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June 2022 NOW 25 News This month’s best releases, from Aaron Probyn’s first 25 foray into glassware to Alessandra Facchinetti’s porcelain 26 serveware. Plus, a preview of Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour’s WOW!House show with interior designer Linda Boronkay 43 37 The Invisible house The Invisible Collection, the 30 tastemaker in covetable furniture, moves into Marylebone JUNE 2022 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 15 4 0 Design can save us Could creativity protect the planet? Alice Rawsthorn and Paola Antonelli’s new book investigates 43 The British are coming Meet the brilliant UK-based designers set to take Milan’s Salone del Mobile by storm 55 History of a brand Looking back on 150 years of Fritz Hansen, and why its collaborative approach is unparalleled 58 Design hero How the timeless creations of Jørgen Gammelgaard merged together two eras of artistry 60 My cultural life The official poet of the 2012 London Olympics Lemn Sissay reveals his best-loved 63 Laura Jackson on… why it’s not easy being green – but her garden revamp is well underway 65 Architecture New projects to inspire and a history of the stunning Villa Necchi Campiglio 68 Kitchens & Bathrooms Agape goes outside, Bauhaus basins at Ceramica Cielo, and more 70 Gardens How to find London’s hidden squares, and the latest buys for the green of finger 72 Technology Upgrades for modern living PICTURES: ALEX BRAMMELL STYLE 55 76 The palette This month, go on a 70s-inspired safari with wild wallpapers and fabrics in bold animal prints 79 Decorator index Buchanan Studio shares its advice on adding theatrical flair to modern interiors 83 A new way to paint responsibly Little Greene introduces recycled paints for eco-conscious homes 85 Do-no-harm decorating Make your next project a planet-friendly one with these versatile materials 92 The renovation rethink Fleur Britten on why a ‘new’ sustainable home means accepting the old 94 Swing into summer Hot new garden furniture

HOMES 106 The power of the sun From splashes of yellow to a central garden encased in glass, bright ideas shine through in this Madrid space 118 The big reveal Untouched for almost 50 years, a 14th-century Umbrian palazzo now fizzes with playful colour as well as rich history 126 Soothingly seamless The architect owner of this seaside cottage takes minimalism to its maximum to create a pared-back paradise 136 Goodwill hunting Pattern, colour and bold Mexican ceramics combine in a London family home made for positive vibes 148 Choreographed to perfection Within this historic house in Copenhagen, a former figure skater freestyles in taste, merging calming shades with classical furniture 160 Open hearted This family home on South Africa’s Dolphin Coast works in tandem with its tropical climate, as the boundaries between house and landscape brilliantly blur 175 Escape 106 169 169 News Arnaud Behzadi’s tasteful The cover 16 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK JUNE 2022 interiors for Mallory Gabsi’s Paris This featured palazzo (p118) restaurant, a textile and ceramic exhibition combines the historical and the at Somerset House, artist Ad Minoliti’s first solo show in the UK, and more… modern to create a playfully bright look that’s 100% now. Photography by Mads Mogensen 175 Getaway What to do in the city PICTURES: MANOLO YLLERA/PHOTOFOYER, ARCHMOSPHERES, ALAMY.COM of Toulouse, France’s undiscovered gem Finally 22 Subscriptions Never miss an issue with this great offer 179 Stockists Where to buy your favourites 186 Treasured Grace & Thorn’s Nik Southern on her prized painting





