The New Galapagos Website and Blog are Live!

We've been working round the clock to get things ready for our new website & blog, and we are pleased as punch to announce its finally Live! 

Come and check out our new blog all about design and the history of our furniture, which we hope you'll enjoy!

We also have a news and events page on  to see the latest on what we're up to.  

And finally, our website www.galapagosdesigns.com is ready for online purchases of beautiful MidCentury furniture, so please come and visit us soon!

Thanks for following us on the resourcedlondon blogspot, and we hope to see you soon on our new blogs!

Lights, Camera, Action!

The photo shoot for the Galapagos website launch took place on Saturday 8th June at the magnificent RIDAUK studios in Kings Cross, and ever since, we have been working our way through hundreds of photos for the new website. We're super pleased to be able to give you a sneak preview before we go live later this month!

With 5 huge spaces all in gleaming white, we didn't know where to start, but with a little help from our friends (even those of the canine variety), the shoot finally came together. We hope you'll like the end results!

Phoenix Nights

Another day another journey to the workshop! With the help of our trusty upholsterer, new pieces are arriving every day and needless to say we're delighted with the results. 

Todays gifts from the gods: an amazing button backed chair in Korla's beautiful Phoenix fabric and an emerald green from Bute (part of a pair, the other will be the opposite colourway), plus an amazing daybed in Korla's Alhambra stars. Anyone for a lie down?

Back In Black

After a brief hiatus spent reviewing, sorting and generally preparing for the launch later this month, we're finally in the run up to our first studio shoot on Saturday at the superb RIDA studios in Islington! Only the best for the best we say. 

We'll be documenting the shoot for the blog, but in the meantime we've had an abundance of new products landing on our doorstep, including these amazing Howard Keith Encore chairs! They've been lovingly restored with Korla's Black Lattice on the back - serious statement pieces for the boys! 

Midcentury Modern Rules at Clerkenwell Design Week

With Clerkenwell Design Week running from the 21st to 23rd May, a visit was in order. First stop was the Farmiloe Building, and MidCentury Modern influences were everywhere! Its like everyone got the memo and put pen to paper with some fantastic results. 

In the Farmiloe building, there were a huge number of chairs and sofa's with gently curved backs, smooth lines in beautiful woods reminiscent of the Danish masters of the 1950's, tapered legs and an abundance of mustards, greys and reds in stacking chairs & stools. Knoll & Howard Keith were influencing a number of exhibitors, not least the yellow chair above which is a take on a giant Bambino chair by HK Furniture!

Pastel hues of the series of tables below were like giant buttons just waiting to be taken home...

 ...and atomic style legs everywhere! Love love love!

Origins of the Logo

The original lino print of our Galapagos logo has arrived! And its super beautiful. Thanks so much to Ele @minouette for your work, its going on the wall soon!

Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight

Chatting the other day about 1950s chairs (of course) a friend at The Chair House, Mel Draycott, told me about a fantastic book on 1960s & 70s life in Britain, "Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight, The John Hinde Butlin's Photographs". 

The photos were apparently elaborately stage managed to make into postcards, with large casts of real holidaymakers acting out narrative tales of Butlin's lounges, ballrooms and Beachcomber bars. I just love the full on technicolour and the boredom of the kids, aren't they supposed to be having fun?! And of course, the furniture.....

Designed for the Tropics

For the love of chairs, its in our blood! Can't help but be impressed and super proud of the sales display put together in Singapore by none other than Nigel Mortimer (aka Dad)! We're going international and doing it in style.

The concession has just opened with a superb collection of German cocktail chairs, industrial stools, super cool lighting and other artefacts sourced in Berlin and all for sale, so if you're in Singapore be sure to check it out, its on at Dream Interiors 456 River Valley Rd for a limited period. 

Spring Greens & Orangina

The sunshine may have retreated for a few days, but these new arrivals are brightening my day! We've had a batch of 6 cocktail chairs from Germany recovered in Korla's beautiful Alhambra stars and Koi Karp fabrics, and another 12 on the way.

Modernising the Lords Pavilion

The folks organising the MidCentury Modern show today at Lords Cricket Ground in St John's Wood in London must be proud (and worn out!), it was a great success! After looking forward to it for weeks it was well worth the wait, with some stands to inspire and lust after!

An amazing stand from Vintage Unit, with industrial lighting & cabinets competing for attention!

Mousedog was a real find, he would be a welcome addition to the family! More photos to follow (and some of the deliveries we had yesterday - so beautiful I want to keep them all!

Lemonade on the Lawn

We took delivery of a superb pair of finished chairs this morning, and with all this sunshine we just had to take them outside! If only there was more time to lounge on them properly....they are going off to the studio for their professional shots soon and then hopefully off to new homes to be lounged on for another 50 years!

Amazing to think they were made in the 1950's and have lasted so well. Not sure of the designer of these ones, they came from a small town near Dusseldorf. There's a daybed to match. The chairs are recovered in Korla's Koi Karp fabric in mushroom, and trimmed with Cornflower by Bute. 

Chair Envy

Its been a few days since I logged onto the Huffington Post and I missed a stunning pictorial on MidCentury Modern! Blogger Ryan Nickum has put together photos of ten amazing and glorious properties still reliving the 1960's in full technicolour. I think I have chair envy...

I spent the weekend making a few more purchase, including a pair of Howard Keith Bambino chairs, photos to follow when they arrive. In the meantime more arrivals from Germany, in pleasing shades of peach and tawny brown, and the roundest, chubbiest chair I've found so far. A real fat boy this one, he's demanding of something special I think!

Colours of Spring & Summer

This morning we had a new arrival from the lovely team at Korla in Singapore, ready for the next batch of chairs in a range of beautiful spring and summer colours! We can't wait to see them in action on the 50's cocktail chairs I posted about the other day. 

Cocktails in the British Sunshine!

Today was delivery day from one of our suppliers in Germany, and what great things they delivered! The first three 1950's cocktail chairs are ready for reupholstery, but even before they're stripped and upcycled ready for sale they look pretty good! 

Industrial Design

My one purchase from Ardingly Antiques Fair was a 1930s industrial work stool, not in great nick but it will be when we've finished with it! 

No manufacturers name on it, but a lovely piece none the less! Be sure to check back here for photos of the finished chair in a few weeks, I'll post photos as soon as its finished. 

Sunshine Antiques

 Today being one of the first sunny days of the year, we packed a picnic and made our way down to Ardlingly Antiques Fair to see what treasures they had in store. Such a massive venue requires dedication and a strong sense of purpose in finding what you're after, and we were distracted to say the least by some great finds - an original mould for glass Coke bottles, a snip at £300, and an original roll of beautiful green-and-yellow Lucienne Day fabric for £600.

I was overwhelmed by the size of the place and forgot to take photos near the start of the day, but I did take a few snaps of some of the other finds of the day.

 Vintage rocking horse animals amongst a whole collection of carnival salvage

Childrens chairs in candy colours, and french patio chairs brightened up by flowers

and a gorgeous old bike!

I did make one purchase which will be making its way onto the website for sale soon, a 1930's industrial stool that needs cleaning up....pictures to be posted shortly!