Industrial yet elegant, metal was modernism's favorite material, and today some of the most fashionable furniture still has a metallic gleam. Make like a magpie, and line your nest with these shiny things.
VERYROUND CHAIR BY LOUISE CAMPBELL
Don't feel cagey about sitting in Campbell's Veryround chair, even if its laser-cut steel looks slightly scary. It may be hard-edged, but it envelops you like a floral cocoon. Designed for Zanotta in 2006 by the Copenhagen-based Campbell, this award-winning chair is already recognized as a contemporary classic. www.zanotta.it
PANTON CHAIR BY BASED UPON
Rust never sleeps, according to rock star Neil Young. Here, it creeps up on a signature chair by Verner Panton. The Pop-era designer usually worked in plastic and, yes, this is at heart a plastic chair. But London group Based Upon sprayed it with liquid metal to create this striking patina effect. www.basedupon.co.uk
TUDOR ROOM DIVIDER BY ARMANI CASA
A host of upmarket fashion brands have been moving into homewares lately. You can rely on Armani for something with a little bling, and here it is: an alluring screen that resembles linked rows of vertical gold ingots. Expect friends and any visiting Inca rulers to be jealous. www.armanicasa.com
TRACCIA TABLE BY MERET OPPENHEIM
You might think of surrealism as purely a visual-arts movement, but think again. The Traccia table, designed by the Swiss Oppenheim (1913-85) and available from furniture supplier Viaduct, is a vintage piece with a distinctly surrealist character. Look at its legs: these are knobbly knees you'll enjoy having. www.viaduct.co.uk