Think of German design, and you think of Bauhaus, BMWs and back-support chairs – design that is beautifully fit for function, rather than form. Order and functionality are key (I should know: my husband is half-German, and our home is tidy to the point where I leave mess to annoy him), but for all the utilitarian charm of German design, there has been a perceived lack of flair. Expectations are shifting, however. The 2007 furniture fair in Cologne was hailed as the world’s best, above Milan, with the freshest talent. Could Germany be the new Sweden?

It’s not such a farfetched idea. Chrystina Schmidt, the (half-German) managing director of the cool Scandinavian homeware specialist Skandium, is widening her net to include German manufacturers. But, most significant, the designer-furniture emporium Aram is opening a German-only showroom on its second floor, showcasing designs by Interlübke alongside ClassiCon’s Venus chair (£403) and Reisenthel’s trendy “granny trollies”.

These pieces are the best money can buy, which is in line with Aram’s furniture-as-investment ethos.

www.aram.co.uk; 020 7557 7557

FLY BUYS

1 House Couturier has expanded its covetable range to include spindly, twiggy tables in bronze and silver by the German designer Karl Leuthenmayr. From £795; www.housecouturier.com

2 The bathroom specialist Ripples has a penchant for German design. And taps are like shoes – you know if they’re expensive. The Axor range’s latest addition is the Terrano tap, £400; www.ripples.ltd.uk

3 German spray paints, such as Marabu, have a high pigment count, so they are more vivid than ours. Add zing by spritzing picture frames or doilies for place settings. Marabu Buntlack paints, £9.99 for 300ml; www.londongraphics.co.uk

4 The German designer Philipp Mainzer’s Mo bed is the epitome of minimal chic. Made from European oak with beech slats, it’s built to last. £2,995; www.conranshop.co.uk

HOMING INSTINCTS

Marc Jacobs’s last show may have perplexed onlookers (he did everything in reverse order), but his first room fragrance, Home, is a definite hit. The scent reminds me a bit of his Splash perfumes. It’s fresh, with passion-flower and beech-amber hues, and it’s perfect for mood-mapping yourmaison. Olfactory decorating is all the rage, you know. Instead of the staple scented candle, there is a room mist, scent decanter with sticks (so continental) and hand wash. It’s Jacobs’s second big move into homeware, after his crockery range for Waterford Crystal. Who knows? Maybe the king of glamorous grunge is gearing up to help the world out with some chic nest-feathering.

Room Fragrance Mist, £25, Scent Decanter with Reeds, £30, and Moisturising Hand Wash, £15; 0800 652 7661

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