London Design Week 2019 – Event Programme
ACCESS ALL AREAS
London Design Week 2019’s Access all Areas programme is the beating heart of the show. More than 100 showroom events will inspire, excite and enlighten, from meet-the designer sessions to hands-on making. There’s no better way to boost your knowledge and find your personal expression – and they’re all free to attend.
MEET THE DESIGNER: Top international creatives will share their ideas and processes as they unveil their newest work. Meet Parisian designer Bambi Sloan at Houlès as she offers insights into her new leopard braid collection. From Italy, Dedar’s co-owner Raffaele Fabrizio of Dedar will discuss her creative inspirations at the intersection of design, art and fashion. Gainsborough Silk’s head of design Dominique Caplan will be at McKinney Gainsborough to show a collection built around patterns from the dining salon of the Titanic, while Alexandr Shepel of Shepel Furniture will be celebrating a new collaboration with Christopher Peacock. Master of digital pattern Kit Miles’s colourful, surreal world will come into focus when he visits Miles x Bookshop to show his nature-inspired collections, and the designer of Bella Figura’s sumptuous new showroom will be on hand to explain how the space went from initial design to final concept. Style Library’s studio team will be out in force during the week: collections from Anthology, Harlequin, Sanderson, Scion and Zoffany will all have an event dedicated to the newest collections. Cole & Son‘s head of design Carley Bean, will give an exclusive presentation on Fornasetti Senza Tempo and at Rubelli UK director Vivienne Griffin and the designer of Dominique Kieffer by Rubelli will explore the journey of the 2019 collection, from inspiration to production. Head to Baker for an open house session with David Collins Studio and look out for more insights from Iksel Decorative Arts. Finally, over at Osborne & Little, woven textile designer and artist Margo Selby will be on hand to explain the ideas behind her new Memphis range.
PANEL DISCUSSIONS: Engage with some of the finest minds in design at a moderated talk. At Fox Linton, interior designer Henry Prideaux, CTO Lighting’s Chris Turner and master furniture maker Stuart Scott will be discussing the merits of British design. Nina Campbell welcomes Amy Rice and Louise Brooks from US furniture brand Oomph, celebrating the showroom’s redesign
with an ‘in conversation’ session chaired by Country Life’s Giles Kime. Crestron EMEA will discuss how to achieve a full automated home at a discussion chaired by journalist Chris Haslam.
ARTISANS IN RESIDENCE: From furniture to food, there’s nothing quite like seeing a professional demonstration of skill or hearing first-hand how an exquisite object is made. Head to Alton-Brooke to hear specialist Patricia Harpley of Edward Harpley talk about gilding and other decorative finishes, or meet Oficina Inglesa Furniture’s ‘artist in residence’, who will be demonstrating chinoiserie techniques. A creative workshop to design your own cushion will take place at Chase Erwin; and passementerie maven Wendy Cushing will be at Jason D’Souza, with live making of hand-crafted tie-backs. Passionate cook and bestselling author Melissa Hemsley will be taking to the the kitchen at Espresso Design, demonstrating recipes from her latest book. There will be ‘live’ painting demonstrations at Porta Romana.
ADVICE AND INSPIRATION: Help is at hand to provide enlightenment on industry ideas and tricky topics. Head to Topfloor by Esti to learn about sustainable design from Deco’s editor Abby Trow. Beaufort Collection will have a ‘creative curtains’ session, dovetailing nicely with Nada Designs’ insights into specifying curtain poles and tracks. Jensen Beds’ wellness-focused events will cover sleep posture, mindfulness and meditation, and the link between food, exercise and sleep, while Sacco Carpets will provide expert advise on carpet weaving. Sessions on colour are abound with events taking place at Holland & Sherry with Vero fabrics, Savoir with Insley & Nash and Victoria + Albert Baths with Sophie Robinson. A colour forecasting talk will be held at Romo while Colony hosts a journey through colour, a story told through its fabrics.
A TASTE OF THE NEW COLLECTIONS: Step inside the showrooms for refreshment to accompany the freshest new launches. Start with day with a Nordic breakfast in bed at Jensen Beds, or head to Baker, which will host a juice bar as it launches new textiles by David Collins Studio. Asian flavours can be savoured at Tufenkian Artisan Carpets as it unveils its Rebel Silk collection, and there will be prosecco to toast Philip Jeffries’ east-meets-west Shangri-La wallcoverings.
