In the world of contemporary furniture many designs enjoy a life of their own, defying the limitations dictated by passing trends. And there are plenty of examples ? the timeless designs of Mies van de Rohe and Charles and Ray Eames being the most well-known.

For those that are blissfully unaware, Van de Rohe favourites include the Barcelona series incorporating armchairs, Ottomans and daybeds that originated back in the late 1920's. You'd be challenged not to find wannabe copies in many High-Street stores including Mr Price.

Only a handful of local suppliers stock the originals, including interior showroom M-Source www.m-source.co.za The Barcelona armchair and Ottoman in white leather with the Barcelona Daybed in black leather are two examples.

And the current trend of embracing all that is past is ever apparent. Open any design or interior magazine and the flood of bygone inspiration abounds, from reworked crochet to old-style felt trimmings on lamps and cushions, not to mention the new life infused into rusted and abandoned furniture, as well as the contemporary take on the retro beanbag. Unlike the design icons of Eames and the like, most people think many of these will have a short lifespan.

Timeless classics

This brings us to the question: "What makes a piece of furniture timeless?"

Design experts are in a constant quandary. Some describe it timeless furniture as "appealing simplicity" and others as "the perfect combination of past, present and future", whilst adjectives such as "quality", "craftsmanship" and "elegance" are offered as key elements to timelessness.

Beauty, as is commonly said, is in the eye of the beholder, so surely timeless beauty is something that in our own eyes will stand the very test of time?

There are designs that have come before and continue to delight and then there are the new designs that are set to become the design classics of tomorrow. One of the most respected newcomers is internationally acclaimed Spanish designer Jaime Hayon. Whilst many describe Hayon's style as "indescribable" many of his influences are an obvious fusion of elements from past, present and future.

Modern but classic

Locally, furniture showroom Kiek recently added a collection of inspiring new designs to their contemporary furniture range www.kiek.co.za.

A collaborative design effort by business partners Miles Hamilton-Brown and Leon Roodt, this collection embraces the form and shapes of the psychedelic sixties but has infused them with contemporary lines and colours. The resulting retro feel is quite delicate though allowing the ease to intersperse these pieces amongst more conventional modern elements.

My Space Coffee Table with conical legs and Swiss Armchair with wood inlays and quilted upholstery all offer odes to '60's and '70's design.

Style versus junk?

So whilst looking to the not-so-distant past for design inspiration is nothing new what should we keep in mind when integrating these designs into our modern interiors? How do we avoid crossing the narrow line between undeniable style and junkyard dog? Can we transform our interiors to look less clash and more dash?

We asked architectural and interior designer Robert Thomson of M-Source what he thought and he offered this bit of advice: "Always look for pieces that work with each other and have a common thread or theme. This may be in the form of a shape or a colour palette. Thoughtful marrying of similar shapes and colours is the way to avoid a clashing disaster."

Thomson also adds: "Personally, at my young yet nostalgic age, I think it is very inspiring looking to the past to boldly go where no piece of designer furniture has gone before? beam-bag me up Scotty!"