Bulletin

London Design Festival, the event that was on everyone’s lips last week, with good reason as this year was jam-packed with unmissable events. We have put together a little summary of our favourite installations from this year’s festivities.

TouchySmellyFeelyNoisy
How do our senses influence how we interpret design? An interesting question that Tom Dixon’s studio explored last week. Located at Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, the space was turned into an area of different zones which focused on either sight, smell, taste, touch or smell. Padded walls and a razor bar (not as dangerous as it sounds) were featured in the ‘Touchy Feely’ Arch, while a carrot installation was housed in the Coal Office restaurant – it doesn’t get more sensational than that!

Camille Walala
We couldn’t give a run down of our favourite bits from London Design Festival and not mention Camille Walala – she is one of our favourite artists because she doesn’t do anything half-hearted or run-of-the-mill and this year’s exposition was no exception. Taking place at South Molten Street in the West End, Walala brightened up everybody’s day by turning one of London’s most charming streets into a big, bright and bold open-air living room. Complete with geometric benches, planters and sculptural areas to have lunch and catch up with colleagues, this display was purposely curated to bring attention the lack of colour and open social space in the city.

VOID
Londoners love an immersive experience, we really can’t get enough, which is why VOID was one of our top choices at this year’s LDF. Partnering with The Experience Machine, designer Dan Tobin Smith produced an unforgettable installation which allowed visitors to pass through different zones which blurred the lines between design and nature, using projections of magnified gem-stones on the walls of Collins Music Hall in Islington Green, which was truly show-stopping.

Photo Credit: It's Nice That

When one design show ends, another begins; we’ve said goodbye to London Design Festival and are saying hello to Decorex 2019, one of the most-established interior design shows that the city sees every year. Comprising select exhibits, exciting collaborations and exclusive panel talks from the designers themselves, from all over the world.

A few of our top designers in this year’s line up include Bert Frank, a luxury lighting designer whose pendants we love and have used in the master bedroom of Chapter House, our luxury collection of apartments in Covent Garden. The different collections from Bert Frank are unique pieces which are so intricately designed, they really lift any space and make quite the centrepiece.

Novocastrian is another British company that produce one-of-a-kind pieces that are created by their team of talented craftsmen, metalworkers, artists and welders. Their Stanhope Coffee Table and Port Free Floor Standing Mirror are just a couple of their stand-out designs handcrafted with British marble and patinated glass. You can guarantee that if you had one of these pieces in your home, it will last a lifetime and be a topic of conversation with guests.

Another looming designer who we’ve had the pleasure of working with for our show apartment at The Makers is Charlotte Jade, her brand specialise in making wallpaper, textiles and cushions (just to name a few) in hand-crafted patterns that have been inspired by beautiful aspects of nature, bringing the outside into your home in a truly sophisticated yet vibrant way. Her palm print wallpaper is one of our favourites and instead of applying it to the wall, we love the effect it has when putting it on the ceiling.

There we have it, our round up of this year’s Decorex! From 6-9th October at Olympia London you can get involved and browse some of the latest collections from up-and-coming and established designers while also discovering some new favourites.

Photo Credit: Will Scott

Gone are the days of white walls, crisp furniture and simple finishing touches because it appears as though minimalism has had its time in the sun. Maximalism has slowly been creeping its way back into our lives, from fashion to interior design and the aesthetic is on the rise as people are getting more and more creative.

After spending day-in-day-out in the same old office, coffee shop and commuting on a cramped train for what seems like a lifetime, it’s understandable that a clean, fresh and refined space would be something you might find appealing – but a colourful room filled with collectable items, textures, layers and beautiful pieces of ornate furniture is just the ticket for escaping your woes into a different world. Elle Décor have recently touched on this topic and couldn’t have worded it any better: ‘This sort of visual cacophony is not what some call restful; the judgemental may argue that it doesn’t leave a lot of room for one’s own thoughts. But then, who wants to think all the time?’

The current effect that social media has on society has played quite a significant role in the resurgence of this trend because image is everything and as that old saying goes: ‘Content is King.’ Vibrant patterns, geometric shapes and unique artwork are the ingredients for unusual content that will create an impact and attract attention, plus why can’t we let loose a little and make our space fun, playful and personal to us?