Amelia’s Magazine | Home London at Olympia, January 2015: Review

WOW_Home_london
WOW lighting from Pad Home.

This year I attended the January Home London show with toddler in tow, since needs must. He was very, erm, helpful, on the first leg… then promptly fell asleep in his buggy after lunch (something he never ever does) – giving me a good few hours to see more of the show and actually chat with the designers.

Ella_Doran_vintage_toy_car_wallpaper
First stop, vintage toy car wallpaper by Ella Doran went down especially well with Snarf.

Michael_Angove_Ary_Trays
Åry Trays is a Scandinavian manufacturer of birchwood trays who work with a host of designers including many UK based ones. I particularly liked quirky designs by RCA alumni Michael Angove.

Nazanin_Kamali_Minecraft_cushion
Shrimp_cushion_Nazanin_Kamali
Snarfle made a beeline for this Minecraft inspired beanbag by furniture designer turned artisanal textiles designer Nazanin Kamali. She had made it for her own son and was very tolerant of his desire to kick his shoes off and pretend sleep, and even helped bribe his removal with a handy chocolate coin. Her unusual embroidered shrimp cushion got a huge amount of love when I posted it on instagram – a sign, perhaps, that people are growing weary of the ubiquitous owls and foxes that still dominate current decorative designs. Find her cushions stocked in SCP.

Otago_design_beaded_pots
I discovered Otago Design at last year’s Tent London (about which I still planning some kind of review… unfortunately my Kickstarter campaign to produce a book got in the way of an earlier blog). I really love the way they marry African design sensibilities with contemporary design.

Toby_House_iridescent_lighting
One of my absolute favourite finds was this amazing iridescent flat pack lighting by the relatively new TOBYhouse from London based designer Toby Sanders. Having already wowed the world with super fun Beach Ball lights, this is his latest innovation.

Moomin_tile_arabia
Arabia make a whole host of Moomin ceramics that are just so darn cute… can’t wait for Snarf to get better with china!

Klaus_Haapaniemi_iitala_dancing_foxes
Klaus Haapaniemi does it again for Iitala with these gorgeous dancing foxes. His designs are out of this world, if only I could afford to own some.

Lush Designs_Beekeeper_Snarfle
Lush_Designs_unicorn_plate
Lush_designs_ceramic_kitty
Snarfle gave the thumbs up to the new Bee Garden fabric design by Lush Designs, and we were both enamoured with their lovely new range of melamine tableware for little ones, inspired by requests from customers with kids who frequent their East Dulwich shop. The unisex designs feature a unicorn and a lion, and Snarf promptly set up a play kitchen to make us cups of tea with the beakers. Also new to the range: these ceramic kitty money boxes.

Fanny_Shorter
This year the COADG curated area had grown, with some old names joined by new finds. Fanny Shorter textiles are always a winner, and I’m looking forward to her new collection, due for release later this year.

Laura_Slater_cushions
I am in no way surprised that designer Laura Slater has created a bespoke collection for Heals. Love these painterly designs!

Anna_Jacobs_lamps
These awesome hot pink flamingo lampshades are by Anna Jacobs.

Thorody
Thorody is the brain child of fine artists Vicky Putler and Theo Sykes, who are inspired by a combination of Modernism and South East London life. The resulting graphic designs are super slick and wearable for the home.

My Top Drawer review is coming up next!

Categories ,2015, ,Anna Jacobs, ,Arabia, ,Åry Trays, ,Beach Ball lights, ,Bee Garden, ,COADG, ,Ella Doran, ,Fanny Shorter, ,flamingo, ,Heals, ,Home London, ,Iitala, ,instagram, ,Kickstarter, ,kitty money boxes, ,Klaus Haapaniemi, ,Laura Slater, ,Lush Designs, ,Michael Angove, ,Minecraft, ,Moomin, ,Nazanin Kamali, ,Olympia, ,Otago Design, ,Pad Home, ,review, ,SCP, ,Snarfle, ,Tent London, ,Theo Sykes, ,Thorody, ,Toby Sanders, ,TOBYhouse, ,Top Drawer, ,Vicky Putler

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Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2012: 12 Top Kitchenware Designs

productofyourenvironment jammie dodger plate
I’ve brought you the best cushions, the best mugs and the best tea towels, and now here is the best of the rest of the homewares I found whilst scouring craft fairs and the web for interesting and unique gifts.

If you love slightly kitsch tableware you’ll love these Jammie Dodger biscuit serving plates, created by product designer Rebecca Chitty of productofyourenvironment.

lucentia plastic bowls
I am a little bit in love with these unusual marble effect bowls made out of recycled material originally used for sunglasses frames: created by Lucentia using an innovative in-house process. These awesome bowls are sent out within a week so get ordering.

Jim Bob art Mr Fox coffee cups
Jim Bob Art is still hard at work creating his amazing animal plates, but he is also now hand painting these brilliant sets of coffee cups: which work to perfection when stacked. He is currently holding court in his own shop on Columbia Road, so why not visit in the run up to Christmas?

