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Call me old-fashioned, but Midcentury Modern is my favourite date in the London Design calendar. Held at Dulwich College in South London, the fair celebrates classic and future classics in furniture and items for the home. Between 50 and 100 dealers fill five halls for a day each year in March, offering a lesson in the juxtaposition of old and new to achieve a contemporary yet homely feel.
My favourite section of the fair is definitely the vintage furniture. Nothing makes me more “wanty” than the array of timeless Danish classics on show and for sale, mixed with the Best of British and everything in-between. Having just moved to a new, slightly bigger, flat, I have to be very well behaved while perusing the treasure trove of stands and push all thoughts of mortgaging my mother in order to fund any purchases out of my mind – The Robin and Lucienne Day sofa is just a little too big to fit into my living room, while the 1964 Verner Panton Fun 5 chandelier, at a little shy of £3000, is slightly beyond my means. Casting a warm and dewy light around it, however, it is exquisitely beautiful.
Not everything on display is beyond everyday means, however. As I arrive, a mere hour after the show has begun, a miniature rosewood chest of drawers is being lifted out of the building at head-height by a dapper-looking hipster with a moustache. This is another reason why I love these shows – they draw together a wonderful mix of interior design enthusiasts from professionals hunting down unusual pieces for their boutique schemes, to yummy mummies filling their homes, or people like me who just like beautifully designed objects.
Another section of the show, equally as engaging and always full of unusual finds, is the modern component – a room full of contemporary designers and suppliers who draw their inspiration from mid-century design. Below is Glass’ round-up of four to watch:
Erica Wakerly
Erica Wakerly studied illustration and worked as a graphic designer before “a desire to develop her illustration and design skills together as one” persuaded her to apply to the RCA to study printed textiles. Erica’s wallpapers and fabrics use bold geometric prints, often with a metallic element, to create striking patterns which accentuate the angles of a space.
Beldi Rugs
Beldi Rugs source their vintage rugs directly from Morocco and deliver them to your door. While kilims and berber carpets have become somewhat commonplace in western homes, Beldi source unusual and colourful designs which look strikingly contemporary in spite of their age. Company Directors Emma Wilson and Tamsin Flower’s love-affair with Morocco began 15 years ago and Emma has since made the country her home. She sources the rugs in Morocco from local traders with whom she has formed good relationships, while Tamsin handles the UK side of operations.
Goodwin+Goodwin
Husband and wife team Goodwin+Goodwin love all things graphic and typography. Graphic designer Paul Goodwin’s designs are fun, colourful and bring personality and humour into the home. Their singing palette of reds, aquas and purples, coupled with monochrome items, brighten any room. Glass loves their cinematic bookends emblazoned with That’s all Folks, The End or Fin.
Jane Oliver
Jane Oliver uses her own black and white prints, together with colourful African fabrics, to create cushions – some square and some shaped like animal heads, masks or arrows. Her designs can be thrown on the sofa or the bed or, as they were at Midcentury Modern, displayed as magnificent wall decorations recalling stuffed deer heads or tribal masks.
by Emilie Lemons
The next show from Modern Shows will be Midcentury at Lord’s Cricket Ground on May 12. The team will be at Design Junction as part of London Design Week in September 2013 and back at Dulwich College in December in time for Christmas. For details, see their website