Contemporary, Romantic and Vintage?

Charlotte Medin's work is a wonderful combination of contemporary, romantic, and vintage all at the same time. This is achieved by a muted colour palette of oyster, pearl and dove greys, lifted by accent colours of rose and raspberry. The pretty floral motifs are given structure, as they are combined with geometric and architectural style printed wallpapers and pleated fabics. The effect is subtle and understated, yet highly technical in nature, and Charlotte's work is certainly one to watch. Charlotte can be contacted on charlottemedin.madethroughprocess.co.uk.

At Icon Interiors, we are always looking for talented new designers, to add invididuality to our interior design schemes. This is how we add value to our clients, and continue to source new talent both in the UK and around the world.

Showcase - Kerry Milverton

This particular artist's work appealed to us at Icon Interiors, because of the unique themes within the work, and the understated colour palettes.

Kerry Milverton's designs also use existing items, and reinterpret them in a bespoke way, ie the wall hangings with the abstract designs were originally piano scrolls, and have featured in designer fashion premises.

A recent graduate from the Winchester School of Art, Kerry's themes of naturalistic motifs and earthy african colours were unique amongst the other artists, and have strong commercial value. All of Kerry's works are available for purchase, and she can be contacted via kerrymilverton.madethroughprocess.com.

Profile - New Designers with Vintage Style

At Icon Interiors, we are constantly looking for new sources of inspiration, especially bespoke pieces which cannot be found on the high street. After the pared down, clutter–free styles of the 1990’s the interior style of the recent decade is evolving into increasingly layered and eclectic designs. Vintage and nostalgia are still key influences, but we seem to be seeing a divergence within these sectors. On the one hand we are seeing upholstered chairs and sofas covered with heirloom fabrics, such as tapestries, samplers and clothing, combined with hand-knitted/hand-crafted pieces to give a homespun vintage feel to them. On the other hand, we are seeing a classically English motifs such as cupcakes, teapots and roses being interpreted in a contemporary way, evoking a feeling of romantic nostalgia.

The recent graduate show at the Winchester School of Art, showcased a wealth of talented textile and print designers, with students managing to balance strong commercial awareness, but still pushing the boundaries of existing trends. The blurring of lines between interior design, fashion and fine art continues, as each discipline re-interprets established boundaries and morph into one another.

A key star of the show was Deryn Relph, with upholstery and accessories in awe inspiring combinations of magenta, fuchsia, pistachio and orange. The use of contemporary fabrics with knitted pieces, created a vintage style, that was still fresh and contemporary, yet commercially viable.

Vintage Style Glamour...

"An Aladdin's cave of gorgeousness..." is how Atelier's founder Abigail Ahern describes her Islington shop. Described as "One of the coolest places to shop in the UK" by Elle Decoration, this retail space offers a variety of interiors products, with Alice in Wonderland qualities of bright colours, over scale items, and quirky pieces.

The furniture includes ostrich console tables, contemporary chesterfields, and coffee tables in shocking pink lacquer. Teamed with luxurious textiles, and accessorised with silver reindeer heads, the look is glamourous vintage, with a whimsical twist. The artwork includes pop art style old masters, and the lighting collection includes a traditional chandelier made of wire, and a poodle floor lamp with vintage shade...a signature piece! See www.atelierabigailahern.com for more info.

Classic English Country House

Classic english country style is a combination of different layers of styles, encompassing influences from colonial history, China and India. The paisley motifs and enlarged chrysanthemums are both symbols steeped in asian history, and are used in many different ways in english country house decoration.

These images from William Yeoward epitomise the english country house style, reinterpreted in a contemporary way. Exquisite fabrics are combined with elegant hand made cabinetry and accessories to complete the scheme. Colour palettes of cool neutrals with accent colours of soft blues and aquas bring this look right up to date. For morning rooms or dining rooms, the clotted creams and yellows work beautifully in a warm, south facing room.

Contemporary Fireplaces

Sourcing the right kind of fireplace is key to defining the particular style of a room. The kinetic light offered by a fire is often a focal point, and careful thought should be given to the design.

These beautiful designs by Kal Fires can incorporate other functions, such as display alcoves and audio-visual systems by designing additional bespoke cabinetry. They work particularly well in contemporary interiors, and a variety of materials can be used to create wonderful compositions. As you can see in these images, the aperture of the fireplace is offset to create an asymmetrical design.

At Icon Interiors, we are currently specifying these products for sitting rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. They would also work wonderfully in ski chalets or country cottages, with lots of log storage.

This corner fireplace would also work well in a modern London apartment, and can be teamed with contemporary plasterwork to create a major focal point.

Edgy Upholstery...

The traditional skills of the upholsterer are taken to new levels by Aiveen Daly - http://www.aiveendaly.com/ - who adds intricate floral designs, pleats and love knots to her designs. The style is glamorous, and evokes an era of 30/40's hollywood, with designs in merino wool, silk and satin. The pleated designs can be added to dining chairs or fireside chairs, and add a bespoke tailored look to any interior design scheme. At Icon Interiors, we work with our clients to design bespoke pieces that are individual and unique.

Many of the chairs feature stiletto style legs, and some of the more risque pieces have bodice style lacing and buckles to continue the theatrical moulin rouge/bordello theme . We haven't quite used these designs as yet...but you never know!

Alice in Wonderland...?

Sourcing large scale furniture, with the correct proportions to suit larger country homes, can be a challenge. At Icon Interiors, we use a combination of bespoke pieces and key suppliers to furnish country houses and hotels. This range of furniture from Christopher Guy - http://www.christopherguy.com/ - challenges perceptions of scale and proportion, and pushes the design boundaries to create signature focal points in any interior.

The composition of tall backed chairs, with a twisted murano glass chandelier, accessorised with a signature mirror and hall table, works wonderfully in a large entrance hall. For a library space or for a hotel lobby, these asymmetrical wing chairs are an edgy take on the traditional library wing chairs. Again, think composition - these chairs are artfully arranged around a curved console table, and overscale artwork dominates the scheme. Don't be afraid to mix design eras to create an eclectic interior style. Good design should follow the rules of balance and proportion. These tall, oval-backed chairs are teamed with elongated art deco style mirrors, which flank a traditional painting.