2013 marks the 10 year anniversary since sisters Annica and Marie Eklund, third generation in the family company, took over Bolon and transformed it from a traditional weaving mill into a global design brand.  To celebrate the remarkable and inspiring journey the Swedish design company has been going through since its start in 1949, the company is now releasing an exclusive book and a new shape of Bolon studio tiles where a wide range of collections are explored in a vibrant expression.

The book, “The Story of Bolon”, is a flirtatious dalliance with the fine books found on the coffee tables of the fashion world and has a wealth of photographs and interviews with some of the world’s foremost creators, designers and architects; from Rosita Missoni, Jean Nouvel and Giulio Cappellini to Thomas Sandell and Gert Wingårdh.  The man behind the photographs is Tobias Regell, with a portfolio including both H&M and Bentley.  The editor is well known journalist Simon Mills, bespoke editor at Wallpaper and contributor to a number of magazines.

The brand new Bolon Studio tile, entitled “Wing”, allows architects and designers to utilise Bolon’s earlier collections into one masterpiece – adding an extra visual dimension to wherever it’s installed.  By combining different colours and collections in the new shape it’s possible to create a whole spectrum of different designs.  Together with the attitude and the graphic feel of “Wing” the creative possibilities are endless.

Get the story and get on our newest floor at Bolon’s new-look showroom during Clerkenwell design week whilst enjoying a glass of bubbly selected by the world’s number one champagne expert, Richard Juhlin.

Hooked explores the darker side of life, drawn from a world of custom motorcycles and rockstar lifestyle. The burnt rubber of a Harley, knurled grip of the volume knob and sensual touch of quilted silk, have inspired solid brass light fittings, whiskey bars, wingback chairs and even a limited edition motorcycle. This has nothing to do with uniformity and everything to do with standing out from the crowd. Welcome to their world.

 Buster + Punch will also be exhibiting their debut collection for the first time in Clerkenwell Design Week next week. 

In addition to the fifty-strong community of furniture showrooms, CDW’s exhibition venues represent centuries of the area’s history. The Farmiloe Building, a former Victorian merchants’ warehouse, will play host to high-profile international brands; The House of Detention, a subterranean Victorian prison, will form the festival’s hotspot for new designers, and the 12th century crypt and charming garden of the Priory of the Order of St. John, will act as the hub for interior decoration trends. For 2013 ‘Covered at Charterhouse Square’ will also be launched – a pop-up venue in one of Clerkenwell’s many open spaces showcasing surfaces brands for the resident A&D community.

2013 sees a huge number of brands returning to the festival including Vitra, Knoll, Boss, Domus Tiles, Deadgood, Dare Studio, Jennifer Newman, Muuto, Magis, Zanotta, Johnson Tiles, Dezeen and many more. The event also witnesses a vast number of newcomers as more and more brands take residence in Clerkenwell realising its importance as a key creative hub in the UK and CDW as one of the most important events on the design calendar. Newcomers to the festival include: Arper, Brintons, Royal Mosa, Foscarini, Vitamin, Holloways of Ludlow, Se London, Plumen, Sharon Marston, CDS Tiles… the list goes on.

Talks, debates and parties will take place across the festival with renowned names including Tom Dyckhoff, Patricia Urquiola, The Bouroullec Brothers, Martin Ballendat, Christophe Egret, Shin Azumi, Kirsten Zumstein, Sam Jacobs, Sam Hecht and Sarah Ochioka speaking at various events, with more to be announced

Each year CDW commissions and works with various design and architecture studios to create one off installations for the event. This year they will be working with Assemble Studio, Design Exquis, Mobile Studio, Architecture for Humanity and LubnaChowdhary and Giles Miller with more to be announced. The headline sponsor Jaguar, will this year be working on a top secret competition with the RCA with more to be announced soon.

Register for free entry here.

