Category Archives: british design

Weekend DESIGN inspiration – University of Sussex Product Design Degree show – Design 2013

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This week we are not talking about colour inspiration, but Weekend Design Inspiration, courtesy of the great Product Designers at the University of Sussex who are currently exhibiting their final year show – design 2013.

Ok. This is a little biased as I am privileged enough to both guest lecture and guest critique on the Product Design degree course, but the exhibition of the final projects produced by the dedicated students is well worth a visit if you are in or around Brighton this week.

A variety of projects are on show, from a conceptual product which edges into fashion and deals with personal privacy to a modern heirloom for a child which encourages imaginative play and memory attachment.

Interactive products have also been created, including a social interaction toy and a game to help combat childhood obesity, and products with great social value such as a sleeping bag / jacket product for rough sleepers.

It is free to attend and well worth the trip to the University of Sussex today or tomorrow  Check out the full design 2013 website here…

SPOTTED – screenprinted vintage mirrors of asintended

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We adore finding beautiful, handcrafted pieces to feature here on The Ecospot, or for the projects we work on with our clients. We are particularly in love with anything letterpress inspired, and this traditional way of printing often crops up in our projects in some way or another.

she stood in the storm

So we were delighted when we spotted these gorgeous letterpress inspired screenprinted vintage mirrors by graphic studio asintended, who we discovered on an Artists Open House trail in Brighton.

Using vintage mirrors  the studio prints inspirational quotes over the top to create a beautiful decorative, reflective piece with stacks of depth.

she stood in the storm

Perhaps not the mirror you would choose for a bathroom  but we are thinking about this for a hallway, or even a kitchen diner space to add a bit of extra character and to bounce the light about.

Stunning – and one we will be specifying without doubt. Contact asintended for further information on the mirrors or the other great letterpress prints in the studios collection.

(image via asintended)

SPOTTED – beautiful functional ceramics of Holly Bell

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We are very firm believers that you should have a good selection of tableware - everyday pieces, special pieces and a selection of one-off pieces. Yet another spot from the Artists Open Houses in Brighton this year, we saw these pieces of functional ceramics from local artist Holly Bell and instantly fell in love with their simple shapes and soft colourings.

Perfect to compliment a range of tableware as beautiful one off pieces, made with care. 

bowlsround dimlpe jugs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holly states that the colours of the South Downs provide inspiration for the pieces she produces, and as locals, we can definitely see the influences of chalk paths, hedges and the sea. The muted colours also fade across the pieces giving them a beautiful washed appearance.

Our particular favourites were the small jugs which have a beautifully sculpted spout and central dimple on the body for holding with ease. They are balanced, delicate yet robust – real winners.

See Holly Bell at 64 Sandgate Road as part of the Artists Open Houses, or at her website – www.hollybell.co.uk

(inages via Holly Bell)

SPOTTED – the beautiful vignette still life photos of 5ftinf

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There is a particular art in being able to construct a beautiful vignette – a photographed still life which includes a variety of carefully balanced pieces. To get the different elements  the textures and the light to work together is a real skill and there is one artist based in Brighton who is very good indeed. We follow 5ftinf (the alter ego of artist Philippa Stanton) on Instagram, where the ‘daily table’ photo which is constructed from vintage pieces and seasonal items is a joy to behold.

Whilst visiting the Artists Open Houses we discovered that the gorgeous still lives are available as both greetings cards and photographic prints – both at the open house in 64 Sandgate Road, Brighton and online at Philippa’s Etsy store.

Plus, if there is a particular ‘daily table’ shot that catches your eye, you can request is specially.

But be warned – there are so many beautiful photographs of The Table on both the 5ftinf Instagram feed and blog that you would be very hard pushed to choose just one.

(images via 5ftinf Etsy)

Wednesday Walls – Devil’s Dyke screenprint by Sue Haseltine

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There are landscapes and locations in each of our lives that instantly conjure up thoughts and memories of days gone by, both long past and relatively present. Having been born in Brighton, the South Downs hold a very special place in my own heart and it was with delight that we spotted this wonderful Devil’s Dyke screenprint by local artist Sue Haseltine at the Artists Open Houses.

