Willow Collection from Bluebellgray

I was recently sent a newsletter about the new Willow collection at bluebellgray. It's a beautiful new collection of cushions and fabrics inspired by the classic blue willow pattern that we all know and recognise but with a modern twist. I remember my grandmother having this original patterned crockery, and even though I didn't appreciate it as a child, it does have a timeless look.

It's a shame we didn't keep any of the original crockery because I am loving the plate collection on the blue wall, maybe I'll have to start re-collecting it.

Lindsey Lang

I forgot to mention in my post last week that I had spotted a fantastic collection of homewares and textiles by Lindsey Lang. She was exhibiting her debut launch at the Home exhibition at Earls Court and the fab retro inspired prints drew me in. I love the use of a monochrome palette with dashes of bright colours.

Some of the collection was even been hand-picked by the Decoration Editor of House & Garden Magazine for their House & Garden feature at the entrance to the exhibition. Looks like she is destined for big things so watch this space.

All Images from Lindsey Lang

The collection includes cushions, ceramic trivets, tea cosies, tea towels, oven gloves, floor tiles and much much more. The website is currently being updated but should show the entire collection soon so check it out here!

Tent London 2011

Apologies for not posting yesterday or Monday but I was feeling a bit under the weather so had a day under the duvet and now I'm playing catch up.

On Sunday we visited Tent London at the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, East London. I try to go to at least one London Design Week event a year and Tent is becoming my favourite, especially now as I'm decorating my own house (Just to let you know we have now exchanged on the house so it's all go for the completion on Thursday, getting seriously excited)

Anyway back to topic of the post, below are my faves from the Exhibition that I thought you might like to hear about, enjoy:

1. I couldn't go to an interiors and furniture exhibition without encountering the ever popular Ercol. They were showcasing two new prototypes of chairs, a new bar stool and stacking chair in collaboration with Russell Pinch. The colours used on the stand are a good indication of the new hues for Autumn/Winter in interiors. Loved the use of orange with royal blue.

2. Zoe Murphy was exhibiting her wonderful array of up-cycled mid century furniture again this year. Every time I see her pieces I get so excited, I really would love one but I think they might be a bit out of my price range. However, she does do commissions, so if you have a piece of retro furniture you really love but needs some updating, she's your girl!

Images from Zoe Murphy

3. Ary Trays new products were also really exciting, my husband and I particularly liked their Alabasta Folk Stripe range designed by British textile designer Asta Barrington. They were displayed on foldaway stands to create fantastic occasional tables, they would look great in the garden.

Image from Ary Trays

4. London Timepiece had a great stand. They deal in a huge range of vintage and retro clocks with everything from Industrial to traditional styles. My husband took a fancy to a few of them, maybe a birthday pressie possibility.

5. Famille Summerbelle was possibly my favourite stand of the day. The company is run by husband and wife team Simon Summerscales and Julie Marabelle. Julie is the very talented artist of ridiculously intricate, personal and lovely papercuts of their favourite cities, London Paris New York and San Francisco. She studied Fine Art and Theatre Set design at St Martin's College in London and her inspiration comes from bringing up their young family between London and Paris. The original papercuts have been vectorised into prints and laser cuts that you can purchase in limited numbers in particular colours. They also produce Paper banners, family trees, cushions and wallpapers all with Julies signature illustrations.

Images above from Famille Summerbelle

6. Bluebellgray by Fiona Douglas is a company I have posted about before, but she had something new and exciting to show at Tent this year. She has now released her signature prints in fabric that can be bought in panels. Simply beautiful!

Image from Bluebellgray

7. Finally last but certainly not least is Mini Moderns. As well as being nominated for an Elle Decoration British Design award this year for Best British brand, their stand was one of the best on show. Showcasing their ever increasing range of wallpapers, cushions, fabrics tea towels and much more. My husband was particularly taken with the Whitby Wallpaper below, featuring a wonderful pattern of waves and boats in the Lido colourway, a lovely mid century Turquoise tone. 

Image from Mini Moderns

Personally I'm a big fan of their Festival Wallpaper in concrete below.

Image from Mini Moderns

Block Printed Cards

I was browsing one of my fave blogs Paper Crave and came across this post about Katharine Watson's Block Printed Cards. The designs are apparently inspired by Indian textiles and folk arts and include textiles, journals and block printed cards. Each card is individually printed using a hand-carved linoleum block and the detail she creates is amazing. You can buy her products on her etsy shop here.

Images from Katharine Watson

(Images from Paper Crave)

'Changing Guards at Buckingham Palace' Wallpaper

I was flicking through Living Etc and noticed this fab 'Changing Guards at Buckingham Palace' Wallpaper. It's available in two colourways Spring and Autumn Gold shown below.

Inspired by a A. A. Milnes poem, Changing Guards is a whimsical scene of The Royal Guards marching in front of Her Majesty's palace wearing the distinctive red and black uniform and busby hats. 

The spring versions would look great in a little boy's bedroom.

