Last September I was asked by Norway’s TV 2 to take part in their prime time interiors show Tid For Hjim (Time For Home)- it’s a popular makeover show where designers are asked to refurbish the interiors of viewers homes. Nice and simple – just good design, a good build . . . no jeopardy. The show was recently aired …
Pulp Fact not Fiction: Some Incredible Recycled Uses for Paper
They said we’d have a paperless office by now. Well, perhaps my design studio has yet to hit the 21st century because we’re still awash with the stuff. Obviously we try to keep the desks clean by recycling as much as we can…regularly. But what if we were to think of paper as a product we could do more with …
Welcome to the Fold: is flexible furniture just one solution for future sustainable homes
I have always been a great fan of gadgets and my furniture collection has been dominated by a selection of ingenious folding, rotating and collapsible pieces, mostly of a utilitarian persuasion. One of my favourites being a World War II folding army chair (like the one below) that’s still in daily use in our home. The delight being that from a …
patchwork materials – a revived sustainable style
As you may know, I have a deep love of patchworked materials. So when I saw the Olympic Memory Boat project, it struck a chord with me. The project conveys everything about using patchwork that I believe in: efficiency of material use, a sense of narrative, and cultural and social history. The project was set up by artists Gary Winters …
Sofa, So Green
Choosing eco home furnishings can be really tricky. Particularly for items that are a little more complex in their manufacture and don’t necessarily have a daily energy use. Subsequently, the provenance of manufacture and materials, embodied energy and durability of these pieces really comes into question. Sofas are a prime example of a high-ticket, key item of furniture that …
Can’t Stand The Heat? – Future Kitchen Trends
We’re often asked by clients (usually the big ones), what are the current trends in kitchen design? It’s an area that’s constantly on the move and being reinvestigated – perhaps because it’s the one area of the home where form, function and passion come together, or simply because its an industry that thrives on the constant development. Importantly for me, …
Edible Household – Playing With Your Food
So if we can’t explore a few crazy ideas in this blog, where can we? And with that liberating and mouth watering thought in mind, I thought I’d share with you a few designers who are cooking up a storm with their edible furniture and accessories. It’s clear, if you watch TV on ANY given evening, just how important cooking …
Never Felt Better: The Many Uses Of Pressed Wool for eco homes
Felt is one of those under-used but “designers’ favourite” materials. And as one of the earliest fabrics created, it has been for a very long time. Natural felt is made using wool in a wet or dry process and utilises the wool fibre scales and kinks to bond or matt the fabric together. For me, it’s the density of …
Log in and Branch Out: Natural Wooden Furniture In The Home
Bringing nature into the home can mean so much more than just treading mud into the hallway carpet. What we’re seeing at the moment is a new generation of designers finding ways to create furnishings from unprocessed materials. This allows the softness and elegance of natural forms to add a unique organic richness to your home. Perhaps this is part …
Pattern Application: Repetition For Rejuvenation
It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to notice that pattern is creeping into all areas of our homes. What I’ve recently been noticing is that it’s now being applied to some really unusual materials and even as a means to upcycle furniture that otherwise might be taking up space at a landfill site. Adding texture and relief gives products …