Omega and Beyond

Omega Workshops and The Bloomsbury Group

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"It is time that the spirit of fun was introduced into furniture and into fabrics." Roger Fry

Charleston interior © The Charleston Trust

Omega Workshops opened in July 1913 - the artists involved were members of The Bloomsbury Group... Vanessa Bell, Roger Fry and Duncan Grant. They were inspired by the work of Arts & Crafts pioneer William Morris, and like Morris, wanted to combine art with design, reject the new mass production and remove the separation between fine art and craft. 

Following in the Arts & Crafts tradition they felt that a well-crafted chair or a beautiful textile design was every bit as important as a fine painting, their work also grew out of a love of nature and a desire for their designs to sit alongside their paintings.

During its short lived existence Omega Workshops produced a range of objects for the home including ceramics, furniture, rugs, glassware, and even clothing - all incorporating bold colours, geometric forms and abstract patterns. Sadly it’s closure was due to what Fry described as ‘public indifference'. It’s hard to believe when today we place so much importance on our home and many of us, interior designers and home-makers alike enjoy the creative challenge of curating a personal environment.

Monk’s House, East Sussex, the home of Virginia Wolfe, sister of Vanessa Bell, decorated by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.

Omega Workshops radical approach to home interiors and design went on to have a far-reaching effect on decoration as seen in these homewares from Anthropologie.

Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant eventually set up home at Charleston Farmhouse near Lewes in East Sussex... in May a festival takes place in celebration of their ethos and working partnership.

The garden at Charleston © The Charleston Trust

Cressida Bell is the granddaughter of Vanessa, and while her work reflects the influence of her famous heritage, she has created her own take and unique style across a range of gorgeous decorative items... from textiles to ceramics and lamps to bespoke cakes! Samples of her beautiful work are shown below - you can also visit her workshop in Hackney.

Madeleine Bradbury is a Brighton-based painter who creates hand-painted lamps, furniture and accessories inspired by the work of Omega Workshops. We have selected a number of items from her range with more than a hint of The Bloomsbury Group.

For a romantic bedroom inspired by the soft pink hues in the guest bedroom at Charleston (below left) we looked to Cox & Cox for their washed linen bedding and soft velvet chair.

We went in further search of some designs which reflect The Bloomsbury Group ethos and decorative styling. Here is a selection from Sandersons Bloomsbury Canvas Prints and Embroideries, complemented by their Bloomsbury Canvas wallpapers.

Farrow & Ball create wallpapers and richly pigmented paint colours which can be matched to any look or style you want to create. For further inspiration in-line with the design ethos of Omega Workshops we chose these colours from their colour range. 

Charleston

The New Kettle's Yard

'A living place where works of art could be enjoyed... where young people could be at home unhampered by the greater austerity of the museum or public art gallery.' Jim Ede.

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Kettle’s Yard house and gallery in Cambridge has just reopened after a two year make-over and extension to its site, it now includes a café and gift shop. However, the original building remains the same and the eclectic collection of its founder Jim Ede is still displayed exactly as before.

Kettle's Yard

Kettle's Yard

What makes Kettle's Yard so unique and magical, setting it apart from any other gallery space, is that the modest row of interconnecting houses remain set up as a home. The style is simple and unpretentious, just as when Ede lived there, with sofas, tables, chairs and bookshelves and his collection is displayed without curators notes or labels.

Kettle's Yard

Kettle's Yard

Originally, the now iconic Kettle's Yard, was a row of small dilapidated workman’s cottages which Jim Ede, a former Tate curator, acquired and converted into a home for himself and his art teacher wife Helen in 1956.

Ede was an avid collector of modernist British and European ceramics and artworks and amassed a collection which includes paintings by Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Alfred Wallis, Christopher Wood, David Jones and Joan Miro, as well as sculptures by Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Constantin Brancusi, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.

Jim Ede would display a simple swirl or dish of pebbles with as much respect as he displayed a precious piece of pottery, displaying art and non-art pieces alongside each other.

Kettle's Yard

Kettle's Yard

Later he donated the entire collection and the house to Cambridge University, at which time its reputation as a place to visit with reverence grew. His style was based on simplicity and he aspired to create for each room "an atmosphere of quiet and simple charm". The house retains that charm alongside the history it carries within the carefully curated objects. 

We love the effortless style of the home Jim Ede created and the skill of the curators eye which he transferred from his time at the Tate gallery to his own home. We can all use our creativity to curate personal collections or memorabilia and, as Ede has shown in his shell and pebble collections, it’s often how we choose to show those items that is as important as the items themselves. Curating your own collection and changing things around regularly not only brings out our creativity but can make us see things afresh – we may not all own a Lucie Rie dish or a Miro painting but here are a few key ideas to get things started!

