UD Magazine

ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN FURNITURE LIFESTYLE

JANUARY – MARCH 2018

DESIGNING A HOME ISN’T JUST BUILDING A HOUSE LONDON CALLING WINE & DESIGN DESIGNER ESCAPES FURNITURE WITH ATTITUDE

WELCOME TO OUR MARBELLA SHOWROOM

LIVING & ACCESSORIES

BEDROOMS

TERRACES

Open: Monday – Friday 10 am – 7 pm & Saturday 10 am – 2 pm Polígono Industrial San Pedro de Alcántara, C/Países Bajos 6, San Pedro (Marbella) Tel: (+34) 952 794 117 Email: info@udesign.es udesign.es

is all about architecture, interior design and lifestyle. Published

by UDesign and produced by our architects and designers, it reflects the company’s love of design and innovation, and the desire to pass that passion on to others.

Appealing to the cosmopolitan nature of our readers, UD is design-led, design-focused and design-centred. “All problems are solved by good design� is the central belief.

UD brings architecture, design and art to centre stage. With an eccentric and eclectic mix of talented personalities to add to the pot, it will serve up inspiration, innovation and the latest in design, three times a year.

Jason Harris CEO & Creative Director UDesign

Editor: Cheryl Gatward ud@udesign.es Sub Editor: Vivion O’Kelly Design & Production: Next Idea S.L. info@nimarbella.com Contributing Writers: Fiona Flores Watson, Giles Brown, Sophie Gatward-Wicks Architects: Ana Cristina Larrosa Márquez, Kristina Petrauskaite, Ángela Todaro Linde, Fernando Toro Albillo Interior Designers: Anja Maria Catharina Dekkers, Noa Mayor Díaz, Diana Robezniece 3D Virtual Artists: Diego Camacho Sánchez, Dmytro Dubchak, Pablo Aranda Varo, David Jesús Espada Ruíz Interior Design Assistant: Stephanie Georgiou Photography: UDesign, Kevin Horn, Michelle Chaplow Advertising: Kitty Fileti ads@udesign.es Administration: Patricia Jiménez Martínez patricia@udesign.es Published by: UDesign Polígono Industrial San Pedro de Alcántara, C/ Países Bajos, 6, 29670 Marbella, Málaga, Spain Tel: (+34) 952 794 117 info@udesign.es udesign.es Printed by: Jiménez Godoy jimenezgodoy.com Deposito Legal: MA-1335-2017

CONTENTS ARCHITECTURE 14

DESIGNING A HOME ISN’T JUST BUILDING A HOUSE

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WINE & DESIGN

INTERIOR DESIGN 44

THE DARLING OF DESIGNERS

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LONDON CALLING

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AND SO TO BED

FURNITURE 86

BESPOKE IS BETTER

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FURNITURE WITH ATTITUDE

LIFESTYLE 112

DESIGNER ESCAPES

124 DANCE WITH ME 132 DESIGN EVENTS 2018 138 DESIGN TRENDS

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D E S I G N P O R T R A I T.

Ray, seat system designed by Antonio Citterio. www.bebitalia.com B&B Italia Stores: London - Milano - Paris - MĂźnchen - New York - Washington DC - Los Angeles - San Francisco - Miami - Sao Paulo - Tokyo - Dubai

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We make the lamp that gives a shape to that light.

We craft each lamp with our hands.

We have all the light it takes to win against darkness. www.catellanismith.com

F O O D

I S

A R T.

R E S P E C T

I T.

Superior food preservation.

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE

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ARCHITECTURE

by Vivion O’Kelly / Photos UDesign

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DESIGNING A HOME

A house is always designed from the outside in, right? Wrong.

T

raditional design aims to create an ideal furniture layout in a room fixed in size and shape, somewhat like buying an off-the-shelf suit and then instructing your tailor to fit you into it. Designing from the inside out is different. Here the important thing is to make the size and shape of the room fit the way you want to live, rather than the other way around, with all the lifestyle compromises that entails.

Each room is used in a specific way with regard to flow, usage and practicality. Form and function do not follow each other but depend on each other, and for all the pieces to fit, clarity of concept from the get-go is essential.

UDesign have adopted this philosophy from the very beginning, seeing the logic of each living space being perfectly proportioned to accommodate the furniture within.

The result of this “inside-out” design can be is seen at its best in the two houses featured on the following pages.

HOUSE ONE LA ZAGALETA, Benahavís, Spain ENTRANCE HALLWAY First impressions can mean love at first sight (especially when buying a property), and who could not walk through this entrance without falling in love with it immediately? The initial view takes your eye straight through the house to the terrace, over the infinity pool to the sparkling Mediterranean beyond. It doesn’t get much better than that.

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ARCHITECTURE

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DESIGNING A HOME

Stairs can be just stairs or a work of art

STAIRS Stairs can be a stairs or a work of art, and these stairs, and the area they occupy, certainly qualify as the latter. Minimal, beautiful, almost stark in contrast to the disciplined warmth of the Zen garden that has been created below. A high vertical wall of greenery to one side. Seagull lights dancing from the ceiling, and best of all, an olive tree that is illuminated at night to compensate for the loss of the daytime view to darkness.

FORMAL LOUNGE A house this size needs two lounges, one for the family and one for more formal entertaining. The six metre high vertical garden brings nature inside as a huge organic work of art. Transparent lights, just right for the size the room, echo the transparency of the wall of glass through which you can see the infinity pool close by. The lights also bring volume without blocking out light. This is a majestic room of classical proportions that everybody can feel comfortable in.

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DESIGNING A HOME

DINING ROOM In Spain, la sobremesa means, among other things, after-dinner conversation. And in Spain, that can last a long time. It is no coincidence then that this dining room has been designed for la sobremesa. Despite its sense of spaciousness due to the high ceiling and almost-not-there lights, it is warm, intimate, bright and comfortable, with a wall of glass separating inside from out. And just outside, as an extension of the dining room, the olive tree stands proud and tall. At night the twinkling lights in the tree match those you see far below on the coast.

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ARCHITECTURE

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DESIGNING A HOME

In this family home traditional walls have been broken down 22

ARCHITECTURE

FAMILY KITCHEN This is a kitchen/dining room with a difference, and what a difference it is. For this is also the family get-together room (complete with television area and terrace) where traditional walls have been broken down. Just the right blend of cool design and usefulness, just the right atmosphere for playing in, cooking in and eating in. If every house were so designed, there would be less room in this world for family dysfunction.

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DESIGNING A HOME

BATHROOM The bathroom, unlike some other rooms, is used many times a day, but it’s seldom designed with the space it both needs and deserves.

A good start, and an essential luxury, is a ‘his’ and ‘her’ toilet on either side of the showers.

The positioning of the mirror over the washbasin has been carefully planned. A window on each side lets the natural light stream in and provides a generous view outwards.

