Thinking of giving art for Christmas? Explore our gift guide

Design

3 figurines Small lie, Kaws

3 figurines Small lie

Kaws

Design - 11 x 2 x 2 inch

£1,416

PAC MAN, Richard Orlinski

PAC MAN

Richard Orlinski

Design - 4.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inch

£664

Picador, Pablo Picasso

Picador

Pablo Picasso

Design - 6.5 x 6.5 x 2.8 inch

£7,080

Double face, Shab

Double face

Shab

Design - 7.1 x 5.9 x 2.8 inch

£1,239

Fender Telecaster Bilal / Christophe, Enki Bilal

Fender Telecaster Bilal / Christophe

Enki Bilal

Design - 38.6 x 12.6 x 2 inch

£3,894

Blue Red Core vase, pattern number 5988, Hight 25cm, Jan Beranek

Blue Red Core vase, pattern number 5988, Hight 25cm

Jan Beranek

Design - 9.8 x 4.9 x 4.3 inch

£336

Le goût de la mer - Puzzle 1000 pièces, Jour Férié

Le goût de la mer - Puzzle 1000 pièces

Jour Férié

Design - 27 x 18.9 x 0 inch

£27

Balloon Dog X Bernardaud, Jeff Koons

Balloon Dog X Bernardaud

Jeff Koons

Design - 10.6 x 10.6 x 5.1 inch

£9,735

Round bronze flower, Irena Tone

Round bronze flower

Irena Tone

Design - 15 x 14.6 x 1.2 inch

£664

Mediterranean dining table (1), Montse Piquer

Mediterranean dining table (1)

Montse Piquer

Design - 29.9 x 47.2 x 47.2 inch

£3,097

Nothingness, Louis Thomas

Nothingness

Louis Thomas

Design - 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.8 inch

£19

Once in my life, Javier Calleja

Once in my life

Javier Calleja

Design - 21.1 x 43.3 inch

£2,522

Kala, Julien Durix

Kala

Julien Durix

Design - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

£442

Banksy Flying Balloons Girl 100% & 400% Set, Bearbrick

Banksy Flying Balloons Girl 100% & 400% Set

Bearbrick

Design - 11 x 4.3 x 2 inch

£195 £175

Tapis carrés magiques – Sonia Delaunay x Artcurial, Sonia Delaunay

Tapis carrés magiques – Sonia Delaunay x Artcurial

Sonia Delaunay

Design - 115.4 x 70.9 x 0.8 inch

£9,735

Keith Haring - Radiant Heart, Yellowpop

Keith Haring - Radiant Heart

Yellowpop

Design - 27.6 x 27.6 x 2 inch

£884 £841

Lampe nuages crème, Thalia Dalecky

Lampe nuages crème

Thalia Dalecky

Design - 59.1 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch

£850

Avec qui mettre son âme à table ? Épreuve d'artiste, Miss.Tic

Avec qui mettre son âme à table ? Épreuve d'artiste

Miss.Tic

Design - 11.8 x 39.4 x 39.4 inch

£3,505

Dog Save the Queen, Dface

Dog Save the Queen

Dface

Design - 15.7 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch

£1,947

IO LAMP 2021, Nelson Fossey

IO LAMP 2021

Nelson Fossey

Design - 12.6 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch

£212 £202

Vase fonds profonds, Yannick Le Bloas

Vase fonds profonds

Yannick Le Bloas

Design - 9.8 x 9.8 x 9.8 inch

£699

Takashi Murakami x Doraemon, Takashi Murakami

Takashi Murakami x Doraemon

Takashi Murakami

Design - 12.8 x 35.2 x 0 inch

£761

Douceur, Anne Oléron

Douceur

Anne Oléron

Design - 33.1 x 7.1 x 7.1 inch

£168

Porsche Black Bat, Ske

Porsche Black Bat

Ske

Design - 29.5 x 2.4 x 2.4 inch

£220

Bidon de cirage quadrillage rouge, Lou Dervieux

Bidon de cirage quadrillage rouge

Lou Dervieux

Design - 8.3 x 3.9 x 1.8 inch

£71

Brodlim x Julien Raynaud, Julien Raynaud

Brodlim x Julien Raynaud

Julien Raynaud

Design - 47.2 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

£1,761

Voiles (1), Alice Aladjem

Voiles (1)