Sue Haseltine Devil's Dyke Screenprint

Whilst the view is beautifully stylised, if you have visited the Devil’s Dyke you know exactly where it is. Personally, I know that central path well. Over the years I have walked, run, ridden a horse, ridden a downhill mountain bike and even snowboarded down that path. And this print brings back those memories.

The Devil’s Dyke screenprint has a lovely graphic quality, reminiscent of an old transport poster or postage stamp  with a simplicity that allows it to be very contemporary in feel also. It would be perfectly situated within a modern family living room where you can all remember picnics, walks and kite flying in the middle of winter.

And at £45 for an unframed print, it will not break the bank. A truly stunning print from a local artist who knows the location well.

(image via Sue Haseltine)

SPOTTED – stunning leather craft from Wolfram Lohr

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Even before the recent surge in the old fashioned satchel, we had a very soft spot for old leather suitcases, doctors bags and monogrammed military issue shoulder bags. There is a sense of history with a leather piece - marks and scratches showing the passing of time and a map of where the item and the owner/s have been. Leather pieces also last a very long time, so are great for diverting away from landfill in the sustainability sense.

So we are always very interested to see how designers and makers take this very traditional craft into a modern setting. We were delighted when we found the beautiful bags, belts and accessories from Brighton based Wolfram Lohr at the Brighton Artists Open Houses.

The Post Mistress shoulder bag.

It was one of those moments when you see something, fall instantly in love with it, then instantly fall in love with the piece next door. And the piece next door to that.

The range of leather pieces by Wolfram Lohr follow a very utilitarian style, with beautifully simple and traditional shapes being updated with a very modern combination of colours and tiny details, such as contrasting threads and pencil loops within bags. Plus, most of the hides used within the leather work are vegetable tanned, eliminating the nasty chemicals commonly used in the process.

They really are a delight to behold. 

Plus, if you do not have the funds to stretch to one of the gorgeous post style bags (from around £100 – £580 for the laptop bag) there is a great range of accessories finished to the same impeccable detail, such as the mobile phone sleeve for only £28.

The pieces by Wolfram Lohr are a wonderful example of true craft, produced by hand and with care for a contemporary user.

See Wolfram Lohr at 3 Florence Road, Brighton as part of the Brighton Open Houses, or at the boutiques website.

(images via Wolfram Lohr)

Monday musings – the Artists Open Houses, Brighton

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Each May, our home town of Brighton is put into overdrive with the Brighton Festival, Brighton Fringe and the Artists Open Houses, running all month. Even though Brighton is already an incredibly creative city, you literally cannot move for pop up theatre, comedy, exciting new venues and wonderful performances. It is as exhausting as it is exciting. And as official reviewers this year for the excellent EggMag, we are enjoying it even more.

However, there is one element to May that is a real joy and we look forward to each year – the Artists Open Houses.

Springing up through the various art collectives that scatter the city, they are all brought together under the Open House banner for the month  arranged neatly into trails in most of the major areas of Brighton.

Using the brilliantly produced (and free) Artists Open House brochure or mobile app, you can discover areas of Brighton which you perhaps had never visited – peeking into the homes of the artists themselves, purchasing a cup of tea and home made cake and having a chat with the people who actually created the art, design and craft.

And this is the real bonus to the Artists Open Houses. Not only do you find wonderful pieces which span the realms of fine art, illustration, photography, jewellery and design collected together beautifully, you will probably get the chance to chat to the maker themselves.

So much of the creative process is a personal thing – particularly with solo artists and designer/ makers  so having the ability to talk through the reasoning to a piece, their inspiration or even whether they could do you the same item but perhaps in grey is priceless. In an age of the mass produced, the personality that is poured into art, design and craft is something that we have tended to lose – it is this great collective that allows us to reconnect.

It does feel as though these wonderful artists, designers and makers have been hidden away in their studios across Brighton, all working independently and the Open Houses is where we all get to discover them, so get out there.

