It’s All Woolly Good

 animals, Art, collaborations, colour, craft, decorative, Designer-Maker, events, homewares, inspirational, interiors, London, nice things, textiles, texture, things to do  No Responses »
Mar 142013
 

Woolweek Its All Woolly Good

Yesterday saw the opening of this year’s Wool Week by Campaign For Wool at Wool House, Somerset House. I first got excited by Wool Week two years ago with their Wool Modern exhibition, which I loved for all its crafty exhibitors but found disappointing due to its heavy fashion emphasis and a lack of homewares. This year, they’ve totally turned it around with more interiors and homewares than you can shake a sheep at. Which is only right, when you think about how much wool is a major player in homewares; from cushions, carpets to sofas and blankets. Very nicely curated, with an extensive exploration across all interior styles and colours. Go in with open eyes and prepare to be amazed. You’ll never look at a sheep in the same way again. It’s a cracker.

Photos from left to right, top to bottom:
Infinity carpet runner by Christian Zuzunaga for Brintons
Arran jumper armchair by Champ Upholstery with Vintage Clothes- seen in the Natural Room by Josephine Ryan.
Fabric walls in Wool Sateen Glace Indigo by Holland & Sherry- seen in the Classic Drawing Room by Fox Linton Associates
Wool lettering detail
Curved Laine, three-dimensional acoustic sound absorbing panel, 100% wool felt, made to order, designed by Anne Kyyrö Quinn- seen in Modern Room by Anne Kyyrö Quinn.
detail of the cloud mobile, custom made for Wool House, by Donna Wilson- seen in Nursery by Donna Wilson.
Leaf, pink acoustic sound absorbing panel, 100% wool felt, made to order, designed by Anne Kyyrö Quinn- seen in Modern Room by Anne Kyyrö Quinn.
Chain carpet, designed by Ashley Hicks, woven to order by Alternative Flooring- seen in Study by Ashley Hicks.
knitted vessels by Hilary Anderson-Barr- seen in the Natural Room by Josephine Ryan.

The Campaign for Wool’s WOOL HOUSE
Wool House, West Wing, Somerset House, London
13 – 24 March 2013
Open daily
Free admission

Scratch The Surface

 architecture, decorating, decorative, events, interiors, product design, surfaces, texture  No Responses »
Feb 072013
 

Surface Design Scratch The Surface

I have to confess, it was my first visit to the Surface Design Show, how I’ve managed to miss it, I don’t know but I shan’t be again. A really good mix of wall surfaces, flooring and ceiling treatments all on display for our pleasure. It was good for me, because not only was my surfaces folder on my computer’s address book looking a little neglected, I realised that I don’t really know much either off hand. So, it was most definitely a school day for me. These were my top ten bits. Some of them were so splendid that they might well pop up again on the blog, for a more in-depth look, but until then, this teasing taste is all you’ll get. I hope you’ll see something you’ll like. (apologies for the gap in the listings at number 9, I wasn’t paying enough attention and forgot the list the company. Ooops)

1.) Hi- Macs Natural Acrylic Stone 2013 colour range, 2. selection of materials on display at the Scin stall, 3.) unsure due to lack of labelling, but could be Formica Group, 4.) amazing natural clay plaster, in different shades and textures at Clay Works, 5.) pictorial concrete, could this be any more exciting? Well done to Graphic Relief, 6.) I am so smitten with this wall treatment. I would love to have this in my own home. Clever, too. Giles Miller, 7.) Francesca’s Paints, another welcome addition to the environmental independent paint market, with lots of eco-emulsion nice shades on offer, 8.) Bottle Alley Glass, a close up detail of the beautiful effect made from bottle glass, 10.) For all those after painted veneer, Eden Anglo French are your chaps.

Our Feathered Friends in Print

 animals, Art, colour, decorative, Designer-Maker, illustrators, interiors, nice things, paper, texture  No Responses »
Dec 062012
 

Fanny Shorter Our Feathered Friends in Print

Another favourite from Cockpit Arts has to be these splendid little bird prints by illustrator and printmaker, Fanny Shorter. They are printed to scale using silk-screens, and represented here are some of the world’s smallest birds, and gosh, aren’t they teeny tiny? Bless ‘em. Makes the Finch look like a right little porker. The birds are printed in coloured layers, so each little bird comes alive after 5 or 6 different pulls of the squeegee. Their feathers are represented with different patterns making these truly lovely works of art. Utterly charming.

Get in touch with Fanny Shorter for a full list of birds and prices on 07890 920136, or via email at fannyshorter at gmail.com

A Red Brick Beauty

 architecture, colour, photography, texture  No Responses »
Aug 312012
 

AugustBreak 310812 A Red Brick Beauty

The final bit of pretty for you before terms starts next week. A shot of Darlington train station whilst waiting for a very delayed train earlier on this year. Pretty Victorian ironwork, highlighted against the red brick. Lovely.

The Grey Diagonals

 architecture, colour, London, photography, texture  No Responses »
Aug 092012
 

AugustBreak 090812 The Grey Diagonals

A bit of grey brutalist beauty for you. Combination of lines, diagonals and circles and variations of grey make for a strong composition. Taken early summer in the rain down on the Southbank, London.

The Secret World of Dressmakers’ Pins

 animation, fun things, textiles, texture  No Responses »
Jun 262012
 

PIN from Elise Fachon on Vimeo.