From the Editor T here’s a certain dichotomy in what we do here at ELLE A LOVE OF Decoration. We spend our days focusing on interiors, HOME and all it the homes we live in, and how we decorate and interact represents in no with those little universes we create for ourselves. By way means you their very nature, they’re insular, inward-facing and focused spaces, personal sanctuaries away from the world, which – let’s should ignore face it – is a terrifying place right now. But, as you’ll know if you’re WHAT IS familiar with my musings here every month, in my opinion, a love of home and all it represents in no way means you should ignore HAPPENING what is happening in the world outside or fail to understand how in the world your actions have an impact beyond the four walls you inhabit. outside When we were coming up with cover lines for this month’s issue, we settled on the line: ‘Change begins at home’. It’s a mantra that I think acknowledges this contrast between our inner and outer worlds and the way they relate to each other. On these pages, we explore subjects such as the use of regenerative products in decorating, sustainable renovations, how design can be transformative, and the ways the creative talent based here in the UK is driving international innovation. Big issues, yes, but hopefully we’ve tackled them in an accessible and inspiring way. Our aim is to show that doing what you can, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, can and does make a real difference. Standing still is not an option: embracing change is the way forward… Editor-in-Chief PICTURE: BEN ANDERS Follow me on Instagram: @mrbspriggs Twitter: @ELLEDecoBen Visit elledecoration.co.uk JUNE 2022 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 19

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ELLE DECORATION AND ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK CHIEF LUXURY OFFICER BEN SPRIGGS JACQUELINE EUWE EDITORIAL Executive Assistant to the Chief Luxury Officer NATASHA MANN Deputy Editor CLARE SARTIN Group Brand Director, Luxury SHARON DAVIES-RIDGEWAY Features Editor KATE WORTHINGTON Head of Homes JOANNE O’HARA Acting Features Editor CAT OLLEY Senior Client Manager STEPHANIE TOMLINSON 020 7439 5462 Acting Commissioning Editor PHOEBE FRANGOUL Director of Luxury Fashion CHARLOTTE HOLLANDS Style Editor At Large AMY HEFFERNAN Senior Watches & Jewellery Client Manager OLIVIA HORROCKS-BURNS Luxury Client Manager JESSICA DAY ART AND PICTURES Luxury Fashion Client Manager HANNAH HOWELLS Creative Director PHILIPPE BLANCHIN Art Editor JACK MELROSE Head of Client Sales OLLIE LLOYD Picture Director SHARON O’NEILL Head of Fashion, Beauty and Luxury SARAH TSIRKAS Brand Coordinator ELLIE SUMMERS Director of Health and Wellness CHRIS HEALY Director of Travel DENISE DEGROOT PRODUCTION Head of Agency Sales, UK and Global BEN CHESTERS Group Managing Editor CONNIE OSBORNE Head of Regional LISA BHATTI 0161 962 9254 Workflow Director CARLY LEVY Head of Classified LEE RIMMER Group Luxury Chief Sub-Editor/Production Editor DOM PRICE Head of Digital RYAN BUCKLEY Deputy Chief Sub-Editors JOSH BOLTON, OLIVIA MCCREA-HEDLEY Sub-Editors CAITLIN BUTLER, DINA NAGAPETYANTS, CYNTHIA PENG Executive Creative Director MARK MCCAFFERTY Senior Connect Director BETHANY SUTTON CONTRIBUTORS Events Partnership Director MICHELLE PAGLIARULO CLAUDIA BAILLIE, HANNAH BORT, AMY BRADFORD, DESPINA CURTIS, Senior Connect Manager CONNIE FFITCH AMY FREARSON, LAURA FULMINE, NATASHA GOODFELLOW, Director of Commercial Production WILL VILLE LAURA JACKSON, EMMA LOVE, FIONA MCCARTHY, TESSA PEARSON, Branded Content Lead JAMIE CARSON SANIA PELL, AMANDA SMITH-CORSTON, KASSIA ST CLAIR, Art Director, Branded Content MAIREAD GLEESON SUZANNE STANKUS, BECKY SUNSHINE, JAMES WILLIAMS, EVA WISEMAN Head of Media Planning LUCY PORTER 020 7439 5276 BACK ISSUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS Acting Heads of Media Planning AYESHA JINA, WENDY MEEKINGS To order or renew a subscription, call 01858 438877 or contact us at Media Planning Manager ROSE SWEETMAN hearstmagazines.co.uk/contact-us. 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NOW / / /N E W S S H O P P I N G O P I N I O N T R E N D S FABRIC forward Bold checks, blowsy florals… we’d gladly find ourselves swathed in the first fabric collection from British firm Buchanan Studio, which is rapidly outgrowing its identity as an interiors practice (see p79 for the full low-down). There are five patterns to kick things off, and those in the know will clock the same wide stripe used for the ‘Studio Chair’, which caused quite the stir when it launched last year. From £120 per square metre (buchanan.studio). WORDS: CAT OLLEY PICTURE: ALEX BRAMALL

