Tag: FOCUS/19
Working in Synergy
Design collaborations are proof that originality flourishes when collective minds come together – and nobody does them better than the Italian design industry, which has decades of experience of working in synergy. Serial collaborations often take place over years, or even decades, meaning that products become ever more ambitious and refined as designers gain intimate knowledge of production techniques, and …
Right Here, Right Now with Kerryn Harper-Cuss
"There's something new every single time you come; the showrooms are continually updated and there's always something exciting to see," says the editor in chief of The English Home about Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.
The Personal Touch
With more than international 600 brands across 120 showrooms to explore, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by choice at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. Thankfully, a friendly personal shopping service is the ideal way to help narrow down what's in the showrooms, and pinpoint just what's required. Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour's personal shopper Gabrielle Grubanovich (pictured above, holding fabric) led three special …
Right Here, Right Now with Alexander Lamont
The founder of the Bangkok-based furniture company on the beauty of straw marquetry and how Focus/19 brings people together.
In the Making
Focus/19's aim is to bring people closer than ever to the heart of a design story – and live demonstrations of artisan skills are the perfect way to deepen understanding and knowledge. The new Morris & Co showroom hosted block-printing sessions all week, with anyone invited to take part and create their own wallpaper (pictured top); decorative artists from …
Right Here, Right Now with David Dolcini
The Italian designer on his love of wood and lighting, and his new work for Porada: "I put everything I have in it - my culture, my instinct, my vision."
Right Here, Right now with Kathleen Butler
Fox Linton's designer on its new collections – "it's all about the yarn, the construction and the finish" – and why it's important to see them in person to really appreciate them.
Born to Perform
Outdoor spaces are following indoor design cues, with furniture reaching new heights in performance, durability, comfort and elegance. Notable examples include US brand oomph, available at Nina Campbell, launching a debut collection of outdoor furniture (pictured top) that has the same playful look and gorgeous colours as its indoor lacquered pieces, but in powder-coated aluminium. Interior design and architecture studio …
Right Here, Right Now with Geoff Collier
"We're very excited to be here" says the managing director of new showroom Collier Webb.
Fringe Theatre
The power of passementerie was in full effect at the FT How to Spend It Restaurant at Focus/19. Rising above the bright, airy space was a magnificent tiered tower of Houlès’ 'Ebony' cut fringe. Beneath this installation, distressed metallics and deeply textured fabrics brought a sense of urban glamour, with CTO Lighting’s alabaster and bronze ‘Lucid’ lights (from Fox Linton) …
Right Here, Right Now with Adriel Lack
The design director of 1508 London on designing for prestigious branded hotels and how "we love coming down to the Design Centre...when we bring clients with us, it's nice to know they're in safe hands."
Tour de Force
If you see groups of people strolling through Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour with glasses of champagne in hand, they’re probably taking part in one of Focus/19’s twice-daily Design Discovery tours. Setting off from different locations each day at 11am and 2pm, the tours take in half a dozen showrooms, offering key highlights such as the latest collections, design exclusives and …
Right Here, Right Now with Neisha Crosland
"Putting pattern on the floor is really in at the moment" – the surface pattern designer on a dynamic new flooring collection for Tim Page Carpets.
Delicate Details
Traditional passementerie may be firmly in the ascendant, but decorating brands want to evolve their offering, too. Colefax and Fowler's Theodore trimmings are described as "an updated take on a classic story," with delicate details and a refined palette that includes faded pink and blue and punchier tomato red. A range of hand-made tassel tie-backs complements the braid, rope and …
Right Here, Right Now with Andrea Bonini
The head designer for Turri talks though his creative process for the new showroom in the South Dome.
