THE EDIT Vibrant, sustainable and British-made designs.

THE EDIT

Editor-at-Large Kate Freud tells the story behind brands adding vibrant, sustainable and British-made designs to interiors

MIND THE GAP

Given its impact on interiors, it is always surprising to find that the Transylvanian home furnishings brand Mind the Gap is only in its sixth year. Founders Stefan Ormenisan and Victor Serban, began by creating wallpapers and wall art before branching out into fabrics, furniture, lighting and accessories.

Creators of ‘moods, stories and lifestyles’, the duo behind Mind the Gap are known for returning to their roots, with ranges inspired by their evocative homeland. A melting pot of people, cultures and religions, from Saxons and Hungarians to Gypsies and Jews, surrounded by mountains and forests, despite their lack of wealth the Transylvanian people would attach embroidered textiles to soften wooden furniture, and trimmed tasselled lamps to brighten the dark winter nights.

This spring, look out for the Woodstock collection, encompassing wallpapers, furniture, fabric, cushions, lighting and new for this year – rugs. Think swirling forms and vivid colour combinations reminiscent of the swinging Sixties. mindtheg.com

ALTERNATIVE FLOORING

The award-winning British brand Alternative Flooring has been championing design, craft and manufacturing in the UK for over 25 years, bringing beautiful and innovative designs to floors. Whether looking for carpets, rugs or runners, there is an astonishing array of colour and pattern, all made from fine wool, natural and faux fibres. Proud of its green credentials, Alternative Flooring now has a new Planet Pledge with Ecologi, which funds some of the world’s best climate crisis solutions via tree-planting and carbon-reduction projects. Not only that, it has been busy designing its collections, including the Woosie – a patterned wool and sisal mix flooring new for SS22, the classic Wool Motown carpet and the brilliantly versatile Herringstripe flatweave (shown here), the perfect backdrop for any interior. alternativeflooring.com

ARTE

Arte have been making exquisite wall coverings under the watchful eye of the Desart family since 1981, and today its designs can be found in homes, hotels and public buildings in over 80 countries worldwide.

Every year, an in-house team of experienced designers creates several new collections which are both trendsetting and innovative, whilst being a practical choice for your home. Each design is strikingly different – from the geometric Samal to the palm-inspired Manila and the flamboyant flamingoadorned Avalon.

This season Arte has two new collections, the Sculptura, which draws inspiration from traditional plasterwork with strips of plaster arranged by hand to create a textural vinyl collection. Les Thermes depicts the rich history of GrecoRoman antiquity, in which sculpture and architecture both play an important role. Look out for the stunning mosaics, giving a taste of grandeur from days gone by. arte-international.com

United by their shared love of art and antiques, Michael and Lucy Vaughan established their lighting brand Vaughan in 1983. Since launching, it has grown to become one of the world’s most eminent design and manufacturing brands not just of decorative lighting, but furniture and textiles too.

At the heart of the company are Michael and Lucy’s artistic eye, discerning sense of style and meticulous attention to detail. From a seventeenth-century-inspired piece to something more modern, they cover the full spectrum of design.

Vaughan cleverly combines traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge innovation, and all its pieces are made, assembled or finished in Britain. New for Spring 2022 are 11 products in a range of classic and contemporary designs, including the Fyfield and Netherton lanterns, both available in brass and glass, and the Hinton alabaster table lamp (above). vaughandesigns.com

VAUGHAN

FUSION

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