On my radar: my favourite design finds from London Design Festival 2021

After 18 months of us all hiding away at home, it was so nice to get back into the world and attend some design events in person! September saw the launch of the 19th edition of London Design Festival, with installations, exhibitions and events across the capital. I headed out and about to see what was happening, with my design partner in crime in tow (six month old Ophelia strapped to my chest – start them young!).

Here in my latest ‘On my radar’ post, I’ve rounded up my favourite finds and new product launches from the festival. There’s everything from sustainable lighting and carbon neutral furniture, to foldable desks and cantilevered chairs.

Ilse Crawford reimagines Hans J. Wegner’s earliest designs in new colours
Image credit: Carl Hansen & Son

Having previously collaborated on a glossy blue version of the CH24 Wishbone chair, London-based designer Ilse Crawford and Danish design company Carl Hansen & Son have joined forces again to reimagine five of Hans J. Wegner’s earliest designs. The limited edition release, titled ‘First Masterpieces’, sees five chairs in five new earthy colours: Pewter, Falu, Slate, North Sea and Seaweed.

At the launch during LDF, Ilse Crawford described how daunting it was to put colour on a Hans J. Wegner chair. Indeed, the journey to the perfect palette took a year and a half. ‘We didn’t want them to be trendy colours or pretty colours. We wanted them to feel extremely Danish and be easy to use,’ said Crawford. ‘These colours aren’t neutral but you can feel comfortable with them. They’re subtle, muted colours that reference nature but not in a twee way. They’re sophisticated and have depth; we hope they will resonate.’

The five designs are finished in an environmentally friendly, water-based paint that still reveals the beauty of the wood grain. It also means less waste – any slight imperfections in wood can be covered up and used rather than discarded.

The limited edition CH22, CH23, CH24, CH25 and CH26 chairs will be available in store from May 2021

New FRAME table by John Pawson for Nikari
Image credit: Nikari

Meanwhile at Planted in King’s Cross – a contemporary design show geared towards reconnecting spaces with nature – Finnish brand Nikari showcased their new FRAME table. Designed by British architect John Pawson for his own family home in the Cotswolds, FRAME is all clean lines and sharp edges. Made using traditional wood joinery techniques, it’s solid and beautifully crafted. FRAME is made of sustainably grown solid ash or oak and has a life expectancy of over 100 years. Find out more here.

New Iso-Lounge chair by Jasper Morrison for Isokon+
Image credit: Isokon

At Design House at 14 Cavendish, British brand Isokon+ debuted their Iso-Lounge chair created in partnership with Jasper Morrison. Developed over an intensive 18 month period at the Isokon+ London workshop, the elegant, cantilevered design is made of engineered plywood. It might look simple, but the streamlined form is all thanks to the technical performance of plywood. Plywood gets its strength and stability from multiple sheets of thin wood veneer, which are usually glued together with the grain of each layer running in different directions. Morrison has refined the process; adding extra layers in some places for resilience, and reducing them in others to allow the chair to flex. Find out more here.

Innovative space-saving designs by Less Is Better
Image credit: Less is Better

My favourite discovery of LDF was Less Is Better – a young British company based in Cornwall making a range of sustainable, practical solutions for modern homes. Their clever, functional designs include foldable desks that are perfect for small, compact spaces and our nomadic lifestyles.

With more of us working from home in tight, multi-functional homes, we need furniture that can adapt to our needs and evolve with our spaces. Many of us want a dedicated workspace, but just don’t have the room. The Lean desk can be positioned against a wall and adjusted for sitting and standing positions. Cork discs keep in place (ideal for renting – no drill or tools needed), while a cork surface folds out to hold a laptop or keyboard. It’s made of FSC certified oak and cork, comes in two sizes with two rack colours and starts at £485.

The Fold desk is secured to the wall and folds up to practically nothing, protruding by just 40mm. Thin ‘dyneema’ fibre rope conceals the design’s strength. When not in use, the desk is held up by a magnet concealed in a cork disc, which in turn provides a pin board to display notes and inspiration. Available in two sizes, three colours and three wood finishes, it’s priced at £545.

New Muse light by Tala x Farrow & Ball
Image credit: Farrow & Ball and (c) James Merrell

Lighting company Tala has collaborated with paint brand Farrow & Ball to create a sustainable portable lamp for the home. Developed in partnership with Charlotte Cosby, head of Creative at Farrow & Ball, Muse combines LED technology with premium, repairable materials. With no plastic in sight, Muse can be broken down into parts that can be repaired or replaced at the end of its life, offering a ‘circular solution to a climate conscious home’.

Muse is available in three bespoke colours: Pleasure Garden (green), Candlenut (white) and Hackles (black). It has a battery life of up to 24 hours and delivers a warm dimmable light for both indoors and outdoors.

Priced at £275, shop here. 

Homefolks debuts for the first time at Lines & Curves
Image credit: Edvinas Bruzas

It was a pleasure to discover Homefolks at their first public exhibition at Lines & Curves as part of Islington Design District. Homefolks was founded by Zoe Imber and Romain Parize, bringing together their French heritage with traditional British craft.

‘A reflection through aesthetics and functionality tinged with playful sophistication, the Homefolks collection crosses boundaries between design and art,’ they say. Reflecting its founders philosophy of living, Homefolks values and believes in the emotional expression of objects and aims for its products to inspire and become reliable partners, playing a meaningful part in everyday life.’

Their Rive side table looks like something that might have come out of Barbara Hepworth’s studio. Made in Cornwall using ebonised oak, it’s a play of forms, balancing two organic, pebble shaped pieces on top of each other. Available from November 2021.

New designs from Benchmark
Image credits: Image 1, 2 and 4 at the British Museum: Jake Curtis, image 3 and 5: Sam Walton

Also at Planted in King’s Cross, Benchmark showed off a couple of new designs. The new OVO chair collection is a collaboration with architects Foster + Partners and includes an armchair, stackable side chair and a lounge chair. Crafted in solid European oak or American walnut, they have a wonderfully tactile form. I particularly like the softened edges of the backrests; you can’t help but run your hand along the back of them.

With a focus on sustainability and wellbeing, the range has been independently verified as being carbon neutral, meaning the chairs store more carbon than is emitted during manufacture, distribution and use. Rather than plastic foam, the upholstered seats also use organic lambswool. Indeed, Benchmark now has labels on each of their designs detailing the carbon footprint so customers can be fully aware of the impact on the environment.

If that all sounds rather serious, there’s the Smile Stool by Jaime Hayon to bring a lighter mood. A seemingly simple design, the playful Smile stool has a carrying handle that gives the four legged design a cheeky grin. Made of solid American cherry with a clear oil finish, it’s even better than carbon neutral (the carbon stored in the wood exceeds all carbon emissions that come from its manufacture and production). The Smile Stool also comes with Red List Free and Declare labelling, offering complete transparency and detailing where a product comes from, where it’s made and where it goes at the end of its life. It also means that the piece is free of any harmful chemicals. Priced at £495, shop here.

As well as lifetime repairs, Benchmark have also launched a ‘Take Back’ scheme where furniture can be returned to them to be either refurbished, re-purposed or resold.