CONCENTRATE ON COLOUR: There’s never been more interest in the influence of colour, so now’s the chance to go deeper into this emotive subject. Designer, broadcaster and podcast host Sophie Robinson is joined by journalist and colourphile Martha Roberts for an introduction to colour psychology at Victoria + Albert Baths, while colour curator Joa Studholme is celebrating the launch of a new book, Recipes for Decorating, at Julian Chichester, which is launching 20 new pieces for 2019. Vero Fabrics’ creative director Ottilie Stevenson is at Holland & Sherry for an interactive colour workshop – bring your own project ideas and the team will suggest fabrics to work with them. Bespoke fabric specialists Insley & Nash join Savoir to demonstrate how colour theory can be used to harmonise palettes and room schemes, and at Tissus d’Helene founder Helen Cormack talks about her love of print and colour, via her favourite artisan textiles. At Davidson, the importance of colour in interior design will be discussed by Anna Standish and interiors editor of Country & Town House Carole Annett. Anna’s furniture collaboration will also be unveiled in the showroom.
HISTORY LESSONS: Find out how the designs of the past are being reinvented for the future. Carole Damour, archivist for Tassinari & Chatel, the oldest silk-weaving mill in Lyon, is at Lelièvre Paris to explore the exquisite tastes of Marie Antoinette, while Watts of Westminster’s creative director Fiona Flint will explain how sophisticated digital printing is democratising access to the great tapestries of Europe. Pierre Frey’s archivist Sophie Rouart will reveal original 18th Century documents that inspired the new Braquenié collection. Twentieth-century design is also under the spotlight: see how iconic motifs from the house of Fornasetti have been reimagined as a new collection of incredible wallcoverings at Cole & Son, or drop in to Arte to discover how to stay ahead of the Bauhaus-revival trend with its Vanguard wallcoverings.
HANDS ON MASTERCLASS: Interactive workshops bring the process of making right into the showroom. At Altfield, make a glass beaded artwork in collaboration with Maya Romanoff, the US manufacturer of handcrafted wallcoverings, or head to Christopher Peacock and get hands-on at a session with ceramicist Ditte Blohm. Lacaze London’s creative director Kay Chattun invites you to expand your knowledge of upholstery with an interactive masterclass, while Charlotte Stuart, designer and textile expert, will lead a discussion on how to scheme with confidence touching on new upholstery at Julian Chichester.
DESIGNER INSIGHTS: Learn from the best at a discussion, presentation or demonstration by the best in the business. Decca is hosting a talk with Constantina Tsoutsikou and Stuart Wilson of HBA London and Hamish Brown from 1508 London, on the subject of the crossover between hospitality and residential designs. Marc Sacco, founder of Sacco Carpet, explains how to design carpets and rugs without limitation at an interactive session, while Porta Romana’s specialist artists will be giving live demonstrations in the showroom. Designer Diane Marsland is also live-painting at Christopher Peacock, to celebrate the introduction of Kandola’s beautiful printed chinoiserie silk panels. Romo’s showroom is hosting a discussion on how to build the perfect interior, with Zinc Textile and Cameron Design House, as well as a 2019 trend report straight from the mouth of Romo’s creative directors and designers. And if you’ve ever had a question about the design business, you can ask Altfield at an informal session.
THE LATEST COLLECTIONS: London Design Week 2019 is full of new design directions. Launches include Harwood House’s collaboration with Holland & Sherry, personally introduced by US interior designer Cortney Harwood Bishop; de Le Cuona’s Wanderlust collection; and Simpsons’ new couture embroidery, available on its leather furniture thanks to a partnership with Beaumont & Fletcher. At Rubelli/Donghia, the designer of the Dominique Kieffer by Rubelli collection joins UK director Vivienne Griffin to explore the journey of the 2019 collection, from inspiration to production. Tea and baklava are on offer at Tim Page Carpets to toast a new rug collaboration with Alidad; or savour Nina Campbell’s endurance fabric range at Summit Furniture over lunch. Over at Designers Guild, join the team for afternoon tea and the unveiling of its newest looks.
OPEN HOUSE: Drop in to a showroom for exclusive previews and an informal introduction to new ranges. Discover Arte’s luxurious Extinct Animals wallcovering, designed in partnership with Moooi, or visit Gallotti&Radice to preview its up to date home collection. Colefax and Fowler will preview the Jane Churchill Azara collection in its new vignette, and visitors are invited to view the spacious, newly opened Stark rug and carpet gallery. At Sutherland Perennials Studio, enjoy cocktails in lush settings to celebrate the opening of the showroom featuring the latest designs by Vincent Van Duysen and Christophe Delcourt. Nibble on desserts and embark on a journey of discovery with New York based Casa by P.C., a new brand available exclusively in London at Colony.
