Design Centre Stories

Tag: FOCUS/18

Right Here, Right Now with Veere Grenney

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is "such an important part of the design world" says the interior designer.

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Running Ahead

Esti Barnes has designed two new collections of runners that are typically boundary-pushing in their approach. Called Go-Go and Footloose the ranges are as lively as their names suggests, with asymmetrical designs that take advantage of the runners' linear form, drawing the eye with flowing repeat patterns. Footloose runners are hand-tufted, and include the scallop-edged 'Twist' (pictured bottom). Creative inspiration for …

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A Celebratory Mood

Porta Romana's 'Urchin' chandelier tells a tale of two birthdays. The lighting company has been in business for 30 years, and has commemorated the occasion by donating five of the chandeliers to the Royal Academy – which, a couple of centuries ahead, is 250 this year. The pieces, which are made from hand-painted folded steel, and are based on the …

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Toiles for our Times

'Les Vues de Paris' is a toile first designed in 1818 by the French neoclassical architect Hippolytes Le Bas. It features the city's most notable monuments: the Pont Neuf; the Louvre; the Fountain of the Innocents; and the Pantheon. Historically, toiles were not just decorative but often served a didactic purpose and were even used for propaganda – in this case Le …

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Right Here, Right Now with Ab Rogers

"I love working with colour - it's an important part of our toolkit," says the designer.

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The Hot Hybrid

Japandi is a term coined to describe a hybrid between Japanese and Scandinavian influences: a little rustic, but also effortlessly elegant, without being too grand. Scion has named its latest collection after this fusion of styles, launching fabrics and wallpapers that are playful yet charismatic. They celebrate the Japanese wabi-sabi approach to having things 'perfectly imperfect', with accentuated brush marks, ikats and  embroideries …

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Right Here, Right Now with Kassia St Clair

"I can't think of a better place to come and see the hues, fabrics and pigments that are exciting people at the moment," says the author and colour expert about Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.

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Relative Values

“The happiest times of my life are associated with beautiful, familiar things and family,” said grande dame US decorator Sister Parish. Her signature style made her a favourite among some of the best-known names in America: Astors, Gettys, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts were among her clients, and she also worked on redecorating the White House during the presidency of the Kennedys. …

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Right Here, Right Now with Michael Angove

The artist and designer says that Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is "a fantastic place for all your resources and inspiration."

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A Bigger Picture

Pierre Frey's Galerie collection focuses on panoramic wallpapers, their larger format allowing for some highly statement-making walls that act as a window on to another world. Stylistically they are incredibly diverse, with the common thread of artistic expression – there are bold contemporary paint splashes in 'Karma' (pictured), Rococo exuberance in a reproduction of a Boucher painting from 1758, and …

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A Rainbow of Influence

Focus/18's Colour Workshops, a new initiative for the show, aim to expand upon the show's broader theme of colour – beyond its use in design, to its importance in psychology, history, fashion, food and healing. Together, they build up a rounded picture of how colour is an essential influence in every facet of our lives. Interior design and broadcaster Sophie Robinson …

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Right Here, Right Now with Georgina Cave

"I've built up some really lovely relationships with the people here," says the interior designer about Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.

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Coat of Colour

Black & Key has teamed up with interior surfaces specialist Kote to add a colourful new finish to its portfolio. The Mineral Micro Mortar coating is cement-based and comes in 64 colours (using natural pigments), resulting in beautifully subtle colour variation. Pictured is Black & Key's new 'Vesta' table in Ultra Marine Mid; the resilient, washable and smooth surface can …

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Sophisticated Combinations

Mustard meets indigo: look to opposite ends of the colour spectrum to create a scheme that hums with energy. Above, from left to right: ‘Hanford’ ceramic table lamp (CTL0070) with ‘Ikat’ shade, yellow/blue, Vaughan. ‘Vendôme’ buffet, Hugues Chevalier at Marc De Berny. ‘Quadrat’ lamp and 'Bongo' lampshade, Porta Romana.  Ceramic vase, Wunderkamer at Miles x Bookshop. ‘Roma’ nesting table (BA9253), Baker. …

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Right Here, Right Now with Adam Jones

"I'm thrilled to see how amazing everything looks in person" – the Quercus designer stops in from Sydney to visit the George Spencer Designs showroom at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.

