Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2011 Review: Best Lighting Design

Tent London 2012 review -Curiousa & Curiousa
Hand blown glass lighting by Curiousa & Curiousa.

I have been collecting fabulous lamps since I first started to scavenge second hand stores as a teenager. Here’s what caught my eye at Tent London this year.

Tent London 2012 review -Curiousa & Curiousa
Tent London 2012 review -Curiousa & Curiousa
Tent London 2012 review -Curiousa & Curiousa
I adored these jewel-like blown glass lamps by Curiousa & Curiousa from the Derbyshire town of Wirksworth. Each lampshade is traditionally blown without moulds so that any shape, check size or colour can be achieved according to a client’s wishes.

Tent London 2012 review -Kaspa REthinkthings
I was immediately attracted to the Kaspa glow-in-the-dark lamp by REthinkthings on the 5ml stand. What fun, viagra and a great xmas present for kids, both small and slightly larger… The 5ml Design Collective is a partnership between Ilsa Parry, Michael Cloke and Tom Sutton that aims so support and nurture up and coming design.

Tent London 2012 review -Rachel Powell
I first spotted Rachel Powell‘s clever wood veneer lampshades at the New Designers graduate showcase this summer. Since then her business has been growing at such a rate that she was able to take part in this much more professional industry showcase.

Take a peek at my review of the ceramic design at Tent London, the surface design at Tent London and the best furniture at Tent London too.

Categories ,2011, ,5ml Design Collective, ,Curiousa & Curiousa, ,Derbyshire, ,Ghost, ,Glow-in-the-Dark, ,Ilsa Parry, ,Kaspa, ,Lamp, ,Lampshades, ,Laser Etched, ,Lighting, ,London Design Festival, ,Michael Cloke, ,New Designers, ,Rachel Powell, ,REthinkthings, ,review, ,Tent London, ,Tom Sutton, ,Wirksworth, ,Wood Veneer

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Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2013 Preview: Best of Tent London 2012

Tent London Oct 2012
It comes on hard after London Fashion Week, but I always make sure to get along to Tent London at the Truman Brewery: for this huge and sprawling exhibition is a great place to find the best in design, from homeware and lighting to furniture, wall art, rugs and beyond. Even though I have run individual blogs on some of my favourite discoveries I was most remiss in writing up our usual review last year, so as the 2013 edition rolls around I bring you a further selection of the best things I found in 2012. Make sure you check out my listing for more details of this year’s event.

Tent London Oct 2012 Jon Male
Upcycled lights by Studio Jon Male.

Tent London Oct 2012-tamasyn gambell
Cushions by Tamasyn Gambell.

Tent London Oct 2012-rug
Tent London Oct 2012-lights
Fab rug and lights, not sure by whom!

Tent London Oct 2012-Anthony Hartley
Furniture by Anthony Hartley. Read my interview here.

Tent London Oct 2012- Zoe Murphy
Cushions by Zoe Murphy.

Tent London Oct 2012-wallpaper by Rachel Powell
Wallpaper by Rachel Powell.

Tent London Oct 2012-beautiful wooden object
Sadly I don’t have any information for this beautiful wooden object, but I think it could be used as a decorative wall hanging or as a pot mat in the kitchen.

Tent London Oct 2012-Claire Anne O'Brien
Knitted furniture by Claire Anne O’Brien.

Tent London Oct 2012-venus by cupertino
Scott Eaton‘s Venus of Cupertino ipad docking stations.

Tent London Oct 2012-Laszlo Tompa
Sculptural wooden furniture by Laszlo Tompa. Read our interview here.

Tent London Oct 2012-Réka Molnár, Moringa, Hungarian
Heat sensitive mug designs by Hungarian designer Réka Molnár of Moringa.

Tent London Oct 2012-Magnetic rings by Grace Hancock
Magnetic rings by Grace Hancock.

Tent London Oct 2012-Front rug monster
Front rugs: monster.

Tent London Oct 2012-Ginger and Jagger
Stools by Ginger & Jagger.

Tent London Oct 2012-CYMK lamp by Dennis Parren
CYMK lamp by Dennis Parren.

Tent London Oct 2012-Candlesticks by Victoria Delaney
Candlesticks by Victoria Delaney.

Tent London Oct 2012-Architectural miniature by Chisel and Mouse
Architectural miniature by Chisel and Mouse.

Tent London Oct 2012-Milena Kovanovic
Necklace by Milena Kovanovic. Read my interview here.

Tent London Oct 2012-Lars Beller Fjetland for Discipline
Wooden birds by Lars Beller Fjetland for Discipline.

I wonder who I will discover this year? Make sure you follow me on instagram to share in my favourite finds first.

