29 Sep Make Your Mark

Practical demonstrations and hands-on workshops brought the skill of making right into the showrooms at Focus/21. Decorative artist Natasha Mann first visited Vaughan’s showroom during the Design Centre’s Artefact contemporary craft show in June; the partnership was so successful that she returned for Focus/21, painting a lampshade to a design by Lucy and Michael Vaughan (top left). Porta Romana also brought its lampshades into the spotlight, with staff from its Surrey workshop transplanted to the Design Centre to demonstrate the process of making these beautiful products, whose range of styles, colours and trims is a match for the breadth of design of the lamps themselves.

New showroom ABI interiors hosted moodboard-making workshops throughout the whole week (above right), where visitors could mix and match materials and finishes: the Australian company is all about facilitating greater personal expression in the kitchen and bathroom, exemplified by its colourful new Aura collection, which formed the heart of the moodboards.

At Artisans of Devizes, there was the tantalising possibility that an artwork created during Focus/21 could become a real product. The showroom (bottom right) hosted watercolour painting sessions with Gemma Lofthouse, designer of the recent National Trust tile collection, and visitors could have a go themselves – and perhaps see their creations gracing next year’s catalogue. There was more painting at Lincrusta, where technical and production manager Andy Sarson demonstrated how its wallcoverings can be customised using paint effects.

Finally, printmaking was on the creative agenda at Phillip Jeffries (bottom left), with a series of fun sessions that brought home the joy of making by hand – all in honour of the new Bibliothèque collection of wallcoverings, all inspired by the beauty of libraries.

ABI Interiors, Third Floor, Design Centre East
Artisans of Devizes, Third Floor, Design Centre East
Lincrusta, First Floor, Design Centre East
Phillip Jeffries, Second Floor, North Dome
Porta Romana, Ground Floor, Centre & South Domes
Vaughan, Ground Floor, Design Centre East