For a contemporary take on Jim Ede’s rocking chair and upholstered furniture, try Arlo & Jacob...

We really love the way the paintings and prints are grouped together, sometimes in quite unexpected places, and framed in simple wooden frames allowing the pictures to stand out and also unifying them. Try framing family photographs and prints in matching frames and creating your own gallery to add interest to a stairway or hall for example.

For its clean lines and simplicity, the Galvin Brothers handcrafted furniture is traditionally built but with a contemporary twist.

Have fun curating your own items, and if you want to collect on a shoestring try Habitat for very affordable studio-style pottery or for the real thing go to Maak who will be holding a contemporary ceramics auction in May (online preview from 27 April).

Kettle's Yard, Castle Street, Cambridge

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

Kettle's Yard

Festive Interiors for Christmas

It’s the festive season and the perfect excuse to get creative with decorations and table settings. Our own signature style at this time of year usually focuses on green white and silver or gold. By having a fresh, neutral theme as a contrast to the colourful food and drinks on offer, it can go some way to creating an air of sophistication even if the mood gets distinctly party!

MAY ALL YOUR CHRISTMASES BE BRIGHT…

By contrast we have also been inspired by the modern trend for mixing up colours, and Jasper Conran’s Christmas theme particularly caught our attention.

Brights like these work in both a traditional home and also a modern, pared-down interior, as long as they are used against neutrals or white as a backdrop and are not jostling with other colours and patterns.

You can get the look with these party decorations from the Conran Shop.

Flowers are an absolute must for Christmas and we love these vibrant arrangements by Rebel Rebel. They have also put together some gorgeous wreaths for the front door, to make just the right impression when guests arrive, and which we think look just as lovely inside or out.

...LIGHT...

Add some colour but without going overboard with vivid hues by using a pastel theme - stay with a single colour, or mix pastel shades and add some sparkle like this Heal's table setting.

And don’t forget the flowers. Take a look at these gorgeous wreaths and table arrangements from The Real Flower Company.

...NORDIC...

A Nordic-style colour scheme can be distinctly elegant. Decorate your table with deep red flowers, greenery and foraged pine cones - add some glamour with gold cutlery, scented candles and fairy lights.

...OR WHITE

We really are spoilt for choice, and it will be a hard decision this year but you can never get it wrong with a White Christmas! If you decide to go with an all-white theme add colour with greenery, and touches of silver in candles, cutlery and tableware. We especially love these mini pots of flowers with guest tags for each place setting.

With so many seasonal ideas around, why not try your hand at creating your own table decorations, experiment and have fun. Here is a short video showing how to make a simple centrepiece for your Christmas table:

Amara is one of our go-to Christmas shops - from tree decorations, cushions and wreaths to gift ideas, designer tableware and ornaments, with everything you need to prepare for the festivities. 

Amara

Amara

Impressionists in London

French Artists in Exile (1870-1904) - Tate Britain

Tate Britain’s current EY Exhibition tells the story of the artists who fled to Britain in the 1870’s to escape the Franco-Prussian War and insurrection in Paris. 

When we think of Impressionism, many of us immediately imagine the muted colours of Monet’s Waterlilly paintings, but this exhibition includes not just familiar tones, but also figurative works of London scenes such as James Tissot’s London Visitors (1873) and Monet’s Meditation, Mrs Monet Sitting on a Sofa (1870-1871). 

In many ways their inclusion provides a wider view and a fascinating insight into the connections these artists made with British social life.

A room is dedicated to Claude Monet’s studies of the Thames and the Houses of Parliament, painted in his iconic style.

Further paintings, including a number by Pissaro, who lived in the Crystal Palace area while in London, inspired us to put together our own moodboard to reflect the familiar muted shades we associate with the Impressionist style.

We took additional inspiration from Dulux paints. Changing a wall colour, adding some colour to an otherwise neutral palette or simply changing the colour of a few accessories can really change the mood of your interior.

These velvet cushions and bedding from west elm are ideal for cosying up the bedroom and their crinkle lush velvet cushions could also provide just the right impression in the living room, giving a quick seasonal makeover for chilly evenings. Monet said: “Colour owes its brightness to force of contrast rather than to its inherent qualities” – and this is why he chose to use orange and blue in several of his paintings. These two hues create a vibrant contrast as illustrated on the Grey Hamilton Sofa by flashes of turqoise and orange cushions.

Or try one of their rugs such as Flame or Verve, in a variety of colourways which also echo the hues and textures of the Impressionist style.

