Trend spot at London Design Festival 2014
At my recent visit to the Tent design show at London Design Festival I spotted an interesting trend emerging…
Many of the exhibitors, showing cutting edge design from all over the world, had made detailed, elaborate surface texture a prominent part of their work.
Here is a quick round up of images showing texture being used to great visual effect on everything from stools to mirrors to wallpaper and also showing the wide range of materials used to create this, including paper, concrete, metal and fabric.
Jeonghwa Seo stool with luxuriously smooth bases topped with contrastingly rough textured concrete.
Jake Phipps had some of my favourite pieces in the whole show including this fabulous faceted mirror and mirrored screen and this beautiful bureau. The chest is encrusted with delicate golden barnacles and looks like it has been brought up from a palace under the sea. I love this piece for its humour, but I want to own it for its true lustrous beauty.
(Can you spot me enjoying the Jake Phipps exhibits?)
More textured stools spotted in the 100% Norway part of the exhibition, but this time with something a lot softer than concrete – a chunky knit effect and felt.
Konomi Noguchi & Carina Ellegaard created this beautiful folded chair as part of the Danish Made section of the exhibition. This country showcase featured prototype works by new designers, inspired by two Danish design demi-gods: Hans Wegner and Børge Mogensen. See below also the folded fabric used in a bench design by Carina Maria Mølgaard and the faceted front on the Waffle Sideboard designed by Anders Engholm & Sarah Cramer.
Anja Slapničar is a ceramic artist from Slovenia featured on the Room 39 stand with her fabulous handmade faceted concrete creations.
Cubo Gallery and Shop even managed to bring texture to storage with their Pinpres shelving by OOO My Design. This playful piece allows you to make shelving fun and flexible by moving the pins in and out to create space for whatever you want to store. Handy to have around, but stylish even when empty.
Lee Borthwick’s mirror tapestries show a great use of texture and materials to create an installation which is light and delicate.
Tracey Tubb’s wallcoverings are a beautiful mixture of wallpaper and origami. The eagle eyed among you may remember seeing them before… on the Great Interior Design Challenge! Using texture to create pattern on a wall is very unusual and creates huge impact.
And last, but not least, is this fabulous pink stool with folded texture on the side creating a stylish crisp ruffle. Designed by Marie Louise Hellgren this is actually made out of airbag material upcycled into something elegant and chic.
So there you have it – surface texture is coming out in bolder, more distinctive ways in new design with everything from barnacles to air bags making an appearance. Does this mean we will see a move towards pattern and decoration being created through texture and shape instead of illustration or repeats? I don’t know, but if it looks as good as these products then I really don’t mind!
Read our other updates from London Design Festival – all about lighting, patterned tiles and an inspiring furniture collaboration.
Which is your favourite of the pieces above? If you could pick one to have in your home what would it be?
Thanks for reading, hope you've enjoyed this trend spot!
Becky
Many of the exhibitors, showing cutting edge design from all over the world, had made detailed, elaborate surface texture a prominent part of their work.
Here is a quick round up of images showing texture being used to great visual effect on everything from stools to mirrors to wallpaper and also showing the wide range of materials used to create this, including paper, concrete, metal and fabric.
Jeonghwa Seo stool with luxuriously smooth bases topped with contrastingly rough textured concrete.
Jake Phipps had some of my favourite pieces in the whole show including this fabulous faceted mirror and mirrored screen and this beautiful bureau. The chest is encrusted with delicate golden barnacles and looks like it has been brought up from a palace under the sea. I love this piece for its humour, but I want to own it for its true lustrous beauty.
(Can you spot me enjoying the Jake Phipps exhibits?)
More textured stools spotted in the 100% Norway part of the exhibition, but this time with something a lot softer than concrete – a chunky knit effect and felt.
Konomi Noguchi & Carina Ellegaard created this beautiful folded chair as part of the Danish Made section of the exhibition. This country showcase featured prototype works by new designers, inspired by two Danish design demi-gods: Hans Wegner and Børge Mogensen. See below also the folded fabric used in a bench design by Carina Maria Mølgaard and the faceted front on the Waffle Sideboard designed by Anders Engholm & Sarah Cramer.
Anja Slapničar is a ceramic artist from Slovenia featured on the Room 39 stand with her fabulous handmade faceted concrete creations.
Cubo Gallery and Shop even managed to bring texture to storage with their Pinpres shelving by OOO My Design. This playful piece allows you to make shelving fun and flexible by moving the pins in and out to create space for whatever you want to store. Handy to have around, but stylish even when empty.
Lee Borthwick’s mirror tapestries show a great use of texture and materials to create an installation which is light and delicate.
Tracey Tubb’s wallcoverings are a beautiful mixture of wallpaper and origami. The eagle eyed among you may remember seeing them before… on the Great Interior Design Challenge! Using texture to create pattern on a wall is very unusual and creates huge impact.
And last, but not least, is this fabulous pink stool with folded texture on the side creating a stylish crisp ruffle. Designed by Marie Louise Hellgren this is actually made out of airbag material upcycled into something elegant and chic.
So there you have it – surface texture is coming out in bolder, more distinctive ways in new design with everything from barnacles to air bags making an appearance. Does this mean we will see a move towards pattern and decoration being created through texture and shape instead of illustration or repeats? I don’t know, but if it looks as good as these products then I really don’t mind!
Read our other updates from London Design Festival – all about lighting, patterned tiles and an inspiring furniture collaboration.
Which is your favourite of the pieces above? If you could pick one to have in your home what would it be?
Thanks for reading, hope you've enjoyed this trend spot!
Becky