Three Layer Cake

London Design Week 2007

 

I found that this year’s shows worked a lot more in synch with the early September Paris show on the broad brushes.   Last year,  producers offered a design solution for every surface of your home in order to allow maximum personalization.  This season, London’s show took personalization one step further in offering products which can be individualized in situ.  This of course was most pronounced in the wallpaper area, where solutions by Linda Florence (etch-a-sketch type wallpaper), newcomer Ambient Space Design (animated wallpaper), and Magscapes by Pepper-Mint (magnetic wallpaper) were prime examples.  However, the seed has been planted.  The 100% Thought wall, and the 100% materials idea blocks put up by the 100% organizers to encourage visitor participation and influence over the next edition are also prime examples of the importance of the input of the consumer and how he would build a product or environment to fit his own personal tastes, down to every single detail… I guess this season could best be characterized as  "The “MySpace” of design". 

Because London is a design-capital with a high concentration of designer-makers, the “crafts” aspect of the Fair is not news, it's a starting point, whereas in many other places it is seen as a trend that has enjoyed considerable popularity for the past few seasons.  However, even more dominant this year is an emphasis on the source of the handiwork and how it may not only be ecological and environmentally friendly, but also be a product of the community.  Paula Dib, winner of the 2006 International Young Design Entrepreneur’s Award sponsored by the British Council is an example.  Her work focuses on the community and how traditional crafts or local people may be included in the design process.  With British designers, production is still primarily in the UK from indigenous materials. 

Like in many other sectors in which the search for new horizons has become more pressing, the research of materials has taken an ever greater role in design.  No longer content to use traditional materials like wood, MDF, glass, etc., designers and companies are seeking to challenge material limits and applications and employ discarded materials and applying them to traditional uses.  This means paper lampshades, discarded glass, newspaper, salt...examples of which were exhibited at Liberty's Trash Luxe.

Several themes from Paris still figured big in London:  the use of the written word, iridescence, crystals, a glamourous feel, but also a vintage look, outdoor/indoor, hair (!), 'ecology' or 'green' themes in design patterns and materials, bent wood lampshades, paper lampshades...

Here are pictures of the things I liked most.

Future Factories "Puja" lamp.  I want one!!!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annette Huizing's molded Wallpaper glue and Toilet paper roll. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annette's Play of Lights wall illumination (you can remove the lights and put them in new sockets

on the board to change the pattern) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both: Textiles "Polywobble"  (A huge board fitted with wool balls that vibrate madly when the board

is bumped) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South African artist Bridget West's "Label" upholstery.  (Hidden Art)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diplomat Design:  A moldless fibreglass chair.  Amazingly comfortable, and sturdy, even under

my behind. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diplomat also designed these fruit trays.  Look nice on the wall, too!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The organizers of 100% Design commissioned this lovely "Fabric Garden"  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freedom of Creation's Palm Light.  Janne Kyttanen is really where it's at.  If you want to know

what you should be looking at, what really matters, watch what he's working on.  He's an innovator

and a leader.  He was country when country wasn't cool... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracy Kendall has some new wallpaper designs out.  Another brilliant mind!!  (Have a look at her

3-D wallpaper, it rocks)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gael Horsfall paperclip lights.  Just something about the idea...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 John Male's religious crucifix table, in graffiti font.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elitis (Abbot and Boyd) brushed vinyl wallpaper panels to create the "hair" effect 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Laura McCafferty's textile artwork.  Looks like a drawing, but it's more like a tapestry.  Best in Show?

There was no Border Terrier so I don't know which dog could have won!  Second photo, detail

of Laura's work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katie Roland's Ring Leader jewelry, where words speak louder than who's wearing them. 

Here, the Ring Me ring, personalized with your own phone number.  Each piece of jewelry comes

with its own ink pad.  The next time you need to give someone your number, you have no excuse!! 

Just put your ring on and roll it on the other person's arm, a piece of paper, wherever...  

Second photo, two finger ring being inked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wallpaper Hustle by Nadia Turan.  Artwork on the Forza stand.  Strips of wallpaper attached to

substrate.  Immense.  Impressive. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scabetti's Shoal lamp featuring ceramic fish was most impressive in its gigantic form, in fact, I felt

like Jacques Cousteau when I was walking around it...or Open Water...but they make small ones, too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bangkok-based Danish design team Touchable presented an array of lamps in their debut

at 100% Design. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sixixis, known for their elaborate bent wood furniture, has sold out of its limited edition series

from last year and have moved on to new sets, like the upholstered rocking chair you see there,

and the giant chair!  Indoors or outdoors, all English wood, all English guys.