Events & exhibitions

The inaugural May Design Series took place at Excel earlier this week. The carefully edited show combined highlights of the existing shows Interiors UK, KBB and The Arc Show with a brand new event called DX which presented a hand-picked selection of cutting edge products and ideas for the interiors market, along with a round up of some of the best new products from the European show season.

It was great to catch up with Designers Block again at Interiors UK last month. Last year Graham and I exhibited our trends project with them at the Birmingham event (and later again in Milan). The space they create at Interiors UK is always the hub of the show, injecting a uniquely fresh, relaxed and fun vibe into the event.

This year they created a department store, Designers Block & Co., complete with a lighting department, a perfume counter by scent artist Olivia Clemence and white goods by sculptor and illustrator Camilla Barnard.

Another high point of the event was the New Design Britain Awards. The brightly coloured weaves above are by Sian O’Doherty who picked up the best textiles award.

Here are some of the highlights from Designers Block, plus more from the New Design Britain Awards and the rest of the Interiors UK event.

In what is being billed as the biggest ever celebration of wool, The Campaign for Wool will be launching ‘Wool House’ at Somerset House in March. The event will showcase fashion and interiors alongside artisan craft techniques such as spinning, weaving and knitting.