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

I was reading Decor8 recently and noticed this fantastic photo showcasing the talents of interior designer Pippa Jameson. I love the natural shutters against the white walls and wooden floor. I am also in love with the Ercol 2 seat sofa with in-keeping mid-century print cushions. That arm chair in the corner looks very similar to the Bailey sofa from John Lewis which we have selected for out new house, so at least half way there!

The Big 30!

Well it's official as of yesterday I am now officially thirty years or age. I don't feel particularly different but I am going to miss the fact that I am not a girl in my twenties but a woman in my thirties, that sounds far too grown up for me!

I had an absolutely wonderful birthday. Mum and I went to a local spa (Clarice House) for the day where we had a facial, manicure and full body massage each, it was seriously relaxing. The food was fantastic, we both had the venison. I'm hoping my manicure lasts until my party on Saturday but knowing my luck it'll chip before then.

From all the generous cheques my friends and family have sent I will now be able to order the Silhouette machine so I can get crafting A.S.A.P, which I am very excited about. I must not forget to mention my Husband's fabulous gift of a Coral party frock from French Connection, I'll add some photos soon.

But the best news is yet to come..... If you are a regular reader of this blog you have probably realised that I have a slight obsession with Ercol furniture, in particular a certain Love seat. Well to my surprise mum had managed to find one on Ebay at a very decent price and bought it as a 30th present. It was delivered by my brother yesterday and looks sooooooo beautiful, I've spent pretty much most of the time just staring at it. So a big thank you goes out to my wonderful mum for her very generous gift.

My husband has always wanted a bench as part of the seating at for the dining table so I always said it would have to be a love seat, it looks so good with the Ercol table and chairs, and the Eames DSR chair. So now I have just one space to fill, more about that next week.......

The Ercol Love Seat

This is possibly my favourite piece of furniture ever made. Ercol launched this love seat in 1954 using the same steam-bent wood techniques used on their Windsor range, it was re-launched in 2009 and is available to buy from Barker & Stonehouse, The Lollipop Shop, and Twenty Twenty One. With an Elm seat and Beech legs, it comes in a range of the traditional finishes at Barker and Stonehouse whereas The Lollipop Shop and Twenty Twenty One offer it with a clear or black lacquered finish (as seen below)

(image from gdlaneinteriors)

I already own an Ercol Windsor table and my mum has kindly let me borrow two of her Quaker chairs which all have the clear lacquer which I love, but there is something about the black that is just so appealing on this shape. It would look great as a statement piece in a long wide hallway with a lone brightly retro patterned cushion as shown above.

As part of their 90th anniversary celebrations Ercol have also launched a clear lacquered version with a cobalt blue spray effect.

(Image from Ercol)

Donna Wilson

Apologies for not posting anything over the last week or so. I've been a bit preoccupied with house hunting, currently getting over excited about the period features in a Victorian terrace we have been looking at.

In a recent edition of Elle Decoration I noticed that Donna Wilson had been voted Designer of the year by The British Design Awards 2010. The awards called her the 'Queen of Textiles, saying her fabulous products include colourful cushions, tea-time accessories, playful ceramics and her curious knitted creatures'.

(Image British Design Awards)

The reason this designer caught me eye was when I recently visited the Tent London exhibition, Donna had collaborated with one of my favourite furniture producers Ercol, covering some of their classic upholstered pieces in her quirky fabrics.

(Image HomeShoppingSpy)

Check out her website for cute and fun additions to your interior accessories, or even for a Christmas gift with a twist.