Decorex London 2013 highlights

I must say that this week is full of Interior Design themed festivals in London so this is another post heavy on the theme.  

Apologies to those with no interest in the subject at all!

The Decorex event which was directly competing with the 

Focus Design fair at Chelsea Design Center was held at the more glamorous Orangery at Kensington Palace.

 The event was quite large so there were marquees pitched all around the central point being the Orangery.

The lobby of the main exhibit was so glamorous!

Look at the de Gournay wallpaper.

 They even had matching sheer blinds to complement the wall.

It was so funny because I was going to buy the tickets and the guide saw me taking pictures of the wall and asked if I was trade or press.  I hesitated answering because I thought I had come on the wrong day as with these festivals there are days reserved purely for trade and press and they have a separate days for the public. 

She asked, "So you were taking pictures for an article right?"

"Well, not really it's just for my itty bitty blog."

She persisted, "So then, it is press nevertheless."

"Um, ok but it's just a blog I do for fun. 

Press is a little strong for it."

"But you are going to publish it to the public right?"

"Well, yes but not many people read it." 

"I am giving you a press pass so you get in free." 

And so she ended the discussion 

otherwise I would still be there hesitating.

And so I saved £30!! 

Kaching. 

Who says blogging doesn't pay?

The first room as you entered was de Gournay - 

the mother ship of luxury wallpaper and draperie.

Below shows part of the new designs of their range.

Below was a room that Kit Kemp who is not only an interior designer but also hotelier designed.

Their hotel was one of the first ones in London to have an honesty bar.  An area where in house guests could pour drinks in a communal lounge but use their civics to pay the correct amount.

Harlequin had a nice simple stand but 

they wallpapered the floor if you look carefully. 

I liked these mosaic walls that could be used anywhere in the house but also in the bathroomsby Elitis at Abbot and Boyd.

Not everything was modern and new, there were many stands that just demonstrated classic and simple designs.

I can't remember who this was but I liked everything about this stand and thought it would make a fun room.

I love a gallery wall and orange so this drew my eye.

I wish I needed cornicing but I don't so I just admired all the options.

Loved this blue and white sofa.

I took a picture of this light fixture that was from Richard Taylor.

But Richard Taylor himself questioned why I was taking a picture of the light.  I told him I simply liked it but then someone else he was speaking to said that they had to be careful as there were a lot of spies and copiers. I offered to erase it but then told him that I just have a little blog and I am not going to copy and sell it on ebay.

Once again, the blogging saved the day.

One day, I will do this whole busy print that matches the sofa or 
as I refer to it as camouflage decorating.

I adore mother of pearl pieces and think they suit any sort of decor from modern to chintzy.

While I liked it I would never feel safe in a hammock bathtub.

But if you are interested, here is their website called Splinterworks.

I loved this sailboat sofa draped in gorgeous fabrics. 

Missoni had a predictably impressive stand.

Love how homey and surprisingly easy 
their fabrics were on the eye.

Being a design fair, 

even the coffee stands were decorated to a high standard. 

They also had talks and seminars by various designers and design figures. The lecture room had Zoffany wallpaper with 
Venice as the background.

I went to a talk about design in hotels.

The speaker on the left was the editor of Living Etc magazine and the man on the right was the CEO of the Mr and Mrs Smith travel guide group aka Mr Smith.

The talk was what you expect of a marketing collaborative spiel.

I used to work in marketing so I think it might be just me having overdosed on these sort of conversations.

Mr Smith says that his favorite hotel in the world (this is from someone who has stayed in about 1000 of them) 

said it was Blakes Hotel in London.  Plus he said that he is considering opening a hotel of his own.

But what really got me excited was that I got to meet a designer I have huge respect for - Alidad!

With the money I saved on the entrance fee, 

I bought his new book and I got him to sign a bookplate to go in it!

He is not necessarily to everyone's taste but he has honed his style and knows how to manage all the elements so well.

I found a new brand at the fair based in Scotland that 
I am absolutely crazy for right now!
It is Timorous Beasties.

They are a small wallpaper and fabric company that has a modern spin on classic designs like toile.
Look at this London wallpaper.

 If that is a little too edgy then 
there is also a classically beautiful range.

You can also have some fun recreating 
your own room of choice on their site - click here.

There was just so much to see but for those of you interested in seeing some more, please have a look at this blog I found called 
A-Gent of style who also went to the fair.  He has some great pictures and is an expert in interior design.

PS Sorry some of the pictures are smaller than I normally present them but it is causing havoc with the email subscriptions. Please bear with  me while I try and sort out some technical issues.