An entire floor of the Gallery in the King’s Road will be devoted to exhibiting artists in the early stages of their careers. Throughout the year the exhibitions will reflect the Gallery’s unique ability to respond quickly to some of the most exciting work being made by artists working in the UK.
This new programme of exhibitions will enable emerging artists, many of them recent graduates, to see their work displayed in a museum environment, and it will also give visitors to the Saatchi Gallery the chance to discover new artists of particular merit and promise. The first in this series of exhibitions is New Order: British Art Today, featuring 17 young artists based in the UK.

James Capper, Nipper (Long Reach), 2012
Painted steel, hydraulics, plaster, 130 x 32 x 80cm / Base: 130 x 40 x 100cm
© James Capper
Image courtesy of the Saatchi Gallery, London

The work of this new generation of artists offers an arresting insight into the nature of Britain today: somewhat nebulous in its identity, somewhat uncertain of itself, recent spikes of national cohesion – the 2011 royal wedding, the 2012 Olympics – are blasts of pageantry, quickly silenced, sometimes soured. The symbols of national identity seem more and more inarticulate and dislocated from the experience of actually living here. The artists are not an evidently coherent group, but if there is a collective spirit in many of the works in the exhibition, it’s in their interest in addressing the vast abundance of imagery which we are all increasingly surrounded by in the 21st century. As the  series of exhibitions continues, a clearer understanding may emerge of a distinct new direction.

Tereza Zelenkova, Cometes, 2012
Framed silver gelatin print, 127 x 101.6cm
© Tereza Zelenkova
Image courtesy of the Saatchi Gallery, London

The exhibition includes sculptural forms that owe a debt to American minimalism, paintings that mine British caricature from the 18th century, the iconography of earthly power (kings and politicians), everyday elements from ordinary life (tattoos, underpants, banana skins), industrial materials as well as traditional oil paint and gouache.

Steven Allan, We’re All In This Together, 2012
Oil on canvas, 190 x 250cm
© Steven Allan
Image courtesy of the Saatchi Gallery, London

Dominic from Luton, Shoes Off If You Love Luton!, 2012
C-type print, 237.8 x 168cm
© Dominic from Luton
Image courtesy of the Saatchi Gallery, London

Artists in the exhibition include; Greta Alfaro, Steven Allan, James Balmforth, Sara Barker, Charlie Billingham, James Capper, Amir Chasson, Nathan Cash Davidson, Nicholas Deshayes, Amanda Doran, Alejandro Guijarro, Dominic from Luton, Wendy Mayers, Natasha Peel, Guy Rusha, Rafal Zawistowski and Tereza Zelenkova.

New Order: British Art Today opens to the public on 26 April. Entry is free.

The CSYS currently comes in two models, the CSYS LED Task light and the CSYS LED Tall (floor-standing version). Both feature a new application of heat pipe technology in its arm (developed for satellites and found in microprocessors for computers) that conducts heat away from the powerful LED chips, thereby prolonging their life and performance for over 37 years. This technology also maintains the brightness and colour rendition of the LED chips. Both lights are fully dimmable with a touch sensitive switch and light level memory. They can be smoothly maneuvered, both horizontally and vertically, as well as rotationally through 360˚, to allow precise positioning.

Phillip Anniss, Assistant Buyer for The John Lewis Partnership says:

“We have continued to focus on design collaborations for our Home ‘Design Collective’ and a partnership with the innovative Jake Dyson will be a fantastic addition to our designer lighting offer. Jake’s lights not only look great, but they offer unique functional features and, being LED, are environmentally efficient. We are supporters of British design and we know our customers will love his lights.”

Jake Dyson says:
“After extensive research and development, we launched the CSYS Task light at the London Design Festival in 2011 and were fortunate to receive strong praise from influential design figures, such as Sir John Sorrell, Sir Terence Conran, Jerryll Habegger, Fred Winkler and Murray Moss. Since then, we have been showing the CSYS to the trade and general public and it is tremendously rewarding to now have so many great retailers stocking our lights. It is still early days for us and we plan to continue our outreach across the world. We have more exciting new products in the pipeline that will help us to do this.”