NOW Best in GREENER DREAMS GLASS Few have risen to the challenge of creating It’s been two years since prolific British designer a natural mattress quite like British company Aaron Probyn launched his debut solo homeware Savoir Beds. It’s poured more than a century collection, which tapped into his instinct for simple of experience into ‘The Reformer’, a sustainable silhouettes with a thoughtful edge. A new foray into design that uses a combination of plant fibres glassware is no different: the ‘Rye’ range features such as tampico and bamboo, plus organic flax sculptural stepped forms with a subtly tinted base, and cotton. It’s swiftly earned the Vegan Society crafted from hardy borosilicate glass for a super-slim stamp of approval. King-size bed with mattress profile. From £26 for a set of two tumblers or stemless wine glasses (aaronprobyn.com). and topper, from £16,705 (savoirbeds.com). FRENCH CONNECTION When asked by Georges Pompidou to redecorate part of the Élysée Palace in the 1970s, Pierre Paulin produced a bookcase that would evolve into the ‘Elysée’ shelving system. It was created with Magis, which has just released the design in new walnut or lacquered oak plywood, available in red or black. From £4,715 for an 11-module composition (magisdesign.com). PAST LIVES British brand Balineum is a go-to for interior designers on the hunt for bathroom fixtures with flair. With its wealth of fantastical figurative motifs, the new collection with French artist Louis Barthélemy, aptly named ‘Egyptomania’, is a love letter to a rich cultural heritage. Each hand-painted tile pays tribute to his tapestries, which are made in Cairo using centuries-old techniques. From £18.48 each (balineum.co.uk). 26 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK JUNE 2022



NOW On the side It might have all begun with a pedal bin, but Danish company Vipp is now best known for its much-coveted kitchens. The new ‘Chimney’ cabinet features the same fluted, anodized aluminium fronts as the ‘V2’ design, and pairs an oak frame with a grey Pietra marble top for a touch of trademark detailing. Approx £2,250 (vipp.com). BRAND TO KNOW MAISON MATISSE The joyful DNA of Henri Matisse is plain to see in the output of this Paris-based design house – quite literally, as it’s spearheaded by the artist’s direct descendants. After collaborations with high-profile names like Jaime Hayon, Cristina Celestino and Alessandro Mendini, it now has a permanent home in Rue du Bac, where you can expect a succinct edit of furniture alongside playful accessories (maison-matisse.com). Design incubator ‘Imaginative designs of obsessive quality’ is a neat summation of Swedish brand Hem’s ethos, and it’s one that has sparked some big design moments – think Faye Toogood’s ‘Puffy’ lounge chair. Its latest venture, Hem X, is a platform for up-and-coming Swedish artists and makers, who will create limited-edition pieces outside the traditional product-development process. The first collection is curated by interior-design duo Arranging Things, who have tipped Jonatan Nilsson, Lisa Reiser and Rasmus Nossbring for greatness. From approx £500 (hem.com). From left ‘Power Plinth’ by Jonatan WORDS: NAME PICTURES: NAME Nilsson, approx £500; ‘Monument’ PICTURES: CLÉMENT SAVEL sculptures by Rasmus Nossbring, from approx £800 each; ‘Moln’ by Lisa Reiser, approx £584, all Hem X (hem.com) 28 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK JUNE 2022



