A NOSE AROUND CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK

Last week I managed to get away from my desk for awhile.  Thursday found me in Clerkenwell, the epicentre (apparently) of modern British design, while on Friday I was in the more sedate surroundings of Chelsea for the famous Flower Show.  Two days out and about proved an eclectic mix of the new and innovative, the not so new and actually just ripped off from the original, the classic but still a winner and the naturally beautiful.............

So, first stop, Clerkenwell Design Week.  As anyone who knows me well, knows that I'm not a huge fan of the over-hyped east end of London, once a gritty, cutting edge dust bowl of emerging talent.  Then the big guys moved in (because it was gritty and cutting edge) and suddenly it turned in to a parody of what it was.  Anyway, there are occasionally events that drag me over there and London Design Festival (coming up in September) the CDW are two of them.

I wasn't overly impressed by what I saw at CDW it has to be said - maybe it was the rain that dampened my mood, but I find it quite an odd event with little cohesion.  I did see some good things though, and a couple were real winners.  Here they are:

Graphic Relief are a very clever bunch of guys who have developed a technology for manufacturing moulds with fine surface detail.  Used on concrete and ceramics, the effect is both stunning and beautiful.  Now where's that wealthy client of mine who's looking for a wall to be clad.......

These two designs have been done in conjunction with Timorous Beasties, the Glasgow based surrealist textile and wallpaper company who were also showing alongside Graphic Relief.  Their updated take on the fusty old net curtain is brilliant.

Other designers that I saw and already love for their paired back simplicity were:
Another Country - gorgeous hand crafted yet elegant furniture - I could do with a lie down actually....

Bodging Milano, a strangely named company who create modern versions of the traditional Windsor Chair.  I love the multi seat bench - great for a hallway or a kids bedroom....

 Pinch is always creating some great pieces and the new Lowry armoire is one of them....

There were some other designers there that I quite liked and Lee Broom was showcasing a new range of parquet furniture - wasn't so keen on that but love his lighting.  Clever boy.

 And finally, a funny little thing that made me smile, the Sky Planter.........

.....and what a fitting segue into my next post............

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