Categories ,2012, ,2013, ,Anthony Hartley, ,Chisel and Mouse, ,Claire Anne O’Brien, ,Dennis Parren, ,design, ,Front rugs, ,Furniture, ,Ginger & Jagger, ,Grace Hancock, ,Hungarian, ,Lars-Beller Fjetland, ,Laszlo Tompa, ,Lighting, ,London Design Festival, ,Milena Kovanovic, ,Moringa, ,Rachel Powell, ,Réka Molnár, ,review, ,Scott Eaton, ,Studio Jon Male, ,Tamasyn Gambell, ,Tent London, ,Truman Brewery, ,Upcycled, ,Venus of Cupertino, ,Victoria Delaney, ,Zoe Murphy

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Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2013 Review: Best Soft Furnishings and Homewares

plate by Louise Wilkinson
Bone china plate by Louise Wilkinson.

As usual there was a plethora of new and exciting designers to discover at Tent London 2013, showing alongside some familiar favourites that I look forward to catching up with each year. Here is my round up of the best soft furnishings and homewares brands I found. Wall art, furniture and lighting will follow in my next blog, though this delineation is pretty arbitrary since many brands happily encompass all aspects of interior design.

Tent London Cushions Melanie Porter
This outrageous outsize knitted cushion is by Melanie Porter, who was trained at Central Saint Martins and turned her hand to soft furnishing design after ten years working as a designer for international fashion brands. Melanie became a mum in July, so good on her for staying up to speed and putting on such a great show at Tent this year. Those of us running our own brands don’t get much time off!

Chocolate creative cushions Tent
Geometric prints were everywhere at Tent London this year. I love these cushions by Chocolate Creative.

Tent London Melody Rose plate boxing
Tent London Melody Rose plates
I spent some time chatting with Melanie Roseveare of Melody Rose ceramics whilst Snarfle marvelled at her new collection of printed plates. Melody started out upcycling vintage fine china – adding her own designs on top of vintage ones such as the blue plate above (which features a picture of her dad, an amateur boxing champion). Now she has launched her own bespoke range that includes this artfully placed classical nude. I love the way she has arranged these plates to make the most of the design.

Honeycomb geometric print cushions from Room 39
These honeycomb geometric print cushions are by Petra Green of Room 39, a Slovenian designer now settled in the UK who excels in the use of bright colours and eye catching prints on unusually shaped cushions. Some of her designs are made up in a family run factory in Slovenia, some are made up by the Working Well Trust (which provides opportunities for those with mental health difficulties) and some are manufactured in her East London studio space. She aims to marry craft techniques and modern technology in as sustainable a way as possible – I like her production style!

Tent London Sian Elin Thomas abstract cushions
Tent London Sian Elin Thomas cushions
I first admired work by Sian Elin at New Designers this year, but didn’t cover it at the time because my photographs did not do the collection justice. Her wonderful cushions feature abstract designs (and the fab peacock patterned design above) in a range of luscious colour combinations.

elephant print cushion Rachel powell
Since I discovered her at New Designers in 2011 Rachel Powell has gone from strength to strength, and it’s so nice to see a recent graduate doing well commercially within a few years. My favourite thing in her new collection is this bold retro inspired elephant print that would look lush in a kid’s room. The design also comes on fabric that can be purchased by the metre – what a brilliant idea for all those crafters out there!

Magnetic porcelain train - Reiko Kaneko
What fun – this magnetic porcelain train for eggy soldiers is by the Japanese born designer Reiko Kaneko. Having graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2007 she set up her own studio in London’s east end, but has since relocated to Stoke-on-Trent in order to integrate design and production in the home town of English bone china.

The Staffordshire University Flux ceramics
Speaking of fine bone china, the Staffordshire University student collaboration Flux Stoke-on-Trent continues to impress with beautiful ceramic designs. This project is an example of collaboration between a teaching establishment and industry – forging new bonds that will lead to viable careers in an industry which can be notoriously difficult to infiltrate successfully.

Brushes by Swedish brand Lofstrom
These beautiful brushes by Mikael Lofstrom of Lofstrom skilfully make use of the natural shape of tree branches, which are paired with upcycled thistles.

Etelka Meixner of Hungary; pearl embellished chinaware
Etelka Meixner of Hungary has tapped into a very current theme with her luxuriously decorative pearl embellished chinaware.

Townscape design by Maxine Sutton
I had a long chat about the joys of living in Thanet with Ramsgate based designer Maxine Sutton, who has recently overhauled her shop in the centre of the newly vibrant Margate to become a stand alone store for her homewares range. This graphic townscape design perfectly showcases her style.

Kristine Five Melvaer -Norwegian design showcase
Over at the Norwegian design showcase I was most taken by these jewel coloured stripe pots from Kristine Five Melvær. Kristine works in glass and china to produce objects of exquisite beauty.

