American Designers Abroad for London Debuts

It's that time of year when architectural, product, fabric and furniture Designers launch their Autumn/Winter collections to consumers. For trendwatchers and interior design professionals, the radar is up for undiscovered talent, emerging trends and mutations of existing ones such as this whole idea of Nature-in-Design. It's a well established aesthetic that is by no means in danger of becoming trite or overused thanks to a steady influx of new interpretations. One example is the glamming it up for mother nature's handiwork as in this Superordinate Antler Chandelier by American lighting manufacturer Roll & Hill.

There are those in the design world that credit The Superordinate Antler Lamps with helping initiate the back-to-nature movement in design. The ceramic lamp is made up of twelve antlers and is available in white, black, chrome, or gold. Roll & Hill is one of several American Designers and companies featured at British manufacturer SCP's two design department stores—on the East and West Ends of London and as part of its "All American Theme," specially curated for the London Design Festival that starts Saturday September 14th. I'll be there covering the event, and there is A LOT of ground to cover so I wanted to kick-start my design reporting with a series of sneak peeks at what's to come.

 

Woody Endless Designed by Jason Miller for Roll & Hill Lighting. 

Inspired by 1970’s Supergraphics, Jason Miller's Endless for Roll & Hill is a modular LED lighting system made of half‐cylinder sections that can be joined back to back or end to end. The addition of corner units allows for the creation of three‐dimensional installations. Here are some of the other highlights that I've curated from the Autumn/Winter Collection of SCP. I was drawn to the lighting collection by Roll & Hill for its streamlined, sculptural quality of light fixtures such as the Rudi pendant lamp, designed by Lukas Peet and inspired by jewelry. Rudi is made from bent metal tubes that hold handmade cold cathode lamps. The fixtures hang from their cords, which are hand knotted around the metal tubes.

From The American Design Club, the Driftwood Bottle opener caught my eye. A brass bottle opener is embedded in colored reclaimed driftwood salvaged from the beaches of New York State by designer Kiel Mead.

 

Driftwood Bottle Opener, Designed by Kiel Mead from The American Design Club

Feeding my metallic infatuation are these simple and sleek cylinder salt and pepper shakers in either brass or copper—both with a radial brushed finish designed to patina over time.

Metallic Salt and Pepper Shakers, Designed by Ladies & Gentlemen from The American Design Club

British Industrial Designer Terence Woodgate designs furniture and lighting works for SCP and his new 2013 edition of the Woodgate sofa system is a big draw on the showroom floor.

 

Woodgate sofa system by Terence Woodgate for SCP

Terence's stripped-down, elegant, modern approach to design produces incredibly light, lean furniture pieces such as the Sax Coffee Table.

 

Sax coffee table with bronze legs by Terence Woodgate

I couldn't resist showing you another metallic fav find, The Axial pendant light made in the UK by Bec Brittain. The cube-shaped light has an angled cross-section cut on the underside and is made from steel with a gold passivate finish. I love the raw elegance of this fixture.

 

Axial Suspension Light by Bec Brittain for SCP

SCP is hosting a week-long series of launches promoting its relationships with American designers and companies. It's all part of The Shoreditch design district, which has historical roots in the young bohemian British artist movement. Shoreditch is one of four design districts hosting product launches, designer talks, workshops and special events during the London Design Festival. Keep checking back daily for exclusive blog posts featuring designer interviews and cutting-edge design finds.