LONDON DESIGN SHOWS 2017

This year was the first time that I’ve been to the London Design Shows, and when I found out that I had to opportunity to go for WORK (!) I was so happy and absolutely buzzing about the trip. I did two of the shows, Decorex and 100% Design.

I didn’t have a set plan really - I’m an Interior Stylist for a CGI company so I just wanted to gather as much inspiration as possible and discover loads of new stuff, so I just followed my nose and went up and down the aisles, quite a few times.

It was like Interiors Heaven, both shows were huge and full of so much furniture, colour, texture, pattern and it took me a few weeks to compute it all and figure out what’s what for new trends, what’s usable for me and the team back at work, and also trends that I like.

I’ve now made sense of my near 300 photos (!) and enjoyed putting them into groups in a little moodpboard style presentation to share with my peers back at the office. It’s actually been a helpful tool to help me remember the important stuff and enabled me to research brands and products more clearly. 

I wanted to share a few of the moodboards that I’ve put together with you, maybe you didn’t get to go to the shows this year, or these particular shows, and maybe you would like to see some highlights of my experience.

I’ve got quite a lot of favourites! But these are some of the highlights for me.

I’ve never seen or touched Timorous Beasties’ gorgeous graffiti velvets in the flesh, the colours are so intense and saturated. It’s not the sort of thing I can see my mum having as a pair of curtains but it’s totally my cup of tea. There was a big focus on unconventional abstract pattern. I suppose it could be used as a statement piece in a room like a cushion, wallpaper or covering an armchair, or maybe all of these for an eclectic look!

I’ve seen Susi Bellamy’s marble printed cushions in store in Heals, but I wasn’t aware that she also did wallpaper and silk scarves!! This stand was so vibrant and caught the attention of all of us walking by.

Statement and massive lighting was everywhere too. I really love Tom Raffield’s steamed wood works of art but I hadn’t seen the No.1 supersize one close up. The craft that’s involved in these lights is awesome. There is a lot of wood lighting about, some are better than others in my opinion like Tom Raffield’s and Joined+Jointed.

I spent a bit of time at Original BTC stand and found out that my favourite style, the Hatton lights are actually made in a factory in Stoke-on-Trent which is where I’m from! It made my day, and loads of other of the porcelain styles are made there too.

It was great to see new products at the shows but it’s also very good (for me) to see a continued influence from mid-century style, Madmen forever! Which means that armchairs in this style will be around for a little longer to give me time to save up for one!

There’s also a continuation for the dark interiors look too, dark walls with jewel coloured velvet furniture and metallic finishes. It all looks very cosy for the winter time, and still very appealing.

Did you go to the shows? What did you see? What were your favourite things?