Ten – Maison et Objet

10 images I shot at Maison et Objet in Paris First theres a look at the three trend and inspiration areas. Haute Tension by Elizabeth Leriche Displayed designs that stimulate the senses. "Design is blowing hot and cold, modulating between heavy and light varying the intensity of light and colours, increasing the tactile effects of surprising materials" Unplugged by Francois Bernard "Unplugged doesn't imply "doing nothing", "creating nothing", "producing nothing". Unplugged is first and foremost an aesthetic form that considers it more important to use ...Read More

Plant

It may be the depths winter outside but inside; with a fairly regular temperature, good lighting and a little care, we can still have a garden inside. And for an ever increasing number of homes with little or no access to outside space these indoor gardens can offer a way to connect with nature and get that sense of satisfaction from actually making something grow. There is also an environmental side to these designs; they recognise the ways in which ...Read More

Input

We're all looking for ways to make things our own so here are some designs require us to collaborate with the designer and become the co-creator. Your input is needed to complete the design and you can't passively purchase and plonk in your home, otherwise; well it just wouldn't really work. The great thing is you don't have too be too creative, there's nothing complicated about what you are asked to do. Its just a way of personalising your space, ...Read More

2010 Design Highlights

Here's my choice of  the Design highlights of the year. To be honest in a difficult year there's been slim pickings; you may totally disagree and that's fine by me. By the way there are no chairs. Thomas Heatherwick UK Pavilion Shanghai Expo 2010. Constructed from 60,000 transparent 7.5m long optical strands, the tip of each containing a seed from the Millenium seed bank. The Pavillion showcased the work  of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew and was appropriately called the ...Read More

Lightbulb

The incandescent bulb is nearing the end of its life. Across the world governments having been passing legislation in favour of more energy conserving alternatives; and here in Europe a ban on selling 100watt bulb has been in place for a year. We've mostly switched to the rather ugly compact tube fluorescent tube (CTF) and the ban on the frosted incandescent so infuriated lighting designer Ingo Maurer he had to come up with the Euro Condom pictured above (not sure if ...Read More

Leather

Leather doesn't just have to be used as an upholstery material; here are some examples of how leather can be processed into lighting, vessels and used in a more structural and sculptural way.  And vegetarians issues aside (are there any vegetarians left or have they all been eaten?); leather is sustainable, biodegrades and can be eco friendly depending on how its dyed and treated. Simon Hasan Industrial Makeshift was conceived in response to an invitation by Northampton Festival to create ...Read More

TEN – Dutch Design Week

Just to make my life a little easier here's a series I'm going to start to do of 10 pictures all taken by me at trade and design shows. Starting here with Dutch Design Week - on a camera that momentarily got left behind at Piet Hein Eeks restaurant! As I raced back to get it I had a funny feeling the good folk there would look after; and they did. If its a dull show next time may have to ...Read More

Art

There's a bit of a blur in the distinction between art and design. Functional products and merchandise can't be classed as art can they?  Both go through a creative (and sometimes torturous) process  and then get tangled up in methods of selling and the exchange of money. Art and Design products use the language and methods of each other to do exactly the same thing to sell, to engage with an audience and to confront us with another way of ...Read More

Art Deco

An era that has been a little overlooked in our current love of Modernism.  Mid Century Modern  pieces, either original or inspired by, have seen a phenomenal revival in the past few years - and its now almost impossible to pick up an original piece at a decent price. Its no wonder that eyes and thoughts have moved onto other eras. Art Deco  by comparison to its younger sibling, has been unappreciated; I say sibling but really Art Deco is more ...Read More

Joint

There's an inherent honesty in the creation of these group of products. Pieces of wood held together with simple joinery; you can see exactly where one piece links with another, nothing hidden or disguised.  The use of traditional joinery skills is combined with an exaggeration of purpose. They use the joint as fundamental part of the design, but emphasis its function by  bringing it to our attention; the joint is not simply a method of construction that should be hidden ...Read More