Inflated metal furniture by Oskar Zieta

Chippensteel chairs by Oskar Zieta at Moss Gallery

Oskar Zieta has to be one of the busiest exhibiting designers around at the moment. This month alone his work has been on show at DMY International Design Festival Berlin, Design Miami/Basel, Moss Gallery in New York, and the Saatchi Gallery in London.

Six-Forty by Four-Eighty

Six-Forty by Four-Eighty

Jamie Zigelbaum and Marcelo Coelho have taken the modular design trend to the next level with Six-Forty by Four-Eighty, a lighting installation showcased at Design Miami/Basel. The designers were one of four winners of the Designers of the Future Award who were commissioned by W Hotels Worldwide to create pieces that coincide with this month's fair.

1:1 Architects Build Small Spaces at the V&A

In Between Architecture by Studio Mumbai Architects

This exhibition aims to counter the perception of architecture displays as only ever showing drawings and models. Seven designs for small spaces have been selected from an initial range of 19 proposals by architecture practices from all around the globe. Scattered around the galleries and thoroughfares of the V&A, the full-scale buildings encourage interaction, allowing the visitor to appreciate the ways in which architects manipulate materials, proportion and space to define our experiences of the built environment.

Bahia chair by 20age

Above and below: Bahia chair, 20age

20age is a London based design studio that was set up last year by Emma Phelps and Mauricio Varlotta. The British/Brazilian duo specialise in sourcing and re-upholstering mid 20th century chair designs with luxurious fabrics.

Blow by Blow by Sebastian Bergne

Capped, 2010

From vacuum cleaners to soap, Sebastian Bergne has built up an impressive and varied portfolio of work over the years. However it is his work with glass that he has chosen to exhibit at Somerset House this month in celebration of 20 years of his design studio. Sebastian told us "I wanted the exhibition to chronicle the first 20 years of my life as a designer but not by doing a predictable retrospective type exhibition." Instead he has presented a selection of carefully edited projects with glass.

Inspiration in Commercial Design

18x38 by Shaw Contract Group

NeoCon World's Trade Fair is the largest interior design trade show in the US for commercial interior design -- retail, hospitality, workplace and healthcare design. While commercial design can be decidedly less exciting than residential design, where budgets are free-er and ideas can stray further from the middle of the road, we found some inspiration and innovation at the show. Specifically in flooring and textiles.

Water Works - Design Discussion

As part of the upcoming London Festival of Architecture, Tom Dixon's studio will host a discussion on the influence of water in Britain's architectural landscape. Chaired by Blueprint editor Peter Kelly, the panel will include; Tom Dixon, Gwyn Niles - director of Somerset House, Nick Johnson - director of Urban Splash and Keith Brownlie - director of Wilkinson Eyre.

The discussion will be followed by a dinner cooked by renowned chef Stevie Parle at the Dock Kitchen.

The event will take place on 29 June. For more information visit http://www.lfa2010.org/

Alyn Griffiths
Trends and Events Analyst, Interiors

Kaleidoscope at Mint

The Amsterdam Armoire by Scholten & Baijings for Established and Sons has feet made from hand blown glass and  interior door panels that are printed with still life photographs.

Kaleidoscope seems a fitting description for London design shop Mint's new Summer Collection. Design art hasn't been getting such good press of late but looking at owner Lina Kanafani's latest bright mix of items, which include a £9775 cabinet with handblown glass feet, she isn't afraid to blur the boundaries and show her support for decadent design. 

Left: The Zero-In table by Barber Osgerby for Established and Sons' Estd Collection. Right: Convex Mirror and Two Timer clock both by Sebastian Wrong for Established and Sons' Principal Collection. 

The pieces exhibited are described as a mix of design, art and fashion, with each item loosely fitting into every one of these categories. New designs from Established and Sons' new 'Estd' Collection launched in Milan in April were displayed next to bold artwork depicting lounging female figures by contemporary artist Natasha Law.

Max Lamb at London Design Festival 2010

Max's plaster cast experiments in his North London studio. ©-Max-Lamb

Last month I met with British designer Max Lamb in his North London studio to talk about his latest projects, his participation on WGSN, homebuildlife’s advisory board and to discuss everything from his newly adopted stray cat to his passion for second hand furniture. Another topic we touched upon was his new found love for plaster, which is his material of choice for his latest project; a commission for HSBC Private Bank and London Design Festival. 

Craft in New York

Perch

Craft in New York City is alive and well as proven this weekend by The Renegade Craft Fair and Makers Market in Brooklyn and Queens respectively. The Brooklyn fair was larger in scale and foot traffic, while Queens focused on upscale artisans whose work is so skilled and precise that we are reluctant to file it under the "craft" umbrella.

Platform at The Makers Market

Both fairs yielded great finds in the sweltering heat, but it seems that Renegades excel in ceramics while Makers are masters of wood and glass. Perch , JFish Designs, Clam Lab, Brooklyn Rehab and kg+ab were a few of the stands with charming ceramics in Brooklyn. Platform, Erica Rosenfeld Designs and hivemindesign were among the highlights in wood and glass in Queens.

Tune into WGSN hombuildlife for a full report later this week.

Jean Lin
USA Editor, Interiors

Pulse 2010

Pretty Ugly Tea Cup by Welovekaoru and Labware Lighting by Authentics

Pulse is a trade fair focusing on housewares, fashion and jewellery, scents and beauty products and gifts. There is also a section called Launchpad dedicated to emerging talent and small businesses that provides retailers with an opportunity to source new designs and designers.

This year David Nicholls, Design Editor for the Daily Telegraph, has been asked to select companies to be included in Product GB, a showcase for top British design and manufacturing companies. There will also be a series of seminars including a look at consumer lifestyle trends for Autumn/Winter 2010 with Hannah Malein from Mix and a number of talks from specialists in the online retail industry.

Visit pulse-london.com for registration details and more information.

Alyn Griffiths