Accessorizing with a personal collection such as vases or ceramics which draw on a single colour spectrum creates a focal point - such as this collection from west elm.

The EY Exhibition Impressionists in London is on now at Tate Britain until 7th May 2018

Find out more here

Fashion and Textile Museum

British Textile Design with Wallace Sewell

The current show, at one of our favourite museums, is a 25 year celebration of the textiles of Harriet Wallace-Jones and Emma Sewell. Graduates of The Royal College of Art, their work can now be found in around 300 stockists in 20 countries, including prestigious art galleries such as Tate in London and MOMA in New York. 

Their work echoes the aesthetic and ideology of the Bauhaus movement. Based between London and Dorset, their designs take inspiration from the textures and colours of both the countryside and cityscapes. Their manufacturing methods embrace traditional techniques such as hand-looming while fusing tradition with modern technology.

With colder weather on the horizon what better way to cosy up than with one of their signature pieces, a waffle blanket or a pinstriped lambs-wool or Shetland throw.

We are feeling especially envious of these lambs-wool block throws which perfectly echo the Bauhaus influence, particularly the designs of the female weavers of the movement, such as Benita Koch-Otte but with Wallace Sewell’s modern take. 

Woven Bauhaus textile by Benita Koch-Otte 1923

Wallace Sewell’s collaboration with West Elm, a Brooklyn based company with a strong fairtrade ethos and a commitment to sourcing ethical materials, has produced a very beautiful range of throws, wool dhurries and cushions.

This year Wallace Sewell launched a range of exquisite, hand knotted lambs-wool rugs, inspired by their collection of throws - they work particularly well when incorporated alongside them in an interior.

With Christmas just around the corner, Wallace Sewell have produced a number of items which would make perfect gifts. With scarves, cosmetic bags, coin purses, ties and totes all produced using their iconic textile designs there’s something for every member of the family … Christmas solved! Click here to see more.

Some items have been produced in collaboration with Tate Britain and have a distinctly arty style. The blue tones of this wool scarf are inspired by Whistler’s Nocturne: Blue and Silver Chelsea.

The bright colours of this scarf are inspired by Derain’s The Pool of London, and has been designed by Wallace Sewell specially for Tate Britain’s latest exhibition Impressionists in London.

Wallace Sewell: 25 Years of British Textile Design at the Fashion and Textile Museum is on now until 21st January 2018

Find out more here

Textiles as Art - Paule Vézelay at Tate Britain

The artist Paule Vézelay has been very much out of the limelight since her last exhibition at Tate Britain in 1983. The current Spotlight show at Tate Britain will hopefully re-establish her place at the forefront of modern art.

Despite her French sounding name she was born Marjorie Watson Williams in Bristol in 1892 but moved to Paris in the 1920’s and the influence of the abstraction of Joan Miro, Hans Arp, Kandinsky, and her partner Andre Masson can clearly be detected in her paintings.

In the 1950’s she also started designing textiles, Tate Britain’s current show only has a few of her textile designs on display, but we were intrigued to discover more about her earlier work and also inspired to carry out some further research on her textile designs for companies such as Heals and Ascher. Her influence on contemporary design is evident, not just in her paintings but also in her post-war textile designs as can be seen in a selection of her bed-linens, curtains and furnishing fabrics below.

Orla Kiely is a contemporary designer whose retro designs are inspired by post-war textiles but with a modern twist. She particularly favours the textile prints of the 60's and 70's because of their resonance with the vitality of modern art of the period.

Orla Kiely Designs

Designers Guild have a selection of furnishing fabrics and wallpapers, with a similar aesthetic but with an updated feel.

Designers Guild Furnishings

A number of artists, including Vezeley, put their art on silk scarves for Ascher from the 1940’s onward, with the idea of combining art with industry, demonstrating the connection between craft and art.

Take a look at our mood board of contemporary designs, textiles and furnishings which pay homage to the inspiration of 20th Century art in modern design ...

Lisa Corti is based in Milan and draws inspiration from the exotic and the painterly style of Matisse for her cushions, throws and bed linen.

Lisa Corti Designs

Maxine Sutton, based in Margate, originally trained as a fine artist and her current studio practise reflects this, she describes this interaction as “Holding on and Letting Go. In between cloth and paper”.

Maxine Sutton Designs

Helen Yardley's painterly rugs bring a living room to life with their vibrant tones. She describes her work as "fundamentally paintings about colour and shape and how they relate in space".

Helen Yardley

The Paule Vézelay Spotlight Display is open now until 5 November at Tate Britain.

Find out more by clicking here.

