Sometimes, the only place we have any control over is our own homes. It is true to say that the furniture we choose plays a major part in how we live. The design of furniture from the imposing Victorian style to the more minimalist fashion of recent times is interesting, as is the way that our environment has influenced the design of all kinds of furniture. Some quite unusual items have been created.

The transformer robot steel desk, for instance, is similar to the robot in the TV series of the 1960s ‘Lost In Space’, although it was built in 1987. Its bottom section is constructed from steel and most of the top half has been built using painted plywood. The desk has two angled, open shelves above a roll-top section. Its writing surface has twin flaps and sits above is a filing cabinet and drawers.

In 1995, a fold-out table was built by two Japanese designers and is beautifully functional. From an upright side table, it can be folded down into a low coffee table by the use of angled sides and hinges.

In 1967 – a storage unit trolley was designed in order to show off a company’s newly developed laminate. It consists of four columns and 14 layers of laminate shaped in different ways. Mobility is achieved by four castors on its base. The bottom shelves are set at different levels some narrow to accommodate magazines and newspapers. The top shelves are more for cups, plates and glasses.