Design Debate

The textile industry is changing, and it is exciting to see the new material innovations appearing. I have quite a few pieces made from bamboo in my wardrobe – I love the softness – and the latest material to catch my eye is even more unexpected: aloe vera. That much-loved natural soother is better known in our house as the plant we use for burns and homemade moisturiser, but Kirkby Design has taken it somewhere rather different. Aloe is a washable, wide-width sheer made from 60% aloe vera and 40% organic cotton. Soft, fluid and rather beautiful. The thinking behind it is clever too. Kirkby Design says the aloe vera used for the fabric grows without chemicals or fertilisers and does not require watering, while the organic cotton is grown without pesticides or fertilisers. The finished textile is light and sheer, allowing daylight to filter softly through it. I also like that all the environmental thinking hasn't compromised how it lo...

I have been pondering Brutalism lately, a very polarising form of architecture, and as with many things, I feel conflicted about it. My secondary school in Crawley, West Sussex, was cold, draughty, stark and grey, and not a building I liked at all. I compared it to the mainly Victorian – and considerably smaller – one I had left behind in Alresford, Hampshire. That had warm red bricks and chunky radiators you could sit on. I think that concrete enclosure was perhaps my first real taste of post-war architecture, and it seemed so at odds with my quintessentially British design sensibility. Paul Catherall's print of Coventry Station There was, however, something quite intriguing about the shapes of Brutalist architecture. I remember being in London once for an exhibition at the Barbican. The famous complex felt as though it had emerged from a dystopian novel, but at the same time I liked being there. It was calm, certain and imagination-provoking. My natural leaning...

As September draws to a close the trees are losing their leaves and our landscape is changing. Trees permeate every view at my house and I love experiencing the passing of the seasons through their transitions. The darker evenings perhaps turn me to more introspective art, and today in particular the work of American painter and printmaker Robert Kipniss caught my eye. Kipniss was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1931 and grew up in an artistic household. He was already drawing and painting as a child and, at 16, attended classes at the Art Students League of New York. But it wasn't only visual art that interested him. He began writing poetry in 1948, studied literature at Wittenberg College and then the University of Iowa, graduating with a degree in English before completing his MFA in 1954. Remarkably, his first solo exhibition in New York came in 1951 while he was still a student. Painting and writing continued alongside each other fo...

This recent renovation by landscape architects Brenton Beggs and Katie Cudal was a breath of fresh air as I perused the world wide web today. The little apartment they purchased in Australia's Melbourne was just 55 square metres with one bedroom, but they cleverly managed to squeeze in another. The real allure for them was the garden, although shared the couple enjoyed free reign to show off their design prowess.  I believe they have successfully managed to create a light and airy space that feels very welcoming, I particularly love the plants and shelving that frames the doorways. Useful and beautiful, full of interest with ideas I might pinch for my own home! Originally found at The Design Files . 

Today I have been enjoying the work of Walter Hunt Everett (1880–1946), whose nearly 40-year career spanned what is known as America's Golden Age of Illustration. His paintings graced the pages of popular magazines including The Saturday Evening Post , Ladies' Home Journal and Collier's . A student of the famed Howard Pyle, Everett grew out of the Brandywine tradition of American illustration. He was clearly an extraordinary painter, but what draws me in most is his use of colour and light. His illustrations are full of colour and life. I particularly like his ‘Couple in a Canoe’ and ‘The Sycamores’. Pulling at the heartstrings of a nation, he worked in vibrant blocks of sun-drenched colour, but could also tell stories in the shadows with wonderfully atmospheric monochrome oils. It is a collection that is now being rediscovered, heartily shared and preserved by the Walter H Everett Fo...

Eva Jopin working on her latest project for Maison Ruinart. Image from Ignant . Well, this one is cardboard! (unlike my last blog post ) I am mesmerised by the artworks of French sculptor Eva Jospin. She carefully crafts, layer by layer, amazing installations depicting dense forests, classical architecture and undulating terrain.  'Cénotaphe (Grande chalelle)" 2020. Image via This is Colossal . Eva building her sculptures. Image © Laure Vasconi  Jospin has been creating these artworks for over 15 years, immersive experiences and installations that captivate the viewer. Notably she created Panorama at the Cour Carrée du Louvre and Cenotaph at the Abbey of Montmajour. Straying from her usual cardboard, Jospin has also created an intricate and breathtaking series of embroidery panels for the Dior Spring/Summer 2023 fashion show.  Embroidery artwork for Château de Versailles and Dior. Image by Camille Lemonnier.  Eva Jospin's artworks for Maison Ruinart, via Ignant ....