The Furniture Exhibition of 1958 at Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre in London was the place to see new models for the home. These ingenious designs were often more compact, more suited for modern living, and had the sleek flair that was so popular at the time. Without the same home stores and shopping malls of today, consumers were often left to the devices of the local department store or mail order catalogs. Neither offered all that much selection, so home shows like these were well-attended and quite enthralling for women who prided themselves on the impeccable appearance and function of their homes.

In the film reel below we see a variety of new-fangled home ideas, such a bentwood portable bar which the narrator most pointedly announces would make a wonderful bedside table! Another interesting piece of furniture was something really far out which combined the functions of a cabinet, a telephone table, and a gossip bench. Have a look at the video below from British Pathé.