Design Team Inspiration July 2015

Manchester

The Manchester Furniture Show

http://www.manchesterfurnitureshow.com/

19^th – 21^st July

Always buzzing with creativity and discussion, this year’s Manchester Furniture Show was no exception and threw light on upcoming trends throughout the industry.

The natural base palette of greys, blues, white and black remained the key colours across all products and materials. Taupe and mushroom tones were also well presented, particularly when used in geometric patterns.  Sharp yellow was the most popular colour for a bold statement or focal feature.

Reclaimed and distressed looks were very on-trend and a focus on environmental sustainability was emphasised throughout. Painted wood and urban materials such as concrete were combined with everyday materials to produce a contrasting textured effect.

Quality production also stood out with high gloss, satin or polished finishes used throughout to capture stylish contemporary looks.

All of these can be found in our new products, Soho and Loft.

Stay tuned to the blog for more trend updates from our Design Team. 

V&A

What Is Luxury?

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/what-is-luxury/

April 25th – 27th September

This exhibition questions how luxury is made and understood in a physical, conceptual and cultural capacity. Great attention to detail is a key area in design at the moment, and this exhibition really hones in on the desire for quality, care and precision. The focal argument is the relationship between luxury and value, whether it be monetary, an investment of time, or a question of social status. What Is Luxury? inspires ideas of pleasure and opulence but also of exclusivity, preciousness and legacy.

London

Serpentine Galleries

http://www.serpentinegalleries.org/exhibitions-events/serpentine-pavilion-2015

25^th June – 18^th October

Serpentine Pavilion 

The 15^th annual Serpentine Pavilion is this year designed by Madrid-based architects, Selgascano. The amorphous, double skinned polygonal structure consists of panels of translucent, multi-coloured fabric membrane. A number of entry and exit points create a secret corridor between the outer layers of the structure and produce a brilliant stained glass effect in the interior. It ties in nicely with several current trends; light, reflection and refraction; hexagon patterning and structures; as well as themes of translucence and layering of fine materials. 

This week our Design Team has been out and about exploring some of the UK’s summer exhibitions to see the best in cutting edge technology and artistic design. Here we share some of the inspiration discovered along the way…