Monday 2 March 2015

Spring in my step.. part 1

It is March and officially Spring. 

There should be a spring in my step.. mentally there is but physically I'm a long way off after my third bout of sickness in as many months... what a long Winter it's been.


My creative side is still buzzing but maybe a little more gently.

I loved my first visit to Surface last month and will definitely be going next year. 
I'm particularly fond of this area of London with it's buzzy bars and restaurants and quirky finds. 

Sadly, I was unable to linger after the show and, in particular, missed the after show party kindly hosted this year by ATRIUM (I must visit their new Showroom soon). 


Had I stayed on I would have fitted in a sneaky coffee/meal at Kipferl and visited chocolate shop Paul A Young and then would have had a little browse amongst the cool shops in Camden Passage.  














Always the same: 

too many wants and not enough time.



BUT...



This show is a must-visit for anyone involved in the industry who wants a bite-size view (and feel) of what is available and possible.

As with all the best products, the top displays paired uber-practicality with painstakingly cool design.

Cliq Designs - fabulous and imaginative quilted accoustic panels to transform any space and lift it from the obvious to the super-cool. Here is a product that addresses the fine balance between look, feel and performance:


 


This panel has been used to great effect to soften chatter and clatter in Spago restaurant and champagne bar in Lytham St Anne's.




Finsa 
some great materials here with 
endless applications and 
beautifully showcased.


This company is the oldest chipboard and MDF manufacturer in the Iberian Peninsula, founded in 1931.


Finsa manufactures a wide variety of wood-derived products; most recently, amongst others, melamine faced chipboards and MDF and wood veneer; with a strong environmental policy and attitude towards sustainability.







Plenty was on display at Surface, with no end to imaginative use of colour and shape, and pattern to catch the eye and show off each surface possibility:



The flexibility of HI-MACS in terms of colour, shaping and textural interest was amply demonstrated:

SO many different colours are now available as this surface constantly evolves:


 

My absolute favourite was the DecorEco display of James Latham:






It is not difficult to imagine how fabulous an interior could evolve around the application of one of these textural products:









James Latham had 

many different products 
on display:



















There were gorgeous tiling displays at 
Italian Marca Corona



The ever popular hexagon was used to pull us in to look:





 


By this stage I started to feel that there were more products than I could ever use in a lifetime in my projects and my creative synapses were flooding with ideas. Accompanied by another coffee, this was truly my kind of day.


BluePrint Ceramics:

SILO



Cosentino 

had a truly impressive stand

which revelled
in a simplistically gargantuan display of this Spanish company's Silestone product.

Stunning and living up to Cosentino's catchphrase of "imagine & anticipate".

 

Loved the vibe in Vicalvi Contract

These guys provided water (desperately needed by now) with their details printed on the label(clever marketing)and were on hand to be the most helpful of the day. 

It is always nice to be approached with a smile - thank you!






particularly liked this 'Mews' collection,
designed by Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby




Wonderful products too, including 
'Aplat by Wilmotte' paint range
... all of it supremely tempting.


part 2 to follow...





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