Tools for Living is a book all about ultimates — the ultimate things designed for the home — from chef knives and pots and pans, to door handles and bathroom taps, to home-office furniture and garden tools. Well-designed objects not only have superior performance but also look better and last longer, which ultimately means that they are more sustainable and provide better value for money. They also give the user a satisfying sense of reliability — they are the household tools that we use on a daily basis, which enhance life. Many of the objects included in Tools for Living are famous design classics, which are still in production. This comprehensive sourcebook features them beautifully, with full descriptions of their historic relevance and design excellence. Manufacturers' web addresses are shown for each product, so readers can easily find where to buy them. The introductory essay explains why Good Design for the home should be an important feature of our daily lives and how it makes sense not only for aesthetic and functional reasons, but also for economic and environmental reasons too. It is an essential sourcebook for all design lovers!

Plastic Dreams is a lavishly illustrated reference work that raises the aesthetic perception of plastics and celebrates their nobility as materials by bringing together an exquisite and highly curated survey of landmark product designs in plastics, from Bakelite in the 1920s to the latest technopolymers today. This publication features over 120 landmark designs, from Wells Coates iconic AD 65 radio to Konstanin Grcic's MYTO stacking chair, that reveal a breathtaking profusion of colours and forms as well as inventive imaginations fuelled by utopian aspirations. The accompanying introductory essay also traces the fascinating history of plastics and assesses their crucial and influential role in industrial design, while the extensive glossary of materials and processes will help sort out your Jaxonite and Xylonite from your Polyethylene and ABS. Plastic Dreams is an essential guide to material culture and a must-have publication for all lovers of plastic and design aficionados.