100% percent design could have been 100% overload, but I was on a super-market sweep of design shows on Friday, so extremely focused on designers, makers and products that fit the carefully curated bill of form, function and friendly to the environment.

A quick sweep down the ‘Emerging Brands’ alley revealed a few eye-catching stalls.  First, some delightful lamps made from laser-cut birch ply by Drws Y Coed on Anglesey.  Next were clean, contemporary printed fabrics, wallpapers and lampshades from Lorna Syson (pictured above).   Lorna’s collection of interiors accessories use sustainable materials such as wool, nettle and organic cotton.

Desinature‘s collection of lamps and nest boxes reflects a love of the natural world, and desire to inspire people to connect with it.  We loved the honey comb lampshades made of felt and dyed with environmentally friendly inks, and the new Lily lampshade made of FSC-certified paper.  Their products are all made in the UK, and come delivered in a neat, folder that slips through the letterbox.

Once out in the fray, we were also drawn to St Judes’s artist-designed wallpapers and fabrics.  Their fresh, subtle designs are printed in small runs in Norfolk.  The Glade pendant lamp from James Smith Designs in willow and steel cast a wonderful dapple light.

Watching Ben Creed, craftsman and designer at deVOL kitchens  at work in the flash factory behind the deVOL stand, it was fascinating to see all the tools and sawdust surround the spindles and seat in progress.  An opportunity to pause and reflect on the skill involved in working with wood.

A quick pitstop at David Colwell’s stand to admire the O range.  The chair, made of steam bent ash and recycled copper tubular rivets, is extremely comfortable.  Using the latest in saw technology, David has developed a method to eliminate two thirds of the timber processing and virtually all of the need for dust extraction from the construction of the chair.

With a last gasp before I headed over to see ao textiles, I took in the Corkigami chair from Carlos Ortega.  The seat is made of cork and water-based PVA glue, and the whole chair can be easily assembled and dissembled.  Around the tree has made another innovative use of cork, as an upholstery material on its chairs.  There was more cork on display at Design Junction……