LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2019: 100% DESIGN
This year the London Design Festival celebrates 25 years, so I knew it would be an inspiring trip. As well as showcasing some of the world’s leading interior brands, the festival also celebrates hot new talent from designers and makers.
Having attended LDF shows for the past few years, a key observation I would make for 2019 is the shift from rich, luxe and rather opulent styles and materials (think back to the jewel coloured velvets with dark woods and jungle palm prints we’ve been seeing so often) to a far lighter and more considered approach - low key, minimalist designs that showcase high attention to craftsmanship, sustainability, global concerns and climate change. The furniture largely featured fusions and mixtures of materials – varieties of woods, resins and woven fabrics.
Pamela Print’s handwoven textures for interior accessories promote highly sustainable, renewable and biodegrade pure merino wool, sourced from the British Isles. Pamela is all about the slow textile movement to create considered contemporary designs. The traditional dobby loom can take up to 4 hours to create one cushion and the loom itself takes 3-4 days to set up prior to that. The tonal colours in subtle geometric designs take inspiration from Art Deco architecture with pops of colour in her gorgeous throws and cushions.
A Sense of Finland provoked the theme of sustainability both elegantly and subtly. The specially-designed eco log cabin demonstrates a focus on wellbeing, presenting the very best materials and furniture sourced from top-quality Finnish wood. Calm sounds of the forest breeze played through the space and heightened the senses to create a cocooning, immersive experience.
A couple of show-stopping bathroom pieces dominated attention at Antonoilupi. The translucent copper coloured bath and turquoise sink pedestal are made from a newly developed resin with interesting technical characteristics, designed to give both lightness and solidity.
Featured at the very front and centre of the exhibition was Design Fresh, a collection of works by thirty designers curated by Barbara Chandler, Design Editor of Homes & Property at the London Evening Standard. These designers were selected to show how global concerns such as waste and climate change can be tackled through design. I particularly like the Concertina Collection by Hew Evans, who cut ash and cherry woods to produce a versatile and semi fluid material. The chair was a really eye catching piece and I love how the wood is paired with the funky orange legs.
For me though, the highlight of the whole event came right at the end. As I exited the main exhibition hall I was guided down a retro mint and pink carpet where I collected my ticket to board a retro underground tube carriage.
Award winning studio Kirkby Design had brought an original 1967 Victoria Line carriage to life with a splendid range of fabrics to recreate the iconic moquette designs used for the underground seating in the 1930’s. This exciting, immersive venue was an inspired choice to showcase these candy pastel velvets in their full glory. If only my daily commute was this stylish!
