Our 2012 interiors collection is all about evoking a sense of magic and fun within kids and kidadults alike. Keeping this concept in our minds we created a magnetic woodlands wallpaper that allows users to create their own stories on the wall by moving a cast of magnetic characters and buildings on the wallpaper and write on the speech bubbles. We will bring our previous and current collection to Pulse London this June. Please visit our stand in Pulse Launchpad area at LP43.

Photography: Richard Clatworthy Stylist: Margarita Lorenzo

Model: Alyna Loe Lau Hand Model: Rita Parniczky

Our magnetic woodlands wallpaper prototype has attracted numerous international press accolade last year such as The Sunday Times and Elle Decoration. This year we are extremely happy to be able to bring the finished product to the market and are proud to have dressed Hilary Duff’s new nursery with our magnetic woodlands wallpaper.If you love the wallpaper pattern of our Magnetic woodlands wallpaper, it is also available to purchase as normal wallpaper in 10m rolls with 52cm width. This magical woodlands wallpaper in toile style was printed in England with eco friendly inks on paper from sustainable forests.

Also in this year collection…

Gigantic stuffed scissors

Our screen printed stuffed gigantic scissors are one of the most surreal pieces in our collection. Instead of being sharp and hard they are soft and huggable. Ideal as cushions or pin cushions. They come in two sizes Large Size 55cm x 40cm and Medium Size 47cm x 28cm. Designed and screen printed in the UK Flying pig wall hanging

Let a pig loose on your wall and they may just grow wings and start to fly? Having a flying pig on your wall will definitely bring about smiles. It is made out of 1cm thick foamx material and cut  to shape with the latest  digital cutting technology. Designed and made in the UK.

Dry erase thought bubble

With an unexpected twist on the traditional dry erase boards, our thought bubble dry erase boards will appeal to anybody wishing to express their daily thoughts in a fun and stylish way. The thought bubbles are cut individually using the latest digital cutting technology and the colour of the thought bubble outline can be tailored to the colour of your choice. Designed and made in the UK.

‘Dodo’ entrance on launch night.

Italian charm brand ‘Dodo’ unveiled it’s contemporary new store in London in late November 2011, and I was delighted to be invited to attend. The brand sponsored Milan Design Week, ‘Young Talent of the Year’ and each winning designer, including myself, was lucky enough to recieve a charm.
The facade of the concept store took the form of a silicone lawn in lime green hue. The visual impact of a juxtaposing colbot blue and dynamic variation of texture provided an exciting backdrop for the jewellery pieces. The atmosphere was dynamic, fresh and on trend.

Riccardo Sciutto (managing director of Dodo) and myself.

I met managing director Riccardo Sciutto who was kind enough to show me around the ground floor gallery. The charms celebrated some of London’s darker residents- the rat, the fly and the pigeon.

The fly, the rat and the pigeon.

These pieces were intriugingly displayed under glass bell jars peppered with decals of flies which reflected the tounge-in-cheek humor.

My assistant, Lizzie!

Thank-you for a great evening!

Years ago when I was still studying at Saint Martins I found this Home and interiors shop called Mint. It has completely changed my view on what is Art, what is Design and what is Craft and filled me up with lots of inspiration. Here you will find beautifully crafted furniture that are in themselves art. Walking through the shop floor feels like walking through an interestingly curated gallery. If you are looking for a statement piece Mint is definitely a place to go.

Mint

2 North Terrace

London SW3 2BA

StART SPACE

150 Columbia Rd E2 7RG

W www.startspace.co.uk

Located on the quirky Columbia Road flower market, this gallery space hosts a wide range of paintings, prints and design pieces from mid-career artists and designers. It is not only a gallery but a Coffee bar as well. “Pick up a Latte from the skinniest slip of a stand, a mere doorway wide, then take a wander through the grey-washed interior to reflect on the paintings(..) The contrast with the frenzy of the market couldn’t be more marked and it’s a truly refreshing and relaxed environment in which to appreciate artwork” (Independent London store guide)

Startspace photo: Independent London Store Guide

I am very happy to say that my limited edition prints are now available to view and purchase at this lovely gallery. Please see a few examples of my limited edition prints below.