Find a piece, talk to the maker and treasure it.

We will be posting some of our favourite makers here on the Ecospot, so keep your eyes peeled for a variety of both art, design and craft suitable for the eclectic interior.

see the Artists Open Houses website for details on all the locations across Brighton.

SPOTTED – American pop culture screen prints by Patrick Edgeley

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We are suckers for a lovely screen print. Particularly if it features a lovely strong graphic and a bit of typography. They are one of our favourite ways of getting colour into a modern  eclectic interior as they are not only strong images, but are pieces of art.

So the Artists Open Houses in Brighton each May sees us searching out artists to add to our list. We instantly fell in love with these screen prints from Patrick Edgeley, who’s studio is based in Brighton.

Bottle Tops Patrick Edgeley

Taking references from Americana, pop culture and everyday objects, the limited edition screen prints are bright, with a strong structure. Repetition features in many of the prints, with soda pop bottle lids, bubble gum logos or kitchen utensils dancing across the image.

Kitchen utensils Patrick Edgeley

There is a distinct retro feel to the representation of the pieces within the screen prints – both with the colours used and the subjects themselves and it was this bright retro feel that attracted us.

elvis-patrick edgeley

We think they would be perfect in a kitchen / diner space, with prints such as ‘Elvis’ gracing a modern hallway to give you a smile as you pop in and out of the house.

Lovely prints from another local artist – and one on our list of people to call on for future interior design projects… Go see his exhibition at 3 Florence Road, Brighton for the Artists Open Houses.

(images via Antigraphic)

SPOTTED – hand crafted lamps by Sarah Lock

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As yesterday was a Bank Holiday Monday, there were no Monday Musings here on the Ecospot, but rest assured – we were not sitting idle. The merry month of May is a particularly great time to be in the city of Brighton as we have the fabulous Brighton Festival, Brighton Fringe and the Artists Open Houses.

This is where trails across the city wind their way from house to house each weekend, stuffed full of wonderful pieces of art, craft, graphics and homewares. And often, the creators are there too, so you get the chance to chat directly to the makers.

sarah lock

So, this month we we will be spotting quite a lot of stuff that we have hunted out on the Artist Open Houses trails, starting with these great lamps by designer Sarah Lock.

Currently on show at 3 Florence Road, Brighton, we were instantly drawn to the hand turned decorative wooden side lamps, each of which was topped with a bespoke shade.

With an eclectic mix of forms, some of the wooden bases were painted in both bold and delicate bands to match the contours of the base, whilst others were left natural.

Shades are matched perfectly with each base, from oversized florals to plain and neutral, but our favourite has to be the shades created from maps.

We were very drawn not only to the balanced nature of the pieces, but the slightly eclectic nature that each piece had. They would be perfect in any eclectic interior – as a set of bedside table lamps or as a single piece on a side table in a living room.

Plus, the lamps and shades by Sarah Lock are available together (£150) or you can purchase the shades separately (from £30 each)

See them on the Artists Open Houses Trail or at www.sarahlock.com

(images by claire potter design and Sarah Lock)

Wednesday Walls – picture frame wall sticker from Rockett St George

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When we work with domestic clients on residential projects it is often the family pictures which need a lot of consideration as far as display goes. They are often scattered about in different sized and styled frames, or tacked to walls and cabinet doors. And with the steady stream of notes, photos and artwork that a family creates, innovative solutions are required, which is why we really like this Picture Frame Wall Sticker from Rockett St George.

Picture Frames Wall Sticker - Exclusive to Rockett St George

Instead of worrying about framing each of the pieces, this lovely wall sticker, which is available in 23 different colours allows otherwise random photos, notes and mementos to be collected together in a pleasing arrangement.

And, if they are lightly tacked to the wall, the pieces can be easily changed, with the Picture Frame wall sticker acting as the only constant.

We think the Picture Frame wall sticker is a great piece and would be brilliant in any family home. Available now, exclusively from Rockett St George for only £28.

(image via Rockett St George)