Photos by Raymond Lee. Please click on photo for captions

Cool and  sunny, with a chance of gusty winds, was the weather forecast for an entire week in late September when I arrived in London. Though tempted to stay outdoors to enjoy the lovely weather, I hopped into a black cab and rushed over to check out what’s new and exciting at 100% Design, Decorex 09 and FOCUS 09. Here are some highlights of the tour of the style capital’s recent interior design fairs.

LIGHT FANTASTIC!

Everywhere I looked, there were creative and whimsical ways to light up — from La Murrina’s elegant Murano crystal chandeliers and Diffuse’s porcelain butterfly pendant lights that give off a subtle candle-like glow to Porta Romana’s sculptural tribal-inspired Totemic table lamps that glow with that burnished gold finish. Atelier Areti’s “Kirchschlag” engraved crystal glass creations, with their oh-so light, delicate and bubble-like appearance, also caught my eye. These light creations are such a delight to the eye even when they are not switched on.

RECYLE, REUSE AND REJUVENATE

The need to contribute to responsible consumerism has led many designers to develop practical yet wonderful creations from recycled materials. Take JamDesigns’ Giant Teacups — a nod to the favourite English pastime of tea drinking, they are fashioned from recycled plastic and can be used indoors as plant boxes, wastepaper bins or even umbrella stands and lampshades. The striking patchwork cover of Ginny Avison’s armchairs and sofas is fashioned from leftover luxurious fabrics, making a colourful and relevant statement. Meanwhile, Jordy Fu’s magnificent “Cloud Walk” is handmade from recycled paper, cut using an ancient Chinese technique to create expressive and dreamlike three-dimensional landscapes.

CREATIVE GENIUS

Also waiting to be discovered were exceptional ideas that not only stand out for design integrity but also imagination. Th e exciting collection of compact soft walls from Canada’s Molo Design Group, for example, is made from a highly durable polyethylene non-woven textile that is tear-proof, UV and water-resistant and 100% recyclable. It also expands from a thickness of a book to form a translucent white or opaque black free-standing wall. All you have to do is hook up its magnetic catch and you are set. The group’s other creations include paper soft walls, textile soft seating, kraft paper soft seating and textile softlight modules.

Highly visible at this year’s fairs were Asian designers and Asian-inspired collections. Many Korean designers, both based in the UK or from South Korea, had many interesting ideas to showcase. Hong Kong-born, London-based designers from Channels had modern, Oriental-themed floor lamps and side tables fashioned out of oak and smoked oak while Kazuhiro Yamanaka’s pure and elegant side tables and desks were understated and sleek at once. Yamanaka’s designs have made it to the collection of MOMA in New York while his light installations have found their way into the V & A Museum in London and the fashion-forward stores of Collette all over Paris.

NATURAL SELECTION

Many a designer once again turned to nature for inspiration. This year’s pick of the crop include Scabetti’s Cibola glazed bone china pendant lights that are onion-like in form and sparkling crystal Shoal chandeliers, both designed by the dynamic duo of Dominic and Frances Bromley based in Leek, Staffordshire, the UK. From the Czech Republic is ATEH, a studio that designs lights that illuminate rooms in a most magical way. Ann Coston’s delightful handmade pieces combine sea shells collected from naturally sustainable resources, silver and mother of pearl to create stunning gifts and home accessories.

ARTISTIC TOUCH

ISO (Individual Sensual Original) Fine Art & Interiors’ one-of-a-kind bespoke Cymbidium Exotica light sculpture was a sight to behold. The brainchild of Laura Frances, this creation has had commissions from the likes of Kylie Minogue, Webster & Noble and Vong Phaophanit. Allan Lake, also of ISO, uses a variety of British hardwoods from sustainable sources to create sculpted wood furniture that exudes warmth, invites touch and interaction, like his Rainbow Desk and Wishwood Cheval Mirror. Foale & Sons’ romantic fl oral headboards add romance and a dreamlike fairytale quality to any bedroom.

STAND-OUTS

Other notable designs that captured attention include Corin Mellor of David Mellor London’s rather modern and commanding polished stainless steel nine-light candelabra. Each consists of 32 slim vertical bars in stainless steel. The eight candleholders radiate out from the central stem encircling a ninth candleholder set at a higher level. Very striking is the mass of coloured rings in anodized aluminium off set by plain white candles. In all, there are 380 separate handmade components! As one of the UK’s foremost stainless steel cutlery makers, David Mellor’s flatware can be found in such high-end restaurants as Bluebird Restaurant in London and Vong in New York. Meanwhile, Lazerian’s Liam Hopkins and Richard Sweeney use computer technology and both raw and laminated birch plywood to create an interlocking series of shapes that form incredibly fascinating glass-topped tables and lights. Very cool indeed, but didn’t I mention that London is hot, hot, hot! Can’t wait to get back!

This article first appeared in the December 2009 + January 2010 issue of haven, a bi-monthly ID and garden magazine published by The Edge