Breathing Colour by Hella Jongerius

"Colour is a visual experience, not a scientific one. When I look at designers and colour theorists work of the past, the most interesting ideas arose from questioning colour" 

- Hella Jongerius -

Colour is one of the most important aspects to consider when planning our living and working spaces. Whether we are considering wall and textile colours or individual items of furniture and accessories, colour plays a key role in determining the mood and atmosphere we wish to create.

The Design Museum’s current exhibition, Breathing Colour by Hella Jongerius, is a joyful exploration of colour and how it enriches our lives and our environment.

The way we perceive colour can change depending on the time of day and the light available, both natural and artificial. By dividing the exhibits into separate spaces that simulate Morning, Noon and Night, we can see how colours change, subtly throughout the day, emphasising the importance that colour and design share.

Hella Jongerius is an industrial Designer who fuses industrial production with craft, and traditional with contemporary. She pursues her passion for colour in her designs for companies as diverse as Vitra and IKEA and the current exhibition draws on her many years of research.

"My research on colours, materials and textures is never complete ...

it is part of a never ending process”

A fascinating collection of faceted vessels called Colour Catchers demonstrate the way colour changes as light is refracted from the different surfaces and how a new colour is generated by shadows. These Colour Catchers also serve to engage us in Jongerius’ investigation into how we perceive colour.

Not just confined to hard surfaces, Jongerius is also fascinated by the way woven textiles can create an optical blend and a number of her textile explorations are also on display. These act as an explanation of the intricacies of creating colour through the natural warp and weft of woven fabric, and also demonstrate her respect of the rich tradition and history of craft.

"Cultural and historical awareness are woven into the DNA of any worthwhile product"

Hella Jongerius is convinced of the need to weave cultural awareness into her designs and recently worked alongside a theorist to create her manifesto Beyond The New as an exploration of her belief in combining traditional craft and manufacturing processes with contemporary design - read more here.

"Colour, and objects are influenced by the surrounding colour landscape"

As part of our own design ethos at Devas Designs we always start with a mood board which primarily focuses on colour schemes, then furnishings, working closely with the client to assess their requirements, and blending the old with the new.

Devas Designs - Country House in Ireland

This palette of soft hues of green, blues and greys reflects the seascape in this holiday home off the west coast of Ireland. Bursts of terracotta and red provide interest to an otherwise calm colour scheme.

An approach to creating modern interiors which successfully combine classic pieces with a sense of legacy, together with contemporary pieces has become very much a part of our style.

Devas Designs - Townhouse in West London

Sourcing antiques and works of art to enhance a contemporary lifestyle is one of the most exciting parts of Philippa's practice. Often an item of antique furniture, or a standout antique object, will provide a starting point, and drawing on its colour scheme or material can inspire and inform the overall interior.

We love the idea that simply by changing one or two items or adding colour in the form of accessories, an accent wall, or a piece of furniture it’s possible to transform and refresh an interior. While you may not always be ready to change the design scheme completely, it can be easy to ring the changes and add a few pops of colour for a special occasion or a seasonal makeover.

Here is our colour mood-board of ideas to inspire your own breath of colour ...

A stylish flower arrangement may be all you need to create a different mood. Colour doesn’t just mean bright; a calm palette of cream, whites and soft greys, is just as powerful an influence on our mood, and in setting the ambience of an interior.

Devas Designs interiors

Rebel Rebel are a London based contemporary flower company creating bold bouquets and displays. They also run flower arranging workshops - find out more here.

Breathing Colour by Hella Jongerius is on now at the Design Museum London, until 24 September 2017.

Find out more here

Plywood: Material of the Modern World

The Victoria and Albert Museum has been collecting furniture for over 150 years and is a rich source of inspiration for designers. Not to be missed is their thematically arranged collection in the Furniture Gallery. We recently visited their exhibition Plywood: Material of the Modern World which brings together some of the pieces.

Plywood: Material of the Modern World traces the history of an often overlooked material and how it transformed furniture design and the modern world. Who would have thought a material once considered utilitarian could have become such a direct influence on modern design?

Unlike industrial materials, plywood can be moulded in small scale factories using simple tools, and this inspired pioneering designers of the 1930s to experiment with form and shape.

The exhibition explains how plywood is produced, its history, from ancient Egypt, its re-emergence in the 19th Century and finally its role in revolutionising the production processes for an incredible range of objects from planes to skateboards.

1920s Plywood Skateboard, © V&A Museum London

Of particular interest to us at Devas Designs, were the ground-breaking designs by Alvar Aalto, Marcel Breuer and Charles and Ray Eames. Many of their furniture pieces are on display and the exhibits clearly show how the designers themselves have made use of the flexibility of the material and how it has informed their work.

