Nuwave Interior Designers

100% Design Furniture Showcase

2011-10-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I didn't manage to attend 100% design this year, I have managed to sneak a peek at some of the furniture launched this season. One piece that caught my eye is the 'Linger a Little Longer' table and bench by Jay Watson Design. This piece highlights how precious we can be about the functionality of furniture, or how oblivious we can be to our direct effects of our environment. The table and bench have a thermochromic finish which responds to the heat of any plate, mug, serving dish or body part placed on it, to leave an ephemeral 'watermark'. Reacting once contact with the lacquered surface of the table reaches 27 degrees, the heat can create all kinds of patterns which can cause quite a talking point and much amusement.

Another piece to catch my attention is the Bathroom cabinet by ShenZhen Top Furniture Design Co. The Hemispherical dome of Chinese philosophy is adopted in the furniture design. Counter basin is carved by white natural stone, this expresses whiteness and liberality, the body is made with North American black walnut indicating rich and honour. The bottom is made with stainless steel which reflects fashionable and integrity. The moire adornment is used in the mirror which is a symbol of good luck. Wow!! this bathroom furniture is not only stunning to look at but deeply filled with hidden meanings and true artistic expression.

I have found myself a couple of little gems but thought nothing yet to make me say WOW!! that is truly original, mad, crazy and off the hook!!! Then my dreams were answered with the Octopus Chair, The Rhino Chair and The Walrus Chair by Maximo Riera . WOW right up my street, LOVE IT!!!! I'm am looking forward to there Lion, Beetle and Whale chair. One word Amazing.

Key Muses & Forest Muses Wallpaper by Marcel Wanders

2011-10-04T07:32:00.000-07:00

I am loving Marcel Wanders new wallpaper range Muses, this paper is entitled Key Muses a wonderful flock wallpaper with fairy figures carrying keys.

This paper is entitled Forest muses from first glance it looks like any other normal flock wallpaper but take a further look and you can see fairy's carefully positioned amongst the pattern. Uber cool!!! At £75 a pop this paper is a little on the pricey side, if you ask your designer nicely she may get you a little discount.

Marys Living and Giving Shop Primrose Hill

2011-09-08T06:29:00.000-07:00

I love the whole ethic of charity shops, we use our goods and once we have either got bored of them or may have family air looms to pass down we lovingly pass our stuff on to charity shops, to make money for the various Charity's out there in need of our support. We don't have to sign the dotted line and be under agreement to pay X amount per month, we just give our goods with no strings attached. Everyone is happy, not only do the Charity's make money, people less fortunate can purchase fantastic goods for a fraction of the original purchase price.

I do have one problem though, why do the shops have to be SO drab!! and to be honest a little smelly in some cases. As an interior designer I would love to offer my services to these charity shops and show them that with a little know how and a small injection of cash, these once tired shops could look fantastic and become a great place and experience to shop.

Check out Mary Portas Living and Giving Shop Primrose Hill

Komodo Wallpapers

2011-09-06T03:41:00.000-07:00

This seasons Autumn wallpaper collections by Osborne & Little is inspired from the coats and skins of wild animals. Glorious designs which would enchant any home. Osborne & Little are one of my favourite manufactures of papers and fabrics there quality design are second to none. www.nuwaveinteriors.co.uk
komodo wallpapers

Colourful wallpapers for creative living room interiors

2011-09-06T03:33:00.000-07:00

New Collections for Autumn 2011

This wallpaper Hackney Empire by House of Hackney is so quirky I love it!! featuring a carnival of animals amidst animalistic debauchery in a riot of colour against a midnight blue background. www.nuwaveinteriors.co.uk

Happy Nature by Brewers

A rich jungle floral design with water lily flowers, exotic frogs and humming birds. Shown in the rich salmon pinks and emerald green on black.

Omega Cats by Sanderson

This bold stylised silhouette of sitting cats with their tails trailing could make quite a statement in any sitting room, I like the boldness of this design which is rather strange as I am not a keen lover of cats.

