New Twists on Traditional Objects

There's nothing like the thrill of the hunt for vetting out interesting, one-of-a-kind design finds or undiscovered talent. Typically, such a search requires scouring the globe for brilliant but unknown designers not yet part of the mainstream design vernacular. It's a very rare occasion when you get a chance to see previously undiscovered works of design art from around the world in one place.

 

Objekten at Super Brands London

Starting on September 14th,  the London Design Festival stages a weeklong catwalk on the global design stage for any and all things design—furniture, housewares, fabrics, lighting, surfaces, materials and much more. It's where art and design converge in a mindboggling, sensory-explosion of talent, creativity, novelty and cutting-edge engineering.

 

Ari Kanerva at Tent London

During the event,  the trade shows Tent London & Super Brands are the sweet spots for the next big thing to storm the design world. I'll be there covering the international design event and wanted to offer you a sampling of what's to come.

 

Surface View at Super Brands London

Nature-inspired motifs inform the works of many designers this year. Meteorology, flora and fauna, woodscapes and animals are the inspirations for wallpaper, furniture and accessories making a strong showing.  One example is British designer Abigail Edwards' Storm Clouds wallpaper in muted gray and blue with lightening bolts in metallic white.

 

Abigail Edwards Wallpaper

Idiosyncratic, humorous riffs on everyday objects also draw attention. The (Completely) Imperfect Stool in solid oak by Galvin Brothers, North Yorkshire designers, is a fine example of contemporary handcrafted furniture successfully executed to be functional yet off-beat and odd.

 

Galvin Brothers at Tent London

The Parity pedestal set of drawers by designer Gareth Batowksi made of English Oak, Deodar and painted board is a quirky piece of functional contemporary furniture with unconventional storage.

 

Gareth Batowski at Tent London

I'm really drawn to Swedish designer Charlie Styrbjorn Nilsson's  Ladder prototype made of steam bended wood that turns a utilitarian object typically devoid of style into a sculptural design that preserves it's original purpose. I'm seeing a lot of this re-engineering of the old, tired and trite into some new, exciting and clever that gives equal weight to form and function.

 

Charlie Styrbjörn Nilsson at Tent London

The thing I appreciate most about this amalgamation of the various design disciplines is that it's a mashup of mass produced and one-offs. The Super Design Gallery will showcase museum-quality pieces—authentic and original—such as the Stellar Console by British designer Jake Phipps  made of 900 individually angled mirror sections that disperses light in all directions.

 

Jake Phipps at Super Design Gallery

The London Design Festival also is a crystal ball into what's trending before consumers discover it in mass media and retail.  Even the predictable and common knowledge interior trends such as metallics emerge with tweaks and addendums such as these lighting pendants emblematic of a new affinity for warm metallics in yellow-gold, bronze, and brass.

 

Daniel Schofield at Tent London

Keep checking back because I'll be posting daily more sneak peeks at the London Design Festival before I head to the event. While there, I'll bring you interviews with international design stars and profile objects, materials, furniture, and fixtures that merit recognition for expanding our own sense of style in ways we never thought possible.