"Form must have a content, and that content must be linked with nature" - Alvar Aalto

Finnish designer, Alvar Aalto was at the forefront of experimentation, manipulating and forming plywood to create his iconic cantilevered chairs. Aalto rejected mass production and embraced the ethos of organic forms created from natural materials, and rejected tubular steel furniture which was popular with the Modernist Movement at the time. The introduction of plywood allowed him to create flowing simple forms which didn't rely on traditional frame construction.

Designs by Alvar Aalto

Ikea is a great source for inexpensive furniture inspired by the classics such as these stacking stools based on Alvar Aalto's design and this simple birch plywood chest.

Ikea's Frosta stools and Moppe chest

"I am as much interested in the smallest detail as in the whole structure" - Marcel Breuer

The architect and furniture designer Marcel Breuer based this birch and plywood chair, below, on an earlier aluminium chair he had produced in 1932. Inspired by Alvar Aalto's use of plywood, and realising the appeal of the soft curves and the warm appearance of wood, Breuer went on to reproduce the design in plywood for the British market while working in the UK with ISOKON. The company is still going strong and a number of Breuer's designs are available to order alongside a number of other iconic designs from the 1930s.

Isokon, based in London's Hackney Wick, also produce contemporary pieces of handcrafted furniture such as this Loop Coffee Table and Bodleian Chair, both are contemporary pieces but clearly inspired by the clean lines and sculptural, organic forms of both Alvar Aalto and Marcel Breuer.

Isokon's Bodleian Chair and Loop Coffee Table - from their contemporary range

"I feel that the knowledge about an object can only enrich your feelings for the object itself" - Charles Eames

Charles and Ray Eames, the husband and wife team who created the Eames Look, with its sleek, sophisticated and beautifully simple forms, were inspired by Aalto and his use of Plywood which they described as ‘a flash of inspiration’. Many of their plywood moulded forms also incorporated their signature chrome tubular frames.

The Conran Shop is always a great source for simple classic styles very much inspired by the work of Eames, Aalto and Breuer.

Conran Shop designs

Finally we also spotted these very decorative vintage posters at the V&A's exhibition, celebrating the progress of new ideas and innovations in the world of design.

Kiki Werth is a London based dealer who has specialised in original vintage posters for over 30 years. We picked some of our favourites ...

Kiki Werth vintage posters

We also liked the Vintage reproductions by King & McGraw which are expertly printed in their Sussex studios, to exact museum conservation standards using inks and papers developed to create a perfect reproduction.

Vintage reproduction posters by King & McGraw

Plywood: Material of the Modern World is open now at the V&A Museum in London until 12 November 2017. Click here to find out more.

Tulips from Amsterdam ...

'Choose only one master - nature'

- Rembrandt van Rijn -

May is a wonderful time of year to visit Amsterdam. Even if you don’t venture out into the tulip fields you won’t miss the flowers as the city of Amsterdam is ablaze with tulips. A visit to the Amsterdam Flower Market is uplifting, situated on the banks of the Amstel, with its cafes, shops and delightful gabled Dutch houses.

A well as the colourful displays of flowers the classic colours of the Dutch buildings are inspiring.

Papers and Paints in London’s Park Walk have an incredible range of traditional paint colours and will also mix and match tailor-made colours using a unique method called spectrophotometry to ensure complete accuracy and since 1995 have developed unrivalled expertise in this work. You can take a sample as small as a flake of paint or a small swatch of fabric and they will colour match for you. We couldn’t agree more when they say that colour is one of the most important choices we can make.

The Modern Dutch style shares many of the aesthetics of Scandinavian Style in terms of utilising natural light sources, an effective use of wood and a palette of gentle hues. Soft blues and greys against pale walls, sometimes with a signature wallpaper or colour, and an emphasis on the family dining table at the heart of the home all add to a harmonious living environment. The interior details and table linen below are from Designers Guild while the table setting and crockery are from John Lewis.

One of our favourite hotels to stay in Amsterdam is Hotel De L’Europe in the heart of the city overlooking the beautiful Amstel and a stone’s throw from the Rijksmuseum. The hotel exudes an air of sophistication and interestingly has used oversized images of Dutch Masters on the walls. These have been recreated from the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

Did you know....

Europeana Collections has, alongside other organisations and initiatives, worked with The Rijksmuseum since 2011 to make their public domain collection available online without restrictions. This has resulted in over 150,000 high resolution images for anyone to view, download, copy, remix, print and use for any purpose.

See more by clicking here.

The occasional signature of traditional Dutch tiles and Delftware are used in a very understated way at Hotel De L’Europe but are cleverly combined with contemporary elements.