Alice Aladjem

Design - 59.1 x 35.4 x 9.8 inch

£2,522

Birillo Floor Lamp, Carlo Nason

Birillo Floor Lamp

Carlo Nason

Design - 37.4 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch

£1,593

Luminaire roues en bois de moulin, Jean Bernard dit Berny

Luminaire roues en bois de moulin

Jean Bernard dit Berny

Design - 12 x 12 x 3.3 inch

£549

M³.DTP.1, Gabriele Dal Dosso

M³.DTP.1

Gabriele Dal Dosso

Design - 118.1 x 118.1 x 0.8 inch

£15,930

Artisitc Sommerso vase, Josef Hospodka

Artisitc Sommerso vase

Josef Hospodka

Design - 8.1 x 5.7 x 5.5 inch

£248

A Space Age Floor Lamp, Harvey Guzzini

A Space Age Floor Lamp

Harvey Guzzini

Design - 61 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch

£1,239

Playful Reality #190, Kris Haas

Playful Reality #190

Kris Haas

Design - 24 x 18.9 x 0 inch

£752

Lampe réverbère mécanique, Jonathan Pradillon

Lampe réverbère mécanique

Jonathan Pradillon

Design - 25.6 x 10.6 x 10.6 inch

£442

Planète #4, Catherine Ludeau

Planète #4

Catherine Ludeau

Design - 9.8 x 9.8 x 1.6 inch

£664

Miami Beach - Vase, Lisa Levina

Miami Beach - Vase

Lisa Levina

Design - 7.9 x 9.3 x 9.3 inch

£969

074, Marieje van Buuren

074

Marieje van Buuren

Design - 27.6 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch

£3,363

Wabi, Gus

Wabi

Gus

Design - 46.5 x 44.9 x 0.8 inch

£3,053

Ebullition Chic, Jérôme Durand

Ebullition Chic

Jérôme Durand

Design - 28.3 x 28.3 x 1.6 inch

£2,389

Vintage Table, Willy Rizzo

Vintage Table

Willy Rizzo

Design - 29.5 x 50.8 x 50.8 inch

£2,655

Puerto Banus, Elena Done

Puerto Banus

Elena Done

Design - 36.2 x 25.6 x 0.7 inch

£788

Bürgerlich Meissen, Dana Widawski

Bürgerlich Meissen

Dana Widawski

Design - 9.8 x 9.8 x 2 inch

£2,655

Anfibio Leather Sofa, Alessandro Becchi

Anfibio Leather Sofa

Alessandro Becchi

Design - 25.6 x 66.9 x 31.5 inch

£12,390

Hobe Berry, Maxime Blanchet

Hobe Berry

Maxime Blanchet

Design - 13 x 10.2 x 10.2 inch

£1,239

Sgarsul Rocking Chair, Gae Aulenti

Sgarsul Rocking Chair

Gae Aulenti

Design - 45.3 x 29.1 x 32.7 inch

£2,301

Johnny Original, Futura 2000

Johnny Original

Futura 2000

Design - 9.8 x 5.9 x 3.9 inch

£531

Pumpkin (red), Yayoi Kusama

Pumpkin (red)

Yayoi Kusama

Design - 12.2 x 34.6 x 0 inch

£372

Elegant vase with bubbles, pattern number 6977, Jaroslav Svoboda

Elegant vase with bubbles, pattern number 6977

Jaroslav Svoboda

Design - 8.3 x 3.1 x 3.1 inch

£345

Vase kiss me everywhere 2, Lea Novaro

Vase kiss me everywhere 2

Lea Novaro

Design - 11.8 x 5.9 x 5.9 inch

£1,168

Des chiffres et des lettres, Hondo

Des chiffres et des lettres

Hondo

Design - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

£1,593

Compression de verre, Jean-Claude Novaro

Compression de verre

Jean-Claude Novaro

Design - 7.9 x 2.8 x 2.8 inch

£3,080

Shogun Table Lamp, Mario Botta

Shogun Table Lamp

Mario Botta

Design - 23.6 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch

£2,655

Brandalised – Liberty Girl (Freedom Edition), Brandalised

Brandalised – Liberty Girl (Freedom Edition)

