Design Matters
London Design Week by Denise Hepburn PDF Print
Decorex International celebrated a successful show at the end of September, with nearly 10,000 visitors taking inspiration from the many stunning stand designs and newly launched products.  

design mattersAdding a little extra magic on the first day of the show was l’Hélicoptère par Hermès, a collaboration between Eurocopter and Hermès,  which landed amidst much excitement and provided a show-stopping statement of luxurious design with its bespoke Hermès interior!

This year’s seminar programme brought together some of the top names from the world of interior design and the UK media through a series of talks. Amongst others, Elle Decoration’s leading stylist, Emilio Pimentel-Reid presented an overview of influential developments in surface textures, whilst trend forecasting from Scarlet Opus and Global Color Research gave visitors an invaluable look into colour, material and product trends for 2010/11. Nina Campbell, Mary Fox Linton, Karen Howes and Joanna Wood demonstrated the wealth of home grown talent with their insightful knowledge and experience.

Down the road at Chelsea Harbour Design Centre, Focus was taking place at the same time and one of the show’s highlights for me was an interview I attended, hosted by House & Garden editor, Susan Crewe in discussion with Michael Smith, interior decorator to the Obamas.  Definitely something to aspire to!

Meanwhile, 100% Design, incorporating 100% Futures, 100% Detail and 100% Materials, celebrated its 15th anniversary at Earls Court 2 in London.  As well as showcasing top British design talent, other countries flying the banner for innovative and stylish product design included Spain, Norway, Korea, Bulgaria.
designmatters
Duravit held seminars on the importance of bathroom design, discussing the history of the bathroom, future trends and looking at various materials used in sanitaryware.  Spanish manufacturer, Roca, announced the winner of its international design competition, Jump The Gap, held in conjunction with the Barcelona Design Centre.  Electrolux also held a competition to find innovative new concepts for appliances for the future and announced its Design Lab 09 winner at the show.  Open to industrial design students from all over the world, entrants were asked to design home appliances that would shape how people prepare and store food, wash clothes, and do dishes, over the next 90 years, in celebration of Electrolux’s 90th anniversary.


If you didn’t manage to get to these exhibitions, make a date in your diary for next year and prepare to be amazed!

Denise Hepburn
Interior Design  Tel: 01344 622557  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   www.denisehepburn.com
 
Paint Your Wagon – Green! PDF Print
If you’re thinking of decorating your home and want it to be as environmentally friendly as possible, there are some like-minded suppliers who can help you.

The Little Greene Paint Company Limited has one of the most environmentally friendly ranges of finishes for every application, ethically manufactured in the UK.  Traditional and contemporary pigments are used to create durable paints with great depth of colour.  Over 40% more pigment than many ordinary paints results in superb opacity and coverage, meaning fewer coats are needed.  Over 90% of the company’s paints are water-based and are virtually free from odour, harmful solvents and chemicals.  Good news if you’re an allergy sufferer.  Traditional oil-based paints have been reformulated, using increased levels of sustainable vegetable oils and resulting in over 30% less VOC’s (volatile organic compounds).

It is VOC’s that can be responsible for irritating the eyes and airways, aggravating allergies,  causing headaches and flu-like symptoms and there is evidence that they may contribute to cancer and toxins in the body.

The tin cans are made from 25% recycled metal and may be easily recycled again.

The Little Greene Paint Company has worked closely with English Heritage to develop a range of period paint colours from early Georgian to the 1950’s.

The Colours of England palette is a range of contemporary colours which will sit happily alongside the English Heritage palette, proving that mixing old with new can be a harmonious balance.

For more information or a paint chart, contact 01344 622557 or visit www.thelittlegreene.co.uk 
 
                                                                       
 
               Little Greene Paint Company                                                                                 Little Greene Paint Company Colour Chart
 
Another manufacturer with the environment in mind is Self-Coat Eco Paints.

The company has over 30 years’ experience of producing paints that are free from VOC’s.  The process begins with the sourcing of quality, sustainable ingredients, through to the manufacture of mixed-to-order batches, in an environmentally responsible manner. This minimises the impact to the environment during every stage; manufacture, use, and disposal.                                 

All products are designed for internal and external use on all surfaces – plaster, brick, wood, metals, stone and glass.   The paints are tested to European standard BSEN71 parts 2 - 3 and are suitable for application on Children's toys, nursery furniture and all other Infant applications.

There are 600 colours available to choose from, with an expected 20 year life span.
 
New products introduced onto the market by Self-Coat include:

•    Gloss paints for internal and external Use
•    A binder block, suitable for resinous hard and soft woods, against yellowing
•    A plaster binder, for newly plastered and rendered surfaces
•    Full Matt finish for Internal surfaces
•    Self-coat Roof paints for Concrete, Clay and Slate roofs
Visit www.self-coat.co.uk for more information and stockists.
 
