Just love Johnny Grey's soulful take on the kitchen. In his own words from his presentation at Decorex: 

 

I've been taking in the sights of Decorex 2010. I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite products and vignettes. I've been incredibly impressed with the quality of the designs and the sophistication of the wares. What else should I have expected? The best of British design is here after all!

"Clock," designed by Sue Timney for The Rug Company.

All-weather aluminum furniture at the Oxley's Furniture stand.

Inside Out brought Global Views to the show: color them a chic and sexy shade of blue!

 

Ok, I have a penchant for all things vintage and even adore the smells, textures and packaging of by-gone eras. Imagine my delight in seeing the newest from Waterworks Studio, a collection of towels, bath products and accessories worthy of their glorious namesake, inspired by pieces found in glorious late 19th and early 20th century bathrooms.  

I'm particularly mad for the just launched Sculpted Subway bath towels that feature charming raised historic square tiles (available as a shower curtain too) imbedded into towels. Made from 100% combed Turkish cotton and available in divine colors-- Moon, Prairie, Stone and Habitat, I'm ready for my closeup or at least for my dip in the tub. 

Waterworks Studio is available at Waterworks showrooms and also at Bloomingdale's department stores and online. 

 

I'm thrilled to be attending Decorex in London next week during the London Design Festival, where I'll be one of the first to see Johnny Grey's new furniture designs (I've been promised a sneak peek!). The creations flowing from this lauded designer's genius seem to be growing more organic, personable and sophisticated with each passing year, and it's such a marvelous process to watch. One of the most exciting pieces of news to come out of his studio is that he's collaborating with an impressive list of British artisans to bring even more whimsey and inventiveness to the rooms he's designing, including Adrian King and Chris Thorpe, Rapture & Wright, Veedon Fleece, Hourglass, and Firefly Lighting. We'll see Johnny Grey studio designer Leila Byrne's manifestation of Grey's new cottage kitchen at Decorex, as well as Swiss manufacturer V-Zug's steam oven and induction hobs.

His inspiration seems to know no bounds, enveloping themes as diverse as film and literature. Here's his take on some of his newest works: "Seeing the early progress on the cooking island made me realize that we have created a piece of furniture that could almost have come out of the Lord of the Rings trilogy--with its craggy burr oak panels and glowing textured glass inserts, it belongs in the middle kingdom! The Tree Corner cupboard could have been included in a set from Swiss Family Robinson. We await visitors' verdicts with anticipation."

One of the most fascinating things to me about the Tree Corner cupboard is that Grey designed it in his head when he was seven years old. "It has taken me all this time to bring it to fruition. It is made from Holly, a tree grown in my garden, and it has a mesh front making it perfect for use as a larder. It is partly inspired by the Japanese idea of Wahi-Sabi--the enjoyment of imperfection and a celebration of natural forms; a protest against the souless, slick hard-edged designs and furniture that so many cabinet companies offer. I also like the idea of it being visibly made by hand, not machine-made, its organic shape being sensual and unpredictable." Needless to say we're all in for some amazing surprises next week. Stay tuned, design lovers; we'll be bringing his artistry and more from Decorex (you can like their Facebook page here to stay on top of the hottest news coming out of the fair). Look for my guest post for Modenus featuring Grey's new collection. I'll let you know when it's live!  

 

I attended the opening party for the Showtime House last evening to check out the suites by a handful of designers who poured their creativity into spaces reflecting the edgy lineup Showtime produces. When I exited the elevator in penthouse two, the attendant said, “The Weeds den is to your right and the Californiacation room is to your left; drinks in the middle.” Now that’s my kind of penthouse! The building itself—Cassa Hotel and Residences—had spectacular views, which made mingling above the city on the rooftop garden an iconic treat.

I had a blast hanging with Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke of John Loecke, Inc., in their “Weeds Den” (don’t they look dapper in the photo I snapped of them?). They had an uber-creative product in their space, HP’s Wallskins, which makes designing your own wallpaper super easy. I thought I’d let the trendsetters tell you about their room in their own words: 

“Nancy Botwin and her far-flung brood inhabit a surreal fairytale land that mixes one part playful, and two parts moody and dangerous. From the Arcadian splendor of suburban life to Ren Mar’s herb-filled climes and the verdant estate of Esteban Reyes (just, ahem, mind the croquet mallets), “Weeds” carries the viewer into a bosky world brimming with dark and whimsical adventure. Nancy is a modern-day woodland nymph who has abandoned her manicured garden for the rough-and-tumble woodland where nothing is quite what it seems. She is the fertile goddess survivor who rules this kooky kingdom with caffeinated determination, a land where everything could go up in smoke in a second. The Weeds den—“Paradise Lost”—personifies this spirit, taking the traditional and turning it upon its head. The room is inviting but also curiously sinister, exciting and pregnant with possibilities but also dark and brooding. Traditional, almost-clashing fabrics tempt and tease and invite you to lose yourself in this den of iniquity. Wall coverings, here HP’s innovative Wallskins product, break the architecture and creep onto ceilings and doorframes and spill onto moldings. Take a deep breath, step inside, and savor the rush of a fever dream: For who knows what adventures lurk when you get lost within the dissolute embrace of “Paradise Lost.” And be sure to peek into the bathroom with its vintage state plates and digital photo frames that display images of retro roadside attractions: Nancy is on the run, and the road beckons with a sultry siren call.”

If you haven’t checked out their blog Demystifying Design yet, you should. Their posts are chock full of tips to take design from overwhelming to uncomplicated. Jason was also tapped as guest curator on Zatista. See his choices for frisky, fabulous, fun works of art here.

My other favorite room in the Showtime House was “Californication State of Mind” by Space 4 Architecture, spearheaded by Michele Busiri-Vici, Guelfo Carpegna and Ulderico Micara. The room was inspired by Hank Moody’s “life on the edge,” and the team of architects meant for it to force the viewer to experience balancing on a precipice so that they’d feel as though they’re part of Moody’s madcap world. The most interactive feature I saw was in ECCO Design's space where Eric Chan and Jeff Miller had created a photo booth (in the bathroom no less) that snapped your photo and morphed the faces of the Californication characters into your visage: now that's radical! Jeff Andrews designed the Dexter space. The bed swinging free in the space on massive chains was worth the trip to midtown! Great job everyone! We caught Design-Calendar's eye: see their post here.

 

Uber-talented photographer Robin Hill is having an end of summer fine art photography sale, offering a select group of his limited edition photographs for up to 50% off the original price until September 21. A portion of each purchase will benefit a list of charities. Thought I'd spread the word because his eye is so exceptional (plus he's just a downright nice guy)! The entire collection is here. Tell him that Design Commotion sent you! [photo copyright Robin Hill]