Elsewhere in the world, a further 51 retailers are selling the product, including 18 in the US, such as Lumens Light and Living, Luminaire and Moss. The CSYS has been chosen to feature in the Permanent Collection of Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (New York), a tremendous accolade for the studio. Jake Dyson Products is now focusing on the contract market and the CSYS will be seen in various exciting global projects for example, lighting up the headquarters of Rolls Royce.

Laurence and Patrick Seguin discovered the work of Jean Prouvé in the late 1980s through his furniture designs. They were immediately struck by the unique aesthetic of these pieces, where the artistic skill lies wholly in imperceptible technical mastery devoted to enhancing the strength of the materials. While at the time very few people had even heard of Jean Prouvé, their enthusiasm for his captivating lines was immediate, a revelation that became a true passion.

Metropole aluminium house, 26.2 x 40 ft ca. 1949, provenance: France

The couple then began to take an interest in Jean Prouvé’s work as a whole, of which the furniture is only a part, going on to discover his architectural designs. With the idea that ‘there is no difference between constructing a piece of furniture and constructing a building’, he applied the same design approach to both fields, basing all of his work on it.

From the opening of their gallery in Paris in 1989, Laurence and Patrick Seguin began to work in earnest promoting the creations of Jean Prouvé, with the result that the most important international collectors and the most prestigious museums now have works by the French architect and designer in their collections. Indeed today he is held to be one of the key exponents of twentieth century design.

Metropole aluminium house, 26.2 x 40 ft ca. 1949, provenance: France

Laurence and Patrick Seguin are now presenting a number of works from their private collection for the first time: around 40 pieces by Jean Prouvé, most of which are prototypes or extremely rare, from the armchair designed for the University dormitory of Nancy in 1932 to the light armchair created for the University of Antony in 1954, to the furniture produced for Africa.

The Laurence and Patrick Seguin collection

The same principles of functionality and rational fabrication that the designer applied to furniture often destined for the public sector, can also be found in Prouvé’s architectural designs: the same solid structures feature clever mechanisms for assembly and organisation that enable both the furniture and the constructions to be easily moved, disassembled and modified.

The Maison Metropole (8×12 meters) an aluminium construction won in 1949 a Ministry of Education competition for ‘mass-producible rural school with classroom and teacher accommodation’: a masterpiece of nomadic housing, followed the portico principle patented by Prouvé in 1939. The Ateliers Jean Prouvé built two of them, one in Bouqueval, near Paris, and the other in Vantoux in Moselle. This one has been mounted for the first time on the Lingotto track in Turin. Taking four people three consecutive days to assemble, a stop-motion film has been made of the construction process, with video footage streamed on the Pinacoteca website.

Metropole aluminium house, 26.2 x 40 ft ca. 1949, provenance: France

The Laurence et Patrick Seguin collection includes contemporary art that coexist at their home with Jean Prouvé furniture. Some have a liason with Jean Prouvé, as the mobile made by Alexander Calder for Prouvé; and the one by Richard Prince, who has made especially for them an artwork out of a Jean Prouvé table.

They decide to show these works at the Pinacoteca Agnelli together with the ones by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Adam Mcewen and Marc Grotjhan. The exhibition will be accompanied by a catalogue in Italian and English published by the Pinacoteca Agnelli.

Having established itself as the largest destination for contemporary interior design and culture at the London Design Festival, the critically acclaimed designjunction is set to transport an edited version of the show to Milan for the world’s largest furniture fair.

EDIT by designjunction is a major exhibition of global design featuring more than 25 international brands housed within the renowned La Pelota venue in central Milan. EDIT is a considered collection of new product launches, brand collaborations and venue specific installations. Exhibitors include: Modus, Extremis, No Early Birds / Per Söderberg, Channels, Mabeo, Ercol, Feliz, Innermost, Nevvvorks, Material Lab, Atelier Areti, Case, Utopia & Utility, Vessel Gallery, Sefar, Tokio, Christopher Farr, designlink.pl, Bent Hansen, Studio Lievito, Melin Tregwnyt, Forza Tappeti exhibition, Kalmar Werkstätten, Brose & Fogale, Massless and tokyobike.