We also love to add accessories and textiles to ring the changes. Take a look at our Delft inspired mood board for a contemporary Dutch look - which includes accessories from Designers Guild. Their Delft Polonaise cushion and Murrine Delft fabric echo the blues of traditional Delft tiles.

As a starting point, we are often asked to take into consideration a client’s own personal collection of art and antiques when designing a new scheme or focus on a particular element they wish to incorporate. Our client in Ireland had an interesting collection of pottery and the inclusion of this very personal collection was a prime consideration.

Josef Frank: Patterns, Paintings, Furniture

“There’s nothing wrong with mixing old and new, with combining different furniture styles, colours and patterns. Things that you like will automatically fuse to form a relaxing entity.”

- Josef Frank -

We recently visited the Fashion and Textile Museum in London’s Bermondsey, to see the work of Josef Frank. This is the first ever UK exhibition of his textiles, furniture and vibrant fabric designs and also includes a collection of his previously unknown watercolours.

Although he was born and raised in Austria, Frank emigrated to Sweden, and together with the company Svenskt Tenn he redefined what is regarded as the Swedish Modern style. His work celebrates comfort, positivity and homeliness, and just taking a look at his work is a wonderfully uplifting experience. 

Josef Frank’s textile designs, his prints of fruits, flowers, trees, and foliage, weave together in a glorious celebration of nature. ‘Himalaya’ was one of his final prints made in 1950 and sums up his love of colour pattern and a perfect world.

After the 1950’s, Frank started painting watercolours. Having used watercolours as his medium for creating his print and textile designs, he was experienced in the technique and went on to produce over 400 paintings. Some of these express his most popular prints such as ‘Tulpaner’, Tulips.

Many of Josef Frank's wallpapers and textiles are still available from Svenskt Tenn Sweden, and even the lower budget IKEA has produced ranges of both furniture and wallpaper inspired by his design ethic. We have put together some design ideas of our own which we feel celebrate nature, pattern, and texture in a way which reflects Josef Franks ethos. A number of our favourite companies include botanical images in their design.

We were particularly drawn to Rose Dust rug by Vivienne Westwood and also The Oriental Bird rug by Paul Smith, both for The Rug Company.

These handcrafted chairs from Sofa Workshop covered in botanical prints echo Franks' emphasis on comfort, combined with floral textiles.

When it comes to wallpapers, we found these subtle designs from Designer Wallpapers would work well as a signature wall covering.

Anthropologie has produced a range of home accessories which call on a botanical motifs. Just a few items from this range could bring a touch of summer to your scheme or liven up your summer table for al fresco dining.

Nisha Crosland is one of our go-to British Textile designers and this rug and wallpaper perfectly complement the blending of traditional with a contemporary feel.

Blending antiques with more contemporary items is a theme we use frequently, and in this Queens Park apartment Devas Designs used a subtle, signature Neisha Crosland Wallpaper to create a harmonious bedroom sanctuary for our client.

We were also excited to discover that Josef Frank was inspired by the work of British textile designer William Morris and his Arts and Crafts aesthetic. In particular his revival of the art of traditional pattern design, and his method of creating pattern repetition, drawn from nature, in order to create a mood of harmony and tranquillity were a source of motivation to Frank. These examples of Morris’s textiles from Cole and Son and an interior by Josef Frank clearly show the correlation between the two designers.

Josef Frank’s design ethos encapsulates the aims of Devas Designs, to provide interior solutions which blend traditional with modern to create a comfortable living space with a distinctive style.

Josef Frank: Patterns - Furniture - Painting at The Fashion and Textile Museum is on now until May 7th 2017.

Click here to find out more.

Eduardo Paolozzi: His Art and Craft

"As an artist it is sometimes difficult

to draw a line between art and craft"

- Eduardo Paolozzi -

Devas Designs recently visited the Eduardo Paolozzi show at The Whitechapel Gallery. It celebrates Paolozzi's love of the creative process  and introduced us more fully to his love of textiles, ceramics, home-wares, furnishing fabrics and wall paper designs. 

Not only did he produce his familiar collages and screen prints, but he also taught textile design at the Central School of Art & Design, many of his prints echoing organic forms and utilising collaged images.

In the 1950's he formed a partnership with the architect Nigel Henderson to create Hammer Prints Ltd. and many of the designs were produced by wallpaper company Cole & Son. Their modern re-imagining of his 1950's 'Cowcumber' design, which features a botanical print, is still produced by them today.

With Nigel Henderson, Paolozzi went on to produce a wide variety of imagery on textiles, ceramics and home-wares. Their designs drew on diverse styles from the influences of the Omega Workshop to Abstract Expressionism and Marcel Duchamp, and combined their own individual backgrounds. They had a shared interest and appreciation of craft, production and the new, post war mass culture. This collaboration resulted in a very unique and eclectic practice, such as this humorous plate, and vibrant textile design.

