The London Design festival showcases some of the UK’s most innovative designers, brands and products. After its inaugural year in 2014, north London’s Queens Park Design District is returning to the festival with open studios, live design events, art installations and workshops. And the best bit? You can get to all of the locations on a rickshaw.
Fromental
Maida Vale-based luxury wallpaper designers, Fromental, are bringing a special sample sale to the design festival this year. The sale, taking place at their new show flat in Queens Park, will allow you to get your hands on their hand-painted and embroidered designs at a hugely discounted price.
Sale takes place 24 September. 28 Kimberley Court, Kimberley Road, NW6 7SL
Retrouvius
This year architectural designers and salvagers Retrouvius are working in collaboration with British perfumer Lyn Harris; creating a marriage of perfume and architecture. At their warehouse in Kensal Green they will be showcasing Harris’s new oak-scented perfume, along with their new table design and the creative re-use of three forms of salvaged oak wood infused with the perfume.
September 19, 21-26 September. 1016 Harrow Road, Kensal Green, NW10 5NS
The Artful Project
The artful project isn’t as arty-farty as it sounds. A photography gallery which believes that everyone should have access to beautiful artwork and designs, they call themselves a gallery where “extraordinary art comes at an ordinary price”. During the festival they will be commissioning fresh photography and their psychedelic themed Ice Cream Van Gallery will be displaying in Queens Park.
The Ice Cream Van will be on Lonsdale Road September 24 from 5-9pm and September 27 from 11-4pm
Quinine
Fancy getting your sweat on in the name of design? As part of their Late Open Studios evening, Quinine Design will be hosting a ping pong tournament outside their studios on Lonsdale Road. Head inside the studios afterwards to check out projects from the UK, Canada and the USA that explore the value and magic of design.
The ping pong tournament will take place September 24 6–8pm. 13 Lonsdale Rd, NW6 6RA
Claridge Architects
Claridge Architects will be hosting an exhibition of past, present and future projects by using a timeline starting at the inception of the practice, a large scale printed map of London displaying 3D printed models and a continuous digital display of images. The architects are best known for elegant yet functional projects such as Parkgate House, Philpot Lane and Wood Norton Hotel.
September 24, 1-5pm & September 25, 10-5pm. 6 Lonsdale Rd, NW6 6RD
Riz Boardshorts
It’s definitely not surfing weather (and we’re pretty far away from the shore in London), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check out Riz Boardshorts. Riz Smith, founder and creative director, is a London-based designer and surfer, and has created “The most beautiful and sustainable surf shorts in the world”. Black Sunshine is his newest collection on display for LDF, monochrome board shorts with clean lines inspired by the idea of creating a Saville Row for surfing.
Open days September 21 – 27, 10am – 5pm. 19 Lonsdale Road, NW6 6RA
Wild Beauty
As part of Plants Out of Place, a sensory event designed to question our and approaches to sustainable practices, Victoria Chown from Handmade Apothecary will deliver a workshop on how to identify and utilize key weeds to ingest and apply to the skin. The aim of the workshop is to enable participants to learn how to create their own bespoke natural skincare products and treatment.
September 19, 3pm & September 20, 5pm, Kingswood Avenue, Kilburn NW6 6SG. Booking essential
Mauvaise Herbes
Plants out of Place will also be hosting a unique ‘foraged supper’ where “foodologists” will create culinary delights utilising weeds. This is in an effort to celebrate their undervalued prowess as an culinary ingredient.
September 20, 7pm & September 21, 11pm. Kingswood Avenue, Kilburn NW6 6SG. Booking essential
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