Little Red and the Wolf

Wolf wearing a floral undergarment

Teddy Bears in Danger

Blow Me

Cockpit Designer Makers Abigail Brown and Sian Zeng are taking part in the Wildthing exhibition at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre in Wales  from 25 June – 14 September .

“Ideas and images of the natural world are richly rewarding sources of inspiration for artists working in many different media; Wild Thing shows contemporary British artworks which place the animal centre stage.” Eve Ropek, Aberystwyth Arts Centre 2011

Abigail Brown

“My work with birds evolved because I think of them as one of the most beautiful creatures. So precious, so fragile and yet so animated and positively bursting with life. Each piece develops its own character which is told through the twist of its head or its own individual stance. My work centres on animals because they give me comfort, they are truly heart warming, they make me smile…and that is the same reaction I hope to evoke in others.” Abigail Brown

Sian Zeng

On show: Sian’s Magnetic Wallpaper and Wick Vic’s final robbery animation.

Wick Vic’s final robbery

This is a story about a bear, named Wick Vic, who wishes to look beautiful by adorning himself with colourful patterns. He lives in the woods and often robs people and their traveling companions of their colourful attire. This time, however, he had met someone less willing to part with her chicken’s feathers. The heroine’s mood swings from being shocked by the unexpected robbery, which is then transformed to an acceptance of it and later to sadness. It is this absolute sadness, where she had nothing to loose that gave her the strength to find Wick Vic, place a blanket over him, shake him and break him into parts. The story ends with Wick Vic broken, the chicken and the girl leave the forest, just like the way they came.

Thank you so much to all of you who were able to come to the Deptford open studio last weekend. It was great to meet everyone who came along and, for those of you who couldn’t make it, we thought it’d be a good idea to share a few of Jamie Trounce’s fantastic photos from the weekend..

A few fellow Cockpit Arts members also exhibiting at the weekend were Katharine Morling, with her ‘sketch ceramics’, and Sophie Cook, with her range of beautiful ceramic vases.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who entered the competition to win a Character Bear. Our winner this time is Annabel Reber.. Well done Annabel, this fine chap will be winging his way to you very shortly..

We rediscovered this article recently from the October 2009 edition of Elle Decoration and thought it included some great ideas for redecorating your hallway..

1. Hang it all

Keep everything but the dog off the floor! Try suspending coat hangers from the ceiling as an alternative to wall-mounted hooks (Muji’s cedar hangers are sturdy enough – £10.95 for a set of three, muji.co.uk). Or invest in Donata Paruccini’s ‘Leather Hangers’ for ENO (they’re actually leather balls suspended from rope), £110 for four, SCP (scp.co.uk).

2. Touch of class

Add an element of surprise to a space normally ignored in the decoration stakes. Juxtapose a red carpet entry with walls in muted tones. For a decadent, glamorous touch, hang an ornate light shade or go the whole hog and splash out on a chandelier. Graham & Green (grahamandgreen.com) and Laura Ashley (lauraashley.com) have a good selection, or try local vintage stores.

3. Where the art is

Remember that every front door also has a back. Give yours a decorative edge, be it through hanging pictures, a mirror (for last-minute beauty checks) or, as in this example, sketch your own design. Not artistically gifted? Use stickers instead – MarMarCo has a selection (marmarco.com). Add an iconic chair (such as Harry Bertoia’s wire chair here) to provide the perfect spot for tying shoelaces.

4. Get creative

Children and adults alike will embrace the blank canvas provided by a blackboard. It will also help with last-minute shopping lists, memos and friends and family can leave thank-you notes or messages for when you’re not around. Try the magnetic blackboard paint on sale at Homebase (£9.99 for 750ml; homebase.co.uk)

5. Super store

A hallway can all too often become a dumping ground for everyone’s outdoor kit. A stylish chest of draws such as Tadao Hoshino’s cantilevered ‘Aphrodite’ unit for Ligne Roset, shown here, will provide slim-line storage. From £2,075 (ligne-roset.co.uk). If you’re on a budget, try similar closets from Ikea or Lakeland!

6. Show time

As book covers can be an art form in their own right, why not enjoy them as soon as you enter your home? This brilliant shelving unit by Marianne van Ooij takes your first editions and turns them into a focal point and because it’s super-skinny it’s perfect for hallways. ‘Slim’ acrylic shelving from £89 (slimshelving.com).