Fine china by Louise Wilkinson
Ceramic jug by Louise Wilkinson
Finally, I am just a little bit in love with fine china by Louise Wilkinson, an illustrator and fashion textile designer turned homewares designer who is inspired by Japanese design. I think her unique creations also owe a slight debt to the cute animals so often featured in 40s and 50s children’s book design: no wonder I find them so delightful. In fact we promptly bought a jug and matching mugs for some soon to be married friends and I am just a little bit envious.

You can share my discoveries as I find them by following me on instagram here.

Categories ,2013, ,Bone China, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chocolate Creative, ,Etelka Meixner, ,Flux Stoke-on-Trent, ,Homewares, ,Hungary, ,japanese, ,Kristine Five Melvær, ,Lofstrom, ,Louise Wilkinson, ,Margate, ,Maxine Sutton, ,Melanie Porter, ,Melanie Roseveare, ,Melody Rose, ,Mikael Lofstrom, ,New Designers, ,Norwegian, ,Pearls, ,Petra Green, ,Porcelain, ,Rachel Powell, ,Ramsgate, ,Reiko Kaneko, ,review, ,Room 39, ,Sian Elin, ,Slovenia, ,Snarfle, ,Soft Furnishings, ,Staffordshire University, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,Tent London, ,textiles, ,Thanet, ,Upcycled, ,Working Well Trust

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Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2013 Review: Best Soft Furnishings and Homewares

plate by Louise Wilkinson
Bone china plate by Louise Wilkinson.

As usual there was a plethora of new and exciting designers to discover at Tent London 2013, showing alongside some familiar favourites that I look forward to catching up with each year. Here is my round up of the best soft furnishings and homewares brands I found. Wall art, furniture and lighting will follow in my next blog, though this delineation is pretty arbitrary since many brands happily encompass all aspects of interior design.

Tent London Cushions Melanie Porter
This outrageous outsize knitted cushion is by Melanie Porter, who was trained at Central Saint Martins and turned her hand to soft furnishing design after ten years working as a designer for international fashion brands. Melanie became a mum in July, so good on her for staying up to speed and putting on such a great show at Tent this year. Those of us running our own brands don’t get much time off!

Chocolate creative cushions Tent
Geometric prints were everywhere at Tent London this year. I love these cushions by Chocolate Creative.

Tent London Melody Rose plate boxing
Tent London Melody Rose plates
I spent some time chatting with Melanie Roseveare of Melody Rose ceramics whilst Snarfle marvelled at her new collection of printed plates. Melody started out upcycling vintage fine china – adding her own designs on top of vintage ones such as the blue plate above (which features a picture of her dad, an amateur boxing champion). Now she has launched her own bespoke range that includes this artfully placed classical nude. I love the way she has arranged these plates to make the most of the design.

Honeycomb geometric print cushions from Room 39
These honeycomb geometric print cushions are by Petra Green of Room 39, a Slovenian designer now settled in the UK who excels in the use of bright colours and eye catching prints on unusually shaped cushions. Some of her designs are made up in a family run factory in Slovenia, some are made up by the Working Well Trust (which provides opportunities for those with mental health difficulties) and some are manufactured in her East London studio space. She aims to marry craft techniques and modern technology in as sustainable a way as possible – I like her production style!

Tent London Sian Elin Thomas abstract cushions
Tent London Sian Elin Thomas cushions
I first admired work by Sian Elin at New Designers this year, but didn’t cover it at the time because my photographs did not do the collection justice. Her wonderful cushions feature abstract designs (and the fab peacock patterned design above) in a range of luscious colour combinations.

elephant print cushion Rachel powell
Since I discovered her at New Designers in 2011 Rachel Powell has gone from strength to strength, and it’s so nice to see a recent graduate doing well commercially within a few years. My favourite thing in her new collection is this bold retro inspired elephant print that would look lush in a kid’s room. The design also comes on fabric that can be purchased by the metre – what a brilliant idea for all those crafters out there!

Magnetic porcelain train - Reiko Kaneko
What fun – this magnetic porcelain train for eggy soldiers is by the Japanese born designer Reiko Kaneko. Having graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2007 she set up her own studio in London’s east end, but has since relocated to Stoke-on-Trent in order to integrate design and production in the home town of English bone china.

The Staffordshire University Flux ceramics
Speaking of fine bone china, the Staffordshire University student collaboration Flux Stoke-on-Trent continues to impress with beautiful ceramic designs. This project is an example of collaboration between a teaching establishment and industry – forging new bonds that will lead to viable careers in an industry which can be notoriously difficult to infiltrate successfully.

Brushes by Swedish brand Lofstrom
These beautiful brushes by Mikael Lofstrom of Lofstrom skilfully make use of the natural shape of tree branches, which are paired with upcycled thistles.

Etelka Meixner of Hungary; pearl embellished chinaware
Etelka Meixner of Hungary has tapped into a very current theme with her luxuriously decorative pearl embellished chinaware.