EDIT brings something of London’s collaborative spirit and energy to Milan, creating a central location for beautiful design, cultural exchange and new ideas. Here are some highlights to look out for:

Designjunction | Product Launches

No Early Birds / Per Soderberg

“No Early Birds” by Per Söderberg present a new home accessories range alongside the full furniture collection of stools, benches, chairs, tables and lamps. Expect to see a stunning new candelabra and a collection of solid brass dishes. This locally sourced and manufactured collection from Sweden is based around a cleverly engineered powder coated metal cross-leg that acts as the main component and motif across all the products typologies.

Environmental sensitivity, high-quality materials, thoughtful detailing and ease of assembly mark “No Early Birds” out as a collection of real refinement. Per Söderberg is a graduate of the Domus Academy in Milan, so is naturally delighted to be back exhibiting in the centre of the city.

Utopia & Utility

Utopia & Utility launch Transformed, a colourful collection of large stacking vessels that combine ceramic, glass and wood. This collection plays with our perception of familiar forms by the use of off-centred symmetry.

Founded in 2012 by siblings Pia and Moritz, Utopia & Utility combine the functional with the fantastical. With a focus on handmade production and tacit skills, the pair work with craftsmen from all over the world. They believe “that everything that deserves to be made, deserves to be made well. From the process to the finished objects, our intention is to enrich life through beauty.”

Feliz

Feliz ® present their latest collection at EDIT, including the CAL chair, TRE coffee table, DIS table, and MAJ stool. Their high-specification products are made using computer controlled production methods and utilise structural composites with natural fibres. Expect to see a blend of natural shades and pop colours from this innovative and energetic new brand.
Feliz ® is a new Swiss-Italian furniture label based in the renowned Brianza region in Northwest Lombardy. They produce neutral and restrained products that leave room for self-expression. They design products that are tools for the modern interior.

Mabeo

Mabeo are proud to present their most recent designs at EDIT, including the Kika stools by Patricia Urquiola, Meradi Cabinet by Garth Roberts and Thusi Clothing Valet by Studio Nio. Mabeo is an award-winning brand from Botswana, Africa which focuses on craftsmanship, sustainability, culture, natural materials, people and design. Mabeo’s aim is to merge the African craftsperson’s perspective and traditional African culture with a desire for refined modernity. In collaboration with designers such as Patrica Urquiola, Claesson Koivisto Rune, Garth Roberts and Luca Nichetto, Mabeo has been successfully delivering international projects in the hospitality, residential and commercial sectors since 2006.

Brose & Fogale

London based design partnership Joscha Brose and Matteo Fogale present the Camerino Coatstand, the first product in their Camerino Range. This austere yet elegant Coatstand evolved from a “mesh up and deconstruction process” of classical furniture typologies. It is in part a reaction to the fast pace and ever changing lifestyles found in the buzzing east London design scene.

Following on from the Milan Salone the Camerino Range is going to be launched on the crowd funding platform Kickstarter to explore the potential for digital innovation to change the user-designer relationship.

Atelier Areti

Atelier Areti present new product launches including Squares, Up Down Pendants, Marguerite, Circle + Sphere Pendants and Leaf Wall light. The talented design duo Atelier Areti create objects of exceptional quality, both in design and materials. Since launching their design studio in 2008 they have worked closely with master craftsmen and manufacturers in Germany and Sweden. Look out for beautiful wall lights, lights in the shape of birds and exquisite floor lamps.

Case Furniture

British design brand Case present new products at EDIT, including the Lap Wall Shelving Unit and Lap Desk by Marina Bautier, the Matis Desk by Samuel Wilkinson and the Vitrina Tall Unit by Hierve Design Consultancy.

Launched in 2006, Case furniture has established a presence in major UK retail stores such as John Lewis, Liberty’s, and Heal’s. Started by Paul Newman and Sheridan Coakley, Case has an ever growing reputation in the furniture industry. They promote the notion that the best design should be available to the mass market and are capable of delivering large volume batch production, ideal for the larger retailer.  
Melin Tregwynt

Melin Tregwynt present exclusive wool blankets, throws and cushions, furniture, accessories and clothing that combine authentic Welsh tradition with innovative modern design. This family company, weaving in Wales since 1912, has transformed the world of traditional textiles, with evocative colour and innovative design.

