Environmental responsibility was central to this year’s edition of Decorex International

This year’s edition of Decorex International was held for the first time at Olympia in Kensington, right in the heart of London.  The 42% edition’s more centralised location may have been the reason why attendance number saw a 10% rise across the four-day spectacle.   

VIP room - Legacy Lounge.  

Photo by Lucia Carpio.

The fair acknowledged the importance of finding new and innovative ways to focus on the environment. And to demonstrate this, the VIP room – Legacy Lounge, was created by UK interior design studio, Harding & Read whose team worked closely with suppliers, including Vinterior, Matthew Cox, Christopher Howe, British Standard and Farrow & Ball, to encourage a conscious approach to consumption. Mindful of the lifecycle of furniture and fixtures, the studio chose vintage and reclaimed pieces where possible.

Each and every piece that featured in the Lounge was given the opportunity to find a new home after the show, with an online auction that raised £14,300 for Emmaus – the charity working to end  homelessness.  

Jennifer Manners' Malibu rug made from recycled plastic.

Photo by Lucia Carpio.

Alongside inspiring new ways for brands to think about their environmental impact, Decorex also celebrated those that are already going above and beyond to be sustainable.

Jennifer Manners' range of home products.

Photo by Lucia Carpio.

This year’s Decorex Awards were the ideal opportunity, with the introduction of a new ‘Best Sustainable Product’ prize. Judges Henry Prideaux, interior designer, and Irene Gunter of interior architecture practice Gunter & Co, gave the accolade to Jennifer Manners, whose eponymous rug brand has released two new designs made from 100% recycled plastic.  

Photo of Bar area in Decorex by Lucia Carpio.

Similarly, this year’s bar design celebrated the very best of biophilic design in the interior space. Created by set designer, Paula May Evans, in collaboration with Cameron Landscapes and Gardens, the bar connected visitors with nature through distinct areas - the Amazonian Jungle Garden, the Abandoned Desert Garden, the English Country Garden and the Urban Industrial Garden.

Photo by Lucia Carpio

More than 400 of the world’s top design talents showcased everything from hand-painted wallpapers and printed fabrics to bespoke furniture and conceptual lighting at the fair held from October 6 to 9.  Visitors could preview the latest launches from leading brands including Arte International, Hästens, Beaumont & Fletcher, Bert Frank, Dedar, Devon & Devon, Ferreira de Sá, Lincrusta, Nicholas Haslam, Officine Gullo, Rose Uniacke, Tom Faulkner, Thibaut, Vaughan and Villaverde. 

Hello Birdie - Lorna Syson's new autumn range teaming up with RSPB

British textile designer Lorna Syson is known for her contemporary bird motifs as an integral part of her signature design style.  Her inspirational take on the British countryside and her ability to bring out the beauty of nature has made her prints for wallpaper and designs for home soft furnishing ever popular, and her new autumn range brings focus on two typical birds popular both in the UK and other parts of the world..


At the Top Drawer and Decorex International trade fairs held at London’s Olympia in Kensington in September and October respectively, Lorna Syson announced she is celebrating 10 years in business this autumn with a collaboration with the Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) to create a new collection inspired by her favourite birds and their habitats.  

The two new fabric patterns feature two favourite British birds, the long tailed tits and hummingbirds, well chosen to celebrate the important work the RSPB do protecting birds here and abroad.  
The Blossom & Bird design shown above, in classic tones of navy, grey and soft pink, features pretty long-tailed Tits perching on English cherry blossoms.  
For the Hummingbird design below, Lorna has chosen vivid tones of teal and mint as a backdrop for her majestic hummingbirds hovering amongst honeysuckle.

The range includes curtains, furnishing fabrics, cushions and lampshades.  Made in cotton, all fabric is made and digitally printed in the UK.  The items will be available from RSPB stores and website, and from Lorna Syson's website, and 10% of sales will go to the charity.

