Tickets? Passports? High healed sneakers? All packed and ready as our party, and we suspect it will be a party, of some of the most influential and inspiring American interior design and life style bloggers prepare for five fantastic days reporting back from London Design Festival. Our previews continue to feature some of the work they will see. For the full story keep checking back both here and on the Blogtour site.
We seriously adore Curiousa & Curiousa who are exhibiting at Tent this year. Working from their studio in the Derbyshire town of Wirksworth, they create light pieces from cast bone china and hand blown glass and surface designs which are used on vintage or reproduction furniture. The results are beautiful but often challenging. There is a sincerity about their work which is missing from so much of the mass produced or marketing led design and manufacturing you see amongst the big big chains.
Alison Berger’s medium of choice is light and her material is glass. She uses age-old glass blowing techniques to create glass forms which feel simultaneously old world and modern. She says “Glass captures the process of remembering and, as the light fades, forgetting.”
Born in Dallas, Texas, Alison Berger trained and worked as an architect. But after apprenticing with glass artist Dale Chihuly, Berger began to devote herself to glass design and it is a pleasure to be able to show some of her work. This is a detail from her Crystal Sphere Chandelier, a piece that combines an essential simplicity of form with a sophisticated use of hand blown and crafted glass.
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Dwell on Design opened on June 24. In amongst the 200 exhibitors are a good many old friends and some new faces we feel the need to introduce you to. Here’s our top picks all in one place!
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Glass is such a ubiquitous material that most of us don’t ever give it’s existence a second thought. We deal with glass in one way or another every day, be it architectural glass that is used in our homes, utilitarian glass we use to drink from and quite often even art glass. The latter we see as something beautiful, colorful, fragile; a vase, a lamp base, a bowl and we likely marvel at the beauty but don’t often stop to think what it is and how it’s made. Continue Reading…
Here’s what we love about mid-century modern. We love the timelessness of the style, the fact that many of it’s elements are rooted in the once necessary post war simplicity and yet, harmonize perfectly with today’s design and architecture. Never offending or appearing out of style, always fresh, inspired and inviting. And yes, mid-century has enough of an edge to make us smile and hold our attention and that isn’t always easy. Going another step further in this philosophy is a Modenus favorite, Modwalls, who’s fun and very modern tile collection is an intricate part of a newly renovated 1950′s lodge in Big Sur, CA and not just any old lodge, but the Glen Oaks motor lodge, recently featured in Travel & Leisure magazine as one of the most romantic hotels in the world. Continue Reading…
Also known as Tsunami Glassworks, Kirston Gene and Eve Milinkovic make bright, beautiful glass that shines, sparkles and seems to flow before your eyes. He has a degree in Psychology, she was a singer in a punk band and yes, that is a heart of glass. Ventricle Vessel, shown above, is a hand blown sculptural vase, designed by Eva Milinkovic, as homage to the beauty of the human heart. Just like the real thing, each piece is unique. Unlike the real thing it is available as 10″, 16″ and 22″ high. And that’s a lot of heart.
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I can’t be the only person who picks up stones from beaches and rivers, takes them home, ruins their washing machines by leaving them in their pockets ( maybe that is just me) and leaves them in little piles on book shelves. There is something incredibly pleasing and even calming about the smooth water-worn shape. Well now there is a light just for us. Riverstone Cube from Ridgely Studio Works, shown above, works as a light sculpture indoors or out and can also be used as seating or a table if you add a piece of glass for instance. Crushed Glass follows! Continue Reading…
The art of Frances Federer is rare and ancient. Reverse painting or Eglomisé, painting and gilding on the back of a glass surface, dates back to the days of Rome. She lectures and writes on the subject and, using her considerable knowledge and undoubted artistry, produces works of art ranging from small drinking vessels to glass panels. You can see her work on her own web site or in galleries such as London’s V&A and the Corning Museum in New York State.
The vase shown above seems to almost generate its own light. It is intricate, delicate and brilliant. When you read France’s blog you marvel at the depth of her knowledge and wonder if she actually appreciates just how astoundingly talented she is.
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We promise to return to Beate Einen, the genius of hand blown glass who we met at 100% Design, part of the London Design Festival. In the meantime we are leaving you with some images of a couple of her lights. Full blog as soon as our feet touch the ground! Continue Reading…
We found some wonderful glass by Marie Retpen at 100% Design. Her lights and vases seem to melt before your eyes. She was sharing a booth with the remarkable Beate Einen who makes very sold looking pieces. More on her soon! Continue Reading…