Melin Tregwynt upholstery, cushions and throws can be found in smart hotels and design led-stores worldwide. They offer clients own-label and customized designs in short runs and amongst many accolades have woven the world’s largest picnic blanket. Their development as a brand truly heralds a new spirit in Welsh design and as they explain it, their products are made “by the hands of the diligent”.

Channels

Channels launch a new lighting collection by Samuel Chan, handcrafted entirely in wood, adding to the Finnieston collection which launched in September 2012. The range now includes the Finnieston Wall Lamp, Finnieston Bookcase and Tripod Tables. Channels also launches a trio of pendant lights called Three Wise Men.

Established in 1995 by Samuel Chan, Channels is a modern British design company with a focus on simple design and traditional craftsmanship. They are best known for their high quality products and design integrity, with the majority of products made in Shropshire in the UK.

Studio Lievito

Studio Lievito present the new “à la carte” menu of 2013 designs, including a new marble “dosaspaghetti” or spaghetti measure called Type. Studio Lievito, which literally means “leaven”, is a design studio based in Florence. It was established by Laura Passalacqua, Francesco Taviani and Jacopo Volpi in 2010 as a place to create a link between past and future design. They look at how to integrate and utilitise handcraft skills in modern industrial production, often with stunning results. Known for a working on a variety of product typologies, embracing the idea of “slow” design and generally breaking new ground, this trio bring a vibrant approach to product design at EDIT.

Oyuna

Oyuna present the 2013 Home and new Travel Collection: a range of cashmere travel throws designed to offer practical and aesthetic solutions to travel in comfort and style. The collections will be shown in an installation space featuring an abstract reinterpretation of the Mongolian ger tent house.

The Oyuna philosophy of style, practicality and warmth descends from Oyuna Tserendorj’s heritage of Mongolian nomadism. Her style soulfully references Mongolia’s vast landscapes and also draws inspiration from the urban lifestyle of London, her adopted city. It is these contrasting influences that provide the inspiration for her innovative and highly individual cashmere collections.

Modus

Modus will debut a series of new projects at EDIT from Arik Levy, Shin Azumi, PearsonLloyd, Jonathan Prestwich, Pengelly Design and Michael Sodeau. Modus is an award-winning British furniture manufacturer dedicated to producing the very best in contemporary international design. They work with both internationally acclaimed designers and emerging young talent to produce high quality, covetable pieces for both domestic and contract use.

Bent Hansen

Bent Hansen exhibit their latest furniture designs at EDIT, working closely with fabric manufacturer Gabriel, they present innovative and exploratory methods of upholstery in each of their products. Products include the Primum chair, the Otto pouf, the Plaited bench and the giant Button-Up wall hook.

Henrik Hvid Hansen a third generation upholsterer, is the innovative force behind the Danish brand Bent Hansen and the designer of the entire collection. His approach is to constantly challenge materials and shapes to seek their full potential. Henrik’s aim is to perfectly balance function with aesthetics in order to create furniture with a strong visual identity

Christopher Farr

Christopher Farr exhibit a new collection of rugs by celebrated US designer David Weeks and preview a new project entitled Editions – a collaboration with designers and artists to develop and produce limited edition rugs. The rugs are hand-tufted made of 100 per cent wool.

Established in 1988, Christopher Farr has been at the spearhead of contemporary rug design for over twenty years. Together with his business partner Matthew Bourne, they were the catalyst that revolutionised contemporary rug design and we are delighted to have them at EDIT.

Vessel Gallery

Vessel launch the Balustrade lighting collection by UK glass artist Simon Moore. Founded in 1999, Vessel works with a selection of both established and emerging artists in their chosen fields. Vessel aims to fuse craft with industry. In Milan, Moore’s hand crafted collection of decorative lights form part of Vessel’s lighting editions in an on-going collaboration between gallery and artist. Vessel will also be launching three new lighting sculptures as part of the display.