Long-tailed Tits and Hummingbirds are popular species both here and abroad and Lorna's work with the RSPB help to raise awareness of the RSPB's work in the UK and around the world, where they run conservation projects across Africa and Asia.  

DECOREX INTERNATIONAL once again descends on Syon Park London in September 2018

Once again kicking off London Design Festival, the 41st edition of Decorex International (16th – 19th September) will see the great and good of high-end interior design descend on Syon Park to present the latest in luxury interiors.

This year, the show’s 400 exhibitors will include some of the industry’s best-known names, from Knot Rugs, Ian Sanderson and Dedar to Little Green, Timorous Beasties and Robert Langford. Decorex will also welcome around 50 first-time exhibitors - Officine Gullo, Sahrai, Meisterwerke, Another Country, Sharon Marston and Benott among them.

The acclaimed Future Heritage exhibition, curated by design critic and curator Corinne Julius, will return this year with new work by names including Tord Boontje and Marcin Rusak, while the entrance will see this year’s show theme – ‘Blank Canvas’ – explored through installations by leading British interior designers Henry Prideaux, Simone Suss, Maddux Collective and Brian Woulfe. 

Many will use the occasion of the international audience to launch their new ranges and collections.

For one, Meystyle will unveil its latest collection, Conductivity, of LED wallpaper that combines dazzling natural textures, bold patterns with an unprecedented use of light patterns.  By integrating LED lights and crystals, Meystyle will create deep visual experiences that transforms walls and wallpaper into works of art.  Different wavelengths and levels of light intensity combine to form dynamic compositions, from cascading lines merging into sumptuous light waterfalls, to concentric circles.  A selection of natural meterials, from refined linens and cotton canvases to elegant silk were used. The designs are enriched further by a variety of metal accents, hand-painted details and gilded applications.

Designers Martin Huxford and Louis Jobst will show new geometric lighting at Decorex 2018. 
Huxford’s The Cairo Arch Pendant Light is inspired by the radical geometry of Constructivist art. The design uses the classic forms of circle, triangle and semi-circle, suspending and piercing the shapes, to create a graphic gold and black contemporary light.  Louis Jobst will show the latest editions in his The Monument Collection, designed using simplified geometric forms inspired by architectural component such as arches, columns and monoliths, with references drawn from early 20th century design.

Meanwhile, Decorex is launching a new area called CraftWork for stands showcasing craft design businesses in their infancy, featuring nine companies and makers from varying disciplines offering products of exceptional craftsmanship, the participating businesses have each been operating for fewer than five year and are all showing at Decorex for the first time.

Also an extensive seminar programme will see industry experts including high-profile interior designers, craftspeople and makers, leading journalists, brand founders, marketteers and senior consultants.

Decorex International will welcome a national and international visiting demographic of more that 14,000, including interior designers, retailers, specifiers and architects, to view its platform of some of the industry's very best and up-and-coming designs.

+Photos show exhibits from previous Decorex International events in London.  Photo © Lucia Carpio.

Prints, eclectic wallpaper and bespoke decorative leather at Decorex 2017

Interior trends.

Decorex International due to take place 17 - 20 September 2017 at Syon Park, London will this year shine a spotlight on decorative arts and contemporary wallpaper with a twist. Whether delicately hand-painted or bright and bold, this 40th anniversary show will include bespoke handmade leather designs alongside eclectic and vibrant work.

Shown above is a selection from the prints exhibitors at the forefront of this interior trend. 1. ‘Cha Bei’ wallpaper by Lala Curio 2. ‘Deco’ hand sculpted leather by Genevieve Bennett (a newcomer to Decorex) 3. ‘Botanica’ wallpaper by Devon & Devon,  4. ‘Birland Jam’ wallpaper by Blackpop, (known for their distressed creations) 5. ‘Amazonia Light’ wallpaper by Witch & Watchman, (known for their soft furnishings as well) 6. ‘Moordalei’ wallpaper by Mini Moderns.

Images from Decorex.