PIN by Elise Fachon. Final for Intermediate Stop Motion Fall 2011.

I have to confess, I’m not entirely sure what this one is all about but I like it. PIN was an entry into Vimeo’s 2011 challenge to create characters from the simplest shapes and forms. This definitely does that. A nice black ‘sky’ with ‘moon-like’ mounds covered in a tiny-gauge cream knit makes for a most effective and instantaneous scene. I like dressmakers’s pins and I like the texture of knitted wool. So, throw them together with some funny noises and a bit of a story (if you can enlighten me, that’d be great) then I’m yours. It’s like a texilean (yes, I made that up) Clangers. I do especially like the final clip where the headed-pin growls, but I shan’t say any more than that so I don’t spoil it for you all. She’s in her final year of college at the Rhode Island School of Design and she’s got some other fantastic animations on both her Vimeo page and her website, so do have a look. Clever lady.

The Bold, The Bleak and The Beautiful

 Art, collaborations, colour, inspirational, nice things, photography, random, texture, things to do  No Responses »
Jun 112012
 

Rapha Continental: Assynt from RAPHA on Vimeo.

This may be just a feature-length long advert for Rapha road wear but if you’re gonna do it, here’s how to do it. The Rapha Continental have a series of short films of cyclists around the world and this time they’re in the UK. This truly is a beautiful piece of work. From the colours of the surrounding rugged rocks and mountains, lochs and sky to the relatively delicate texture of the man-made road, there is so much to look at and admire. The grey of the sky and how it meets the grey of the Loch with only a shimmering reflection of light off the water to help you differentiate. A cold April in north-west Scotland might as well be Winter for all its closeness to Spring, these boys battled their way through rain, hail, snow and force 7 gale winds. The words and soundtrack of the video are from ‘The Idea of The North’ which is part of a series of sound essays called ‘The Solitude Trilogy’ which were made by the pianist and artist Glenn Gould as experimental radio documentaries. And perfect they are for the environs and mood of the piece. Now, I’m no cyclist but this truly has me twitching. It looks amazing even in all its obvious pain. The exhilaration and endorphin-crazy buzz of such a ride must be intense and well worth every minute.

Film by We Are Superglue

Read here for more films and information on this video.

The Return Of The Plait

 collaborations, colour, decorative, homewares, interiors, product design, textiles, texture  No Responses »
Jun 042012
 

WovenGround Trenzas by Gandia Blasco ivory lifestyle The Return Of The Plait

Laugh you might, at the blogging of thick woollen rugs at the beginning of June, but having spent the weekend up in Lancaster not only in the rain but also in single figure centigrade (8 degrees), I’m not worried about bringing you something warm and snug. However, even if we were still enjoying last weekend’s mini heatwave, I reckon they’d still be appropriate as extra special multi-seasonal floor coverings as these are Spanish rugs and they truly do warmth and sunshine. This trio of muted-shaded beauties designed by Gandia Biasco come to you from WovenGround. This isn’t the first time I have brought you fantastic rugs from Woven Ground, so apologies to those disappointed by reptition but to be fair it was 4 months ago and these are most definitely worthy of a mention. Simple in fabric, colour and execution, there is no fear to be had in matching with decor or style of abode. I am secure in my conviction of one suits all, which is regularly not the case when stated to be so. Delicate understated luxury resides in these fibres in an old traditional method. Craft at its most basic. Hats off to Gandia Biasco and Woven Ground.

Available in two sizes, please contact Woven Ground for prices, local stockists and delivery information.

Woven Ground Trenzas The Return Of The Plait

Pretty Pattern and Print

 books, colour, decorative, Designer-Maker, inspirational, nice things, pattern, textiles, texture  No Responses »
May 222012
 

Pattern Orla Kiely Pretty Pattern and Print

This hard-backed book is an absolute must for all Orla Kiely fans. Her work is now instantly recognisable and practically a house-hold brand. She was at the forefront of the resurgence of 70′s style patterns, colours and designs in both fashion and interiors which has taken the country by storm infiltrating even the most unexpected corners. Pattern is rammed full of information, tales of childhood, her university days, the learning of her trade and with plenty of colour photos of her patterns (from the well-known to the lesser-known), catalogue photo-shoot imagery, product shots and even childhood photos. This is the perfect book for anyone not initiated with much colour theory or knowledge of textiles. As a textiles graduate I’m always pleased when someone becomes celebrated for their textile design rather than a product (Cath Kidston/ Lisa Stickley/ Margo Selby) bringing the art of fabric to the forefront. We are surrounded by textiles whether we realise it or not, most of which is taken for granted (seat belts, bus seat fabric, astronaut suits) and overlooked. This gives you a very good grounding in all things textile designing-related; colour, pattern (obviously), fabric, fabric construction and fashion. A good ‘dip in and enjoy’ whilst drinking your coffee on a Sunday morning, informative without being too demanding, pretty without being too surface-based. Ideal coffee table tome.

Orla Kiely snaps Pretty Pattern and Print

Pattern by Orla Kiely

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Conran Octopus Ltd (6th September 2010)
  • Language English
  • ISBN: 9781840915532
  • Price: GBP 25
  • Product Dimensions: 279 x 240 x 38 mm
pixel Pretty Pattern and Print
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