: Going cut-out Crazy.

HOLES are hip. Those famous mints with the holemay traditionally have been the most memorable product, but accessories for the home are now vying to fill the gap.

Wherever you look there are holes cut out of vases, lamps, chairs - in fact, you name it and it's perforated. The significance of the hole in art goes back to antiquity, particularly Aztec and Mayan sculptural work as well as Celtic stone sculpture.

Renowned sculptors Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth became known for - and were occasionally irreverently mocked - for their use of space with the hole as part of the design. The current fashion in home products for a cut-out is an intriguing mixture of the current love for 70s retro and adding a quirky and different twist to the functional. Simon Alderson, director of Twentytwentyone, London specialists in contemporary furniture, says: ``Every era and decade has produced furniture and products featuring cutouts and cut-aways. It gives a sculptural quality to pieces.

``There is an enduring fascination for creating lightness in practical structures and architects and designers are always flirting and experimenting with it.

``There is a renewal of interest in it at the moment.'' Twentytwentyone has a stunning loop table made of fibre-cement, with two holes, created by designer Willy Guhl which costs pounds 300.

Another classic is the Landi chair in perforated aluminium, pounds 275, by Hans Coray. It originally dates from the 1930s. Curmudgeonly Victor Meldrew might exclaim with his famous TV catchphrase ``I don't believe it'' if he was asked to buy objects with holes cut out of them. But that would be churlish. Fashion followers already have caught the style, and are following the craze for cutouts. Luckily it's easy to get the whole perspective - because some of the coolest designs are now 90pc inspiration and 10pc perforation.

The Conran Shop has many perforated accessories to reflect the trend. Its sleek Metro beech magazine rack with a brushed aluminium panel punched with holes, pounds 49, complements its brushed aluminium hanging vase, pounds 49.95, and glass jug with elliptical hole, pounds 34.95.

Its Diva side chair in mocha stained beech with solid back punched with 12 holes, pounds 79, is an alternative choice, as is the chic, contemporary Trans mesh chair, pounds 69 - a mass of holes and steel.

If you want to sit in style The Chair Company boasts one of the widest ranges offering wood, leather, rattan and upholstered.And, of course, it has those little perforations. The geometrically patterned Nitrogen chair, in beech or oak, is pounds 139. For those who love classic design, the Diamond, a chrome mesh chair with a red or black aniline leather cushion, at pounds 425, is hard to beat. It is based on a 1952 design by Harry Bertoia. Marks and Spencer has embraced the craze with a cream Touch lamp, and perforated shade, pounds 18, and Pierced Ceramic lamp with holes in a fern leaf design on the base, topped with a parchment shade, pounds 65.

Not to be outdone Bhs has a sleek Vegas Lamp with a cream base and elliptical hole, pounds 30, as well as the Inca table lamp, pounds 55, with a cut out design.

Tiny holes cut in wall lights give a diffused glow, and Next Home has ceramic wall lights with just that effect. Each one has a set of interchangeable colour back panels in pink, blue, and natural, and they cost pounds 19.99 each. A chunky white bone china table lamp with pin holes, is pounds 19.99. Why not store CDs in a spinning wood cube holder, with holes punched out of the sides? It takes 30 CDs and costs pounds 24.99. Reflect the trend in the bathroom with a brushed stainless steel holed laundry bin, pounds 39.99.

Heal's is always ahead on style and it has a host of home accessories with holes. There's a perforated brushed steel memo board, pounds 25 - magnets pounds 1.95 each - and a stainless steel umbrella stand, pounds 60.

Or check out its wastepaper bin, pounds 50, and laundry bin, pounds 129. Its chic tan leather table mats and coasters have a circular centre hole.

Tan leather coasters, pounds 7.50 a pair, and matching place mats, pounds 27.90 a pair. Jugs and candles have been given the treatment at Habitat.

The Lire glass jug with a centre hole, pounds 20, while the Colombo candle is made of a web of holes. Large can-dle pounds 20, small pounds 10. Or go the whole way and have a sculpture for the home or garden dramatically demonstrating the hole as design. Icelandic sculptor, SwanHildur is amongst many artists based in Britain who has pieces using the concept and can be commissioned.

But beware, once you start you could find this is a trend that grows on you. It could develop into a pas-sion for perforations. Gabrielle FaganStockistsTwentytwentyone, London 020 7288 1996/ www.twentytwentyone.com The Conran Shop 020 7589 7401/ www.conran.com The Chair Company 020 8547 2211/www.thechair.co.uk.

Marks & Spencer 0845 603 1603/ www.marksandspencer.com Bhs 020 7262 3288 Next Home 0845 600 7000 Heal's 020 7636 1666 Habitat 0845 601 0740 SwanHildur 020 7589 6667/ theoattdws.co.uk

CAPTION(S):

FLICKER: Habitat's Colombo candle is a web of holes. large pounds 20, small, pounds 10; ELLIPTICAL:; Vegas lamp with cream base from Bhs, pounds 30; SHADE: Marks and Spencer touch lamp, pounds 18; LIGHTING: Marks and Spencers pierced ceramic lamp and toile lamp, both pounds 65; SOUND INVESTMENT: Spinning wooden CD cube holders from Next Home, priced at pounds 24.99 each; SCULPTURE:; Sun by SwanHildur; SITTING: The; Chair Company's nitrogen chair in beech oak, pounds 139; CHROME: The Chair Company's diamond chrome mesh chair, pounds 425