The bath is indeed a large work of minimalist sculpture, fully deserving of its place in the centre of the room.

Notice the small side-table in the picture on the left, ideal for keeping your iphone and a glass of wine on.

“Inside-out” design is often in the details.

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ARCHITECTURE

The details are not the details, they make the design 25

DESIGNING A HOME

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ARCHITECTURE

HOUSE TWO Ibiza, Spain This house is smaller than the one in La Zagaleta, but no matter. What it lacks in actual space it makes up for in design.

LIVING AREA In this bright and spacious living room, outside and inside are one living space.

The giant ceiling sculpture, perfect for the size of the room, hovers above the centre of the lounge area, reflecting the Hockney-like patterns on the surface of the pool.

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DESIGNING A HOME

LIVING ROOM AND TERRACE A house must always be designed for the ground it stands on, and this house spells Ibiza. It is indeed difficult to say where the house ends and the outdoors begins: the walls actually slide away to eliminate the concept of traditional house design, bringing the inside out and the outside in.

In this climate, as much time is spent outside as in, and the design of the house acknowledges this. The large terrace, with its pool squared off as if a huge block of ice, is an integral part of the house, with different sitting areas and wonderful views of the island all around.

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ARCHITECTURE

Different houses, different sizes, different places, but linked by concept. In each, an acknowledgement of climate and the need, quite apart from the luxury, of living in harmony with nature. Breaking down walls, both figuratively and metaphorically, thus becomes part and parcel of exceptional house design.

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Polígono Industrial San Pedro, C/Países Bajos 6 San Pedro de Alcántara (Marbella) T: (+34) 952 794 117 E: info@udesign.es

udesign.es

Find the latest collections of contemporary wallcoverings at the UDesign Showroom

ARCHITECTURE

We visit 5 Spanish bodegas with exceptional architecture

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ARCHITECTURE

Wineries are different. Driving through the gentle slopes of the wine country anywhere in Spain, or passing by centuries-old wine producing towns, you come upon them.

Suddenly.

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ome, like Frank Gehry’s Marqués de Riscal vineyard hotel in La Rioja, are startling in their audacity. Others, like Calatrava’s Ysios Bodegas, are more formal in style. And some, like Sir Norman Foster’s Portia Bodegas in the province of Burgos, reflect the reserved aesthetics of their creator, and are so well integrated into the surrounding landscape that you’d miss them if you blinked. Many of them are underground, the reason having as much to do with the nature of gravity-flow wine-making and storage as architectural understatement.

Most of them, given their purpose, are in out-of-the-way places, with no introductions offered, no similar type of architecture nearby and no signs pointing in their direction.

They are all hi-tech and eco-friendly, and the one certainty about all of them is that they will leave you gobsmacked.

The fashion for designer wineries is fairly recent, most of them built during the cash-rich period before the fall, and if foreign observers sometimes sneer at the foolishness of the dreamers who commissioned them, we just say: there they are.

Left: Chef Virgilio Martínez opens the doors of Portia Bodegas in Burgos, northern Spain

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WINE & DESIGN

Ysios Bodegas The 2001 Ysios Bodegas in Laguardia, designed by Santiago Calatrava (wouldn’t you know?) and just a short drive from the Gehry masterpiece, will leave you stunned. Its laminated wood and aluminium roof ripples like a giant wave across the sloping landscape, while its raised central section reminds us that this building is a cathedral to an art stretching back thousands of years in this region. Like all great Calatrava works, this is architecture, structural engineering and sculpture all in one.

La Hoya Bidea, s/n, 01300 Laguardia, Ă lava Tel: (+34) 945 60 06 40 visitas.pernodricardbodegas.com

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Portia Bodegas Finished in 2010, this winery was designed by Sir Norman Foster.

Although low and rust-coloured, but built on a rise, the ecologyfriendly building appears out of nowhere in the Ribera del Duera landscape, because one sees it without knowing that the Burgos town of Gumiel de Izán lies right behind it.

What we see from the motorway is just one of the three points of a star, which Foster himself calls a “the heart of a flower with three petals.”

Bodegas Portia, Carretera N1, km 170, 09370 Gumiel de Izán, Burgos. Tel: (+34) 947 10 27 00 visitabodegasgrupofaustino.com

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WINE & DESIGN

Marqués de Riscal Vineyard Hotel Wow! What a show Gehry puts on here. He may well have had a glass or two before designing this building, his ribbons of coloured titanium fluttering in the warm Basque breeze.

It was finished in 2006, just a few years after his famous Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, one of the most iconic buildings of the late 20th century.

The dyed titanium forms a free-flowing canopy over a more traditional stone-cladded base, reflecting the rosé, silver and gold colours of the grapevine.

In fact, the building itself is not a winery, but let’s not quibble about function. It’s a luxury hotel attached to a winery, as magnificent inside as out and well worth a stay.

Visit it, for a laugh. Or at least, stand there and smile.

Calle Torrea Kalea, 1, 01340 Elciego, Álava Tel: (+34) 945 18 08 80 hotel-marquesderiscal.com

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WINE & DESIGN

Sommos Bodegas This is an example of the genius of LogroĂąo architect JesĂşs Marino Pascual. Seen from the front, it is perfectly symmetrical, but from any other viewpoint it looks as if a giant child had stacked cubes one on top of the other, without giving much thought to exactly where they should go. The result is amazing. Built in 2002, this winery is located close to the rather industrial looking, but beautifully minimalist Laus Bodegas, designed by the Rambla Cebollero firm. A visit to one would be incomplete without a visit to the other.

N-240, Km 155, 22300 Barbastro, Huesca Tel: (+34) 974 26 99 00 bodegasommos.com

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR DESIGN

THE COBRA ART STORY

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THE DARLING OF DESIGNERS

W

hat is art? A dumb question, if ever there was one.

If we’ve learned anything over the past century, it’s that art is what we want it to be. And many of the world’s top buyers, especially those who purchase for hotels, offices and luxury homes, are very happy with what Mike Van Rijswijk and his wife, Jeannette, wanted.

They took over their small family print business, the Cobra Art Company, in the early eighties and turned it into what has now become the leading provider of quality, exclusive works for the international business-to-business art market. And they are still a family business.

Cheryl Gatward spoke to Mike about the Cobra Art Story.

Framed reproductions and screen-prints? It can’t have been easy to turn that into the world-renowned company you have today.

Sure, we came from humble beginnings, and dealing in luxury and exclusive art is indeed very different. Jeannette and I realised the only way forwards was to go global, to get out there and search the world for the art we knew we wanted. We needed to contact established artists and photographers who shared our vision, and we found them. The result is nearly a hundred dealers worldwide.

Mostly in Europe?

Yes, about seventy percent Europe, with thirty percent in Asia, the Middle East and North America.

And this vision you talk about... what is it? What inspires you?

Basically, our aim was to create a constantly changing collection of modern art, sculpture and photography that would satisfy the needs of the top interior designers, stylists and architects in the world.