Brandalised

Design - 10 x 3 x 3 inch

£575

Just saying, Kiara Knevels

Just saying

Kiara Knevels

Design - 33.5 x 25.6 x 0.7 inch

£531

Stay wild, Flu

Stay wild

Flu

Design - 30.7 x 18.1 x 18.1 inch

£1,327

Pair of Wall Lamps, Alain Delon

Pair of Wall Lamps

Alain Delon

Design - 3.5 x 13.8 x 11.4 inch

£1,593

Pair of Strips Armchairs, Cini Boeri Boeri

Pair of Strips Armchairs

Cini Boeri Boeri

Design - 35.4 x 35.4 x 24.4 inch

£2,566

Pair of Maralunga Armchairs, Vico Magistretti

Pair of Maralunga Armchairs

Vico Magistretti

Design - 39.4 x 35.4 x 25.6 inch

£2,832

Pivellina Table Lamp, Gio Ponti

Pivellina Table Lamp

Gio Ponti

Design - 14.2 x 6.7 x 3.3 inch

£973

Coffee Table, Mario Marenco

Coffee Table

Mario Marenco

Design - 12.6 x 34.3 x 34.3 inch

£2,301

Astronaut, Michael Kagan

Astronaut

Michael Kagan

Design - 10.5 x 6 x 6 inch

£1,062

Unique vase, Vaze

Unique vase

Vaze

Design - 14.6 x 10.2 x 11.8 inch

£885

Coffee Table, Edoardo Detti

Coffee Table

Edoardo Detti

Design - 15.4 x 28.7 x 55.1 inch

£1,150

Vintage Table, Francois Monnet

Vintage Table

Francois Monnet

Design - 19.7 x 39.4 x 12.2 inch

£1,416

Table Lamp “Cubosfera” (Cubic Sphere), Alessandro Mendini

Table Lamp “Cubosfera” (Cubic Sphere)

Alessandro Mendini

Design - 6.7 x 6.3 x 6.3 inch

£2,301

Lucilla Table Lamp, Gianfranco Frattini

Lucilla Table Lamp

Gianfranco Frattini

Design - 21.7 x 19.3 x 19.3 inch

£2,212

Vintage Square Mirror, Fontana Arte

Vintage Square Mirror

Fontana Arte

Design - 25.6 x 25.6 x 1.2 inch

£2,212

Marylin Fushia, Andréa Monaco

Marylin Fushia

Andréa Monaco

Design - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

£796

Table Lamp, Oscar Torlasco

Table Lamp

Oscar Torlasco

Design - 18.6 x 12.6 x 12.6 inch

£2,832

Vintage Brass Square Mirror, Luciano Frigerio

Vintage Brass Square Mirror

Luciano Frigerio

Design - 33.5 x 25.2 x 0.8 inch

£2,832

Armchair with Footstool, Sigurd Ressell

Armchair with Footstool

Sigurd Ressell

Design - 31.1 x 31.5 x 39 inch

£2,212

Chaise Longue, Paolo Passerini

Chaise Longue

Paolo Passerini

Design - 38.6 x 25.2 x 65 inch

£2,832

Porcino Table Lamp, Luigi Caccia Dominioni

Porcino Table Lamp

Luigi Caccia Dominioni

Design - 24.8 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch

£2,832

Skateboard - Volubilem Tabula, Rom av J.C

Skateboard - Volubilem Tabula

Rom av J.C

Design - 31.5 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

£310

Homeless, Rose

Homeless

Rose

Design - 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

£115

Wabi - Vases, set of 2 (7 and 12), Lesia Danilina

Wabi - Vases, set of 2 (7 and 12)