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Market Fresh

The palette of fresh greens in the Third Floor Food Market demonstrate that the trend for lush botanicals has considerable longevity. A boldly stylised interpretation of the colours and forms of the natural world, the pop-up cafe's walls feature Pierre Frey's 'Cuilko' and 'Aloe' wallcoverings, which both take their influences from the distinctive plants of a South American desert landscape. Florist …

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Right Here, Right Now with Nicola Harding

"There's always a unique set of ingredients, so the design should be individual by its nature" – interior designer Nicola Harding on cresting a sense of distinctiveness in a project.

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New Faces

Three pop-up showrooms at Focus/18 bring a burst of new talent to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour – spaces that will remain in-situ until mid-October. House of Hackney, known for its audacious approach to pattern, set up on the ground floor of the North Dome with a darkly glamorous showroom (pictured). The designs of its fabrics, wallpapers, lighting and furniture are steeped …

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Right Here, Right Now with Richard McConkey

"There are so many great suppliers here – often it's more efficient to come and see things in the flesh," says the associate director of Universal Design Studio.

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Right Here, Right Now with Charles Bateson

The creative director of Charles Bateson Interior Design explains how he uses Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour as a 'library' of products.

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Right Here, Right now with Hugh Leslie

"I always encourage people to go beyond their comfort zone and use more colour," says the interior designer.

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Out of the Dark

Birds, beasts and botanicals pop out from their dark backgrounds in these three new wallcoverings. Their moody palette brings drama and glamour to an interiors scheme, creating a sense of fantasy that's straight out of a fairytale. Arte has worked with Dutch design company Moooi to create a collection called Extinct Animals: each animal is featured in its own dedicated wallcovering, …

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Right Here, Right Now with Ariane Steinbeck

The managing director of RPW Design on the similarities and differences between the hotel and marine industries.

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Ravishing Gardens

Get some fresh air to sooth the spirit. Germinate pretty flowers and lush botanicals in shades of mint and aqua – with a hint of pink to prettify the scene still further. Above, from left to right: ‘Sugar’ armchair, Julian Chichester. Textured vase, Wunderkamer at Miles x Bookshop. ‘Hughes’ dining table, Arteriors. ‘Phenomena’ floor lamps, flamingo pink/gold and mint green/gold, both …

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Right Here, Right Now with Staffan Tollgard

"The Design Centre is a fantastic tool," says Staffan Tollgard, launching a new furniture collection in collaboration with Porada.

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Poised in Porcelain

In a smart navy and white livery that gives it a Mediterranean feel, this whimsical bottle-shaped ‘Marbella’ lamp from Arteriors has an inherent individuality. Each one is unique, thanks to its hand-painted stripes and the textures on the porcelain's crackle glaze – setting it apart from a mass-produced design. Arteriors, Third Floor, Design Centre East

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Right Here, Right Now with Rabih Hage

"You have a concentration of showrooms who know their craft and industry, all in one place – which makes it a real tool for designers like me," says the architect and interior designer.

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Fantasy Island

Villa Nova has launched Picturebook, its first children’s collection, thanks to the contribution of three leading illustrators: Frann Preston-Gannon, Christopher Corr and Yuval Zommer. This ‘Island Hopping’ design by Christopher Corr translates on to fabric the artist's work in gouache on handmade paper, and reflects his love of vividly capturing his travels. All three illustrators' collections also encompass wallcoverings, cushions, rugs, murals …

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Right Here, Right Now with David Bentheim

"It's got nothing but richer and richer," say the interior designer about Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.

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Right Here, Right Now with Karen Howes

The CEO of Taylor Howes on launching a new table with Davidson, and how "you're designing a projects for the client, not for yourself."

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