible. There's no denying that this Fiat 124 Spider is a tasty number. It dates to 1979, but was imported to the UK in 1991, racking up 91,775 miles over that time, but only 1,800 by the current owner since 1995. Some modern additions (like a CD player), but most is original, with the body work described as 'near concourse condition' and although some work could do with being carried out, it sounds like it's good to go now. Indeed, £2,000 of work has been carried out by the current owner, so it must be in some kind of decent shape. Another image over the page or check out the site for many more. £4,500 is the current price - or grab it on 'buy it now' for £5,000. Find out more at the eBay website

Retro Onepiece Swimsuit by Seafolly Posted: 19 Apr 2011 10:59 AM PDT When it comes to swimwear, it only makes sense to put your trust in those nations who really get to wear their choices as much as possible. Australian swimwear brand Seafolly have it down to a fine art, especially with retro items like this Retro Spot Onepiece. The swimsuit is all about the cut, with low cut legs to counteract the revealing bustline, creating the killer fifties silhouette that the pin-up scene made so popular. The inclusion of subtle panels and ruching means this swimsuit promises to pull you in at all the right points too, meaning just about anyone can pull off this polka dot with ease. It's available in the UK from Urban Outfitters for £87. Find out more from the website

Coral Spot Cami from Dorothy Perkins Posted: 19 Apr 2011 10:58 AM PDT With all the super sexy retro looks inspiring designers lately, it's easy to forget that in women's fashion cute was once king. Every so often, however, an unashamedly girly item hits the shelves, like this Coral Spot Cami from Dorothy Perkins. The top's shape is just fitted enough at the bustline to remain subtle, while the flowing fabric from the waist keeps it light. With a polka dot print and coral shade, this is an item you can easily pair with fifties or sixties looks to create a daytime look that's simply darling. It's available now from Dorothy Perkins for £28. Find out more from the website

For sale: 1930 grade II-listed Bauhaus property in The Common, Chipperfield, Herts by E. Maxwell Fry Posted: 19 Apr 2011 09:36 AM PDT A Bauhaus property in the heart of England? Yes, that's what you get with this 1930s grade II-listed house in The Common, Chipperfield, Herts. It was designed by E. Maxwell Fry, whose partner was Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus, back in 1935, situated in the heart of Chipperfield  village. I suspect, back in the day, it was quite an oddity. In truth, it still is. The accommodation comprises of an entrance hallway, cloakroom, reception room overlooking the gardens, open plan kitchen/diner and utility room on the ground floor, with a master bedroom (with access to a terrace area, vaulted ceiling and en-suite), three further bedrooms and a family bathroom. There's also the addition to the house of a separate studio with kitchenette and shower room, plus a detached garage with additional garden room/study to the rear and a plot covering 2.5 acres. For better or worse (take your pick), the house has been 'comprehensively renovated', so it's more of a modern home than a period piece inside. Saying that, the house maintains the same 'stark' structure as the original, so you can put the period back in if you wish. That's probably the least of your worries though. First, you'll need to find the asking price, which is £1,600,000. 1930s modernism sadly doesn't come cheap. Find out more at the Rightmove website

Revamped 1950s Nursery School Chairs Posted: 19 Apr 2011 07:36 AM PDT   We've seen 1950s school chairs reproduced, but Folly and Glee has a selection of revamped originals in stock. Their 1950s Nursery School Chairs have been hand-painted and reupholstered with 1970s vintage wallpaper to give them a new lease of life. There is a choice of three designs on their website now to choose from (yellow floral, pink graphic or blue soldier), or you can contact them and they will finish a chair to suit your decor. Unlike many revamped pieces of furniture, these chairs are very reasonably priced at just £15. Visit the Folly and Glee website for more information.

Pac-Man Ghosts T-Shirt Posted: 19 Apr 2011 07:26 AM PDT   Layer Eight create t-shirts inspired by things they enjoy, which judging by this Pac-Man Ghosts T-Shirt includes retro arcade games. The t-shirt features Pac-Man's enemies, Inky, Pinky, Blinky and Clyde on the front with a '10p – 1 play' coin slot graphic printed on the sleeve. The t-shirt is available in men's sizes Small up to XX Large and in either navy or charcoal grey. There is also a similar design featuring the Space Invader aliens should that be your game of choice. The t-shirts cost £23 from Layer Eight.