                             
               Self Coating Paint for  Wood                                                                  Self Coating Paint
 
 
Interior Design by Denise Hepburn PDF Print

DESIGN MATTERS

Ascot based interior designer, Denise Hepburn, kicks off a regular column on all matters interior design, with a peek at the latest fashion for your home to hit the design market.
 
It’s that time of year, when the new pushes through from the old.  I love Spring, not only for the surge of colour breaking onto the landscape and the anticipation of what’s to follow (hopefully a hot, sunny summer), but because it’s also the time of year when fabric and wallpaper suppliers showcase their latest collections, taking colour and pattern in new directions (and sometimes rejuvenating old ideas).
Last week was Design Week. Chelsea Harbour Design Centre and showrooms in the King’s Road were awash with inspiration, guaranteed to get the creative juices flowing.
So just what should our homes be ‘decked out’ in this season?
Metallics are in full swing at the moment, with silver, golds, and bronzes, some subtle, others larger than life, but all eye-stopping (look out for companies such as Ian Sanderson, Busby, Osborne & Little).  A little goes a long way, so if you’re unsure about how big a statement you want to make, consider using these fabrics in smaller amounts, for cushions for example, to bring an otherwise boring sofa to life.

                                                   Ossian Foil by Ian Sanderson www.iansanderson.co.uk

Equally, try a metallic wallpaper on one wall only, to create a focal point (think about what will be going in front of the wallpaper, in terms of pictures, furniture, etc. – you want to avoid a clash).  Anna French’s stunning wallpaper design, ‘Songbirds’, gold on tarnished foil, made to look like antique mirror, is one to look out for and again, a little goes a long way.

   Songbirds from the  Wild Flora Collection 

by Anna French       www.annafrench.co.uk       

Geometric patterns are also big news.  Simple graphic patterns can be found on fabrics, wallpapers, carpets, and tiles.  Abbott & Boyd, Schumacher, Garin 1820, Jane Churchill and Brunschwig & Fils have some great collections and Osborne & Little’s Du Barry and Marinetti velvets look wonderful on chairs and sofas.  If you want to bring a sense of order into the room or conjure up an exotic Moroccan atmosphere, go for this look.  

Osborne and Little fabrics for Spring 2009Basic Fabric PAPINI F5851. Cushion,left to right: Circular Cushion PAPINI F5851 - 02, edged with AZARI F5850 - 02. Rectangular Cushion: AZARI F5850 - 02. Back Cushion: MARACO F5854 - 01. Cushion Right: LUCINI F5852 - 02 by Osborne & Little www.osborneandlittle.com

 

 


 

 

 

Butterflies, on the other hand, send the senses fluttering in all directions.  Check out Nina Campbell’s Lombardia silks and wallpapers in beautiful and dramatic colourways.  There’s butterfly bed linen, ‘Flight’, at The Linen House.  Even Rangemaster has brought out three different butterfly designs available on its Excel 110 range.

Farfalla by Nina CambellWallpaper NCW 4010-01, Farfalla by Nina Campbell, distributed by Osborne & Little www.osborneandlittle.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toiles have never really gone out of fashion and every now and then there’s a bit of a ‘twist’ to them.  Rubelli’s gorgeous ‘Tea Time’, in nine different colourways is scrumptious (in my humble opinion), as is Osborne & Little’s ‘Palais Chinois’, which, with a rub test of 35,000, means it is extremely hard wearing and perfect for upholstery as well as curtains.

 

Osborne and Little

Hanging fabric PALAIS-CHINOIS F5904-03 edged with KEDIRI SILK F5750-26
Bolster KEDIRI SILK F5750-26 with TAISHO BEADED FRINGE T570-01
Cushion PALAIS-CHINOIS F5904-03 and KEDIRI SILK F5750-26 with TAISHO BEADED FRINGE T570-01by Osborne & Little

Stockist number 020 7352 1456    www.osborneandlittle.com


 

 

 

If florals are your thing, then don’t panic – there’s plenty of new ideas out there, with punchy designs from Lorca, in the form of latest collection ‘Tanjore’.  Indian inspired, colours incorporate the company’s traditional fuschia and burnt orange, to new palettes of black, white and grey. 

interior design by Denise Hepburn, AscotBackground Fabric: Tanjore. Bolster Cushion: Kiss Velour.

Floral Cushion and Base Fabric: Radjada, by Lorca, distributed by Osborne and Little.

 

 

 

 

 

 Nimes Fabric by Manuel Canovas www.manuelcanovas.com

Manuel Canovas has a sumptuous floral fabric, ‘Nimes’, and Cole & Son has it covered, with their ‘Peonie’ wallpaper from the Fornasetti Collection.

The good news is that whatever your budget, there’s a price range to suit. Enjoy!

Denise Hepburn
Interior Design  Tel/Fax: 01344 622557
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  
www.denisehepburn.com