We were also taken with this curtain fabric titled 'Portobello'. It is based on pen and ink drawings by Paolozzi of antiques from Portobello Antique Market in the early 1960’s and it reminded us of French Toile de Jouy furnishing fabrics.

Devas Designs went in search of decorative items which could echo Paolozzi’s love of form, colour and individuality. We came up with a number of solutions including these rugs from The Rug Company which we feel echo Paolozzi’s love of geometric form and would liven up an interior without compromising the other elements in the design, like this one in a narrow library area. This swirl patterned rug, also from The Rug Company is designed by Paul Smith and is a brilliant illustration of how contemporary and traditional design can be brought together by the clever use of accessories and textiles.

We were thrilled to discover the work of Eleanor Pritchard who designs her textiles from her London studio, the resulting designs are produced by highly skilled British weavers using traditional weaving methods in mills in Lancashire, Wales and Scotland.

This gorgeous navy and white throw, and cushions all made using the hand woven tradition, particularly caught our eye, we feel they reflect the ethos and style of Paolozzi & Henderson and would work well in both a traditional or more minimalist interior.

Despite not having trained as a potter, Paolozzi taught ceramics at the Royal College of Art. We particularly like these silk screened, limited edition porcelain plates which Paolozzi designed for Wedgwood, in the 1970’s which demonstrate his love of geometric forms and this elegant tea pot for Rosenthal.

Lubna Chowdhary is another London based designer we are excited to discover through our interest in the work of Edwardo Paolozzi. Lubna is his former pupil having studied for her ceramics MA at the Royal College of Art. Her ceramics are individually glazed and hand crafted and she draws inspiration from Paolozzi’s exploration of colour on flat surfaces as can be seen on his public mosaics.

As well as large scale commissions, Lubna also produces small scale mosaics suitable for domestic interiors and provide an interesting alternative to a painted canvas. We used a mix of antique and modern to create an atmosphere of light, space and comfort in this apartment for our client in Queen’s Park, London. The addition of cushions with a similar motif to Lubna’s eye catching, Paolozzi inspired ceramics, provides additional interest and updates the theme.

'Eduardo Paolozzi' at The Whitechapel Gallery is on until 14 May 2017. Click here to find out more.

David Hockney at Home

David Hockney is one of Britain’s most popular artists, Devas Designs caught up with his latest exhibition at Tate Britain and what a fantastic show it is. It covers six decades of his work from London in the 1960’s, his swimming pool era in Los Angeles, and landscapes of his hometown in Yorkshire. What stands out so clearly is his depiction of colour and light which we can use as inspiration for our own interiors.

We’ve put together some ideas from his paintings to get the 'Hockney Effect' in interiors settings ...

Inspired by his colour themes and swimming pool paintings, why not choose your own combination of Hockney coloured tiles using Johnson’s clever ‘colour genie’, which makes it so simple to get the look. Try the 'colour genie' for yourself by clicking here. Here's our own colour genie result, drawing inspiration from Hockney's swimming pool paintings.

Many of Hockney’s paintings depict friends and family in domestic settings which gives the work added poignancy such as the touching painting of his parents below. 

Sofaworkshop pride themselves on providing the ‘best of British’ craftsman made sofas, their latest collection includes sofas and chairs in vibrant and pastel colours which reflect Hockney's domestic scenes.

If you simply want to ring the changes, take a look at this dazzling array of bright silk or velvet finish cushions from the John Lewis range. At just £25 each you can create an immediate pop of colour for an instant ‘Hockney makeover'! Changing cushions and accessories, seasonally, or as the mood takes you, is a fun and inexpensive way to shake up your interiors and give your home a whole new feel.

The Conran Shop is always a source of great ideas. Jasper Conran, who took over the helm in 2012, has a number of colourful solutions which include mixing colours to break away from a uniform look.

It doesn’t just have to hinge on ‘eye popping’ colours though. A softer approach using pastel hues and elegant flower arrangements are reminiscent of the cool interior of Hockney’s Mr and Mrs Clarke and Percy. He has painted this colourful couple relaxing in the cool interior of their Notting Hill apartment. The painting immediately brought to mind the West London townhouse designed by Devas Designs, shown below.

... And don’t forget to create your own green oasis, where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and relax, as we did here for a London client.

If you want to add temporary colour to your own garden or balcony try a simple row of coloured plant pots with brightly coloured flowers or cactus inspired by Hockney’s garden paintings.

