The Sunday Telegraph – Retro Life

Spring/Summer 2009

Georgia Dehn

Established 1999

The look Two Columbia Road is an East End Mecca for astute Danish design lovers. You’ll always find a Poul Kjaerholm PK 22 chair in stock, but only the pre-1980 edition manufactured by E Kold Christensen. Keith Roberts, who set up the shop with his father Tommy, doesn’t care for re-issues of any sort. Roberts Jr spends at least a few days in Denmark each month scouring for new pieces of furniture to stock. And aside from the rosewood and conker-brown leather, they offer a great range of lighting and pop-art prints from the likes of Peter Blake and Richard Hamilton.

Key pieces Borge Morgensen sofas from the late Fifties sell like hot cakes (£900-£1,100 depending on the colour and condition). According to Roberts they are just the thing for his typical custoner: young people setting up a home who are interested in design and don’t want to go to Ikea. They also nearly always have a rosewood desk by Kai Kristiansen in stock (£1,800).

The address 2 Colmbia Road, London E2 (020 7729 9933; twocolumbiaroad.co.uk)