Lesia Danilina

Design - 5.9 x 9.1 x 4.7 inch

£531

Butterfly, Sabrina Viola

Butterfly

Sabrina Viola

Design - 9.8 x 9.8 x 1.6 inch

£363

'KD 27' Table Lamp, Joe Colombo

'KD 27' Table Lamp

Joe Colombo

Design - 9.1 x 9.8 x 9.8 inch

£796

Humans are virus, Joan Cornellà

Humans are virus

Joan Cornellà

Design - 10.2 x 5.9 x 2.8 inch

£619

Vintage Crystal Round Mirror Art, Carlo de Carli

Vintage Crystal Round Mirror Art

Carlo de Carli

Design - 28 x 28 x 0.8 inch

£1,327

Four Modus Work Chairs, Marco Zanuso

Four Modus Work Chairs

Marco Zanuso

Design - 29.5 x 18.9 x 18.9 inch

£1,062

Serpente Floor Lamp, Elio Martinelli

Serpente Floor Lamp

Elio Martinelli

Design - 47.2 x 21.7 x 21.7 inch

£1,593

Vintage Italian Bamboo Lamp, Enrico Tronconi

Vintage Italian Bamboo Lamp

Enrico Tronconi

Design - 42.1 x 16.5 x 16.5 inch

£1,416

Mira Table Lamp, Mario Arnaboldi

Mira Table Lamp

Mario Arnaboldi

Design - 46.9 x 3.9 x 1.2 inch

£973

Polifemo Floor Lamp, Carlo Forcolini

Polifemo Floor Lamp

Carlo Forcolini

Design - 79.5 x 20.9 x 11.8 inch

£1,239

Vintage Wall Mirror, Angelo Brotto

Vintage Wall Mirror

Angelo Brotto

Design - 40.2 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch

£1,947

Floor Lamp Grip, Achille Castiglioni

Floor Lamp Grip

Achille Castiglioni

Design - 51.2 x 9.8 x 9.8 inch

£1,593

Vintage French Empire Style Chandelier, French Empire

Vintage French Empire Style Chandelier

French Empire

Design - 22.4 x 14.2 x 14.2 inch

£796

Un vase en lignes d'or !, Noël Granger

Un vase en lignes d'or !

Noël Granger

Design - 9.3 x 4.7 x 2.6 inch

£84

Pair of Vintage Armchairs, Giuseppe Munari

Pair of Vintage Armchairs

Giuseppe Munari

Design - 27.6 x 35.4 x 35.4 inch

£4,248

Le Tank (Enfilade), Franck Scala

Le Tank (Enfilade)

Franck Scala

Design - 21.3 x 52 x 16.5 inch

£5,310

Goldo paillette, Le Youn

Goldo paillette

Le Youn

Design - 47.6 x 39.4 x 2.4 inch

£8,407

Design

Design within the confines of art history is a creative activity or object, most frequently with an industrial or commercial undertone. Objects made under the heading of design are often a reflection of social, political, scientific, and environmental causes. Design has been used as a means to solve problems, as a fundamental objective behind the medium is to create new possibilities or to improve a process. These objects typically are immersive, including an element of interaction between the user and the material itself. At the crux of it all, creators have turned to design as a means to improve the quality of life for humankind. Design is also multidisciplinarity to its core and has been nourished by the arts for centuries.

Design has evidently evolved since its conception. Highly influenced by societal issues and politics, as well as parallel art movements, design objects reflect the period from which they were made. Although similar, it is important to distinguish the difference between design and Decorative Arts, a 19th-century movement known for the creation of art objects. In the century that followed, art and design were undeniably affected by global turmoil and politics, impacting artists universally, resulting in the birth of an array of art movements.

The 20th-century was a period of tremendous artistic upheaval. Design, art, performance, and theater were all tremendously impacted by the two world wars and the Cold War. On top of this, society was rapidly evolving, with rising social and political movements, such as voting rights and women's suffrage. As the world continued to change and progress, so did the world of art. Design belonged to many, if not all, of the major art movements of the 20th-century; including, Art Nouveau, Modernism, Surrealism, Art Deco, Bauhaus, and Postmodernism.

Design continued to evolve into the 21st century, paving the way for contemporary design. There are various misconceptions when it comes to contemporary design. Typically, confusion comes into place when the lines are blurred between the terms “design" and “style." Many use these words interchangeably, but it is important to note the distinguishing factors. Style is part of the design process. Once you have designed the functionality of the piece you are part of the way to the final design. Beyond this, creators will often ponder the definition of design in the 21st century. Designers and artists have drawn upon various 20th-century movements, such as Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian Minimalism, and even, Holywood Regenycy.

Some people oppose the idea that design objects can be considered works of art. However, the borders are porous as some of them emphasize artistic features and are singular and unique. Like artists, designers imagine their pieces as personal creations or are released in limited quantities. Their works are often a means to express their visions of the world. It is important to note that collaborations between artists and designers reinforce the links between these two universes, animated by the same search for beauty. Discover a carefully chosen selection of design objects that span an array of movements, from the past to the present!

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