Pip's Picks for Summer 2011

Glass top desk

The sharp corners of this table and chair are clearly not child-friendly, and are all the more beautiful for this fact. Sitting here, in front of a sunny window, with a pot of fresh coffee and your mind free from clutter, you couldn’t fail to start typing something smart, sophisticated, and perhaps a little sexy. Or even if your creative juices aren’t flowing, at least you’ve got a stunning piece of furniture to struggle over a crossword on.

Kartell Louis armchair

The Louis dining chair is by no means new, but the way that it is still as prevalent in glossy magazines as even the former Kate Middleton shows that it has become the throne of our times. And, like Kate, just because it is slightly, well, common, doesn’t mean you should love it less – in fact that seems to heighten its appeal. That it is high design at affordable prices and that it comes in loud colours for an easy injection of personality into your room only make it a true modern classic: the chair of our hearts.

Porcelain tea light holders

So deceptively simple are these little bowls that you might be forgiven for dismissing them – until you notice the contrast between the smooth, serene exterior with the vibrant hues inside. A way to add colour for people who are slightly afraid of making bold statements, they work simply because of their simplicity and are, quite simply, beautiful.

Rustic wall hooks

I’ve been trying to prove that shabby chic is back for a couple of seasons now, and nothing aids my point better than these three wall hooks. But this time around, the emphasis is far less on shabby, and more on chic. So whilst there’s still an element of distressed woodwork, the use of strong colour shows that you didn’t just find them in the back of a barn somewhere but are using them as part of a considered aesthetic. Should you actually be a farmer living the countryside dream they make the perfect place to hang your straw hat after a busy day with the cows or, for the rest of us, they’ll do nicely to help us dream of a time when the journey to work is on a tractor rather than the tube.

Rose rug

Chintz has a lot to answer for. Like a GM-produced bumper crop it took over the world of floral prints and strangled the life out of the look, making it seem old, and fusty. Now flowers are back, and as this rug shows, traditional prints don’t have to be outdated. Because the design is so familiar, they’re a good way of going big on colour without seeming threatening – perfect for shrinking violets.

Pigeon hole wall shelf unit

Remember that episode of Friends where Rachel and Phoebe bought an apothecary table? Well, this is the new decade’s version – an apothecary wall hanging storage unit. And, as Pheobe said, you can just imagine this is where they kept all the stuff to make their potions. Nowadays, however, it will help to imbue anything you’ve collected with a sense of history, and will help your modern knick knacks look like they’re in with the old.