Here’s a round up of some of the best interior designers and furniture makers to look out for at the street party and open studio this Saturday.
Design fanatics, home decorators and those who just like a well-designed party are all catered for at the inaugural Queen’s Park Design District, one of the newest neighbourhoods to be recognised for its thriving design community at this year’s London Design Festival.
Spearheaded by Bill Amberg, the leather designer who has lived and worked in the area for twenty years, open studios, workshops, seminars and demonstrations have been centred along Lonsdale Road and the surrounding streets this week, culminating in a family open day and party on Saturday, 20th September. Visitors can look forward to live music, food stalls, a pop up cocktail bar from local favourite The Shop and, of course, plenty of design.
Among the companies launching products, Bill Amberg Studio will be showing a sofa, armchair and footstall made with Case Furniture. These are informal pieces in sheepskin, felt, and Amberg’s signature material, leather, which have the squish of a bean bag while remaining structured enough to be used outside a teenager’s bedroom.
Visitors will also be able to check out Amberg’s collaboration with friends The Rag and Bone Man, providing a leather finish to the tractor seats that top their bespoke bar stools, made from vintage heavyweight industrial ratchets and salvaged lorry components. This is an excellent opportunity for Londoners to view the pieces in person and to catch them before they hit the big time – the company’s designs are about to be stocked in Liberty.
Salvaged items also feature heavily in the partnership between designer Zoe Brewer and furniture upholstering social enterprise Out of the Dark, who provide education and employment to disadvantaged young people.
Assorted pieces of discarded furniture have been re-upholstered by Brewer and the young people at Out of the Dark, in bright, luxurious velvets and festooned with felt flowers. All the pieces are for sale during the festival and Out of the Dark are also running upholstery workshops for people who want to try their hand at it themselves.
“The capsule collection of products we have created for LDF is aimed at getting creative juices flowing in terms of thinking outside of the box and pushing the boundaries of furniture recycling,” says Brewer.
A more restrained look is on offer at Rupert Bevan, who draws on Art Deco and 1940s influences and combines them with new or unusual techniques to bring them up to date.
Quality materials and specialist craftsmanship bring the pieces seriously upmarket and his studio and showroom will be open to the public for close inspection of Bevan’s favourite patinated metals, antiqued glass and gilded and gesso finishes.
queensparkdesigndistrict.co.uk
Read more:
Open House London offers a rare glimpse of innovative interiors
Future classic Dutch mid-century furniture sale in Marylebone
Leather tube lamps and seating have UK launch in Queen’s Park at LDF14
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