London Design Week: The Highlights
Accompany us on a tour of the final events of London Design Week. There’s been some eye-opening exhibits and wondrous designs that have given us bags of inspiration to take away with us. Come and check out our highlights from London Design Fair, Design Junction and the stalls at Luxury Made.
London Design Fair
Walking through the maze of stalls in The Old Truman Brewery, situated in Shoreditch, we all felt a rush of excitement. Immediately the atmosphere felt very different to that of 100% Design and Decorex. This particular event was triumphing the smaller artisans, the independent craftsmen whose work and skills were a reflection of their own individuality. Decorex in particular, kept a tight focus on designer furniture, lighting and the occasional accessory stall. Super Brands and Tent London welcomed an array of crafts from scrap metal sculptures to hand woven tapestries. This meant the venue was rich in diverse artistries.
The event also presented a number of artists with interactive installations, which was a refreshing addition to the experience. Here are some innovative brands we discovered:
3rd Culture – Whilst on our journey, we came across this vibrant brand whose prints are to die for. Eclecticism is always being reintroduced to our interior palette and the textiles created by 3rd Culture reflect that. Inspired by a range of traditional patterns from various continents, 3rd Culture celebrates the unity of culture by taking elements from designs and using them to upholster their furniture and light shades. We found their patterns to be invigorating. Each incorporated geometric lines, bold colours and fine detail, creating a marvellous result. Take a look at the images of their stall and decide for yourself.
Melody Rose - We found Melody Rose’s quality pieces within the bustling crowds of the event. The delicate bone china tableware is traditionally designed with a modern twist. Each elegantly shaped cup is laced with a contemporary motif that makes it current and interesting. They certainly know how to bring the concept of a tea party into the modern age. Their founder, Melanie Roseveare enjoys the juxtaposition of quaint and quirky which is a huge factor in her work. Take a peek at her interesting collections:
Norquay – Originally founded in Montreal by canoeist Natasha Wittke, this remarkable company have transformed the idea of art having to reside on a conventional canvas. A canvas for her, is on a quality hand-made paddle. These stunning wooden paddles can be used for ornamental purposes; clustered as a display to create a fabulous wall-art piece. This coincides with the emerging trends in rustic and Scandinavian design. Alternatively they also produce the same paddles that are finished for water use, to pose as a beautiful and streamlined companion in the water. Norquay were highlighted as ‘one to watch’ in a trend discussion at 100% Design this week and justly so in our opinion!
Design Junction
Design Junction presented a huge range of interesting arrangements and stylish items. It was designer lighting that dominated the show and captured our attention. Take a look at the amazing fixtures we saw by innovative brands:
Ango – Ango are notorious for their iconic designs which include curved lines and globe shapes which create magical outlines. They were demonstrating some of their finest work, with chandeliers from their Chrystalis collection hanging from the ceiling. The shades were made up of individual silk cocoons, breath-taking! See for yourself:
7 Gods Lighting – Another lighting brand that caught our eye was 7 Gods Lighting. Their glamorous, hyper-cool designs were mesmerising when illuminated. Many involved angular edges that gave them an almost diamond-like appearance. See their twinkling fixtures below:
Luxury Made
Luxury Made’s exclusive section featured at 100% Design. It gave us a chance to catch up with some of our current brands and acquaint ourselves with some new ones.
Hamilton Conte Paris – Hamilton Conte never fail to impress with their opulent designs that ooze style and taste. We were eager to view items in their new collection. A particular favourite of ours was their new cabinet, adorned with exquisite embroidery forming a peacock pattern. It certainly drew attention to Hamilton Conte’s section along with the wonderful arrangement of sofas, armchairs, ornaments and designer coffee tables that accompanied it. See for yourself:
Marc de Berny – We came across this brand and were impressed by their chosen arrangement. Their pieces experiment with different textures and lines, some motivated by naturally occurring forms. They were displaying a very attractive sofa, it appeared to have taken influence from vintage design and finished with a modern touch.
We hope you've enjoyed hearing about our highlights from the last week. Give us your comments on what you saw and how you found it!