Shabby Chic Kitchen Ideas

2011-09-06T02:53:00.000-07:00

Its all about "Shabby Chic" personally I love the freedom that the "Shabby Chic" style gives you as long as you get it right of course!! A good way to start on creating this style is by buying or acquiring an unusual piece of furniture, some interesting materials, groovy lighting or an ascent piece such as artwork, signage or accessories. Good places to find these are at car boot sales, fairs and of course eBay (if you search under vintage or retro) you will be sure to find something to float your boat.

Once you have found the all important starting piece you can then build your design around it, looking at the style, colours, textures for example will get your mind thinking about what will work together. Mixing and matching furniture, papers and fabrics is typical of this style but just try to keep check of your eras. You dont want to be mixing Antique figurines with geometric retro wallpapers or damask flock wallpaper with shag pile rug.

Shabby Chic Kitchen Ideas

Keep it fun, bright and playful, this style is great if you have children, putting an old rustic dining table to your design for the kids, they can paint, glue and bake cakes until there hearts are content as your table is supposed to have that disheveled look. Adding a combination of florals to blinds, hand towls and wallpapers creates a homely warm feeling, mix and match your dinner sets, and glasses. Add a splash of colour with brightly coloured tumberlers and cutlery. If you have good floorboards under your existing flooring, pull the flooring up to expose the floorboards, you dont even need to treat them!!Just leave them as they are this will only add to the style!!www.nuwavunteriors.co.uk

Cool Sabby Chic Furnishings

Funky Essex Furniture Design

2011-05-31T03:27:00.000-07:00

If you like flock and brightly coloured funky furniture, you will love these pieces designed by Jonny Egg an Essex based furniture designer. As an Essex girl myself, I love to promote Essex talent and this range is what its all about!!!

Malibu Barbie Dream Home

2011-05-25T01:53:00.000-07:00

Wow hats off to Jonathan Adler I recently checked out his website and his Interiors are amazing, totally my kind off designer. I have to add a post for his Malibu Barbie inspired Interior it is so funny, if you look in to the detail some of the little touches are great fun. Check out the work of art above the fireplace, what looks like a wall plaque or a work of art is actually made up of Barbies. What fun brightened up my day.

KBB London

2011-05-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Whist visiting the KKB London design show last week I came across some good finds!! As an Interior Designer in today's tough market it is crucial to keep up to date with all the latest trends. Although I must say it would be almost impossible to visit every design show, as there would be no time left for actual work!! www.nuwaveinteriors.co.uk

Why not totally indulge your child with this wonderful furniture from www.brevedon.com love your child range! It is so out there, so over the top, so chintz I absolutely love it!!!

Statement Chair

How about this lovely chair from www.brevedon.com this is what I mean when I say statement piece, it is so cool and sophisticated and would make a real WOW factor in a bedroom or even a hallway or lounge depending on the style you were going for. www.nuwaveinteriors.co.uk

Bored of the same old decorative finishes, SIBU are suppliers of decorative finishes which can be used in a wide range of projects some of which may include Interior, shop concept, fashion, display and exhibition. The sheets are easy to use and offer almost unlimited possibilities for application.

Check out some of the funky finishes.....

Fantastic Lighting of the day

2011-03-03T02:40:00.000-08:00

Wow! I found this light last year at Decorex Interior Design Show at Royal Hospital Chelsea London and well what a masterpiece. This beautiful light has individual Porcelain fairy's hang by LED lit threads, and is made by a company called LLADRO, Lladro Re-Cyclos designed by Bodo Sperlein. It costs £40,0000 for the small size and £80,0000 for the large size. (I'm thinking I need to win the lottery for this one)

ISOVER Student Architectural Design Competition Eco Build

2011-03-02T08:17:00.000-08:00

ISOVER stage a competition with Architectural students worldwide to showcase their abilities to design buildings of the future to Passive House standards. This year, the ISOVER Multi-Comfort House architectural student competition brief has been to design a skyscraper intended for build in New York City to passive / multi-comfort standards.

The passive house concept represents today's highest energy standard for buildings. It was developed out of the belief that the most inexpensive and environmentally Friend energy is that which is not consumed in the first place.

I have to take my hat off to these guys as the models were amazing, as a student once myself I know how pain staking and time consuming model making is, even though I must say it was also great fun and what a sense of achievement once you have completed.