(Images from Lizzie Allen)

Paper Tiles by Louise Body

As I've said in previous posts my husband and I have a thing for Morrocan look tiles, we would love to have a wall or patio covered in them but unfortunately they are quite expensive. Fired Earth sell a good selection but they are anything from £4 to £11 each which could add up. So when I noticed these Paper Tiles by Louise Body I was very excited. She has created wallpapers that look like vintage tiles and at £25 per metre would be considerably cheaper than the real thing. My particular favourite is the 'Old Blue' design seen below.

The 'Mixed Folk' design is also really pretty, thus would look great it you had a summer room and fancied giving it a victorian feel.

(All images from Louise Body)

Fiona Douglas of bluebellgray

While perusing the pages of the June issue of Elle Decoration I came across an article on Textile designer Fiona Douglas the creator of homewares brand bluebellgray. The article was about her Glasgow apartment. she has used her signature prints and textiles throughout her home and her use of colour is fantastic. The colour on the wall in the living room is Farrow & Ball's 'Pitch Blue', which compliments Fiona's 'Rosie' Floral pattern on the sofa perfectly. She is releasing Fabric to buy by the metre soon via her website.

I love the books in colour coordination here.

I really need to get on with a photo montage wall like this, it's a great way of displaying all of your fondest memories. The colour used on this wall is Farrow & Ball's 'Dix Blue'.

(All images above from Elle Decoration)

I am also in love with the blue painted Ercol chair on the right of this image, I am very tempted to do this myself.

(Image from bluebellgray)

Russell Pinch

For a while now I have seen Russell Pinch's designs cropping up in the interiors magazines, in particular his 'Pendel' 2 seat sofa. With it's vivid floral fabric and curvaceous form it is bound to be a classic of the future. After working as Terence Conran's design assistant and Senior Product designer for the Conran group, In 2004 he set up Pinch Design with his wife Oona Bannon. They work from their studio in Clapham, London where they 'aim to create graceful and iconic furniture and lighting'. 

Well as you can see from the images below, they have certainly achieved that. Russell also designs for a number of retailers including SCP, Ercol, Conran and Jamie Oliver's JME home-ware range. 

It is also available in a fantastic curvy chair.

He has also just won a Wallpaper Design award for his Pontus Desk below, I must admit I do love it's little pigeon holes and mix of walnut, oak and white painted finishes. 

His Yves writing desk is also wonderful, made of solid Walnut with a lime green leather top and drawer, there is something very mid-century in it's design. You can see why he has been employed by the likes of Ercol and Conran. He has also won a string of other designs awards including the Grand Design awards in 2009 for this desk.

(All images from Pinch Design)

So if you fancy checking out some more of his designs take a look at his website, he is definitely one to watch in the future.

Donna Wilson

I have previously blogged about the delights of Donna Wilson's Homeware designs and the fact she was voted Designer of the Year in the Elle Decoration design awards. She has recently launched some new additions which include the 'Ogilvy' cushions, 'Owl' and 'Kaleidoscope' plates.

I am also in love with her Red 'Ernest Zig Zag' Pouffe.

he has recently collaborated with SCP to produce the Nos Da Collection, all the products use wool specially spun and dyed in England and woven in Wales. The designs are reminiscent of vintage welsh blankets. So if you are looking for some statement pieces from a fantastic British designer to invest in or even just an addition to your ever growing cushion collection, take a look at Donna's website.

(Images from Donna Wilson)

http://mrs-peabod.blogspot.com/2010/11/donna-wilson.html

Ernest Race

I was reading an article in Living Etc about Linear designs that included the wonderful Antelope bench designed by Ernest Race for 'The Festival of Britain' and is still produced today by Race Furniture. I might actually love this as much as the the Ercol Love seat.

(Image from Living Etc)

Here is an excerpt from the All Things Considered website published by St Jude's who were previously asked by Liberty to collaborate with Race Furniture to put their fabrics on the re-issued BA3 Chair.

"Ernest Race was one the most important figures in British post-war design. After studying interior design, Race began his career with the lighting manufacturer Troughton & Young. During World War II Race served with the auxiliary fire service, after which he founded Race Furniture Ltd in Clapham, South London. Race realised that redundant wartime materials could be recycled, so he designed his furniture to utilise discarded aluminium and ex-RAF upholstery fabrics. In 1946 Race showed the BA chair at the ‘Britain Can Make It’ exhibition. Made from recast aluminium, this design epitomised the post-war spirit and set new standards within industrial design. Race established himself at the forefront of the modern design movement, producing some of the most innovative furniture of the 1950s."

Other Race designs include the Antelope chair:

(Image from Race Furniture)

The Heron Chair which was re-issued for the 100% Design Exhibition:

(Image from Race Furniture)

The Rocking Chair seen here in a St Judes Fabric:

(Image from All Things Considered)

And last but not least the beautifully simple BA3 Chair. The first mass produced cast aluminium chair in the world,  available to buy from Rockett St George.

(Image from All Things Considered)

In The 1960's Race was also employed by Isokon to redesign the Penguin Donkey storage unit. You can read about this design in a previous post here.