These are demanding and knowledgeable people, and knowing what exactly they need has become fundamental to our success.

But your own input was important too...

It was essential. We have now, for example, become leaders in the field of photography on plexiglas, which is simply mounting the Right and previous page: Cobra Art’s Brandstore in Amsterdam

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photograph on plexiglas, although the process, done properly, is quite complicated. We thus need to interact with the best artists and photographers in the business, not to change the way they make their art, but to guide it towards a result that takes the work’s final location into account. In other words, to create original works suitable for specific places. That means, of course, that we must have our own vision to begin with.

Your photographs are stunning. Who directs your photoshoots?

We present a new collection twice a year, and that means about sixty percent cooperation with the artist. Our world travels allow us to meet new artists and photographers all the time, as well as acquainting ourselves with new cultures. We get new ideas all the time, and this cooperation started when we asked ourselves the obvious question: why don’t we adapt these ideas for our own production? This alone makes us different from other companies in the business.

You list your productions into various categories, such as Pop Art, Artistic Nudes, Urban Art and so on. What’s your own preference?

To answer that would be unfair to our buyers. Quite simply, we involve

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ourselves in each and every piece, and we would not offer what we do not love ourselves. We don’t even have a favourite piece, because there are so many wonderful pieces, all made for different tastes and locations. Ask a mother which of her children she loves best...

Not even one?

Well, having said that, we do have in our home one photograph of JFK by Alex Crieger and another of Eva Mendes by Markus Klinko.

We love the sculptures and objects. What’s new to the collection?

New pieces are the Art Bags by Debra Frances Bean and Sculptures from James Chiew, like the Doberman Pinscher Dog and Art Pills.

So where is the company going, over the next decade, let’s say?

Cobra Art Company creates bold, original artwork for specific places.

We aim to become the ultimate prêt-à-porter of the art world with our new concept store. With our established customer base of architects, interior designers and project developers, we already supply to the professionals. What we want now is to allow ordinary people to shop with us. We’d love to roll out the Cobra Art concept worldwide, with new franchises in other big cities around the globe.

And now, at our recently opened van Baerlestraat Brandstore in the heart of Amsterdam, you can find our ‘Masterpiece Collection’: limited edition works of art by some of the world’s most exciting artists.

How does the magic actually happen? Do you have a large team behind you?

Not so large. We have a small dedicated team to get it all done, and they do a great job of it. We are lucky in this respect. It’s been a wonderful journey for all of us, and we expect to continue for a long time to come. www.cobraart.nl

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Diversity of Style

romo.com

BATHE IN LUXURY DRUMMONDS-UK.COM

INTERIOR DESIGN

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How did a Marbella-based company get to create the interior design for one of England’s most exclusive properties?

UDesign, based in Marbella since 2008, were up against the world’s top interior design firms for a contract to design an exclusive listed building in London’s famous Eaton Square. Vivion O’Kelly talks to their Creative Director to find out more.

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LONDON CALLING

elgravia. A beautiful word. For those who take pride in the ownership of exceptional properties, and those of us who simply like to dream, it’s one of the most beautiful words in the English language.

It says it all, without qualification, explanation or reservation.

Everybody knows where Belgravia is and what it means to live there, and the actual address, at Eaton Square, SW1, is probably, along with nearby Belgrave Square, the most exclusive in the world.

“We had just finished an interior design project for a client in Marbella,” says Jason Harris, (Creative Director at UDesign), “and they were so impressed with the work they asked us if we could come and look at one of their London properties. We were impressed too when we saw it.”

The listed property, built in the 1830’s, is huge: six floors with formal and family lounges, formal dining room, separate staff and family staircases and a lift. It has nine bedrooms on the upper floors, a basement for spa and entertainment, and ample staff quarters.

Jason was not fazed by the challenge of history and the change of location. “It is a million miles away from the contemporary Mediterranean style that UDesign are known for,” he says, “but good design is good design. The principal is the same, regardless of style.

Colours and textures adapt to the location, immediate environment, the property itself, the needs of the client and the building’s function.

Of course, the palette of colours and materials are different from what you would use in a sunshine country.”

Entrance Hallway: a lovely wood burning fire greets you as you step into the magnificent hall – in classic black, white and gold with a splash of lilac.

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Each space itself dictates how far we can go without taking the interest away from the period features 58

The Family Kitchen opens out onto a contemporary patio with its own vertical herb garden.

INTERIOR DESIGN

And the pricetag on a place like this? If you live in Belgravia you don’t talk about money. But you gotta have it.

Interesting neighbours too, past and present. Belgravia takes its name from one of the Duke of Westminster’s subsidiary titles, Viscount Belgrave, from the village of Belgrave in Cheshire, and the 7th Duke is the freeholder of most of the square and the surrounding area. Two Prime Ministers, Neville Chamberlain and Stanley Baldwin, lived here, as do establishment figures such as Sarah, Duchess of York and Lord Halifax. As it happens, this particular property was once the Spanish

The Reception Room, covered in period features from floor to ceiling, but yet with a contemporary feel.

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DESIGNING LONDON CALLING A HOME

The Family Kitchen at the heart of the house has cathedral-like proportions with a 4-metre high ceiling and light flooding down through the Edwardian skylight.

embassy, and it has now become a family home once more.

So what exactly was the brief? Brief, as it turned out.

“It was to have a contemporary feel but to respect the period features and inherent character of the building,” Jason tells us. “After this short brief they left us to it.”

The design concept alone took six months, and then a further ten months to manufacture the bespoke pieces of furniture in the house.

Jason and his designers were clear about what had to be done: “As the property was going on the market as soon as it was finished, colours and style had to be fairly neutral in order to appeal to as many people as possible. Having said that, at this level, it still had to stand out and be highly original. Very often with a property like this, the building and each space itself dictates how far we can go without

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Floor to ceiling Italian marble, Gaggenau appliances and bespoke mahogany cabinets.

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taking the interest away from the period features. Everything is to complement and enhance what is already there, bringing it into the 21st century. Every room has to have a WOW factor with its own identity but still a part of the rest of the space. Everything has to have the highest qualities, which we sourced from all over the world: granite, marble, onyx and rare woods.�

A property like this has multiple period features, and they all had to be renovated. Columns, ceiling panels, skirting panels, balustrades, doors, fireplaces, cornices, window frames, door handles and much more – all were meticulously restored and preserved. And Jason Harris is very proud of the results.

Right: This opulent dining room has gold-plated Walter Knoll chairs, a marble table and dew-drop chandelier lighting.

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Each piece is meticulously placed to create the utimate informal sitting area, from the beautiful, bespoke curved sofas to the Art Deco crystal chandeliers.

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The family TV / chill-out room was designed primarily to be cosy and comfortable, without compromising on style.

