Large scale terrazzo from Alt Rock Surfaces.
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Following on from the Kirby Design Train I shared earlier this week I thought we’d have a little browse around what’s new on the landscape from last weeks London Design Festival. Getting around the exhibits is a fairly gargantuan task, last Friday found me hot footing it from Olympia to Shoreditch and then on to Kings Cross & Marylebone, my feet were so tired when I got home! So what were my overall impressions, I think I came away most struck by design that had fun with itself (we won’t mention the ‘F**k You All’ rug that I loved from Sweden’s stand at London Design fair!) design that had a feeling of playfulness, perhaps it’s a reaction to Brexit/years of austerity, but I was so drawn to the bold this time round. There’s nothing terribly new on the horizon, perhaps an adaption of scale on surfaces like terrazzo, a move from blush to bubblegum and lilac, and a more pronounced nod towards sustainability. I was often drawn to things I already love – luxury craft, wood, curves, greenery, pinks, velvets and rust – so here is a rundown of the things that really caught my eye, most are from London Design Fair which was my absolute favourite.
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Starting with surfaces, I am loving the Swirl collection just launched by Tom Dixon. Always right on the curve of what you are just about to want, Tom Dixon has done it again. This range comes in an array of colour popping shades, but I think the monochrome is most special.
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This is where my reference to bubblegum comes in! Marshmallow by Esatfisek, which was shown at London Design Fair, is just about the most fun you can pack into a beautiful design piece! I love the sumptuous curves of these pieces from Turkey, and once you see the name of the collection you can’t stop seeing a particular brand of pink and white marshmallows everywhere! The simplicity of the wood, the curves, the bolsters, make for a great balance between joy and sophistication.
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This was one of my favourite small scale installations at the design shows. I love the palette and playfulness of these Welsh made products by young design firm Sit Still Studio who won an associate place at London Design Fair through New Designers, one to watch!
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I saw Made in Mallorca last year at London Design Show and loved their surface materials, but this years offerings from Contain took my breath away. Please, please, can I have this terrazzo side table, isn’t it just a dream?! Durable and stylish, there is much to love from this fabulous furniture and lighting brand.
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Premium glass brand LSA celebrated their fifth decade this year with Greenhouse, a tribute to sustainabile design and a showcase for their new collaboration Canopy with the Eden Project. Winner of the coveted iF Design Award, the CANOPY collection was “conceptually inspired by two of the Eden projects core goals of conserving water and plant life thus, the design of CANOPY is centred around the concepts of hydration and propagation”. It is a really beautiful collection including curved vases, self watering planters and gorgeous terrariums with cork lids, I have been kindly gifted some of these items and can’t wait to use them in the Design Soda house.
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Having digested the heart-stopping Kirkby Design train, there was one other brand that really caught my eye at 109% Design. Swedish company Garsnas From plush sofas with comfort and sophistication, to perfectly pretty modular sofas that echo the design ethos of Petite Friture (who I always love), this company are now firmly on my radar.
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Scandinavian design house Soren Lund always pull me in at the design shows and this occasion was no different, I loved the soft caramel leather and grey tones, but these origami inspired lights were the stand out piece for.
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Almost as though someone suggested having a bath in a tea cup, and then their blousy aunt insisted it was lilac! Almost. The Casini bath from BC Designs would make such a brilliant statement piece. I for one am pretty bored of predictable roll-tops, and the super simple modern versions in rustic Scandi cottages, this my friends ups the ante if baths are a focal point of your bathing experience (give me a shower any day, but this may persuade even me!).
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Final stop, Another Country, who do the most beautifully crafted and understated pieces. The Another bed is one of the brands new launches and it holds the brands signature combination of wood and natural materials in perfect symmetry.
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To end where we started (opening image of piece is from the Alt Rock Surfaces collection) this was my favourite example of terrazzo scaled up. This super sized terrazzo looks amazing in commercial spaces, but I can see it translating for domestic use too. Having just tiled a part of our kitchen in terrazzo, I have to say I’m more than a little pleased to have still seen so much of it during the festival, terrazzo isn’t going anywhere.