Sustainable Interior Materials

2011-03-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

I am always on the look out for new and interesting materials, whist at this years Eco Build show I found a Company called Smith & Fong Bamboo who use Bamboo and Sugar Palm for Interior paneling systems, furniture and flooring. Not only are these materials environmentally friendly they are extremely aesthetically pleasing. They use a process of stripping and heating the Bamboo to create different designs and colours.
www.plyboo.com

Smith & Fong at Eco Build

Bamboo installation

Coconut & Sugar Palm

Also exhibiting at Eco Build Armourcoats, I am a big fan of there products, so it was a pleasure to see there products in the flesh. There paneling systems are abstract, unique and feel soft as butter. Armourcoat paneling systems are mineral based and incorporate up to 30% post-consumer recycled content, are non toxic and are completely non combustible. The panels can be used for a whole wall installation or even hung separately as Ob jet 'd Art. www.armourcoat.com

Armourcoat at Eco Build

A couple of other interesting websites http://www.mini-garden.com/ a compact planting system www.boskke.com a ceiling plant hanging system

Inspired colorful design

2011-02-28T04:58:00.000-08:00

Well here we are again, Monday morning, February is almost over and soon we will be handed over to March and the apparent start of Spring. I don't know about you but I am pretty sick of the doom and gloom days, you get up its cold! its Grey! its miserable! Roll on Summer is what we are all thinking and bring on the happy vibe!

I have found some bits and bobs that will give your home that much needed lift from Doom to Va Va Voom!!

As always I try to inspire and be realistic about it, most people can not afford that gorgeous £5000 table or that £250 lamp, we want good design at the right price....for everyday people with everyday lives.

Ben De Lissi brings all the elements of fun, character, style and color together and infuses them into his range of home-ware accessories. You can find Ben De Lissi home ware at Debenhams.

I am a massive fan of Ben De Lissi dog collection and have some of his pillows on my bed, I will be purchasing the dog lamp very soon and adding to my cushion collection when my little one is a bit older and wont be wiping his mucky hands and face all over the place, we cant be to precious with our things as kids will be kids.

The picture of this cushion does not do it justice, this is the cushion I have and the reverse and front detail is in a lovely Turquoise and looks uber cool in my bedroom.

Ben De Lisi

Blue trio of Dogs cushion

£25.00

This lamp is so cute and so much fun, what a great talking piece for your home, I will be buying this very soon.

Ben De Lisi

Black Dog table lamp

£45.00

Another one of my favorite designs, lovely combination of bright color, style and quirkiness just what is needed to brighten up your day. Just a little bit of advice, this cushion is only 35cm x 35cm so a little smaller than the average cushion which is 40cm x 40cm.

Ben De Lissi

Red "Ella the Dog" Cushion

£20.00

A bit of fun "Its not me its you" mug

Ben De Lisi

£7.50

If you are looking to be inspired by the Middle East then the Butterfly Home collection by Mathew Williamson is the one for you. His range is truly inspired with the traditional colors, pattens and imagery that you would expect. It is usually very difficult to find a range like this on the High Street, so if your looking to create this a style from traveling days gone by then take a look!!

You can find this range also at Debenhams.

Multi colored afternoon tea cushion

£20.00

Blue Elephant parade cushion

£20.00

Purple Camel cushion

£20.00

Light Blue metal lantern

£20.00

Multi "Tribal Stripe" Bed linin

£28 - £70.00

Orange Prarthana cushion

£40.00

Lime Priya bed linen

£28 - £70

Eco Build

2011-02-27T09:11:00.000-08:00

Eco Build starts this week it will run from Tuesday 1st March to Thursday 3rd March, visit www.ecobuild.co.uk and register for the free tickets. Eco Build is the worlds largest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment.

It is a great show for all kinds of people who are interested in sustainable design! Its not just for developers, designers and Eco warriors!! There is a vast amount of information from Eco friendly products and furniture to virtual Eco homes, which give you a hands on approach and understanding in to sustainable design.

I have been to Eco Build around three years ago, this year is promised to be bigger and better than before as they have moved the show to Excel-London.

I am particularly looking forward to seeing NaturalZED-Bill Dunsters straw house which he is exhibiting at Eco Build. NaturalZED is a straw board home which can be built for £135,000: £20,000 less than the usual construction of a code 6 house.