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The Grand Master Suite oozes style and luxury, from smoked mirror ceilings to gold leaf wallpaper – it would rival any 6-star luxury hotel suite.

“Obviously to design a project like this we had to be at the top of our game with a real creative vision. The level of design had to be the best there is – creating a look like this was no walk in the park. It was a great opportunity to show off our diversity and talent,” he says.

“UDesign manufacture their own furniture and have a whole team of product engineers, carpenters and technical architects. This was one of the reasons that our company was chosen above others for this project. It swung the deal for us,” he adds.

LONDON CALLING

Above: “Her” bathroom and on the opposite page the magnificent hallway leading from the bedroom to the bathrooms and walk-in wardrobes. (The bathroom above is entered through Aphrodite’s face.)

The real world is just a short walk away, but of course, this magnificent house will be a very real and comfortable home for whoever lives there, because it was designed that way. All in all, Eaton Square, Belgravia, has become a flagship design project for what is a flagship design company, and one they can be justly proud of.

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LONDON

INTERIOR DESIGN

CREATING THE CONTEMPORARY WELL-DESIGNED BEDROOM Giles Brown talks to Jason Harris at UDesign.

The bedroom is the living space that has undergone the most radical transformation in the past decade.

The most intimate room in the house now really is a space where, as the chocolate bar advert boasted, you can “Work, Rest and Play”.

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he contemporary well-designed bedroom has become so much more than a room to crash-out in, exhausted of the end of your day. It has become a place to relax and wind down, to reflect on the day, check those last emails or catch up with the latest Netflix series. It has become a space where you can enjoy some serious “Me” time and suit your mood. Whatever mood you happen to be in…

UDesign’s Jason Harris explains how the modern bedroom has changed beyond recognition. “The bedroom is like any space in the house. If you design and decorate it purposefully then it can be another room in the home where you can do a lot more than just sleep”.

Forget taking your work home – in today’s nonstop 24/7 world it seems we are taking our work to bed.

“In this day and age people take their iPads and work from bed, send emails last thing at night and

This bedroom is dominated by the super king size Capitone bed and is completed by the bar, big screen and open fire place (far right).

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The bedroom has taken over as the main relaxation space in the house 77

AND SO TO BED

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check their emails first thing in the morning.”

The contemporary bedroom also reflects a change in modern sleeping patterns, with people now going to bed an hour and a half earlier than they intend on sleeping, giving time to wind down and chill.

This means that the bedroom really has to have the right ambience.

“We try to create a luxury, hotel suite feel, so you have dedicated sitting area, where you can lounge around on the sofa and watch TV by the open fire, and on the other side of the room you have the bed.” explains Jason “The bedroom has taken over as the main relaxation space in the house. The living room is for entertaining, the bedroom is the more intimate room.”

Lighting plays an important part in the modern bedroom. While some night owls work best by half light, dealing with half a dozen

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candles every evening to create the right “mood” can be tiresome. There are a wide variety of Apps and home control systems that solve that problem and allow you to create a relaxed or romantic vibe, instantly. And with the ultra-modern architectural style currently so popular in Marbella, floor to ceiling windows, especially leading out onto a private terrace, flood the bedroom with Mediterranean light. Although if you have been to a Marbella party the night before this can be a mixed blessing…

Too often people put a lot of thought into the design, look and feel of other areas of the house and forget the bedroom. With so many options now on offer, the standard furnishing of a simple bed, headboard and side tables displays a singular lack of imagination. Flat Screen TVs, music systems, free standing baths and sinks, contemporary dressing tables, even flat screen fires that you can hang on

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The more comfortable you are in your bedroom, the better you will sleep

INTERIOR DESIGN

The focal point in this bedroom is the natural mandela wallpaper which sets the tone and feel of the room with everything else complementing it, using a swatch of soft grays and burnt orange.

the wall can be combined to make an ambience that you will want to spend more and more time in. And the more comfortable you are in your bedroom, the better you will sleep, so say the experts.

“When you think about it we spend almost half our lives in the bedroom,” says Jason, “so ideally you want a lovely, soothing and relaxing environment where you can work, plug in to your laptop, sit at a desk, put on your makeup, watch TV, listen to music, have a drink. Then it’s a really great room!”

What better excuse do you need to let your imagination run riot in the bedroom?

Hang on, let me rephrase that….

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www.lissoy.eu | Tel: +33 984 484 094 | Email: service-client@lissoy.fr

FURNITURE

FURNITURE

BESPOKE IS BETTER THE ANCIENT & NOBLE ART OF FURNITURE MAKING

You buy it because it’s there, all ready to take home, and you like it. But wait! Remember the John Keats line: “A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever.” A piece of custom-made furniture is something you’ll not just like, but love for the rest of your life.

Sophie Gatward-Wicks talks to the team of craftsmen at UDesign

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Virtually everything in this room was custommade by UDesign.

The dining table is made from solid tola wood and has a high gloss lacquer top. The matching chairs were created with fabric by Romo. The cabinet is in ebony wood finish with stainless steel detailing.

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T

he first piece of furniture was made when the first caveman balanced a flat rock on a pedestal and sat on it. It is indeed an ancient and noble craft, and while computers are now being used to design furniture and high-tech materials may be used to make it, the basic concept has remained the same throughout the ages.

A house without furniture is an empty shell, and filling it with the furniture we want is as personal to us as the way we dress, or the way we talk. It tells us, and the world, who we are.

You can go into a shop and buy a piece of furniture, or you can have it made. This is bespoke furniture, and for people who have given serious thought as to how they want their houses to look, choosing the right pieces of furniture is a serious business. That’s where UDesign come in. They specialise in making

Furniture design is both art and engineering Below: 3 seater and 2 seater contemporary sofas in white Romo fabric, two occasional chairs in metallic Romo fabric with stainless steel legs, two matching poufs in same fabric. Centre low table in white high gloss lacquer with smoked mirror detail.

Right: “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

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outstanding bespoke furniture that is as unique as the creativity you put into your own home.

They have the cabinet makers, the carpenters, the metal workers, the specialist paint finishers, the upholsterers and the product engineers needed to turn an idea into a work of exquisite craftsmanship, and they do it with pride and passion. Furniture design is both art and engineering, and the pieces they make, like all genuine works of art, are timeless.

Welcome to the world of bespoke furniture making.

Roberto Carlos Luján Olivera is one of UDesign’s master carpenters. He loves his work, and he is very good at it.

“We’re lucky here,” he says, “we have a four-man team of virtual designers on site, and this makes the process of choosing what you want run smoothly

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Above: UDesign created the headboard and frame in crushed velvet, with back panel and side tables in white matt lacquer. The floating vanity unit has a matt lacquer top with draws in high gloss.

BESPOKE IS BETTER

UDesign large dining table in solid tola wood with high gloss laqcuer finish and floating glass leg. Dining chairs in crocodile Stine leather fabric with steel bases.