Lush designs vegetable oven gloves
I’ve already mentioned Lush Designs once but I’m going to mention them again because their quirky print designs are right up my street. I love these vegetable oven gloves – sprouts, carrots and beetroot make such a great seasonal colour combo.

mini modem plates
You can always count on Mini Moderns for a slice of great design: check out these marvellous backgammon tea plates.

Silicone-Trivets-Royal VKB Haus London
Recently discovered: I love Smak, Grum, Blub and Slisss silicone animal shaped trivets by Ontwerperk at Haus London – based on pre-historic rock art. One to please the men too I think.

Grande Dame Madam & Eve Limited Edition Porcelain Dinner Plate
For beautiful decorative porcelain plates I always come back to the inimitable designs of Burnt Offerings by Grande Dame: Tiff McGinnis is an American expat and in honour of New York recognising same sex marriage she has created this wonderful range of plates. Choose from Madam and Eve or Adam and Steve. Get 30% off using the code SANTASALE before Dec 20th!

london plane chopping boards by Hampson Woods
Also in stock at Haus London are these beautiful wooden chopping boards created in a Hackney workshop by Hampson Woods from fallen London Plane trees. Gloriously smooth and sexy to the touch (I’m not making it up, I’ve touched one). Each board comes with a tag explaining the provenance of the tree it came from.

rob-ryan-set-of-4-this-was-our-place-china-plates
Rob Ryan of course deserves a mention, now that he designs such a wide range of ceramic wares. I particularly like this set of four plates titled ‘This Was Our Place‘, available at Soma Gallery.

marcus walters tray howkapow
And to round off my tips for fabulous kitchenware purchases: three beautiful laminated wooden trays, all made from sustainably sourced Scandinavian birch wood. The biggest tray is a retro design by Marcus Walters for Howkapow.

mouse tray by darling clementine soma gallery
Or try this sweet mouse tray by Darling Clementine at Soma Gallery.

Jonna Saarinen Wooden Breakfast and Picnic Trays
And to round off my selection: pick one of these fabulous abstract neon splatter designs by Swedish RCA graduate Jonna Saarinen.

Stay tuned: more to come soon!

Categories ,Adam and Steve, ,Blub, ,Burnt Offerings, ,ceramics, ,Chopping board, ,Christmas, ,Columbia Road, ,Craft Fair, ,Darling Clementine, ,gifts, ,Grande Dame, ,Grum, ,hackney, ,Hampson Woods, ,Haus London, ,Homeware, ,Howkapow, ,Jammie Dodger, ,Jim Bob Art, ,Jonna Saarinen, ,Kitchen, ,Kitchenware, ,London Plane, ,Lucentia, ,Lush Designs, ,Madam and Eve, ,Marcus Walters, ,Mini Moderns, ,Ontwerperk, ,Plates, ,productofyourenvironment, ,rca, ,Rebecca Chitty, ,recycled, ,rob ryan, ,Silicone trivet, ,Slisss, ,Smak, ,Soma Gallery, ,Sunglasses, ,sustainable, ,This Was Our Place, ,Tiff McGinnis, ,Wooden tray

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Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2012: Top Ten Best Mugs by Illustrators and Designers

lisa jones beaver mug
Beaver Mug by Lisa Jones. I *love* beavers so I was super excited to find this. No really, don’t laugh.

Next up: my recommendations for mugs. Yes, a whole blog devoted to the sexiest mug designs: I can’t resist them! There is nothing better than a good cup of tea in a beautifully designed and well proportioned mug, so I’ve scoured the internet to bring you these great designs: just in time for Christmas.

lisa jones jungle lion mug
I was so pleased to discover that Lisa Jones has applied her wonderful retro style critters to bone china mugs.

Lush Designs Fox and Cubs Mug
I am a massive fan of Lush Designs – two designers who work together to create totally inimitable artwork – think wild boars, swinging monkeys, strutting cats, all with gold detailing. We have their fine bone china mugs at home and I LOVE THEM. They were meant as gifts but they never left the house…

1973 graffika mugs
I love 1973, and not just because this husband and wife team were born in 1973 (and so was I) – their shapely new Grafika mugs bear bold optical designs.

Leaf Branch Mug LavenderGrey Freya Lines
And for something a bit more subtle, how about this leaf branch mug by Freya Lines? Originally created in pencil and watercolour, then digitally printed onto china in Stoke-on-Trent.

ben javens mug
Fab character illustrator Ben Javens has created this fun landscape design for new website Beast in Show, an off shoot of To Dry For.

dupenny 50s housewive mug
For something a bit more saucy how about a 50s housewives cavorting with her washing, on mugs designed by Dupenny.

Kate clarke london mugs
Then hop on over to Kate Clarke London for bright and happy homewares: a Craft Central discovery.