Ercol

British heritage brand Ercol launch the new Svelto collection, a cabinet piece designed by their in-house team plus a sofa by Ian Archer. In addition Ercol present highlights from their Originals range, including the Barton collection by Terence Conran, the Treviso desk by Matthew Hilton and the Holland Park chairs by Russell Pinch.

Founded in 1920 by Lucian Ercolani, Ercol today is owned and managed by the same family working with a strong management team to design and manufacture furniture. Their specially build factory in Princes Risborough is one of the most modern and high-specification furniture factories in the UK. Their in-house design team create original designs that are brought to life by more than 150 craftspeople who work in the factory, utilising a blend of modern and traditional skills they produce exceptionally high quality pieces.

Nevvvorks

Nevvvorks present new designs at EDIT, including the Gear candle holder by Rikke Frost and the Keel tables. Also on show are the Material Pendant Lights by Noergaard and Kechaya in a range of new finishes, from cork and wood through to marble and concrete.

Nevvorks is a new Danish lighting and furniture brand with a passion for craft and material exploration. They explain it this way “we’re not about postmodern aestheticism or urban industrialism. We’re about rethinking shapes, materials and solutions. About chairs, tables, sofas and lamps. Our work doesn’t need to be understood. It needs to be used.”

Innermost

Since Innermost launch a range of new pendant lights in Milan including the Glaze Pendants by Corinna Warm that seamlessly fuse ceramic and metal to create a mix of warm copper and ivory tones. Innermost also introduce Carousel, a classic pendant light made from non-woven fabric, the MOST collection of pendants and the Honeycomb.

Since 1999, Innermost have created products of the highest quality through the clever use of materials and good workmanship. Over a decade ago two designers gave up their jobs within design consultancy and furniture design to follow a dream to create a unique but diverse London based furniture and lighting brand. Working from a corner of an old lighting factory in NW10 London they continue to create new and interesting designs, often collaborating with other international designers who call London home.

Kalmar Werkstätten

Kalmar Werkstäetten products are based on discoveries from the Kalmar archive. Largely conceived by members of the Vienna Werkbund in the 1920s, these designs represent close collaborations between J.T. Kalmar and Josef Hoffman, Josef Frank, Oskar Wlach, and other luminaries of the Austria design scene in the early 20th century.

Consumers and critics have hailed Kalmar for reopening its archive, and based on this enthusiastic reception, the Vienna-based company plans to reissue and develop further pieces from its heritage. Look out for Billy TL_Edited by Nicolo Taliani / Garth Roberts.

Tokio

Tokio is a new lighting and furniture brand presenting their first collection, including the Carbon LED light, the single seat Quad sofa and the Ming low chair. Tokio products are distinguished by simple clean lines and a notably playful touch. Using a variety of materials, Tokio aims to build a diverse collection of design pieces for both the contract and residential market.

Designjunction | Collaborations
Modus

Award-winning British furniture manufacturer Modus are collaborating with Apartment 58 to recreate a pop-up version of their global members club in Milan. The VIP lounge will be fully furnished by Modus and will be a place to socialise, relax or work within a comfortable home-from-home environment.

tokyobike

Super cool Japanese brand, tokyobike is set to make tracks this April with a series of guided bike tours within the Brera Design District, starting and finishing at designjunction. The tours will take riders on a 3 hour journey to mystery design destinations each day. The tours will run from Tuesday 9 April through to Saturday 13 April from 10am – 1pm. Further details will be announced shortly.

Tokyobike is about simple models that are reasonably priced, easy to ride, light weight and pared back in their design. Each bike weighs between 9 and 11 kilos and comes in a wide range of colours, sizes, shades and styles.

Material Lab

designjunction collaborates with expert design resource studio Material Lab to create three bespoke counters for the outdoor café and VIP lounge at designjunction.
Material Lab is a vibrant London based studio for the architectural and design community to explore hundreds of different materials. Material Lab is the place to discover the latest trends and innovations, while at the same time receiving expert advice on materials.