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Bespoke furniture defines your relationship with your own living space and quickly. They help you decide the design, the materials and all the other details that go into a bespoke piece, and this can be an exciting process.”

Like all his colleagues in UDesign, at all levels, he understands how form and function can be used in harmony to produce the very best that the human mind can dream up.

“Our master craftsmen have years of experience and love the problemsolving process that is part and parcel of designing furniture. In the end it’s not just how unique each piece of furniture is, it’s the passion that goes into making them. The key is quality and originality,” he adds.

Master carpenter Mykhailo Shestov explains what exactly happens: “The first meeting with the client is to discover what your ideas and needs are, the function of the piece, the space it should occupy and the kind of decor it should match. If the piece is complicated, our product engineer will let us know what’s possible. Sketches are transformed into computer images by our team of 3D virtual artists.”

He goes on to explain how, at a second meeting, the proposed designs are presented along with samples such as woods, fabrics or whatever else goes into the making of the piece.

“In this way,” he says, “You see clearly what your piece of furniture will look like before the production process begins. The only possible surprise can be how beautiful the finished product is. And if you like, you’ll be very welcome to visit the workshop to see our craftsmen in action. We love showing people around.”

To commission your own piece of furniture call the UDesign Showroom on (+34) 952 794 117 or email info@udesign.es

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Above: A bespoke UDesign hallway with white high gloss wall panels, black oak floating shelf with built in LEDs, floor standing pedestals in black oak finish. Cushions in Romo zinc fabric.

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The complete ‘LADENAC MILANO’ range of home fragrances is available at the UDesign Showroom Open: Monday – Friday 10 am–7 pm & Saturday 10 am–2 pm

P.I. San Pedro de AlcĂĄntara, C/PaĂ­ses Bajos 6, Marbella, Spain T: (+34) 952 794 117 info@udesign.es udesign.es

FURNITURE

INTERVIEW WITH KENNETH COBONPUE

What do bicycle spokes, fish traps, opera houses, sheep, a bowl of noodles and much of everything we see around us have in common?

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hey all inspire Kenneth Cobonpue to create some of the most outstanding works of contemporary industrial design in the world today.

There are many of us who may have never heard of him, but one suspects that we soon will. Genius, which includes the ability to think what nobody has ever thought before, is rare, and this man has it.

We have all seen his designs before, most likely without knowing it.

We have seen his extraordinary use of rattan, wicker, fabric and other organic materials, and we remember them, because once seen, never forgotten.

Cobonpue, from the island of Cebu, in the Philippines, studied in New York, Italy and Germany, and over the past twenty years has turned his mother’s small furniture company on the island into an influential global brand.

Right: Kenneth Cobonpue working in his studio in Cebu. “We’re quite old school…since our manufacturing process is handmade, our design process is also handmade.”

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The wild and fluid lines in the Noodle Collection, made in rattan on steel and resembling split noodles or random doodles, demonstrate the value of chance in art.

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We know your mother had a great influence on your life. At what point in your childhood did you realize you were going to follow in her footsteps?

As a young boy, I was always playing in our backyard with the craftsmen and artisans, tinkering with scrap materials and building my own toys. But I don’t think I ever knew that I was going to be a furniture designer. All I knew was that I enjoyed making beautiful things, especially when they made my mother smile. This extended to my adulthood, and here I am now making other people smile with my work.

Are you a computer geek, using the most sophisticated programmes to produce your designs, or are you more traditional in your work methods? Do you prefer to use pencil and paper?

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Paper and pencil are two essentials in my office that I can’t go without. Design is a fluid process, but my team and I usually work with materials first and create concepts around them. We’re quite old school, so we work with prototypes early on using paper mock-ups and clay molds, and the like. Since our manufacturing process is handmade, our design process is also handmade.

“Without letting go, there is no show” is the quotation you associate with your Life is a Circus collection. Does this apply to your creative process as well?

I like to see how far my imagination can take me. This often results in designing statement pieces that my team and I like to call “divas” in the living room, because they’re conversation pieces.

Your client list is pretty impressive, from the Queen of Spain to Brad Pitt and the offices of Google and Nike. Is there anyone that you would particularly love to create for?

I would love to design a chair for the Pope that he can use in his

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A ‘diva’ in the dining room: the Trapeze light from the Limbo Collection

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This page: Detail of the beautiful Bouquet table Right: Kenneth on his famous Yoda chair

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office. The challenge is to make something as banal as a chair for someone who has the keys to heaven.

You’ve successfully carried the expression of creativity from childhood to adulthood. How do you manage to keep it up in the face of today’s busy lifestyle and all it entails?

I believe inspiration does not come to you in sudden jolts; instead, you have to seek it. I go through old sketches and notes I made a decade ago to remind me of what I always tell my students – to look at the world through the eyes of a child. Sometimes we have to revisit the past to be more mindful of the present, and to remind ourselves to never lose that childlike sense of wonder.

The Yoda Chair is an absolute favorite of ours. Tell us the story behind the creation of this piece of furniture.

The Jedi master used to say we must all bend but never break. I wanted to capture that with Yoda. The grass-like rattan vines at the back flex depending on the pressure exerted by the sitter. The chair exudes a feeling of calm, peace, and balance. Most people jokingly say now that the back of the Yoda resembles the few strands of hair standing on the Jedi’s head.

Talking of favourites, what is your favourite piece and why?

I’m not sure I can choose; it’s like picking a favorite child.

Each of my designs is very personal to me. Of course, there are design triumphs that are unique and difficult to replicate like the fabric manipulation of Bloom, the simplicity of Yoda, the sculptural grace of Wave, and the form of La Luna.

Seeing that you are now the leading light in Asian industrial design, do you have anything to say about the “Made in Asia” brand?

The everyday challenge is to make the South East Asian aesthetic global; to change

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BLOOM: Welcome to the organic beauty of the indoor garden. Inspired by a delicate blossom, the Bloom is composed of hundreds of fine running stitches that radiate from the centre of the seat. Handmade in microfiber stitched over a fiberglass reinforced top, Bloom sprouts from a base made of steel.

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the perception that luxury can also mean made in Asia, not just in Europe. I think it’s slowly happening, but there’s still more work to be done. To achieve that, I will continue to do my part in remaining connected to my roots and striving for designs that are reflective of the Asian culture and ingenuity.

We’ve heard that you travel somewhere new each year to gain inspiration. Where have these trips taken you this past year, and how did they inspire you?

We usually travel to exotic places like Morocco, Peru, Nepal, and Burma, but this year, we took it easy and went to the South of France. It was a diverse mix of lush valleys and mountains and beautiful coastlines, which have been inspirations to me before. I’ve been to a lot of places, but from this particular trip, I realized how furniture influences and affects how our day goes and our moods.

If our chair were comfortable to sit in, we’d be enjoying more cups of coffee than we need.

