Trend Report

Trend Report DESIGN CENTRE CHELSEA HARBOUR

With a slate of new releases highlighting elements of nature, craftsmanship and sustainability, London’s Design Centre Chelsea Harbour showcases the trends for the year ahead.

Words: Kristofer Thomas Photography: Courtesy of Design Centre Chelsea Harbour

Welcoming visitors from 8-13 March for a showcase of new launches, insightful discussion and creative collaborations, London Design Week at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour (DCCH) highlighted some of the trends and ideas set to define this year’s interior spaces. Hosting over 120 showrooms from international brands, this year’s edition saw prominent labels across the furniture, wallcovering, lighting and flooring sectors spotlight emerging design directions, from nature-inspired flourishes of colour to refined minimalist neutrals.

“At London Design Week 2020, the community at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour offered an array of new collections – all underlined by the importance of integrity, provenance, exquisite craftsmanship and a move towards informed choices,” explains Becky Metcalfe, PR Manager. “Colours from the warmer end of the spectrum are on the radar and with the intensity of daily digital overload, enhanced tactility has come to the fore. Consumers, too, are changing their shopping habits to empower makers and artisans of all crafts, with a broader concern for wellbeing – thoughtfully specifying a bespoke design is the antithesis to a disposable culture.”

Ella Sofa – Piet Boon Collection

Le Rois de la Jungle Pop – Pierre Frey

Cape Bench by David Girelli – Yarn Collective

SCULPTED FORMS Emphasised across furnishings was a focus on distinctive shapes, rounded edges and softened corners. These elements can be seen in Flexform’s first outdoor collection, a response to the growing desire for hybrid indoor-outdoor environments that features a series of plush vignettes, seats and modular sofas. Piet Boon Collection’s Ella sofa on show at Tollgard showcased a preference for serene circular and oval forms, and likewise the Cape Bench by David Girelli at Yarn Collective, and the flowing Zero stool from Italian manufacturer Turri – the latter inspired by the clean geometry of mid-century architects like Vittoriano Viganò and Carlo Scarpa. Beyond furnishings, lighting fixtures such as Gladlee’s liquid drop pendant, and Perrin & Rowe’s Armstrong faucet both opted for smoothed profiles with gentle curves.

Staffan Tollgård, founder, Tollgård Design Group: “I believe that mindful choices have been on the rise and will continue to inform how people choose makers and suppliers. Buying once, carefully, has never been more topical. Understanding the story, the provenance, the makers will lead our clients to invest in pieces that don’t take too much of a toll on the world around them. This connection with nature can be seen in the organic shapes of furniture, lighting and accessories used together with valuable, handcrafted accents of metal, leather and natural stone. Pieces like the Ella from Piet Boon are part of this movement. Sinuous, natural shapes that curve around the body, that are comfortable as well as elegant reflect a new way of relaxing.”

UP THE WALLS Exotic prints and intriguing textures feature prominently across new wallcovering and fabric releases. Cole & Son’s Seville depicts a series of Andalusian-inspired graphics from vibrantly repeated orange blossom to charming scenes of Mudéjar architecture. At the other end of the spectrum, Romo’s Etsu collection – a portfolio of understated but highly-textured wall designs – provides an embossed counterpoint, with the vibrancy dialled down but the depth of touch substantially elevated. This balance between visual and textural distinction also sees Pierre Frey’s Le Rois de la Jungle Pop stand out for its depiction of stylised Savanna wildlife, whilst Arte’s Lush Corduroy creates points of interest with a rich, ribbed velvet. Whichever style a hotel opts for, guests would do well to take a moment to enjoy the detail involved in both.

Emily Mould, Design Director, Romo: “With an increased emphasis on mindfulness and wellbeing, it has become more important than ever to create calming spaces. With a need to get back in touch with our senses, subtle textural wallcoverings offer an element of tactility, remaining understated and quiet whilst adding depth and interest to an interior. Equally important is colour, the enduring trend for soft pastel shades and subtle metallics tones ensures a relaxing space that can become a sanctuary.”

Sevilla – Cole & Son

Matsuyama – Gaston y Daniela at Abbott & Boyd

In The Mix – Perennials Fabrics

IMPERFECT PERFECTION In creating this year’s ranges, many designers have looked East for inspiration, with Japanese aesthetics especially seeing a resurgence. Scion at Style Library has adopted the concept of Wabi Sabi – the acceptance of transience and imperfection – for its range of the same name, exploring ideas of irregularity by way of techniques from block-printing and shibori to batik and ikat. Elsewhere, products including Gallotti & Radice’s 0414 chair reference eastern style with the use of lacquered, dark timber, whilst depictions of traditional Japanese art styles are splashed across the Matsuyama fabric by Gaston y Daniela at Abbott & Boyd.

Mark Abbott, Managing Director, Abbott & Boyd: “Clients are becoming more adventurous with panoramic wallcoverings – an evolution of the feature wall, their sheer scale and beauty put walls centrestage. Easily customised, exquisite scenic and mural designs can be framed to look like a considered piece of art. Another strong trend is fabrics that have moved from interiors to terraces, patios and conservatories. Somewhat paradoxically, technical advances in quality and texture have made it so that designers are bringing the fabrics back in, with many looking to high performance designs for maximum versatility and use. Meanwhile, more and more, designers are reporting that environmentally conscious clients are asking for eco-friendly, even vegan products. Established companies are placing greater emphasis on sustainable sourcing and production – some linens, for example that do not skimp on style, are being manufactured mindfully, re-using dyes and using less water.”

HIGH PERFORMANCE Innovations in the context of performance and durability are high on agenda as the hotel market seeks to reduce waste and extend the lifespan of interiors. In the Mix from Perennials Fabrics & Rugs highlights this high-functioning/highdesign balance with a mildew- and UV-resistant acrylic dyed yarn, with the brand’s signature Nano Seal finish providing extra layers of protection. Elsewhere, Bill Amber’s Florabunda design for Moore & Giles demonstrates the leaps and bounds digital printing technology has taken in recent years with a series of patterned hides boasting a wealth of intricate detail.

GONE DIGITAL Shortly after London Design Week at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour wrapped its 2020 edition, the venue closed its doors along with much of the UK in line with social distancing measures to stem the spread of Coronavirus. However, whilst the site remains shut, DCCH continues to operate its Designer Sourcing Service remotely – a complimentary platform for the interiors community providing product inspiration, purchasing support and a direct line to the centre’s 120 showrooms.