100% Design News

Under new management, the show gained a new, fresh and functional layout that allowed the visitors (over 25.000 this year!) to have a pleasant time in Earl’s Court: it was very easy to move about and the fair became more dynamic.

Vita created lamps that are affordable and easy to transport: they are delivered flat-packed to the customer, and then assembled at home in less than 15 minutes.

The preference for Scandinavian style in the designer creations was evident. Portugal, France, South Korea and other countries presented their versions of the popular style. 

The designer Je-Uk Kim explored the beauty of oak to create amazing consoles. He combined organic ceramic pots with it, which can be used as plant vases or for storage. The consoles are hand-made in a workshop in England and the vases are hand-thrown in London.

Practicality was an issue in the show.  Many designers tried to create products which make our lives easier. The winner of the  100% Design Award at New Designers 2012,  was The Spun Furniture range of stools and tables by Hugh Leader-Williams,  which are designed for easy production, assembly and disassembly.

The Magic Wall offers such a strong magnetic that heavy objects like pots, knives and tins can be stuck on it.  

Simon Woodroffe launched his YO! Home. Although I felt myself visiting the Jetsons, I can’t deny that the gentleman is pioneer and the future might look like in his vision.

I was impressed with the very interesting seminars where designers discussed the relationship between design and environment and how to improve it; it was a pleasure to hear about the experience of young entrepreneurs like the successful Sugru’s inventor; Gareth Neal spoke about his fascinating carbon negative project in which he tried to produce furniture with low impact carbon emissions. 

The clear message of most seminars I attended  was that design has changed. We have fully explored beauty. It is time to take care of the environment.