Now we have to pay so much for our homes, the decision about what to put in them has taken on a new importance.

Some willing to shell out small fortunes for a designer-look kitchen are determined not to spoil the effect by accessorising with a cheap factory line toaster or - heaven forbid - a display of plastic Tupperware.

They and others who love of good design must have the makers of Alessi near the top of their Christmas list.

For 60 years the Italian company has taken everyday kitchen objects and, with the help of a range of designers, artists and architects, turned them into objets d'art.

Yesterday an exhibition opened in Brighton celebrating the legendary brand's 60th anniversary and the development of its products from the Fifties into the 21st Century.

It is a fascinating collection of items. In their day, many were at the cutting edge of design and have since spawned countless imitations, becoming almost industry standards.

The exhibition includes the famous and distinctive Michael Graves kettle, produced in 1985, and perhaps the most famous design of all, the Juicy Salif of 1990 by Philippe Starck.

The public was baffled by its futuristic appearance but this boldly original take on a lemon squeezer soon began appearing on people's shelves and is still a best seller.

Starck's best-known design for Alessi, the Juicy Salif, celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2000 with the production of a gold-plated limited edition. Gold versions can today be bought for £100, while the chrome standard retails for about £35.

The Steamer Trading Cookshop in Ship Street, Brighton, is hosting the exhibition in its cafe until November 30.

Items on display include the citrus basket (a fruit bowl design which launched a string of copies) and a cocktail shaker from 1957. The display from the Sixties demonstrates how the company took the basics and reworked them, transforming them through eyecatching and stylish design.

From the Seventies there is the Spirale ashtray, the familiar condiment set from 1978, a parmesan cheese cellar and espresso coffee maker.

The exhibition continues with Eighties and Nineties classics, ending with an ice cream bowl designed in 2002.

Last year the company dipped a toe into the world of bathrooms but the exhibition concentrates on its kitchenware.

Steamer Trading managing director Ben Phillips said: "Alessi was responsible for injecting fun into objects that had previously been purely functional products for the home and kitchen.

"One of the most famous mystery objects was the lemon squeezer and when it first came out in 1990 nobody knew what it was.

"There are no other design companies that are so distinctive and provoke so much comment and debate about their unusual, and often quirky, products, so I'm sure this exhibition will interest everyone who has seen and owned Alessi items."

The company was founded in 1921 by Giovanni Alessi, a talented sheet-metal worker.

But design as we know it today made its first appearance with Giovanni's son Carlo. Trained as an industrial designer, he joined the company while very young.

In 1955, Alessi opened up to collaboration with external designers, including architect Frank Gehry, best known in Brighton and Hove for his plans for four towers at the King Alfred site on the seafront.