Category Archives: happenings.

not just copper orange.

4 Replies

colour-futures2015_ohl

The big news in colour is Copper Orange, Colour of the year 2015. Copper has been an emergent trend for a while now, and shows no sign of waning (the Facade of the Year is also copper).

Colour forecasting is a fascinating world, as I discovered in a workshop I attended this morning given by the paint and coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel. It’s not just about the colours we will be buying into in the year ahead; it is an indicator of the way we live and what we are striving for. The other big ideas behind the colour forecast for 2015 are themes of transparency and layering (refer the House of the Year 2014, a transparent house); his and hers, a celebration of the differences between us; merging and gradient colours and non repeating pattern (no more matchy matchy); noticing the undiscovered and negative space.

Fascinating. More, here. Happy weekend.

the collector.

Leave a reply

helly-nahmadgallery_ohl.

It’s art fair season here in London, and the big daddy of them all, Frieze Art Fair, concluded at the weekend.

The white box format with which galleries usually display their wares was changed perhaps for ever more by the innovative booth of Helly Nahmad gallery. The booth, called ‘The Collector’ was a perfect replica of the Paris apartment of a fictional art collector called Corrado N, dating from 1968. Replete with old issues of Paris Match, overflowing ashtrays, and the artwork of Picasso, Miro and (my personal favourite) Lucio Fontana, the studio portrayed the life of a ‘passionate, intellectual reclusive’, who lived and breathed art.

More, Art News. Photo, Fausta Maria Bolettier Continue reading →

the anatomy of a building.

2 Replies

lasdun_royal_college_of_physicians_front_dec_2005

Sir Denys Lasdun created a radical new headquarters for the Royal college of Physicians 50 years ago. Unlike anything else in the classical, verdant green surroundings of Regent’s Park, his building was bold, restrained and unashamedly modern. He is also the architect responsible for one of my other favourite of all London buildings, the National theatre, Southbank.

Lasdun’s building is comprised of three contrasting materials, expressing the form of the building and defining the three distinct zones. The grand, ceremonial areas are clad in off-white mosaic, appearing to float above the lower administrative areas constructed from dark blue engineering bricks. Concrete was used for the fire escape and functional, hard-working parts of the building.

rcp-exterior-03

This extraordinary building is the subject of a current exhibition, now until 13 February 2015.
‘The anatomy of a building: Denys Lasdun and the Royal College of Physicians’, Royal College of Physicians, St Andrew’s Place, Regent’s Park, London. More, here

Photograph via and RCP 

more ampersand.

1 Reply

I first wrote about Ampersand House, a home and gallery featuring classic design pieces and objet d’art, here

The House has just reopened in a new premises within central Brussels, in another classical, light filled interior. Again the eclectic mix of 20th century furniture create a fascinating, constantly evolving, living museum. The mix is vintage, contemporary, prototype and commissioned work, and almost everything is available for sale.

Kho Liang Ie Artifort coffee table © Ampersand House 2014ampersand-house-mad_ohl.ampersand-house_ohl.Salon2 Brussels_ohl.Tenreiro © Ampersand House 2014

Ampersand House, 33 rue de Suisse, Brussels 1060, Belgium

Back in London, and we are looking forward to Modern Shows pop up in Fulham this weekend, and hoping to find that illusive armchair and console for the new abode… Modern Shows Fulham pop-up, details here

the sun never knew..

2 Replies

Louis-Kahn-Visual-Archive-by-Naquib-Hossain-3

‘The sun never knew how great it was until it hit the side of a building’ Louis Kahn (1901-1974). From the current exhibition at the Design Museum (until 12 October 2014)

We are off on holiday at last, to catch the last of the summer. Happy weekend.

Image: Louis Kahn visual archive by Naquib Hossain

happy weekend.

2 Replies

rhino-rachael_long-owlshouselondon.

Extraordinary, life-size skeletal rhino by Norfolk-based sculptor Rachael Long. Made from recycled and forged metal, the rhino is on show at Doddington Hall near Lincoln from 2nd August to 7th September 2014.

A rearing horse, an owl in flight, a lurcher, poised… More Rachael Long, here

Photo by owl’s house london using iPhone 5S.

 

happy weekend.

Leave a reply

17ufan-moroz-slide-7784-ohl.

‘Dialogue Z.’ Tadzio, Lee Ufan, Kamel Mennour, Paris and Pace, New York

Ten works by the South Korean-born, Japan-based artist Lee Ufan have been installed in the gardens of the Chateau of Versailles. The naturalist aesthetic of Mono-ha – the school of conceptual Japanese artists of which Ufan is the most prominent member – creates a wonderful dialogue with the serenely opulent landscapes created by André Le Nôtre for Louis XIV.

Works by Lee Ufan now until Nov. 2 at the Chateau de Versailles, via. Read more about the artist on Artsy.

london grey.

3 Replies

Barber-and-Osgerby-for-domus_dezeen_ohl

Inspired by the colours and patterns of their native London (in other words, shades of grey !), these new tiles are by Barber and Osgerby for UK tile brand Domus. They have the most wonderfully apt names – Fog, Soot, Lead and my favourite, Pigeon. I was invited to the launch last week, as part of Clerkenwell Design Week.

The format mimics traditional London floors – herringbone parquet, aged brick, timber boards. Having just spent an inordinate amount of time sourcing a plain grey tile for my own kitchen splashback, I like how these tiles are irregular in tone, so that within each of the colour ways are many differing tones, creating a gradual variation over the surface they are laid on, creating movement and life.

BandO-domus_ohl.

 

Mews Tile for Domus, photographs via

happy weekend.

Leave a reply

frame_ohl.frame2_ohl.frame3_ohl

Calling itself ‘a new creative platform’, Frame publishers (of Frame magazine, one of the best, serious design magazines around) have collaborated on a new event and retail space in the Felix Meritis building in Amsterdam. i29 interior architects have created an interior that juxtaposes contemporary fixtures into the wonderfully ornate classical interior, with mirrored fittings cleverly catching and reflecting the beautiful details within.

Happy weekend.

i29 Store Interior for Frame Publishers via, 324 Keizersgracht, Amsterdam. Photos: Ewout Huibers

 

danish paper.

2 Replies

jan-hardisty-paper_ohl.

Subtle, geometric, beautiful. These still-life vignettes by Jan Hardisty are a new series of limited edition, digital inkjet prints with the same modernist, unmistakably Danish touch by the artist (more of his works, here). Happy weekend.

Jan Hardisty, Goldmark Art.