There are plenty of people guilty of winging it at work, but Reestore's Deborah desk, made from a plane's wing, gives you the perfect excuse to do just that. Made of aluminum, on stainless steel legs, the retro-style desk is topped with a slab of heavy-duty glass to stop your computer and other stuff from slipping off the aerodynamic surface.

The Deborah is one of a number of furnishings and accessories that have been cleverly transformed from abandoned objects by Reestore's designers. Other products include a shopping trolley repurposed as a chair (the Annie) and an illuminated coffee table made from a washing machine drum (the Silvana).

At around $3,000, the wing desk is a whole lot more expensive than Ikea, but at least you'll be flying the flag for eco design.

Photo: Courtesy of Reestore.com

Lay your Kindle aside for a moment for an admiring look at books like they used to make them: Penguin has released luxurious new hardcover editions of selected classics. With beautiful cover designs stamped on linen cases and ribbons to mark your place, these are the kind of books worth creating a library around.

There are currently 20 volumes in the series, and three of our favorites are especially good buys for those with an adventurous spirit: a ten-year expedition that features war, monsters, and shipwrecks; a little girl's journey to a fantasy world populated by eccentric locals; and a captivating tale of treasure maps and pirates.

Okay, go back to your Kindle. Useful, yes, but not nearly as collectible.

Penguin Classics: Homer's The Odyssey; Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass; Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island; $20 each.