If our beds were cozy and snug, we might hit the snooze button on our alarms too many times to indulge in our slumber just a bit longer.

seat

We have very similar design principles, so it was natural for us to collaborate. Sérgio derives inspiration from the landscape of his home, Brazil, and values ancestral techniques that bear the warmth of the human touch. We plan to do more collaborations with other designers.

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You had an elegant new chair, the Cita Armchair, on show at the Milan fair this year, which was the result of your working together with Brazilian designer Sergio Matos. How did this collaboration start and are there more in the pipeline?

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Dragnet: Inspired by fishermen’s nets and created from fabric twisted and wrapped around a stainless steel frame, the Dragnet lounge chair surrounds you like a cocoon.

Yin & Yang square dining table inspired by patterns found in nature. Solid yet transparent, voluminous yet airy, random yet symmetrical. An innovative play of opposites.

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Where do you see the future taking you, especially with regard to both general design and the direction of your company?

Space design and architecture are something I love taking part in. I recently designed a prefabricated house, and we currently have a project with a resort, so I want to explore that further in the future. I would love to design a resort of my own.

And finally, that famous car. Some people say that your greatest creation is not a piece of furniture but the Phoenix car that you designed and made for the Milan Furniture Fair in 2011. Would you agree?

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I’m not sure if I agree that it’s my greatest creation, but it was definitely controversial.

While the cars we know are made of heavy industrial materials, the Phoenix was handmade ec using bamboo, rattan, steel and nylon. It provided tio n: the option of inexpensively and ecologically mi rro replacing the shell if needed, while maintaining the same r de tail inner construct. Lightweight, environmentally friendly vehicles using green production techniques and materials are the wave of the future, and we want to be part of building that solution.

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LIFESTYLE

‘Abstract’ The Exhibitionist Hotel’s main bar and restaurant.

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DESIGNER In this regular feature, we bring you luxury hotels with exceptional interior design and architecture. In our first issue we visit a wonderfully eccentric hotel in London and a spectacular converted monastery in Asturias, northern Spain.

by Fiona Flores Watson

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THE EXHIBITIONIST HOTEL, London A boutique hotel which is also an art gallery, a few steps from one of the world’s finest decorative art and design museums.

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he Exhibitionist Hotel is an eclectic, eccentric establishment located in South Kensington, London, opposite the V&A Museum. The jaw-dropping décor of this converted 18th century townhouse – classical fused with psychedelic/ contemporary – is extraordinary, with a Jimmie Martin technicolour mannequin in the lobby, a full-sized bull sculpture in its own space at the bar entrance, and a pantone-like illuminated installation in the bar itself. “An intervention, a blazing flash of anarchic colour and curatorial precision” is how this hotel describes itself.

Cutting-edge art displays in eight galleries are changed twice a year, and the four corridors are also decorated by different artists.

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This boutique hotel offers a hip hideaway in the heart of London’s most luxurious district .

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Abstract, the hotel’s main bar and restaurant, is structured around softly-lit wall art and talkingpoint sculptures. It’s also the perfect place to begin an evening with one of the signature cocktails, like the Da Vinci’s Negroni.

The hotel has 37 rooms, made up of doubles, some with balconies, and a number of suites – the most notable of these being the Trash City, Jimmie Martin, and Squint suites.

Created by the Swedish design company based in Kensington, which fashioned a gold throne for Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl appearance and relishes breaking rules, Jimmie Martin’s suite features their signature customised vintage furniture. Dainty Louis XV-style chairs are transformed with acid-bright prints of daschunds

Below: The design of the Trash City Suite challenges our contemporary perception of luxury brands and London’s black plastic bin-bag culture.

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Legendary furniture makers Jimmie Martin (Jimmie Karlsson & Martin Nihlmar) created many pieces for the hotel, including this mannequin floor lamp.

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and witty ditties; another antique in black leather, with spiked seat, declares “Love Hurts”; the silver quilted bed headboard is adorned with hand-painted graffiti.

The two Squint Suites feature colourful hand-made patchwork fabrics by the renowned Hackneybased company famous for their hand-crafted, exuberant furniture.

The Exhibitionist Hotel is exactly what it says it is and anyone who loves contemporary design will be thrilled to stay here. Expect the unexpected.

Top and above: Part of the Jimmie Martin Penthouse Suite with the striking Louis XV-style “Love Sausage” chairs.

theexhibitionisthotel.com Tel: (+44) (0) 20 7915 0000 118

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PARADOR DE CORIAS, Asturias A former 11th-century Benedictine monastery, this impressive hotel was voted Best Rural Hotel in Spain in CondĂŠ Nast Traveller Spanish edition.

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he monumental listed building, known as the Asturian Escorial, has taken its interior design inspiration from the rich hues of the surrounding landscape, and local industries and customs, such as mining, dairy farming and fishing.

The building’s interior has a marked monastic quality, with stone walls and vaulted ceilings, but with a contemporary edge that includes avant-garde wooden chairs and splash-bright crimson tables.

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Historical detail has been cleverly incorporated – the refectory, where the monks dined, now the restaurant, still has its pulpit. On the walls are samples of encaje de bolillos, intricate hand-made lace from Almagros (Castilla La Mancha), joined by threads to reflect linked conversations.

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Right: The reading room has comfortable sofas and, curiously, empty picture frames with titles – perfect for afternoon tea and contemplation.

Historical detail is everywhere – in the basement you can see archaeological remains dating from the 11th century. A glassed-in cloister with arched ceiling surrounds the main courtyard and the entire façade is faced with marble from the Asturian town of Rengos. The spacious Tuscanstyle church, still in use, features a large baroque altarpiece, with two bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the founding of the monastery.

The bedroom corridors are lined with wooden clogs, traditional footwear from a bygone era of the region. Comfortable guest rooms, with smooth tones, warm wood floors and quirky furniture, offer superb views of the Asturian countryside, while bedheads in wood and metal have a natural feel, recalling branches or tree trunks.

This Parador is set in a lush and green area of northern Spain close to the town of Cangas del Narcea, with wonderful views of tree-covered hills.

It’s an oasis of peace – and the new modern spa, installed last year, helps you relax and enjoy it. www.parador.es Tel: (+34) 985 070 000

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INTERVIEW WITH OWANTO

by Cheryl Gatward

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wanto is a multicultural Gabonese artist born in Paris.

She currently lives and works between Africa, Marbella, Monte Carlo and New York.

Described as a multidisciplinary artist, Owanto works across a variety of different media including photography, sculpture, painting, video, installation and performance. Her inspiration has always been her own deep questions about life and its meaning. Her creative process arises from her belief in art’s ability to transform consciousness and effect change. She has exhibited prolifically over the last decade.

Many who live in Marbella will be familiar with her art as she has been based in Marbella for a number of years now, with her two (now grown) children going to school locally. When she is in Marbella she spends most of her time working in her studio, the Poligono Gallery.

