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An exclusive collection to celebrate a milestone birthday.
British homes – and high streets – were much duller places before Terence Conran arrived in 1964 with Habitat, offering previously unimagined levels of fun and a design-focused, European way of shopping. Introducing us to flat-pack furniture and the humble duvet, Habitat ushered in a new look and modern lifestyle, with its magazine-style catalogue featuring how-to decorate guides and photos of stylish room set-ups.
Now, in celebration of its 60th anniversary, it's launched a series of furniture, tableware, textiles and accessories. Collaborating with icons of the design scene, in-house designers and two former exhibitors from the New Designer graduate show, the 60-piece collection includes reimagined classics from its archives, as well as new pieces that look to the future and the next generation of design. We speak to Habitat's design team about their favourites...
Ribbon light
'One of Habitat’s best-loved contemporary icons, the sculptural Ribbon light has been reinvigorated in a bold blue hue. First introduced in 2004, it was inspired by the art of origami and is a really collectible statement piece for the home.'
The Ribbon table light looks as fresh and contemporary as it did back in the mid 00s. Inspired by origami and the flow of shaped paper, it's made of cool steel sheet, powder coated in a vibrant, limited edition electric blue.
Yakker furniture collection
'For me, the journey of creation is as significant as the final product. I wanted to shine a spotlight on materials and craftsmanship, ensuring that the creative processes were apparent in the final design. I landed on oak timber to create a range of timeless, enduring furniture that would be purchased with longevity in mind.'
Habitat New Designer Award winner Guy Selwood Miller celebrates the diversity of natural oak in this statement Yakker sideboard, made using FSC solid oak, oak veneer and tempered glass. It offers rounded dowel uprights, smooth planes of oak and liberal proportions.
Lucinda outdoor set
'I wanted to evoke a sense of movement in this set. Created using a plasma cutting process, the pattern on the furniture casts shadows as the sun moves throughout the day. It includes four modular pieces that can be used in tandem or separately to create a range of different seating configurations, and comes in bright green and pale blue to inject a joyful colour palette into outdoor spaces.'
The slatted silhouettes of this metal bench and chair filter light with dramatic effect, casting changing patterns that reflect the life cycle of a day. Mix and match with other pieces from the collection for an extra graphic dimension.
Lighting collection
'Since childhood, I've always been fascinated by light, so it was a natural choice for my collection for Habitat’s 60th anniversary. Taking inspiration from everything from Bauhaus design to astronomy and science, this range of sculptural lighting marries form with function. Innovative techniques have been employed with the design's mechanisms, harnessing the captivating effects of light, metal and glass.'
Returning to Habitat with this exclusive design, Sebastian Conran's Compass table lamp takes inspiration from the 19th century discovery of the single-sided geometric infinity loop. Creating a soft ambience in any room setting, this versatile lamp combines gun metal, acrylic and a vibrant red woven cord.
Radica ceramics collection
'The bold colour palette of Habitat’s Living with Colour catalogue from the 1980s, and particularly the Graffiti Sofa, inspired me when designing these playful pieces. Together with a team of artisans in Portugal, we created a selection of freehand shapes that we painted onto each vase in abstract brushstrokes, finished with colourful glazes.'
Uplifting, colourful and playful, Silvia's intuitive strokes in vibrant hues were inspired by the palette of the 1980s Habitat 'Living with Colour' catalogue. The movement and tactility through the bright brush marks and glaze are synonymous with Silvia's joyful pottery.
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