Beyond Fabric Sewing Room Event Posted: 19 Apr 2011 07:13 AM PDT Beyond Fabric stock a huge range of fantastic retro-look material and not only that, they can also teach you what to do with it. They have a range of classes including "Sewing Machines for Terrified People" and "1950's Apron Workshop." To celebrate the launch of their new Sewing Room they are holding a special event this Saturday, April 23rd, at their Columbia Rd studio in London. Join owners Silvana and Eduardo for tea, coffee and cakes and find out more about their range of upcoming sewing workshops. You can also buy fabrics from their extensive range and try a taster class. For more info and to check availability of the taster classes, e-mail info@beyond-fabrics.com. Check out the Beyond Fabrics site here.

Cox & Cox Stripey Double Deck Chair Posted: 19 Apr 2011 06:20 AM PDT If there's one thing that represents the quintessential British summer above all others, it has to be the deck chair. Despite seeming somewhat old fashioned these days, the deck chair's simplicity and comfort mean that it's still seen on beaches and in parks and gardens up and down the country. This Stripey Double Deck Chair from Cox & Cox is twice the usual width, making it a comfortable seat for two. The frame is wood and the seat acrylic, so durable and weatherproof, which means this chair will be with you for many summers to come. It costs £145 from Cox & Cox here.

Towards a New Britain by Blue Print Posted: 19 Apr 2011 05:59 AM PDT With the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain happening this year, here's another piece of art linked to the festival. This Towards a New Britain print by Blue Print uses the Abram Games designed emblem of the Festival and sets it behind the outlines of a hopeful looking couple - perhaps studying the future promised by the festival.  It's just one of several prints produced by the artist Donald Short which relate to the Festival (you may remember his work from the Metroland print we featured a little while back). The distinctive colouring is made by using the cyanotype process - the blue print of architectural designs. Produced as a limited edition of 100 copies, the print costs £35.  Buy it from Culturelabel

Vintage Craft Workshop by Cathy Callahan Posted: 19 Apr 2011 05:49 AM PDT With crafting currently enjoying a fashionable moment, what better time to dip into Cathy Callahan's Vintage Craft Workshop? Specialising in popular retro craft, its subtitle promises to give fresh takes on classic crafts from the '60s and the '70s.  Various contributors help with the books 24 projects, reviving favourite crafts such as macrame, crochet and papier mache. The book aims to produce results that are stylish, not kitsch - I think this possibly has to be seen to be believed.  If you'd like to try the projects out for yourself, the book is currently on sale for £9.09 from Amazon

2012 Volkswagen Beetle gets an official launch Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:56 AM PDT Apparently the 'new' Volkswagen Beetle has been around since 1998, so VW thought it was time to go back to drawing board. The result is the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, which is officially launched today. If you want to just see the pretty pictures, check out over the page for those. But if you want detail, read on. Launching at car shows in Shanghai, Berlin and New York, it's likely to appear at dealers from late 2011, offered in various guises - a 170 horsepower 2.5-litre version, a turbo-charged 2.0-litre four-cylinder TSI engine or the latest TDI turbo diesel unit. This is no Fiat 500 competitor, that's for sure. Options include either five-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearboxes, bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, keyless entry, satellite navigation and a panoramic sunroof. All will be packed with hefty safety features (standard ESP, six airbags and a seriously rigid chassis), while the shape is consistent across the range - a new, lower roofline, more pronounced arches, smaller windscreen is smaller and a less pronounced back than the previous Beetle. Much improved inside though, no huge dashboard, but more guages and toys to play with, coupled with a lower seating position. As ever, it's a car to love or hate. Purists will hate it because it's not an original bug, current owners might well hate its more 'manly' features, but others might appreciate it for that very reason. I don't think VW will care too much, the Beetle will always be their niche car, one that's unlikely to ever leave the range. The new one is likely to be in the UK nearer 2012 than 2011 and is unlikely to be cheap, looking at that specification. Volkswagen website Via All Car Tech

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