NOW COLOUR QUEENS Few have their finger on the design pulse like The Conran Shop, so its collaborations should be treated as ringing endorsements. The latest is with Collagerie, the concept store founded by fashion insiders Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood, who selected eight punchy Pantone shades as a base for a range including hand-dipped vases and fringed cushions, as well as a limited- edition version of Daniel Schofield’s ‘Mag’ coffee table (conranshop.co.uk). In the details From top ‘Swirl’ bowl, Our pick from Larsen’s spring fabric collection? Beautiful £135; cushion ‘Baya’, a swirling crewel-work embroidery that takes its cover, £85 cues from the topography of America’s Rocky Mountains. Impactful at a distance but even better up close, it shines with delicate detailing. £135 per metre (larsenfabrics.com). COOL HOUSE OF PATTERN STOOL Italian fashion heavyweight Dolce & Gabbana has triumphantly Italian architect inaugurated two spaces in its Milan hometown as dual bases for and designer Dolce & Gabbana Casa, an expansion into homeware first revealed Piero Lissoni in a preview last autumn. Dedicated to accessories, the outpost at has added a stool 7 Corso Venezia is sleekly inviting, all black lacquered wood, glass to his industrial- and lavastone, while the showroom at 23 Via Durini (pictured above) feel ‘Ombra’ offers total immersion into a world of vibrantly upholstered furniture. seating collection Minimalists, you’ve been warned (dolcegabbana.com). for Lema. Available in two heights, it’s a versatile piece in black or white, or a bolder statement in red. £1,070 (lema.com). 30 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK JUNE 2022



NOW A perfect circle It took nearly a year of testing for fashion designer Alessandra Facchinetti to perfect her new porcelain serveware collection with Editions Milano, a design platform that seeks to champion and revive heritage Italian craft. So named for its graphic oversized handles, ‘Circle’ marks the first time that the company has worked with the material. ‘I was drawn to porcelain because it is at once very clean and pure, but also considered a very humble craft,’ explains Facchinetti. From approx £100 for a mug (editionsmilano.com). Take the throne The architectural details of a Finnish manor provided ample inspiration for Swedish duo Bernadotte & Kylberg’s first-ever chair, the ‘Wiurila’. Tasked to create a piece for its banquet hall with design firm Made by Choice, the pair looked to the lines of the outbuilding’s roofs to inform its distinctive wing-like back, while rounded legs are a nod to the mansion’s stately pillars. Choose from natural ash, vibrant yellow or red. Approx £1,000 (madebychoice.com). CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK Three to see at this annual celebration of the capital’s design talent, from 24-26 May (clerkenwelldesignweek.com) 1. One of Clerkwenwell’s busiest hubs, 2. Head to the atmospheric St James’s 3. This year’s Conversations at PICTURES: NICK ROCHOWSKI PHOTOGRAPHY Design Fields is a showcase with Church for British Collection, which Clerkenwell will be housed in will include fresh ideas from the likes of a bandstand-style pavilion designed a global scope. Be sure to catch a glimpse Benchmark and Another Country. We’ve by Fieldwork Architects. Catch lively of the bold new ‘Block’ sofa by set our sights on London-based lighting debates on queer spaces and the revitalisation of our town centres. Rotterdam-based designer Sabine company Hand & Eye Studio. Marcelis for Natuzzi Italia. 32 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK JUNE 2022



