Designer Yinka Ilori's new homeware collection brings bright and cheerful colours to modern living

Yinka Ilori and his new homeware collection.

From designing a shop window for Selfridges to a basketball court in Canary Wharf and the British Red Cross’ latest campaign, among other notable projects, London-based Yinka Ilori’s bright and cheerful signature work are firm fixtures in London’s design scene.  Once seen, his designs leave a deep impression.

Yinka Ilori and two chairs from his Types of Happiness chair collection 2019.

As a multi-disciplinary artist of a British-Nigerian heritage, the award-winning Ilori specialises in storytelling by fusing his British and Nigerian heritage to tell new stories in contemporary design, and the results are humorous, provocative and fun; every project that he creates tells a story. 

Bringing Nigerian verbal traditional into playful conversation with contemporary design, Yinka Ilori’s work touches on various global themes that resonate with different audiences all over the world.

The first homeware collection is a continuation of design work inspired by his own British Nigerian heritage. 

Expect vibrant, colourful pieces including tableware and linens, cushions and trays, as well as tea towels and socks, all influenced by traditional Nigerian dress and parables told to the designer as a child by his parents.

It’s a colourful celebration of two cultures expressed through abstract, technicolour pattern and contemporary craft. Unexpected, functional household items - that evoke  memories from his own upbringing - have been reworked as colourful artworks. 

Yinka Ilori's Ere cushion in woven cotton jacquard captures his vibrant spirit, which led to him securing the London Design Festival’s prestigious Emerging Design prize. The graphic geometric pattern reminiscent of The Colour Palace, the designer's 2019 Dulwich Pavilion. 

Each has their own narrative and back-story, meant to instill a sense of optimism and joy, to act in their own small way as a distraction to the dark times that we’re facing this year.

Yinka Ilori's set of two tea towels.

Yinka Ilori’s latest homeware collection is launching at SCP.co.uk

All images from SCP.

Mary-Ann Watt features her unique paintings on desirable homeware and gifts

British artist Mary-Ann Watt has launched an online shop selling a selection of homeware and gifts featuring her unique paintings of realistic flowers.  By concentrating on presenting close-ups of a single flower or a bud about to blossom or a flowering branch, her paintings are intimate yet bold, giving her range of products a contemporary style.

Explained Mary-Ann, "Long before I started my business I was always looking for homewares that would complement the soft greys and greens of my home but I could never find anything.  And I knew from speaking to friends that I was not alone.  So using my paintings as a starting point I decided to create my own range which would be stylish, very high quality, but above all, really beautiful - things tht people would want to have in their homes.  I am incredibly proud of the results."


Having studied art
at school,  Mary-Ann focused on building a home and a family in her 20s and 30s and it was only until in her late 30s that Mary-Ann started dabbling again, painting large, contemporary bold an colourful pictures she could hang at home.

Fine bone china mugs, hand decorated and fired in Stoke on Trent, feature images of beautiful pom pom flowers

by Mary-Ann Watt. 

Cotton cushion individually hand-painted with pink blossoms by Mary-Ann Watt.

It was an obvious leap she made from her paintings to a range of homeware including placemats and aprons, cushion covers, trays, fine bone china mugs and jugs as well as greeting cards and postcards. If you like her art, framed prints and original paintings are also sold in her website.

Mary-Ann has now enlisted her marketing consultant husband to look after the sales and marketing side of the business so she can concentrate on the creative aspects.  Now business is flourishing and she has plans to extend her range of products.  She said the majority of her suppliers are small UK businesses as the personal relationships an the high quality of their work are both key to maintaining the signature look and feel of the artist.