Three Layer Cake

Trend: Urban Landscapes

The City As Protagonist 

In reaction to the sprawling metropolis, an (over)abundance of nature has been introduced in patterns on every possible surface for interiors:  leaves, owls, deer, birds, flowers have been proposed on pillows, wallpaper, fabrics, screens all in the pursuit of tranquility in the home when urban living is inescapable.  While this nature trend is definitely still going strong, for those people who just love urban living, hectic or not, the city is a rising protagonist in the home.

Annabel Faraday uses maps, street scenes, and industrial imagery.  Don’t fancy West Lodnon?  Annabel will use your own neighborhood, wherever you are.  Pictured here West London bottle, left.  Big Boy Platter, right.  Intro photo, Chelsea/Battersea vase.

Timorous Beasties teamed up with 'sister company' 3-Cubed to produce the London Toile tableware collection (Paul Simmons of Timorous Beasties and Rosie Simmons of 3-Cubed are siblings.)  Here, scenes from city living appear on 13" plates.  London Toile Coup Plate in blue, left.  London Toile Coup Plate "Mugger", right.   (Does the victim appear lighter in color than the mugger on your monitor, too??)

The London Toile print follows award-winning design team Timorous Beasties ' first city pattern, Glasgow Toile:

 Japanese artists Hiroshi Matsui and Eiko Yano produced the “London’s World Exhibition Fan” on a fan which shows London detail on one side and the underground map on the reverse.  It is modernity with tradition combined in one piece.  Hiroshi has been making traditional Edo folding fans (Edo Sense) with his father since he was 11.  (image from designboom 100% design review)  Presented as part of Edogawa Ward's project to promote its traditional craftsmen (Edogawa Ward is located on the eastern edge of Tokyo)

Parisian designer Hervé Matejewski has created high-quality digitally printed window and lampshades for the home with images of Paris and New York.  (Pictured here:  To contrast with the real view of the Eiffel Tower to the front of this Paris apartment interior designed by mat&jewski, the rear of the apartment features a view of New York.)

CJ O’Neill presented her new Feeding Desire line during London Design Festival.  The words are cut into the plates using waterjet.

Several of the placemat collections by Ella Doran feature city aspects.  Here Tokyo Streets (first photo), Urbis Tokyo (second photo top row), and Urbis Manchester (bottom row).  Hidden Art member Ella Doran has created an iconic product through her adept manipulation of the photographic image and vivid color, drawing on elements of everyday life.