NOW Prepare to be WORDS: CLARE SARTIN PICTURES: WANDA MARTIN WOWED As the new WOW!House showhome hits Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour (1 June – 1 July), interior designer Linda Boronkay has plans to kick-start your imagination ‘It’s interior designers coming together to create their fantasies,’ says Linda Boronkay, explaining the concept behind Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour’s ambitious new venture. The London- based mastermind of several Soho House venues’ looks – from Amsterdam and Mumbai to Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds – is just one of the 20 renowned names creating a space within the 400-square-metre showhome. She’s collaborating with Pierre Frey (other partnerships include De Le Cuona and United in Design, and Schumacher with Campbell-Rey) in what is set to be a unique kaleidoscope of ideas. ‘It will create a sense of excitement and a buzz after the long lockdown,’ adds Boronkay, who found inspiration for her room in Pierre Frey’s ‘Egyptian’ collection. ‘Ancient Egyptian culture has long been an obsession of mine,’ she says. Taking fabrics from the range (including ‘I WANT VISITORS TO WALK AWAY WITH A SENSE OF AWE’ ‘Amenhotep’, depicting priests pouring a libation for the god Osiris, and ‘Byblos’, which represents opulent Egyptian jewels), she has emphasised what she calls the ‘glamour and mystery’ of the era. The designs are blended with a mixture of modern and vintage pieces of furniture to create a layered look that has the impact of a theatre set. Architectural elements, including columns, will add extra drama, painted in a bold, high-gloss blue. ‘This was an important colour in ancient Egypt, symbolising fertility, birth, rebirth and life,’ explains Boronkay. The opportunity to experiment has given everyone involved in WOW!House the chance to push boundaries – just a glimpse at Boronkay’s moodboard shows the fun that has been had. The hope is that it will inspire the same joy in others. ‘What I want,’ she says, ‘is for visitors to walk away with a sense of awe, with all their senses awakened.’ Tickets to visit the WOW!House showhome are available now from £20, with a percentage of proceeds going to the charity Centrepoint. Purchase online at dcch.co.uk Fabrics, from left ‘Amenhotep’ velvet; ‘Organzino’ velvet in ‘Ambre’; ‘Byblos’ velvet in ‘Lazuli’, all Pierre Frey (pierrefrey.com) 34 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK JUNE 2022





NOW THE INVISIBLE HOUSE After five years of championing collectable furniture, The Invisible Collection finally has its own home, in London’s Marylebone I t’sreassuringtolearnthatevensomeone ‘Panther x Métaphores’ sofa by who has spent their career working Studioparisien, from £31,638; ‘Cloud’ with luxury brands finds walking into coffee table by Louise Liljencrantz, from a high-end boutique daunting. That’s £6,282; ‘Mirra’ side table by Hamrei, partly why Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays (above left) started her website The Invisible £4,500, all The Invisible Collection Collection, to make it easier to access great design. ‘Luxury companies can be super- JUNE 2022 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 37 intimidating,’ she says. ‘Even when I worked for them I was always thinking, “Oof, I have to go into the store.”’ Launching in 2016 with co-founder Anna Zaoui (above right), the site’s ethos was to offer all of the glamour, but with a more inclusive approach. From the start, The Invisible Collection became the place to find contemporary design (pieces that would never normally have been commercially available), serving an audience who wanted to collect furniture like art. These were custom designs by established names and rising stars, reimagined in unique colours, dimensions and materials, and made by exceptional craftspeople. For the brand’s appeal you need only look to the recent reveal of its collaboration with fabric house Dedar in Paris, timed to coincide with the city’s annual Maison & Objet fair. Placing its strikingly upholstered modern classics beside the Belle Époque beauty of Féau Boiseries was a masterstroke that became a must-have pic for design fans’ Instagram grids. Now, to mark their fifth anniversary, digital natives Dubern-Mallevays and Zaoui are ±