I am really looking forward to visiting on Tuesday, so will keep you posted with finds of the day.....Watch this space....

Well I am back from my visit to the Eco Build show and I must say it really delivered this year, this exhibition has to be one of my favourites, there is a sense of fun and it doesn't take itself to seriously unlike allot of the other industry shows. From floating pink taps to men dressed head to toe in grass (which really made me chuckle). With the fun aside the show is providing important information regarding Sustainability and our environment.

One of the first stands I visited was Biotecture, this company specialises in "living wall solutions". I had a very interesting chat with one of the guys there, he explained that the living wall is primarily used for the exterior of buildings but is being used more within Interior Design, for instance they have just installed a "living wall" in a Restaurant.

What is so great about the concept is that it works on three levels: its aesthetically pleasing, it cuts down on the use of air conditioning as the plants warm, cool and clean the air and you can grow herbs and vegetables. I think this is a fantastic idea, I could see it working within residential Interiors and might even persuade one of my lovely clients to give it a whirl. www.biotecture.uk.com

Next up is a company called Barrisol they are apparently the world leader in stretch ceilings, I have a small love affair with the stretch ceiling! they are fantastic the material is so robust and can be used practically anywhere, easy to clean, easy to maintain and as the guy there showed me you could practically have a fight with it and it will bounce right back!! that's got to be one for the kids! "off you go darling go and give the stretchy wall a big punch, and you will feel much better"

Feeling inspired have a look www.barrisol.com

StramitZED launched at Eco Build

The StramitZED Code Level 6 house is a blend of proven technology's and innovative design principles aimed at affordable sustainability. The design combines effective solar photovoltaic and thermal panels by Himin, that generate energy and hot water, with proven ZED factory heat recovery technologies that keep energy use ultra-low. The buildings thermal mass, achieved through the use of terracotta floor tiles and ceiling blocks (in optional designs), evens out fluctuations inn temperature, keeping the house cool in summer and warm in winter. The Welsh Timber frame is fitted with Stramit Straw Board-faced cassettes filled with reliable Warmcel thermal installation. (Information taken from www.straitzed.com for more information on Zedfactory visit Zed Factory

Colourful Furniture Sets for Creative Living Room Interiors

2009-06-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

Furniture is fairly difficult to assess without context. Sure, things look good in display sets at the store but will they work with your interior design strategy at home? With this in mind, Roche Bobois has created a variety of creative layouts to showcase their furniture collections.

In some of their example settings the furniture is largely designed to blend with existing design elements and colour schemes.

In other cases the new furniture is intended to stand out brightly from the current design scheme and make a bold set of statements.

In still others the furniture almost fades into the background with colourful accents standing out from the uniform (in these cases white) colour scheme around them.

Whether or not you are actually looking for new living room furniture, these designers are adept at showing the variety of possible strategies one can employ in redecorating an interior living space.

Showtime Showcases Six TV-Themed Interior Designs

2009-06-04T07:40:00.001-07:00

Sure, it is a publicity stunt, but if you are a fan of some of these shows you might find yourself having to admit that it is a darned clever one. In partnership with Metropolitan Home, each of these six Showtime interior designs is themed around a particular popular Showtime original series. Some are elegant, others macabre, all according to the theme of the given show.

Perhaps the most interesting one (no surprise to those familiar with the show is Dexter’s dining room. Dexter, the semi-heroic sociopath who uses his affliction to take out evildoers, has a fascination with blood that is also tied to his occupation as a blood spatter analyst for the police department. The furniture in this disturbingly white room shows the traces of a particularly brutal Dexter project.

An all-star team of designers was enlisted to convert this pricey Manhattan apartment into a showcase of these Showtime-inspired interior designs: Jamie Drake, Tori Golub, Laura Kirar, Amy Lau, White Webb, Vicente Wolf, Johnny Grey, Luca Andrisani, Kristen Brant, Jim Zivic and Enea worked on rooms representing Californication, The Tudors, Weeds, The L-Word and United States of Tara.

Funky Interior Lighting by Daniel Loves Objects

2009-06-04T07:35:00.001-07:00

These lights by Daniel Loves Objects are fantastic fun, and would brighten up any interior scheme......