Devas Designs' Guide to The Christmas Table

We all know that the best kind of Christmas is spent mostly around the dining table, let your table shine through this year and as a welcoming centre-point for your guests. Take a look at my simple steps and festive ideas for an ideal Christmas table:

1/ PLAN AHEAD

Planning ahead is crucial, especially if you are expecting the whole family. In the week running up to Christmas Day (now!) count your cutlery, crockery and baking dishes. Make sure you have enough for the courses you are planning to cook and be sure to have them washed and stacked ready, on the day before.

Image from The Prop Dispensary

2/ SET A COLOUR SCHEME

A specific theme or colour scheme is a must for creating a simple yet dramatic look. We enjoy matching our table to our home’s decorations. You might like to work with one, two or three colours which can tie the table together harmoniously - for example a white tablecloth with a red runner and red napkins with gold accessories. Monotone tables also look beautiful and can guarantee elegance; all white with silver is a personal favourite.

Image from The White Company

3/ ADD SOME CHRISTMAS SPARKLE OR A LITTLE LUXURY

Once you have a basic colour scheme with a simple spread, it’s nice to add a little touch of luxury to the table. This might be using your finest silverware or adding some luxurious fabrics; my go-to is vintage white linen. Candles and decorated holders can add instant sparkle while retaining a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Image from Magnolia Rouge

4/ PERSONALISE IT

Personal touches can enliven your table with charm and make it memorable for your guests. These can be very simple touches from wrapping napkins with a bow to placing personalised name cards for your guests. If you have children they might like to help you by writing cards or decorating their own candle-holders.

Images from Camille Styles & ES

5/ DON’T FORGET THE FESTIVE FOLIAGE

I love adding a natural element to the table by using flowers or festive cuttings. White or red roses always look glamorous, particularly if placed in a tall glass vase. If you’re worried about vases cluttering up space, try placing fir tree or mistletoe sprigs for a festive touch. Herb sprigs can also work wonderfully, particularly rosemary as it echoes the tastes and smells of your Christmas cooking.

Philippa Devas in House & Garden, Christmas Issue 2016

We're delighted to share our latest feature in House & Garden Magazine for their December Christmas issue - out now! Turn to pages 138–143 to read about Philippa's doll's house project. Philippa worked with dealer Peter Collins to restore a Victorian doll's house and dress it ready for Christmas. The house is decorated in splendid detail; wrapped presents lay under a Christmas tree, garlands hang throughout and the Christmas table is complete with a turkey and candelabras. The project was a real labour of love and the hand-made details are truly exquisite. The house itself is a charming design and when the festive decorations come down, Philippa will be able to enjoy it all year round. Pick up a copy of House & Garden to read more!

Interior Inspiration: Sean Scully

"I do believe abstraction is and was meant to embody deep emotion.

I believe that’s its job, in the history of art."

- Sean Scully-

Sean Scully has spent his career honing his unique style of abstraction. In the mid-1960s he abandoned figurative work and has since remained faithful to block coloured canvases - particularly huge scale striped paintings.

The Dublin-born artist grew up in London and in the mid-1970s moved to America, he stills splits his time between Europe and New York. Scully draws on the traditions of Abstract Expressionism through his use of loose paintwork. His subtle yet powerful use of colour has always captured our attention and we were delighted to discover that his latest exhibition opens this month in London at The Timothy Taylor Gallery.

For this post we've drawn inspiration from Scully's painterly stripes and coloured canvases and found ways that you can bring these aesthetics into your home. We understand that buying art can be both expensive and time consuming but adding painterly furnishings and wallpapers is a quick way to add artistic charm to your home.

Take a look at our Scully inspired interiors picks ...

We love the Kallianthi Wallpaper Collection by Harlequin, designed by Clarissa Hulse. They have been inspired by her love of botany and nature. The stripe wallpaper collection are taken from a hand-painted watercolour design. Like the work of Sean Scully, the stripes are reminiscent of patterns from the landscape - horizons, sunsets and seas.

Bluebellgray's design are all based on hand-painted originals so are a go-to if you're looking for painterly furnishings. Their Lomond Collection was inspired by Scotland's beautiful Lock Lomond, again uniting with Scully's natural influences. The Lomond palette features turquoise with flashes of zesty chartreuse green and fuchsia pink and can be purchased on a range of items from curtains to cushions to lampshades.

The Paint Stripe rug, pictured below, by Paul Smith for The Rug Company was inspired by mid-century abstract art. He was particularly inspired by drip paintings, possibly the work of Abstract pioneer Jackson Pollock. The rug is meant to directly represent a canvas with expressive drips of colours which creates a beautiful broken stripe effect.