NOW ‘Sofa 280’, ‘Cadillac’ chair, WORDS: PHOEBE FRANGOUL PICTURES: VIGO JANSONS and ‘Duo Multilaque’ continuing this year’s success by putting down roots in an elegant three-storey building, coffee table all by Pierre tucked away in London’s Marylebone. It’s The Augustin Rose, price on Invisible Collection’s headquarters and event application. ‘Mistletoe’ space, but ultimately, a home. The serene candelabrum by Goossens space is filled with pieces from the brand’s starry stable. Dubern-Mallevays explained Paris, £5,022, all The how they settled on this particular spot: ‘We Invisible Collection needed an industrial building and Marylebone is so cool. Because I’m not British, I’m always designer, as well as reissues of Pierre Chareau’s surprised by mews buildings – you don’t iconic wall lamps, and items by maximalist imagine the volume that lies behind.’ interior designer Laura Gonzalez. ‘When you have beautiful and big pieces, everything The interior has been finished with eco- works,’ adds Dubern-Mallevays. It’s this friendly paint and untreated wood, while eclecticism that is the brand and the space’s soft light is filtered through sheer Dedar power, encouraging others to be more creative panels that cover the double-height windows. in their decorative choices. It’s very tempting to curl up on the curvy Studioparisien sofa, or take a seat at the The pandemic gave the founders time to monumental marble dining table on one of reflect on the past five years. ‘At the beginning, Laura Gonzalez’s rose-pink bouclé chairs, we were so afraid that everything was lost, but it’s also essential to save time to explore but after two months it was the opposite.’ the venue’s well-stocked materials library She is proud that The Invisible Collection of natural stones, rare woods and fine textiles. champions young designers alongside the giants. While expansion is the goal, with ‘It’s a home – we are not a showroom,’ says permanent bases in New York and Paris Dubern-Mallevays, who explains the trick planned, what won’t change is the carefully to achieving that atmosphere: ‘We hate the curated offering and a refusal to compromise “total look”. Everything is a complete mix of on values. ‘It is a huge responsibility,’ says very different designs.’ That blend includes Dubern-Mallevays. ‘When you have so many the work of Francesco Balzano, a minimalist orders, how do you continue to have the same quality? We want to build this community, IT’S A HEADQUARTERS the designers, the atelier and the teams.’ AND EVENT SPACE, BUT ULTIMATELY, A HOME The London space will be open to visitors by appointment only, and an exciting ‘Giraffe’ chairs by Juliana Lima Vasconcellos, from programme of events, including dinners, solo £1,266 each; ‘Swan’ dining table by Francesco shows and talks, will bring the new home to Balzano, from £59,616, all The Invisible Collection life. ‘We are nomads, but it feels like a good idea to have something permanent,’ says 38 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK JUNE 2022 Dubern-Mallevays. ‘People come here to understand the quality of the pieces, to touch them, to meet people! I think after the pandemic everyone understands why we need this.’ theinvisiblecollection.com



NOW Clockwise from top left Pirouette House in Kerala, designed by Vinu Daniel; Mohammed Fayaz’s poster for Brooklyn Liberation’s rally for trans youth; 1970s commune Salmon Creek, restored by artist and activist Fritz Haeg; a video still taken from Quercus, a film created by Formafantasma for the Cambio show at London’s Serpentine in 2020; Xu Tiantian’s Brown Sugar Factory and Community Centre in Xing village, Songyang County DESIGN CAN SAVE US Inspired by a shared belief that the creative community can answer modern life’s most pressing dilemmas, new book ‘Design Emergency’ highlights ideas that may change the future (for the better) Instagram may be one of the most The project soon grew and evolved into a book, Design Emergency: WORDS: PHOEBE FRANGOUL PICTURES: ZILING WANG, COURTESY OF FORMAFANTASMA, visual platforms, but journalist Alice Building a Better Future (on sale now). Chapters focus on technology, MOHAMMED IMAN FAYAZ, JINO SAM, FRITZ HAEG, MICHAEL LECKIE, MARTON PERLAKI Rawsthorn (left) uses it differently, society, communication and ecology, and include interviews with posting miniature essays on how designer Ilse Crawford and architect Peter Barber. There are more design tackles themes ranging from women than men featured, which Alice suggests could be because the climate emergency to the colour marginalised groups tend to thrive in new disciplines as there are blue. ‘I didn’t think it would suit me,’ no ‘old boy networks’ to exclude them. she says, ‘but a friend, the curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, nagged me to Paola was particularly affected by her conversation with Kate join. My aim was to show what Crawford, a global authority on AI: ‘It made me realise how we a ubiquitousforcedesignisinourlives carry our prejudices, our ignorance and, in some cases, our malice and to defuse some of the infuriating with us everywhere we go,’ even to the virtual realm. Meanwhile, stereotypes of it as a styling tool.’ Alice was struck by the story of Italian engineer Francesca Coloni, who is in charge of design at the UNHCR’s refugee camps worldwide. In the spring of 2020, Alice’s focus naturally turned to Covid-19. Her posts gave longtime friend Paola Despite the tough subjects that are considered in its pages, the Antonelli – senior curator at New York’s Museum of Modern Art new book is an uplifting read, and – an idea for a project they could work on together. ‘We share the its authors were encouraged by the same deep convictions about design,’ says Paola (right). ‘We believe dedication and ingenuity they that it can have a fundamental role in steering our future in a positive encountered during its research. ‘It direction.’ They called on graphic designer Frith Kerr to create is heartening to see how many people a logo and in four days @design.emergency was launched. are ready to devote their lives to making things better,’ declares Paola. It began as a series of Instagram Live conversations. Alice explains ‘Even at this extraordinarily critical the initial concept: ‘We focused on designers like Alissa Eckert, juncture, when so many crises are a medical illustrator at the Centers for Disease Control and overlapping, we maintain hope. We Prevention in the US, who co-designed the “spiky blob” that don’t only believe in these design symbolises Covid-19 worldwide.’ Later, their focus changed to giants, but in every single citizen.’ people developing practical solutions to the climate emergency, ‘Design Emergency: Building a Better refugee crisis and reconstruction of the post-pandemic world. Future’, £24.95, Phaidon (phaidon.com) 40 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK JUNE 2022





