London Design week 2022

London Design week 2022

London Design Week is always an incredible celebration of the creative talents we have here in the capital, and this year the organisers went all out for the event’s 20th anniversary. From printing workshops with Morris & Co. to stunning new collections from the likes of Pierre Frey and Phillip Jeffries, here are just a few of the highlights we’d like to share with you… For us, it was wonderful to see London Design Week back with a bang after last year’s virtual event. When it comes to design, there really is no substitute for being able to see and touch the products and mingle with others in the industry.

Morris & Co. block printing workshop

Every attendee was raving about the block printing workshop at Morris & Co., run by printing expert Dave Thornton. There’s something so satisfying about rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty in order to create something beautiful.

The process

You start by painting your chosen pigment onto the felt-base frame. Then the wooden block is lowered onto the felt and stamped up and down a few times to ensure the paint is spread evenly across the raised pattern. You then take your block to the printing station, line it up with the edge of the paper and gently lower it down, pressing firmly with your hand. The stop is positioned above the block, and you use the foot pedal to force weight down on top of it, firmly imprinting the pattern onto the paper. Once the block is lifted, you can admire your handiwork!

william morris and a history of block printing

With the British wallpaper market booming in the 1860s, William Morris sought to make the most of this opportunity by creating mass-produced wallpapers that still retained a sense of craftsmanship and refinement. With his newly established interior decoration company, Morris designed a series of wallpapers that could be printed at scale using hand-cut woodblocks loaded with natural, mineral-based dyes, which were then pressed with a machine onto rolls of paper.

why we love immersive experiences

Experiencing the making of a product first-hand offers a whole new perspective. If you work in the design industry, you’re surrounded by beautiful products every day and it’s easy to forget how much work and skill goes into creating them. As Morris himself said: “The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all details of daily life.”

Morris and Co. 2022 collections

Morris & Co. wallpaper, Pimpernel in Weld/Leaf Green

The S/S 2022 collections from Morris & Co. this year were all about the emergence of spring, with exciting new collaborations as well as a debut paint range. The new paints feature a gorgeous variety of heritage hues, inspired by the brand’s 160-year history. Decked out in a fresh palette that included sky blues, minty greens, vibrant apricots and sunny yellows, the Morris & Co. showroom really made one feel that winter was over at last!

our partners at ldw 2022

We partner with many of the world’s leading wallcovering brands and it’s always great to get a first look at their new collections. Every showroom at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour becomes a fount of inspiration and specialist expertise, with each brand sharing its vision for the coming season…

maison pierre frey/caspari

Maison Pierre Frey/Caspari​ wallpaper, Veranda Collection

One collection we really loved this year was the new range from the collaboration between Maison Pierre Frey and US purveyors of high-end stationery Caspari. The inimitable Pierre Frey designs are used on items as varied as lacquer trays, picture frames, invitation cards and cocktail napkins to create timeless accents for the home and turn even disposable items into stylish and memorable moments.

phillip jeffries, arte and altfield

Perhaps best-known for their grasscloths and textured wallcoverings, Phillip Jeffries has been making waves with its new ‘Adorn’ collection, inspired by the Japanese art of ‘kintsugi’. Kintsugi is the technique of mending breakages with metallic gold lacquer, making a virtue of an object’s history rather than hiding it. Featuring large-scale designs rendered in burnished metallic leaf, this collection makes a strong contemporary statement. We also saw some exciting new work from Arte, who transported us on a journey of discovery to the grandeur of Greco-Roman antiquity, and Altfield, who launched their new collection of luxury leathers. When you’re very familiar with particular brands, it’s always thrilling to see them branching out and experimenting with new ideas. We also loved getting to know some of our new partners at Altfield better, with Valhallan and Jannelli & Volpi both presenting wonderful new collections – the latter’s ‘Fabula’ range of hand-illustrated papers were particularly memorable.

Have you been inspired by any of the new collections at London Design Week 2022? If it’s time for a wallcovering refresh, do get in touch to see how we could help with your installation.

Wells Interiors
Make an Enquiry