Designjunction | Group shows
designlink.pl – the exhibition and guide on Polish Design

EDIT is delighted to play host to designlink.pl, a celebration of the best in Polish design from the past year. Presenting products, places and people through a carefully curated exhibition and publication.

This second edition of designlink.pl spans a wide spectrum of design, from extraordinary weaving structures, technology for the future, fiberglass organic forms that pioneered design innovation in the 60s, to revised ceramic traditions. Add to this a little taste of poetry and you have a heady mix of new ideas and narratives from a thriving Polish design scene.
The exhibition is organised by the Creative Project Foundation in partnership with Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Poland.

Cover Exhibition

Forza Tappeti features an expertly curated collection of twenty-five handmade rugs by renowned designers including Christopher Farr, Deirdre Dyson, Top Floor, Kristiina Lassus, Hossein Rezvani and others.

COVER, the international magazine of handmade contemporary carpets and textiles returns to Milan with Forza Tappeti: The Rug Revolution hosted at EDIT.

Opening hours
Tuesday 9 April: 4pm – 7pm Press Preview
Wednesday 10 April: 10am – 8pm
Thursday 11 April: 10am – 8pm
Friday 12 April: 10am – 10pm – Late night opening
Saturday 13 April: 10am – 7pm
Sunday 14 April: 10am – 4pm

For further information and regular updates visit: www.thedesignjunction.co.uk

The intricate craftsmanship used means that to make a single piece, there are 6 individual processes, each step completed by a highly skilled craftsman/woman. From blowing to cutting, every step is done by hand, creating a glass of superb clarity and artisan finish. Designer Katy Holford explains her inspiration for the collection: “The bottles are a witty reworking of the kitsch chianti bottle candle holder. A nostalgic nod to the 70′s and 80′s when as students we glammed up a cheap meal with red wine and candles.”

The design proportions of bottle and candle are elegant and reworking it in luxury crystal turns a cliché into something sophisticated and refined. Cut crystal sometimes has fusty connotations. The aim of this collection is to give the medium a fresh contemporary approach that suits today’s interiors. It’s all about reinvention, turning an everyday bottle into something extraordinary and exquisite. Bottles, available from retailers Heals and Liberty, comes in 2 shapes, Bordeaux and Burgundy, in 6 different designs and each bottle includes an elegant hand-made pewter candle cup to prevent candle wax spoiling the sparkle of the crystal. Each Bottle is 31cm in height, 9cm in diameter and also serves as a wine carafe holding 750ml capacity.

Katy Holford who is reinventing cut crystal for 21st century living with contemporary and innovative designs has an impressive design background and is passionate about retaining traditional crafts skills within Britain, ensuring they are passed to future generations. The Company remains small and true to its artisan roots, employing 17 people at its factory in The Lake District where visitors can watch craftsmen/women producing crystal in the time honoured way.

Cumbria Crystal supplies all Commonwealth embassies with crystal to grace formal dinners, as well as supplying glasses for ITV’s Downton Abbey and hand crafting the light bulbs for international designer Lee Broom. Katy designs bespoke glassware for renowned retailers Harrods and Thomas Goode, as well as exclusive commissions for furniture designer and nephew to HRH Queen Elizabeth, David Linley.

This project’s massing is crucial to its design. Broken into a series of six white, concrete towers of varying heights, and bound by a central lift core, 33M’s profile mirrors Melbourne’s skyline, creating a city within a city – a juxtaposed silhouette of its geographic context. As you enter the lobby you open Pandora’s box and ascendance shifts to transcendence, as infinite mirrors create the sensation of a body suspended in space.

The overall impression is of a box cracked open, bronze and patterned light forming a path through the black depths. The apartments themselves are white and bronze light. Adaptable, their sliding doors enable the space to be reconfigured, residents can choose whether to integrate the front room into living environments.

33M gives you the bird’s-eye perspective and convenience of the inner-city high-rise lifestyle, with the amenity of a house or large complex. The sky really is the limit here! 33M has been entered into the WIN AWARDS Residential Interiors category. Find out more at www.wanawards.com. Early Bird Discount ends Friday 15 March 2013.