I went to visit her to talk about art, colour, design and what’s really important in life.

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How did you get into being an artist? Did you always know as a child that you wanted to become an artist?

I didn’t become an artist till much later in my life. As a child I loved to draw and was good at it, but now I hate it and don’t draw at all!

Twenty years ago I loved colour and volume, now I love words. How things change.

You have very different periods in your work. When we first met in the early 2000s you were creating abstract paintings, Totems and beautiful bronze sculptures. How has your work evolved since then?

From 1984 until 2004 I was into painting. I believed my work would make people happy – that colour would transmit energy into their homes and transform their reality. Colours are messages, they talk to the soul. By 2005 though, I had stopped painting everyday and started to become interested in “saving the world”, in “art for change” in society. My daughter at that time was involved in climate change and organising conferences at school, and I wanted to know what I could do to change the world. I felt within me a real sense of mission – I started working on my Lightboxes Series which I believe carries a strong social message, and at the same time producing my second book, Visual Poetry, which helped to consolidate my ideas.

Then in 2009 I was asked to represent my country at the 53rd Venice Biennale with a solo show – this was a crucial moment for me – what an honour to represent your country. Fernando Francés, Director of the CAC in Málaga was the curator of the Pavillion du Gabon and the theme was “Building Worlds”. When you represent a country you can’t be an ordinary person you have to think big!

And since the Biennale, what have you been focusing on?

Firstly, my “Neon Series”, which uses retrieved objects from the sea, rubbish some might say, which I then recycle. Something abandoned and then transformed into art. In this body of work it’s all about light and words. Then there is the “Flower Series”, a project about social

To live with Owanto’s paintings is to embrace an artwork which emits a positive life force of its own.

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Below left: Details from the ‘Neon Series’.

change and women’s empowerment. And lastly “Dance with Me”, which is in essence a collage of memories. I have now become a storyteller!

The “Flower Series” I find stunning – they are very healing images.

The series is a deep reflection on the rights of women over their own bodies. The sculpture of the flower symbolizes blossoming.

The flower gives the girls in the photographs multiple possibilities, healing possibilities, for them to be empowered as they embody a different narrative.

What do you believe your fundamental work is now?

As an artist I believe I am here to interrogate – it has to come from self-interrogation first, of course. But we need the boldness and courage to share our message and give people the opportunity to discuss and eventually transform their view into a positive answer that will make a more beautiful world.

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Left: Part of the ‘Dance With Me’ series where memory, mementos and historical moments are clasped together, formulating the universe of our imaginations.

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How would you describe ‘beauty’ – in 140 characters or less?

Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty. “Beauty is Truth” was part of the collective show entitled “Beauty”, a travelling exhibition curated

by Fernando Francés. It presents a contemporary revision and reinterpretation of John Keats’ poem Ode on a Grecian Urn. What’s your daily routine when you are working? Do you only create when you are here in your studio?

Like many contemporary artists I work wherever I am. I travel a lot and take the chance wherever I can find it. But it’s very important to me to have a space to see my work. White space. Breathing space.

What’s your favourite colour?

(Owanto holds her hands out for me to see her nails. They are green.)

I have been wearing this nail varnish for 5 years now. I have a green jumper on, green shoes. Green is my colour!

What colour schemes do you live with at home?

I love my space to be neutral – white walls, off white walls, grey

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Top: Poligono Gallery, Owanto’s studio, in Marbella.

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Owanto with one of her “Flower Series”, that stands more than three metres tall.

or neutral floor – this allows the art to exist. Art should be the inspiration, the centre piece giving the space it’s feeling and energy.

A good interior design/er allows the art to breath, creating a feeling of harmony.

What artists could you compare yourself with?

Wow! I’m not sure, that’s an interesting question. It would have to be someone on a spiritual path, someone who is an activist, and it would also have to be a woman as there are not enough of us!

What superpower would you like to have, and why?

Hahahaha! Great question! It would have to be “healing”. I would like the power to heal the world.

What’s your dream project?

I’m on it.

Owanto’s “La Jeune Fille à la Fleur (Flowers II)” is part of the inaugural exhibitions at the recently opened Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA). Situated in Cape Town, South Africa, Zeitz MOCAA has been hailed as Africa’s answer to the Tate Modern.

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More Art. Less Decoration. www.feathr.com | @wearefeathr

Pictured: Oh La La by Kiki Slaughter. From â‚Ź149 per 10m roll.

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EVENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Reflection Room, by designer Flynn Talbot, is an immersive coloured light experience that was the first London Design Festival installation to be housed in the Prince Consort Gallery (2017).

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ARCHITECT @WORK Olympia, London, UK | www.architect-at-work.co.uk January 24–25 This two-day worldwide trade fair is aimed at architects, designers and specifiers.

IMM COLOGNE Cologne Germany | www.imm-cologne.com January 15–21 The international furniture trade show that sets the stage for furniture and design trends for the coming year. Open to the general public from Friday.

FORMEX Stockholm, Sweden | www.formex.se January 17-20 Formex is a 4-day event showcasing the best of Nordic interior design.

MAISON ET OBJET Paris, France | www.maison-objet.com January 19-23 Often cited as the most important event in the interiors calendar, January’s Maison et Objet attracts industry leaders from across the globe.

CEVISAMA Valencia, Spain | cevisama.feriavalencia.com February 5-9 The International Ceramic Show presents the latest in ceramics & bathroom furnishings.

STOCKHOLM DESIGN WEEK Stockholm, Sweden | www.stockholmdesignweek.com February 5-11 The world’s largest meeting place for Scandinavian Design. The main event is Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair which attracts around 40,000 visitors.

MUNICH CREATIVE WEEK Munich, Germany | www.mcbw.de March 3-11 Munich Creative Business Week (MCBW) is the largest design event in Germany for designers and contractors.

DESIGN MARCH Reykjavik, Iceland | www.designmarch.is March 15-18 From fashion to furniture, architecture to food design, this is the best of Iceland’s design scene, with some global names to spice things up.

SALONE DEL MOBILE, MILANO Milan, Italy | www.salonemilano.it April 17-22 Showcasing the excellence of Italian furniture since 1961, the Milan Design Week is the largest trade fair of its kind in the world. Today, it is a truly international affair, with half of its 300,000 visitors coming from all over the world.

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ARCH MOSCOW NEXT! Moscow, Russia | www.archmoscow.ru May 16–20 The biggest yearly event in Russian design and architecture with this year’s edition set to be the biggest in its 20 year history.

DESIGNMONAT GRAZ Graz, Austria | www.designmonat.at May 5 – June 3 A month-long design extravaganza that consolidates the region’s creative energy into a few weeks.

LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE London, UK | londonfestivalofarchitecture.org June 1-30 This festival is a month-long, city-wide celebration of architectural experimentation.

