The Design Gallery© All rights reserved
Designed by Jarilo Design
Below is our August editorial which was published in The County Chronicle. The County Chronicle is a free local news and lifestyle magazine which promotes events and businesses in Edenbridge, Westerham, Oxted, Lingfield, Godstone and Biggin Hill. Visit their website for more information – https://www.thecountychronicle.co.uk/
Sustainability is the hottest trend in the design world with a mix of retro, antique and natural materials all playing their part. Climate-conscious consumers are seeking pieces which have a low carbon footprint and a story of their own to tell.
Mid-century sideboards, mushroom lamps and psychedelic prints in strong hues of orange, sunshine yellow, aqua and grass green continue to feature in interior collections. The 1960s and 1970s are a rich source of inspiration and while prices are rising for original items by the top names such as Verner Panton, William Platner and Florence Knoll, many of the iconic designs are still produced under licence and will become collectors’ pieces over time.
Manufacturers such as Ercol, Schreiber and G Plan offer affordable furnishing and the wall units are especially useful for home offices. It is important to buy these pieces in top condition as they can be difficult to restore.
Ceramics and glass of these decades come in cool shapes and unusual patterns. Look for names such as MCM, Vicke Lindstrand of Orrefors and Kosta and Whitefriars, especially the Banjo and Drunken Bricklayer vases by Geoffrey Baxter.
If you are clearing an attic or hunting through a long-forgotten stash of boxes in a garage, keep a sharp lookout for vintage posters and books. A rare Rolling Stones gig poster from the early ‘sixties took £30,000 at auction earlier this year. Books from the post-war period are also worth researching carefully, with first editions by British authors such as Ian Fleming, Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway constantly rising in value where the condition is fine.
The market for “British Modern Art” has been on an upward trajectory for some years. Search your relatives’ walls for Eduardo Paolozzi, David Bomberg and John Bellany – and if they happen to have a Barbara Hepworth sculpture perched on their side table, ask them to gift it to you– her wooden Hollow Form with White Interior of 1963 made £5.79 million at Christie’s at the end of June.
Wooden furniture with its fascinating patterns is one of the easiest ways to bring a sense of nature into your home. Classic designs from the Art Deco period blend beautifully into contemporary spaces. The 1930s pieces by Britain’s leading designers such as Epstein, Hille and Maurice Adams are highly sought after. Cocktail cabinets, lounge and dining suites and coffee tables add a touch of Great Gatsby glamour.
One of the many advantages of vintage and antique pieces is that when you decide to change your interior scheme or move house, there are myriad ways to sell or exchange your pieces. The retail revolution that is taking place is unquestionably leading the way to a greener future for all.
The Design Gallery, Unit 1a Starborough Farm, Starborough Road, Marsh Green, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5RB 01959 561234
Open Wednesdays to Saturdays 10am-5pm
www.thedesigngallery.com Instagram: @designgalleryuk
The Design Gallery was launched in 2002 to specialise in progressive design movements of the 19th and 20th Century. We met whilst studying at Sotheby’s Institute of Art and discovered that we shared a passion for design, especially Art Deco, Art Nouveau and the Arts & Crafts Movement.
The Design Gallery© All rights reserved
Designed by Jarilo Design