Companies like Cole & Son and Sanderson started life as family businesses, grew bigger and eventually were bought – a commonly recurring pattern of development. Often in the UK we complain that our manufacturing traditions are dying out and that we don’t nurture and retain our own talent. But I think in this country we are good at forming small, often family-run, innovative little companies, which do survive and make stuff in this country and we should congratulate ourselves on this more. And it’s these sorts of companies that are gaining more and more respect as the trend to question the big international chains and their mass-produced goods continues.

Channels, the furniture company and CTO Lighting have shown at 100% about as long as we have and they still continue to manufacture mostly in the UK, as do Timorous Beasties who showed at Designersblock. Naturally we’ve all felt economic ups and downs and that’s what is nice about being at a trade fair, the chance to catch up and find we’ve had similar experiences.

Looking around 100% and the London Design Festival it feels like there are lots of fantastic, small, family-based enterprises. In our corner of East London are Jason Bruges Studio and Forster Inc, a brother-and-sister companies, Foxall Associates, founded by two brothers and JAM, set up by Jamie Anley and his partner Astrid Zala – all of whom cover a range of creative disciplines and are becoming highly respected. Keeping it small and starting with family can really work.

Posted in design, interior design, wallpaper

I’m experimenting with shiny finishes, grainy metallics but instead of bling, I’m looking at how they exist alongside more muted colours such as dark grey, pinks, beige and camel. Have a look.

But, returning to bling for a moment..

Can you imaging landing on Earth from space, or being fast-forwarded from say Victorian times and seeing this? Aside from whether you would actually buy it, the affect is certainly dramatic, a Benz whizzed past me in Camden Town, I did a double take… was it mirrored or glass? I looked it up and found that there are loads of them!

Have a look on YouTube

Posted in botanical, design, pattern, product design, technology, trends, wallpaper

“Beyond the crisis, we can see a real desire for creativity. People want a new modernity that is yet to be invented.” Jean-Philippe Nuel, interviewed at Maison & Objet 2008

As the world economy fluctuates, consumer behaviour and design trends point towards a new aesthetic, I’m trying to work out what’s next. In doing so, I began to reflect on the past. On the cusp of our tenth anniversary it struck me how the last decade has been so big for pattern. Every big name designer has embraced pattern especially after the 80’s-90’s which was dominated by white or black minimalism. Wallpaper was the first product that pushed pattern back into headlines –large retro prints became cool – large scale oversized prints digitally made or hand drawn were all put into repeats with the aid of our now taken for granted computers. Marry that with digital photography and printers and we went print crazy!

People then became more and more adventurous with pattern and colour (I’m trying to avoid name-checking Lawrence you-know-who-you-are) but in some walks of life maybe they are still tentative. I think part of my job as a designer is to encourage confidence etc. In the same way that some people are uncomfortable wearing bright colours or patterns but once they try them, they realise that they can be more fun, suit them better, I’m looking forward to another ten years of creating products that enable people to express their individuality, personality.

Posted in botanical, pattern, printing, technology, trends, wallpaper