360 Degrees of Floral Fantasy
Tony Marklew’s romantic, sensual way with floristry is being felt all over Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour at Focus/17. Dominating the Centre Dome is the DesignScope, featuring tumbling tiers of hops studded with pink and purple hydrangeas. Elsewhere, a single type of flower arranged abundantly proves that simplicity speaks volumes: a new variety of purple hydrangea – never available commercially until now – fills the Centre Dome; in the new Third Floor Food Market, pretty ruffled lisianthus look fresh in green vases; while a line of bowls of pink roses topped the central bar at Tom’s Kitchen at the Tatler Restaurant.
“Every space has its own vibe,” says Tony. “We used a more direct interpretation of the brief, and the main colours of pink and purple, in the main areas, and then it was just a case of [the Design Centre] trusting me with everywhere else.” Like all creative people, he says he looks everywhere for inspiration: “It might be a building, or the detail of a light fitting, or something in a fashion magazine. So many people do amazing work, but it’s your interpretation of it that turns it in to something new.”