PICTURE: ARTHUR WOODCROFT NOW WORDS: NAME PICTURES: NAME The BRaIrTeIcSoHming Ahead of the triumphant return of Salone del Mobile, the much-anticipated design fair in Milan (7–12 June), we caught up with the UK-based talent that will be causing a stir and bring you an exclusive, advance peek at the pieces they plan to unveil Words BECKY SUNSHINE LEE BROOM To mark his return to Milan after four years (as well as his brand’s 15th anniversary), the British furniture, lighting and interior designer will be presenting his largest European installation to date. He will be showcasing ‘Divine Inspiration’, a collection of six new lighting pieces. The series includes ‘Vesper’ (pictured with Broom), a geometric, extruded aluminium lighting sculpture suspended by cables that seeks to find a balance between interconnecting tubes and its illuminated adjoining spheres. This, and the other lights in the collection, are a result of Broom’s deep dive into brutalist architecture, modernism and his exploration of the monumental form and scale associated with places of worship. ‘Milan Design Week is essentially the holy grail for designers, so I am happy to be back and exhibiting in person,’ he says. ‘I always wanted to create products, interiors and installations that truly inspired me on a personal level, and so working in different materials and styles has always been important, along with an ability to adapt and move with the times.’ leebroom.com ±



BETHAN NOW LAURA WOOD ‘I wanted to make Multidisciplinary designer Bethan Laura something that was Wood’s relationship with Italian rug very DIFFERENT producer CC-Tapis has been an enduring to the LOOK and one, enabling her to explore pattern, texture FEEL of my first and, of course, colour. For her return to carpets, which were Milan this year, however, the look is bravely highly TEXTURED different. In her second full series for the brand, Bethan has created the ‘Euphorbia’ and colourful’ collection, a triptych and large single rug, hand-knotted in Himalayan wood, based Left A rug from Bethan Laura Wood’s around a collection of her own ink-on-paper new ‘Euphorbia’ collection for CC-Tapis drawings of the Euphorbia sipolisii f crestata succulents she tended to in her east-London JUNE 2022 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 45 home during the pandemic’s numerous lockdowns. ‘I wanted to make something that was very different to the look and feel of my first carpets, which were highly textured and colourful,’ she explains. ‘For me, lots of colour and pattern is very meditative, but for some people it isn’t. I was interested to see how I could make something that has the same complexity of my previous carpets but through a more minimal aesthetic.’ CC-Tapis has captured the subtlety and movement found in hand- drawn lines by using a technique of cutting back the yarn to soften the design’s lines. ‘I’d also been looking at the drawings of Aubrey Beardsley and Jean Cocteau, so the more you look at the carpets, the more you’ll find little nods to them,’ adds Wood. bethanlaurawood.com PICTURE: MARK COCKSEDGE

