Studioware exhibition at Gallery Fumi

Studioware at Gallery Fumi

Studioware: articles made in the studio for domestic use is the current exhibition hosted by Gallery Fumi, showing work from designers Max Lamb, Johannes Nagel and Studio Glithero.

HBL Retail: Raw Dice pop-up shop

Online design boutique Raw Dice moved offline too for the duration of last month's London Design Festival, setting up residence in the first floor of a building in Shoreditch, east London - one of the more experimental districts of the festival.

LDF 2011: The Sweet Shoppe

Sweet Shoppe by Campaign and the Future Laboratory; photography by Hufton Crow

The doors are now closed on Campaign and The Future Laboratory's collaborative pop up store, Sweet Shoppe. Open for business for two weeks during the London Design Festival 2011, they created a one-off interactive installation exploring ideas about the future of retail.

Knitted Chair by Soojin Kang

Knitted Chair by Soojin Kang





One of the highlights of LDF 2011 was Knitted Chair by designer Soojin Kang. It is currently being exhibited at Brompton shop Mint in London, as part of their exhibition Mint Explores, where it will be on show until 30th September.

HBL News: Ron Arad awarded London Design Medal 2011

Photo: Susan Smart Photography

London-based designer and architect Ron Arad was last night presented the London Design Medal 2011, at a ceremony held in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral. Arad said of the accolade: "Thank you London – I couldn't imagine doing whatever I'm doing anywhere else in the world".

The ceremony also saw the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Vidal Sassoon by Thomas Heatherwick.

Assemblage 3: Delicate Interference by Faye Toogood

Image courtesy of Phillips de Pury & Company

The new exhibition of British designer Faye Toogood’s third furniture collection Assemblage 3: Delicate Interference is now open at the Phillips de Pury gallery, for the 2011 London Design Festival. The pieces address the subjects of natural iridescence, voyeuristic fetishism, and obsessive preservation.

LDF 2011: LEGO Greenhouse by Sebastian Bergne launches in Covent Garden

The LEGO Greenhouse by Sebastian Bergne, which we previewed in an earlier post, has been unveiled in London's Covent Garden.

Stolen From De Stijl: the autumn/winter collection by Darkroom

London retailers Darkroom will launch their first self-designed collection this month, to coincide with the London Design Festival and London Fashion Week. The collection will include accessories for men and women, and products for the home, and takes its influence from the De Stijl art and design movement of the 20th century - with an emphasis on angular shapes, bold colour and geometry.

Origin preview: work in progress

Ceramicist Sue Ure applying bands of colour to her porcelain and stoneware vases

Craft exhibition Origin have shared with us some behind-the-scenes photos of the exhibitors, hard at work in their studios and workshops getting ready for the show. WGSN-homebuildlife takes a closer look at each artist's practice.

HBL Book of the Week: The London Design Guide 2012-13 edition

Max Fraser's 2012-13 edition of The London Design Guide (Spotlight Press, 2011) is published on 15th September, two days ahead of the official start of the London Design Festival, and once again offers a comprehensive guide to the capital's design destinations - from galleries, restaurants and bookshops to vintage and contemporary design retailers - all organised by neighbourhood for ease of use.

HBL Exhibitions: The Living Room

Zimmer sideboard by Young & Norgate

Shoreditch store Luna & Curious will host a temporary exhibition, called The Living Room, during the London Design Festival this month. Co-curated by journalist Alyn Griffiths and designer Jonathan Krawzcuk, the show will present a selection of British design in its intended habitat, the domestic interior.

LDF 2011: Marimekko at Heal's

Heal's and Marimekko will launch this limited-edition of the Mistral sofa, upholstered in Marimekko fabric, at the London Design Festival 2011

Finnish design brand Marimekko are to hold a pop-up shop in Heal's flagship Tottenham Court Road branch for next month's London Design Festival.

HBL News: BBC and V&A announce major partnership

Two icons of British culture have announced a major, year-long partnership to promote and celebrate the British craft industry. The BBC reports that it will join forces with the Victoria & Albert Museum in a programme entitled Handmade in Britain.

LDF 2011: BoConcept 2012 collection launch

BoConcept

Danish design brand BoConcept will launch its 2012 collection during the London Design Festival with a special event at its Tottenham Court Road branch entitled Urban Danish Design Since 1952.

LDF 2011: Wood & Woad at Few & Far

Pinch

London lifestyle boutique Few and Far will host a celebration of British craftsmanship during London Design Festival 2011. A show within the shop, called Wood and Woad, will feature a mix of handmade products including furniture by Pinch, ceramics by Billy Lloyd, preserves by Wendy Brandon and decorative accessories from Jane Baven.

LDF 2011: Salon by Lee Broom

Salon by Lee Broom

British designer Lee Broom will launch a new collection of furniture, Salon, at London Design Festival 2011. Comprised of an armchair, dining chair, sofa, footstool, drum seat and cushions, the collection is Broom's fifth, and the first one to be upholstered.

LDF 2011: Royal College of Art events

Solar Sintering by RCA graduate Markus Kayser - Sustain exhibition at the RCA

Tutors and students of London's Royal College of Art have lined up a whole itinerary of events during 2011's London Design Festival, from interactive installations and exhibitions to a collaboration with Italian fashion brand Fendi. Here's the complete HBL guide.

LDF 2011: LEGO Greenhouse by Sebastian Bergne

London-based designer Sebastian Bergne will construct a life-size greenhouse, made entirely out of LEGO pieces, for the 2011 London Design Festival. The piece will be on display in Covent Garden, an area historically known for its garden trade, and will be a fully functioning greenhouse, housing a selection of real plants which will be lit up at night.

LDF 2011: The Auction Room

A unique exhibition held at The Gopher Hole as part of the London Design Festival will showcase an auction room that is actually up for auction. The Auction Room by Mariana Pestana & Designersblock is an exhibition in which the architecture dictates the curatorial direction, meaning once the type of room they'd like to create is decided, the subject matter follows. In this case, fifteen designers were asked to create the components of a working auction hall - chairs, a hammer, tiles, light switches, tables, lamps, a rug, and cups & saucers. Some of the designers participating in the exhibition include Alex Hellum, Studio 801, Katrin Baumgarten, Harry Trimble, and Yehrin Tong.

The exhibition is open to the public from September 19th through 25th, during which time visitors can pick their favorite pieces and place a bid. Unlike traditional auctions, monetary offers are not accepted forcing interested buyers to get creative with their offerings. Read all of our LDF 2011 previews so far here.

LDF 2011: Tent preview

Glass Concrete Bench by Ivanka 

Held at the Old Truman Brewery in East London during the London Design Festival, Tent is a reliable place to find exciting design talent and innovative new ideas. This year's show will see more than 200 companies exhibiting their latest projects; here's a preview of what to look out for this September.