Saturday, January 29
Thursday, January 27
Wednesday, January 26
Tuesday, January 25
then and now: Osborne & Little
Since the late 1960's brother's-in-law Peter Osborne and Antony Little have been creating bold and vibrant wallpaper and textiles with a definitive nod to the Belle Epoque movement of the early 20th century. They founded their namesake design firm at a time when wallpaper prints were confined to musty chintz florals, the antithesis of London's cultural youth movement. "The competition for wallpapers then was dire," recalls Peter, "and we called the mostly dingy papers around at that time 'porridge'." The hip term for the new wave of bolder, large-scale, geometric designs was "pattern push".
As creative director for the company, Little pulled from many influences, including artist Aubrey Beardsley, Celtic, Aztec, and Native American motifs, in his creation of the majority of the designs. Little had previously worked with Biba founder Barbara Hulanicki in 1966 on the creation of the brand's black and gold logo and his own London home paid homage to the exotic glamour through "anti-modernist" flourishes such as peacock feathers, Chinoiserie, and his own Beardsley-inspired illustrations.
Today Peter Osborne acts as CEO of the company and, since Little retired 4 years ago, "editor" if not entirely creative director. "When we bring out a new product, it's a democratic decision-making process involving our entire team. But I draw the line at things I don't like. If I wouldn't want it in my home, I
won't give it the thumbs up."
Although the company's motifs have evolved over the past few decades, their original designs from 1968 are in high-demand as a re-released vintage collection and their more current designs have graced such high-profile homes as the Clinton White House and Buckingham Palace.
As creative director for the company, Little pulled from many influences, including artist Aubrey Beardsley, Celtic, Aztec, and Native American motifs, in his creation of the majority of the designs. Little had previously worked with Biba founder Barbara Hulanicki in 1966 on the creation of the brand's black and gold logo and his own London home paid homage to the exotic glamour through "anti-modernist" flourishes such as peacock feathers, Chinoiserie, and his own Beardsley-inspired illustrations.
Today Peter Osborne acts as CEO of the company and, since Little retired 4 years ago, "editor" if not entirely creative director. "When we bring out a new product, it's a democratic decision-making process involving our entire team. But I draw the line at things I don't like. If I wouldn't want it in my home, I
won't give it the thumbs up."
Although the company's motifs have evolved over the past few decades, their original designs from 1968 are in high-demand as a re-released vintage collection and their more current designs have graced such high-profile homes as the Clinton White House and Buckingham Palace.
Friday, January 21
Tuesday, January 18
Elle Decor
Monday, January 17
Honeycomb ~ 2011's Pattern of the year
Big, bold patterns reigned in 2010. Everything from wallpaper to bedding to upholstery fabric got a dose of color and some large, graphic print, like my personal favorite, chevron. Among them, one pattern did stand out above the rest and staked its claim as 2010's most popular -- ikat.
The global-inspired pattern is still going strong -- Diane von Fursterburg's incorporated ikat into her new line of fabrics for the home while other designers are featuring it in their ready-to-wear resort collections. But we've been on the lookout for 2011's defining design, and we think another pattern is ready to take the top spot: honeycomb.
The global-inspired pattern is still going strong -- Diane von Fursterburg's incorporated ikat into her new line of fabrics for the home while other designers are featuring it in their ready-to-wear resort collections. But we've been on the lookout for 2011's defining design, and we think another pattern is ready to take the top spot: honeycomb.
Photo: VanderhurdWe've had enough honeycomb sightings in catalogs and magazine spreads in recent months to go out on a limb and deem this well-established pattern the one to watch in the new year.
We first spotted the pattern on Elle Decor's December 2010/January 2011 "What's Hot!" pages, which feature this hand embroidered Grand Prisme cushion by Vanderhurd. They liken it to the motifs prevalent during the Ottoman empire; we especially love the pink and lime version called Grand Prisme 6.
Photos: West ElmThe designers at West Elm must have been channeling their inner David Hicks when they created their spring 2011 collection. The octagonal pattern that the mid-century designer is known for shows up on a number of new wares, including these Honeycomb napkins, left, and hand-painted Hive vases, right.
Photo: Heath Ceramics
Photo: Heath CeramicsAlthough it's a match made in 2010, the work of Heath Ceramics and Dwell magazine is pressing on into the new year. Their entire collection of architectural tile features geometric shapes reminiscent of a bee hive, but it's the pattern called Honeycomb, above, that most favors the real thing.
Photo: PSFK.com
Photo: PSFK.comElle Decor's "it" list for 2011 also includes a visit to the Soho Beach House in Miami, a newly-opened private members club, hotel and spa whose bathrooms feature a honeycomb motif on the walls and floors, above.
Photo: CB2
Photo: CB2Perhaps it was a predictor of things to come when this bookshelf won the Coup de Coeur award at the 2009 Maison & Objet show in Paris and hit CB2 catalogs in 2010. The Hive Storage Unit let's you build your nest from the floor up with its three honeycomb-shaped shelves that stack on top of one another and stretch as wide as you see fit.
Sunday, January 9
Friday, January 7
Thursday, January 6
bad ass room of the day SPECIAL EDITION
As a d e s i g n dork, I can't help but appreciate 50's home design with a slight obsession. Here are a few incredible photos, serving as time capsules.
Wednesday, January 5
Monday, January 3
Sunday, January 2
Saturday, January 1
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)