Townscape design by Maxine Sutton
I had a long chat about the joys of living in Thanet with Ramsgate based designer Maxine Sutton, who has recently overhauled her shop in the centre of the newly vibrant Margate to become a stand alone store for her homewares range. This graphic townscape design perfectly showcases her style.

Kristine Five Melvaer -Norwegian design showcase
Over at the Norwegian design showcase I was most taken by these jewel coloured stripe pots from Kristine Five Melvær. Kristine works in glass and china to produce objects of exquisite beauty.

Fine china by Louise Wilkinson
Ceramic jug by Louise Wilkinson
Finally, I am just a little bit in love with fine china by Louise Wilkinson, an illustrator and fashion textile designer turned homewares designer who is inspired by Japanese design. I think her unique creations also owe a slight debt to the cute animals so often featured in 40s and 50s children’s book design: no wonder I find them so delightful. In fact we promptly bought a jug and matching mugs for some soon to be married friends and I am just a little bit envious.

You can share my discoveries as I find them by following me on instagram here.

Categories ,2013, ,Bone China, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chocolate Creative, ,Etelka Meixner, ,Flux Stoke-on-Trent, ,Homewares, ,Hungary, ,japanese, ,Kristine Five Melvær, ,Lofstrom, ,Louise Wilkinson, ,Margate, ,Maxine Sutton, ,Melanie Porter, ,Melanie Roseveare, ,Melody Rose, ,Mikael Lofstrom, ,New Designers, ,Norwegian, ,Pearls, ,Petra Green, ,Porcelain, ,Rachel Powell, ,Ramsgate, ,Reiko Kaneko, ,review, ,Room 39, ,Sian Elin, ,Slovenia, ,Snarfle, ,Soft Furnishings, ,Staffordshire University, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,Tent London, ,textiles, ,Thanet, ,Upcycled, ,Working Well Trust

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Amelia’s Magazine | New Designers 2012: Illustration Graduate Shows and One Year On Review

Sigrid Rødl  cover
Following on from my selection of best illustration finds at Nottingham Trent and Cambridge School of Art, here is my final selection of finds at New Designers 2012 part two.

New Designers 2012-Sigrid Rødl
Sigrid Rødl  cover
From the University of Hertfordshire Sigrid Rødl created an eye catching ABC book of mythological monsters from around the world.

New Designers 2012-Erdi Liu
Erdi Liu made these beautifully delicate lacy papercut designs.

Annelin Fagernes musem22
Annelin Fagernes sirjohnsoane3
Annelin Fagernes specialises in carefree watercolours, seen here in a project designed to promote the Sir John Soane’s Museum.

New Designers 2012-mike wheeler
New Designers 2012-mike wheeler
From Northbrook College in Sussex I loved these neon graphic designs by Mike Wheeler, a response to psychedelic songs of the 60s.

New Designers 2012-Kit Miles Studio
Snarfle prevented me from visiting the upper floors so I probably missed out on further illustration shows, but instead I whipped around the One Year On section: here’s what I found. Above: gorgeous abstract textile designs from the Kit Miles Studio

Hannah Lovett
New Designers 2012-Hannah Lovett
Hannah Lovett‘s hypnotic Gold Diggers designs are created from salvaged glass and mirror.

joss-barton-one-year-on-diamond
Joss Barton‘s Diamond lampshade designs are cut from stainless steel and have an electrochemical finish.

dawn gardner Organic Beauty
Dawn Gardner Spring Blossom
New Designers 2012-Dawn Gardner
Dawn Gardner‘s retro collaged style was a real find at last year’s exhibition and her influence can be found in work by the current crop of illustration graduates. Her newest work updates the classic floral by adding abstract graphic elements: an unexpected and wonderful development in her style.

New Designers 2012-Louise Tiler
New Designer 2011 award winner Louise Tiler is inspired by traditional textile designs to create contemporary wallpapers and greetings cards. Her delicate hand drawn and digitally produced products are all produced in the UK.

New Designers 2012-Jessica Hogarth Designs
Pretty cards from Jessica Hogarth Designs come in a summery colour range.

New Designers 2012-Rachel Powell
Rachel Powell was one of my hot finds from last year, and her presentation skills are going from strength to strength. For retro design with modern flair she is fast becoming the place to go.

And thus concludes my coverage of New Designers 2012. Phew.

Categories ,2012, ,Annelin Fagernes, ,Dawn Gardner, ,Diamond, ,Erdi Liu, ,Gold Diggers, ,Hannah Lovett, ,illustration, ,Jessica Hogarth Designs, ,Joss Barton, ,Kit Miles Studio, ,Louise Tiler, ,New Designers, ,Northbrook College, ,One Year On, ,Rachel Powell, ,review, ,Sigrid Rødl, ,Sir John Soane’s, ,Sussex, ,University of Hertfordshire

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