NOW ‘It’s a pure and UNABASHED celebration of every CURVY, LARA BOHINC VOLUPTUOUS and ‘The female form has always been a great fleshy DETAIL’ source of inspiration in art, photography and design,’ explains Slovenian-born, London-based designer Bohinc, ‘but often with an unrealistic eye or as a response to society’s perception of how the female body should look.’ And so, she is launching her ‘Peachy’ collection, which comprises the ‘Big Girl’ and ‘Derriere’ armchairs, a  miniature, prototype version of which she is photographed with here, as well the ‘Peachy’ pouf. All promote full-on roundness and soft upholstered surfaces. As Bohinc says: ‘It’s a pure and unabashed celebration of every curvy, voluptuous and fleshy detail.’ For Bohinc, who began her career as a jewellery designer, her furniture, lighting and accessories are often the results of her exploration of opposing sculptural forms: curves and circles contrasting with straight lines and geometric angles, which are then fabricated in a blended materials palette of smooth marbles, metal and textural fabrics such as bouclé wool. ‘My studio is based in London,’ she says, ‘and we always try to collaborate with local artisans when possible, including an upholstery workshop from the north of the capital. This made the process of creating the “Peachy” collection much more efficient and sustainable.’ bohincstudio.com ± Bohinc with PICTURE: REBECCA REID a miniature prototype of her ‘Derrière’ armchair





NOW RAW EDGES ‘Yael has a MATHEMATICAL interest in how you turn flat SHEETS of paper into 3D Israeli-born, London-based design duo Raw SHAPES. She came up with this FOLD, which was Edges, founded in 2007 by Yael Mer (above FASCINATING and became our starting point’ left) and Shay Alkalay, have designed for brands including Vitra, Kvradrat, Moroso and The ‘Cosmic’ table Established & Sons, but it’s their longstanding by Raw Edges for relationship with Louis Vuitton that has been Louis Vuitton particularly fruitful. Having presented the PICTURES: MARK COCKSEDGE ‘Concertina’ chair in 2015, followed by the modular ‘Doll’ chairs in 2019 as part of the brand’s ‘Objets Nomades’ collections, they’ve now created the ‘Cosmic Table’ for this year’s installation. ‘We often play around in the studio,’ explains Alkalay. ‘Yael has a mathematical interest in how you turn flat sheets of paper into 3D shapes. She came up with this fold, which was fascinating, and became our starting point for the design.’ It’s typical of the way Raw Edges works as a practice: begin with a principle, then impose a function on it. ‘It’s so simple and beautiful,’ continues Alkalay. ‘To keep the sculptural lightness and beauty as a full-scale table, it was crafted in carbon fibre so that it could be incredibly strong without compromising how thin it could be.’ Leather was applied to the surface, and a weighty, cast-glass top added. ‘We were keen for there to be that contrast in the lightness of the base and the heaviness of the glass. We’re also working on another version in Cor-ten steel, which will be beautifully rusty looking,’ he teases. raw-edges.com JUNE 2022 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 49

NOW BETHAN GRAY ‘During the pandemic, The previous winner of three ELLE I was able to EXPAND my Decoration British Design Awards, Welsh- born designer Bethan Gray’s focus has, for horizons and completely years, been about partnering with artisans IMMERSE myself in my to tell cultural stories of craftsmanship. Most work, EXPLORING this art recently, it’s the culture of Oman that she’s form for the FIRST time’ been inspired by, particularly the billowing sales of dhow boats, which she’s evolved into a dynamic hand-drawn pattern full of movement. As part of her installation in Milan this year, to be shown at the Rossana Orlandi Gallery, Bethan’s ‘Inky Dhow’ collection expands on the rug she designed for CC-Tapis (released late last year) with furniture, textiles, ceramics and handblown glass. All of the pieces result from her own experiments with calligraphy during lockdown. ‘During the pandemic, I was able to expand my horizons and completely immerse myself in my work, exploring this art form for the first time. From this, the new collection was conceived,’ she explains. ‘It’s bright and bold, showcasing my existing “Dhow” world in a new and creative way, encompassing my love of art, culture, travel and design.’ bethangray.com The new ‘Inky Dhow’ armchair by WORDS: NAME PICTURES: NAME Bethan Gray and her rug of the same PICTURE: JULIAN ABRAMS name, designed for CC-Tapis