Last month I headed to the big smoke for London Design Festival. London Design Festival is one of the most important events in the international design calendar. For me, it’s an annual pilgrimage of sorts, a chance to scope out upcoming trends, find the last product innovations and check out the latest talent.
Today, I want to share what I found – a quick round-up of the best bits. For a more detailed overview of the whole event, check out my upcoming article in November’s issue of The Bath Magazine.
Furniture
One of my favourite stands at 100% Design was Joined + Jointed. A collective of emerging and established designers and makers, brought together by a shared love of contemporary design. They have created an absolutely stunning collection of original furniture pieces, which you can view here.
More beautiful furniture made in the UK, this time from Lozi. Each bespoke piece is handcrafted using traditional techniques. Their work is simple, organic and respectfully made using sustainable materials.
And finally (although I could go on for days…) high-end outdoor furniture designed by Austrian company Viteo. An inspiring brand that believes outdoor furniture should be as aesthetically pleasing, ergonomic, durable and high quality as the finest indoor furniture.
Lighting
It was a real treat to see Serip exhibit their products at this year’s Decorex. Designed to mimic the naturally sculptural shapes of living sea organisms, their unique lights really shine in luxury bars and hotels or in living spaces with very high ceilings.
The beautifully crafted lights of Bert Frank were another Decorex favourite. Designed and manufactured in the UK, the studio put a huge emphasis on quality and craftsmanship. Their range of mid-century influenced lights are made from brass and built to last a lifetime.
Materials
During my trip to LDF, I noticed an influx of brass. It seems this old favourite has come back around and is overtaking copper as the metal of the moment. Frankly, I’m thrilled to see more of this rich, earthy material – it is rough luxe at its finest and of course brass ages beautifully.
Ceramics are becoming increasingly innovative and exciting. I am always keen to see what Bodo Sperlein have been working on, but I was also thoroughly charmed by the colourful ceramic displays of Merete Rasmussen.
To finish up, I just want to mention Bert and May’s latest project; Bert’s Boxes. Pre-fab houses and garden pods built using reclaimed materials and exceptionally well-designed lights and fittings. It’s wonderful to see salvage firmly back on the interior design map.
All images copyright Clair Strong.