Strokes of Genius
Pierre Frey maintains its daring approach to design with an exciting collaboration with French artist Christian Astuguevieille. Known for his furniture and sculptures wrapped in rope and cord, he has brought his dynamic energy to the Coquecigrues collection of bold fabrics and wallpapers. Many designs feature Astuguevieille's free-flowing ink brushstrokes – his "imaginary writing" – augmenting archive designs. 'Fontaine at Animaux …
Look to the Skies
Filling the Centre Dome with its creative use of the latest fabrics, Focus/19’s Sky Garden aerial installation asserts how important greenery and nature have become to interiors. ‘Biophilia’ – love of nature – is the buzzword, and these suspended lanterns in the freshest new-season fabrics, with trailing fronds emulating seedpods spinning to the ground, strived to encapsulate the trend The …
Right Here, Right Now with Lisa Dawson
"Just being able to see and touch it means you can envisage it in your home much more easily" – the interiors writer and blogger on why it's better to experience products in person.
Rock Solid
Geology, time and the elements inspired Alexander Lamont’s Peninsula range, which has an emphasis on finishes that require meticulous workmanship, including parchment and straw marquetry. This ‘Aurora’ cabinet’s black lacquer and intricate eggshell surface (pictured top) looks like fractured earth close-up, while at a distance it has a striking ombré effect. It’s available at Miles x Bookshop. Rocks and minerals are …
Right Here, Right Now with Paolo Moschino
Paolo Moschino of Nicholas Haslam Ltd on hosting artisan demonstrations at Focus/19, and how "designers love to come here, and there's always a reason to come back".
Wild Appreciation
Flora and fauna have long been ubiquitous in interiors, but it's nature's most spectacular and exotic creatures that are currently leaving the biggest footprint. Whether it's big cats prowling through lush jungle foliage, monkeys perched in trees or parrots in flight, these animal-themed designs are about pure escapism, transporting us to far-flung places. Classic animal prints such as cheetah and …
Right Here, Right Now with Pip McCormac
"I love getting up close and personal with the fabrics... it's such a rich source of inspiration for us," says the executive editor of LivingEtc, Homes & Gardens and 25 Beautiful Homes about Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.
Refined Style
Otti, Vincent Van Duysen’s second outdoor collection for Sutherland Furniture, is typical of the Belgian architect’s artfully reserved aesthetic. It's named after Bauhaus textile designer Otti Berger, whose way with weaving is paid tribute to with the collection's rope detailing – the high-performance rope itself is from Sutherland's sister company Perennials. The 11 pieces include an aluminium sofa and lounge …
Right Here, Right Now with Nicholas Ashley-Cooper
The 12th Earl of Shaftesbury on the revival of his ancestral home, St Giles House, and his ethos to respect its history while "putting our own personality in the building".
A Tailored Approach
Davidson has launched a sister brand for built-in furniture, complementing the freestanding pieces that it has been designing and making for 30 years. From a single bookcase to an entire library, Davidson Fitted takes the company’s existing technical ability and design expertise and applies it to this new sector. The launch is symbolic of increased demand for bespoke, tailored elements …
Right Here, Right Now with Karen Howes
The CEO of Taylor Howes on a new collaboration with SA Baxter, and how "we're in the Design Centre every week - it's really important to do your sourcing form somewhere as amazing as Chelsea Harbour."
Whatever the Weather
Flexform is launching its first outdoor collection, which includes high-performance versions of enduring classics, such as the curvy ‘Thomas’ chair, first designed by Antonio Citterio in 2000. It is made from iroko, with water-repellent upholstery. Flexform, Ground Floor, South Dome
Right Here, Right Now with Jessica Doyle
The Daily Telegraph's design and interiors editor on tile trends, and why people want to introduce more natural elements into their homes.
Much More
Focus/19 guest pop-ups are proving fertile ground for discovering new products. Pictured top to bottom are: Blithfield's Brookfield collection, which includes 'Fern', based on a design by early-20th-century artist and designer Peggy Angus; Alternative Flooring's Stair Art patterned runners, which harness the talents of designers including Ella Doran and Margo Selby; Riviere's collaboration with O&A London, …
Right Here, Right Now with Luca Martorano and Mattia Albicini
The co-founders of Italian design office Draw Studio on new pieces designed for Ceccotti Collezioni, and some favourable first impressions of Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.
