iStyle: What shall we get Dad?

Forget the usual useless Father’s Day junk, treat your pa to something stylish for his den come June 16th. Kate Burt picks her favourite pieces

With Father’s Day looming, a man-friendly house gift could be a thing to consider. But browsing through the average gender-geared “gift” sections at online interiors shops, or at photo shoots supposedly depicting testosterone-friendly interiors, you’d be forgiven for concluding that men like their homes exclusively filled with leather, gadgets, golf ephemera and whisky glasses.

Poor chaps. Even in some of the most stylish shops, there’s room for this naff, derivative theme. It’s as if there’s no middle ground between pretty vintage perfume bottles and leather-clad decanters. But with some hunting, there is a lot to inspire – it just takes a bit of hunting down.

And Father’s Day is a great prompt to scratch beneath the clichés and find good homewares and furniture that any design-appreciative man (and, indeed, woman) can appreciate.

Some classic shops or brands that specialise in the decidedly ungirly side of design include Folklore, House Doctor DK, Pedlars, Labour & Wait – or the new contender of that ilk, Objects of Use in Oxford. All good for a preliminary browse. Or perhaps one of our pick of objects will be man enough for the job…