Old Sessions House

This atmospheric Grade II listed building provided a striking backdrop for several eye-catching installations. Among these was Danish brand, UMAGE, known for its beautiful designs, eco-conscious practices and Scandinavian aesthetics. This year for CDW, its iconic signature feathered Eos pendants were suspended at varying heights from the high ceilings of Old Sessions House. This impressive display made quite an impact – visitors were familiar with these designs but had never seen them in such a unique setting before. This installation proved that you don’t need to launch new products to make an impact at a design show – presenting familiar pieces in new and unexpected ways can also create excitement.

Also at Old Sessions House, Spectra Stone caught our attention with its extraordinary collection of luxurious natural and semi-precious stones in an array of colours. The company fuses innovative technology with time-honoured craftsmanship to engineer, finish, and fit the most incredible natural stone. Its project portfolio includes leading names in hospitality, from Annabel’s and The Wolseley City to The Ivy Collection and Sexy Fish.  We were truly amazed to see the possibilities of natural stone delivered by Spectra.

Pour by Henry Holland X Bert and May

Leading tile brand, Bert & May, partnered with fashion designer-turned-ceramicist, Henry Holland, to unveil the most exciting collaboration we saw at CDW.

The new collection, Pour, translates Henry Holland Studio’s signature aesthetic, a take on the hand-built nerikomi ceramic technique, into tile form. The art of nerikomi (a Japanese decorative process) involves the mindful stacking, folding and rolling of multi-coloured layers of clay to create graphic, fluid-like patterns that are simultaneously structured and unstructured.

The collection was exhibited at The Edit: Bourne & Hollingsworth and with the tactile products displayed in a room filled with scent, Bert & May x Henry Holland succeeded in creating an unforgettable immersive and multisensory experience for CDW visitors.

Possible Impossible Pavilion

Saint James’ Church Garden was once again the backdrop for a CDW site installation. This year, it was home to one of our CDW highlights - the Possible Impossible Pavilion, created by architect, Peter Morris.

Made using stone coat, this joyful curved structure is essentially a smaller model of Morris’ upcoming Gospel Oak project, The Cloud House, which will also have a façade made up of pink arches. Both the pavilion and The Cloud House take inspiration from church arches and architectural elements, making Saint James’ Church Garden a fitting scene for this installation.

Stone coat is an ultra-light, polystyrene-based imitation stone material and its properties mean that unlike traditional building materials, it can be bent and folded, making the impossible possible through innovation and ingenuity.

Kit Kemp Studio x Schotten & Hansen

One of the biggest names to exhibit at CDW this year was Kit Kemp Studio, which collaborated with wood studio, Schotten & Hansen, to create the Mythical Forest Salon.

This installation was an immersive space centred around the PIT-A-PAT magnetic table which was placed atop Schotten & Hansen’s magnetic wood flooring. Schotten & Hansen’s innovative magnetic technology not only allows for easy installation and maintenance of flooring, but also creates endless design opportunities for interior projects. Kit Kemp Studio, renowned for its imaginative use of colour and pattern, put its signature spin on the flooring by laying various colours of wooden planks together to create a woven, rug-like effect within the space. This was another brilliant example of how innovative materials can unlock creativity and new design possibilities.

Collinson

Over at the British Collection, CDW shone a spotlight on homegrown talent. We particularly loved the timeless beauty of the furniture created by English design and manufacturer company, Collinson. The studio embraces classic English craft and understated luxury to create heirloom quality, bespoke furniture and kitchens.

Company founder, Edward Collinson, designs each piece before it is carefully crafted at the workshop in North London by a team of dedicated and expert furniture makers.

Whilst we were impressed by the use of innovative materials elsewhere at the festival, Collinson’s bespoke pieces made the case for natural materials by showcasing the organic beauty of wood.

Vidato Interiors UK

One of our biggest CDW highlights was a new collection from Vidato Interiors UK, a business that has just launched into the market. The bespoke upholstery manufacturer has curated new prints and designs based on a theme of transport fabrics. The bold collection presents iconic patterns seen on London’s transport system, through the medium of furniture, to transform the familiar into the unexpected. Watch this space to see what Vidato Interiors UK does next.

From innovative materials to the natural beauty of wood and stone, and from familiar designs reinterpreted in unique ways to exciting new launches, this year’s CDW showcased a wealth of creativity from both up-and-coming and well-established industry names.

If you’re a brand within the interiors and design industry that is considering exhibiting at a design show and you would like our expert help and advice, please get in touch.