NEW DESIGNERS London, UK | www.newdesigners.com June 27-30 Championing the work of young designers for 30 years, the show’s long-standing reputation attracts a high-profile audience of nearly 20,000.

THE LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL London, UK | www.londondesignfestival.com September 15-23 A city-wide event that celebrates London’s thriving design sphere over nine days.

The events are staged at 400 different venues across the city.

HELSINKI DESIGN WEEK Helsinki, Finland | www.helsinkidesignweek.com September 6-16 The largest design festival in the Nordic countries – including fashion, architecture and cultural design. Various events staged across the city including a design market.

PARIS DESIGN WEEK Paris, France | www.maison-objet.com September 8-16 Fast becoming the definitve cultural counterpoint raising the bar for design weeks across the world. Overlapping the Maison et Objet September show and uniting the French and an increasingly international design community, the PDW city becomes immersed in promenades, cocktails & exhibitions… culminating in the celebration of emerging talents at Now! Le Off.

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DECOREX INTERNATIONAL London, UK | www.decorex.com September 16-19 Synonymous with luxury and internationally renowned for being one of the best events to discover the most coveted products from an unrivalled collection of 400 hand-selected exhibitors.

HABITAT Valencia, Spain | www.feriahabitatvalencia.com September 18-21 With over fifty editions, this fair is one of the most veteran in decoration and design. It has spaces dedicated to different sectors of furniture, lighting and home textiles.

100% DESIGN Olympia London, UK | www.100percentdesign.co.uk September 19-22 100% Design is the largest and longest running contemporary design event for industry professionals in the UK. LONDON DESIGN FAIR London, UK | www.londondesignfair.co.uk September 20-23 London Design Fair is the largest collection of international exibitors, designers, brands, country pavilions, features and exhibitions including ‘Tent London’ & ‘Super Brands London’ in one destination during the London Design Festival. Open to both trade visitors and members of the public.

DUTCH DESIGN WEEK Eindhoven, Holland | www.ddw.nl October 21-29 Dutch Design Week is one of the largest design events in Northern Europe, attracting over 250,000 visitors. It aims to encourage and nurture young talent, and consequently places strong emphasis on the future of design.

WORLD ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL Amsterdam, Netherlands worldarchitecturefestival.com November 28-30 The World Architecture Festival is the only annual live event that celebrates architecture and design from across the globe. More than 2,500 architects and designers attend representing 68 countries. 1,100 architecture projects are entered each year into the WAF awards with 530 awards taking place at the festival and 150 international judges giving live critiques.

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In our Oasis, time pauses for a moment. It is a sanctuary where you have time to ground yourself, visually and spiritually, surrounded by muted pastel colours, lush vegetation, dark midnight shades and irregular brush strokes.

All surrounded by soft colours and the organic leaves of the black elder. Every shade, every pattern tells a story, and yet allows you to create our own.

Welcome to our oasis at sandbergwallpaper.com

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DESIGN TRENDS ARABIAN NIGHTS Metallic, a strong theme for furniture in 2017, is used here in a supremely sophisticated way. Award-winning Welsh designer Bethan Gray has produced a collection of elegantly ornate cabinets which combine vibrantly stained maple wood and brass marquetry.

Gray is intrigued by the Islamic craft where metal, shell and other materials are inlaid into wood, and works with Iranian artisan Mohamed Reza Shamsian who hand-makes the traditional-yetcontemporary pieces to order in Muscat, Oman.

For her latest collection, Dhow, Grey has taken her inspiration from the dhow sailing boats of the Gulf region, while Nizwa is inspired by the eponymous fort in Oman. bethangray.com

Above: The mood of the Shamisan collection Right: Bethan Gray Shamsian Nizwa cabinet

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DESIGN TRENDS MORE ART LESS DECORATION Finnish design collective FEATHR are on a mission to fill the world with more art and less decoration. FEATHR roam the world collaborating with contemporary artists to create original wallpaper and fabrics. Founded in 2015 by husband and wife team, Anne & Tom Puukko, along with Creative Director, Oliver Green, FEATHR is found in Helsinki, London and Bali.

Their recent collaboration with multi-disciplinary artist Claire Luxton and the DegreeArt.com Gallery sees the launch of a new range of wallpaper murals. The four wallpaper murals were created to complement the launch of Luxton’s new solo exhibition, entitled Botanica, at the DegreeArt.com Gallery in London.

Albus I, Albus II, Albus III and Crepusculum, are available exclusively from www.feathr.com at £49 per square metre.

Above: Claire Luxton Right: Creusculum Wallpaper by Claire Luxton for FEATHR

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DESIGN TRENDS WATER CANDY We love the new WaterCandy shower head designed by Ludovica & Roberto Palomba for Zucchetti.

The revolutionary hand-shower can be used as a normal shower head or as a massage tool by bringing the soft, silicone nozzles into direct contact with the skin. zucchettikos.it

WaterCandy – the main shower head echoes the characteristically elegant design of an acoustic loudspeaker.

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DESIGN TRENDS FLOOR CANDY The Romo design team has beautifully translated a selection of their most popular designs into a stunning new collection of rugs. Collaborating with distinguished Belgian weavers Louis de Poortere they have created a collection of eleven flat weave and hand tufted rugs.

Contemporary and sophisticated, combinations of bold and subtle designs such as large-scale florals, on trend geometrics and ethnic patterns are presented in vibrant and neutral shades to create a diverse collection.

Available through retailers and interior designers worldwide from early 2018. romo.com/rugs2018

The Clarice Rug by Louis de Poortere for Romo, also available in neutral tones (170 x 240 cm & 200 x 280 cm)

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DESIGN TRENDS

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WET WALLPAPER? Wallpaper in the shower? What!

Thanks to a new innovation

by Wall&decò this is now possible. The new WET SYSTEM collection (patent pending) is a waterproof wallcovering for walls in humid interiors such as bathrooms, shower rooms and spas. Completely resistant to water, dampness, yellowing, abrasion and harsh house cleaning products.

There are 22 fabulous designs available in the latest collection. wallanddeco.com 1. BADAAL designed by De Bona & De Meo 2. ORA BLU by De Bona & De Meo 3. CHANGING DOTS by Gupica 4. CLEAN-UP by Alhambretto & Am Prod 5. FINGER by Ines Porrino

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WHAT’S NEXT?

DON’T JUST DREAM ABOUT IT, DO IT!

Turn your basement into the entertainment space of your dreams. Art deco, contemporary modern or classic?

WALLS TO WATCH Very few products can transform a space like a mural wallpaper can.

WALK THIS WAY

Walk-in wardrobes to die for...

TOM DIXON

We talk to the quintessentially British designer, infamously self-taught, whose works have been acquired by the world’s most prestigious museums.

Plus more enviable ‘Designer Escapes’ for your next get-away, and plenty of inspiring, edgy design and art from across the globe.

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Custom-made artwork available from UDesign (+34) 952 794 117 info@udesign.es udesign.es

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