Gemma Correll pugs not drugs mug
Also from Beast in Show, Gemma Correll‘s classic Pugs Not Drugs design now comes on a mug: I love the detail on the base inside. Mmm, Biscuits, indeed.

Bone China 'Acorn' mug by Donna Wilson
Donna Wilson turns her hand to ceramics with this lovely bone china mug featuring a mid-century-inspired Acorn design, available from Soma Gallery.

ingela-p-arrhenius-porcelain-tree-mug
Swedish designer Ingela P Arrhenius is a renowned illustrator whose retro influenced designs appear in books, on clothes and across fabrics and stationary. I love this bird mug! Available on Hus and Hem, a website that features loads of great Scandinavian design.

There are many more gift ideas to come… and to read all about my best cushion finds, click here.

Categories ,1973, ,50s Housewife, ,Acorn mug, ,Animal, ,Beast in Show, ,Beaver mug, ,Ben Javens, ,Bird, ,Bone China, ,ceramics, ,Christmas, ,craft, ,Craft Central, ,design, ,designer, ,Donna Wilson, ,Dupenny, ,Fox and Cubs Mug, ,Freya Lines. Stoke-on-Trent, ,Gemma Correll, ,gifts, ,Grafika, ,graphic, ,Homeware, ,Hus and Hem, ,illustration, ,Ingela P Arrhenius, ,Jungle Lion mug, ,Kate Clarke London, ,Lisa Jones, ,Lush Designs, ,Mugs, ,Optical, ,Porcelain, ,Pugs Not Drugs mug, ,retro, ,Scandinavian, ,Soma Gallery, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,tea, ,To Dry For

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Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2012: Top Ten Best Mugs by Illustrators and Designers

lisa jones beaver mug
Beaver Mug by Lisa Jones. I *love* beavers so I was super excited to find this. No really, don’t laugh.

Next up: my recommendations for mugs. Yes, a whole blog devoted to the sexiest mug designs: I can’t resist them! There is nothing better than a good cup of tea in a beautifully designed and well proportioned mug, so I’ve scoured the internet to bring you these great designs: just in time for Christmas.

lisa jones jungle lion mug
I was so pleased to discover that Lisa Jones has applied her wonderful retro style critters to bone china mugs.

Lush Designs Fox and Cubs Mug
I am a massive fan of Lush Designs – two designers who work together to create totally inimitable artwork – think wild boars, swinging monkeys, strutting cats, all with gold detailing. We have their fine bone china mugs at home and I LOVE THEM. They were meant as gifts but they never left the house…

1973 graffika mugs
I love 1973, and not just because this husband and wife team were born in 1973 (and so was I) – their shapely new Grafika mugs bear bold optical designs.

Leaf Branch Mug LavenderGrey Freya Lines
And for something a bit more subtle, how about this leaf branch mug by Freya Lines? Originally created in pencil and watercolour, then digitally printed onto china in Stoke-on-Trent.

ben javens mug
Fab character illustrator Ben Javens has created this fun landscape design for new website Beast in Show, an off shoot of To Dry For.

dupenny 50s housewive mug
For something a bit more saucy how about a 50s housewives cavorting with her washing, on mugs designed by Dupenny.

Kate clarke london mugs
Then hop on over to Kate Clarke London for bright and happy homewares: a Craft Central discovery.

Gemma Correll pugs not drugs mug
Also from Beast in Show, Gemma Correll‘s classic Pugs Not Drugs design now comes on a mug: I love the detail on the base inside. Mmm, Biscuits, indeed.

Bone China 'Acorn' mug by Donna Wilson
Donna Wilson turns her hand to ceramics with this lovely bone china mug featuring a mid-century-inspired Acorn design, available from Soma Gallery.

ingela-p-arrhenius-porcelain-tree-mug
Swedish designer Ingela P Arrhenius is a renowned illustrator whose retro influenced designs appear in books, on clothes and across fabrics and stationary. I love this bird mug! Available on Hus and Hem, a website that features loads of great Scandinavian design.

There are many more gift ideas to come… and to read all about my best cushion finds, click here.

Categories ,1973, ,50s Housewife, ,Acorn mug, ,Animal, ,Beast in Show, ,Beaver mug, ,Ben Javens, ,Bird, ,Bone China, ,ceramics, ,Christmas, ,craft, ,Craft Central, ,design, ,designer, ,Donna Wilson, ,Dupenny, ,Fox and Cubs Mug, ,Freya Lines. Stoke-on-Trent, ,Gemma Correll, ,gifts, ,Grafika, ,graphic, ,Homeware, ,Hus and Hem, ,illustration, ,Ingela P Arrhenius, ,Jungle Lion mug, ,Kate Clarke London, ,Lisa Jones, ,Lush Designs, ,Mugs, ,Optical, ,Porcelain, ,Pugs Not Drugs mug, ,retro, ,Scandinavian, ,Soma Gallery, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,tea, ,To Dry For

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