INTERIORS:More than 20 Irish designers will decamp to London for the city's design festival this weekend, writes ALANNA GALLAGHER
CREATIVELY, IRELAND is cooking. The new design generation is making loveable objects that have international appeal. Many make the annual pilgrimage to London to showcase their talent.
Earl's Court is home to 100% Design ( 100percentdesign.co.uk). Dublin design duo Klickity ( klickity.ie) launch a new range of painted wooden homewares including a fruit bowl and egg cup at the show. They will also be showing the latest edition of their self-assembly lampshade range, Fig, which comes in yellow, orange and ivory, and their new candlestick holder.
Claire-Anne O'Brien is a London-based textile designer from Cork whose super-cool knitted stools have helped drive the trend towards texture in the home. At Tent London ( Tentlondon.co.uk) on Brick Lane she's showing a new collection entitled Olann and inspired by the knitting patterns used in Aran sweaters, fishing knots and the weaving technique used in traditional willow baskets. She's showing a chair, a bench, two pouffes, some cushions and some floor cushions. "It's going to be more bespoke," she explains.
O'Brien is also showing at A Place To Gather ( Aplacetogather.ie), a selection of Irish design curated by Jonathan Legge, creative director of design etailer Makers and Brothers ( MakersandBrothers.com). Part of Shoreditch Design Triangle this event takes place at 12 Chance St in east London. O'Brien will be displaying ottomans she's called cisean, which use woven basket technique in knitted fabrics.
The show, which is in a warehouse, offers a glimpse of contemporary Ireland. Double doors will lead curious visitors into a hidden room filled with Irish literature and craft, and a specially commissioned short film about the makers. The designer furniture will be arranged for use. Browsers can pick up Derek Wilson's ceramics ( Derekwilsonceramics.com) and sit on a sofa by O'Driscoll Furniture ( Oddesign.com) upholstered in Irish tweed by Molloy and Sons ( MolloyandSons.com), the artisan Donegal father and son team. Feargal O'Leary of Horizon Furniture ( Horizonfurniture.ie) is showing his oak Mary Jane chairs. Two have been stained pink to bookend the set of six. Designgoat ( Wearedesigngoat.com) will display tall bookshelves made of ash that are suspended on a threaded bar. The minimalist appearance is a concept the design duo worked on for the Capel Street cafe in Dublin, Brother Hubbard. "It's a new design but the framework is similar," says Cian Corcoran.
Other highlights include lighting by Clancy Moore Architects; decorative ceramics by Etain Hickey and Sarah Wiegersma; a white lacquered table by Nest and decorative glass by Róisín de Buitléar.
In an independent exhibition, two minutes walk from Tent London, the Irish Furniture Designers Network ( Irish-designers.com) is showing at the Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage St, just off Brick Lane, London ( Ragfactory.org.uk); Hiberform ( Hiberform.com) is a new collection of screens, sculptural structures and furniture created by lighting designer Leo Scarff including a modular piece made of polycarbonate called Stars.
Gordon Byrne ( Gordonbyrnedesign.tumblr.com) is a London-based Irish designer who has been collaborating with River Island to redesign furniture and fixtures. The work is in progress, with their flagship store in Westfield Shopping Centre already overhauled. A second store in St David's Shopping Centre in Cardiff is also refurbished and the main Dublin store will also be overhauled. While"stressed to the gills" by the work, he still found time to rethink a Nic Nack storage unit he created several years ago that retailed in Habitat at the time. The new version will have a metal top and will be available at Designist on South Great George's Street in Dublin in the coming weeks.
