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.