My Design

Here is some fabric that I designed for my last project this term. The flower-like shapes were actually inspired by the lotus root (a vegetable often used in Japanese dishes) The colours come from spring flowers like daffodils. I originally designed it will garden furniture in mind, but found a competition to design a tent so this is the design I came up with. 

To get to the judging stage I need my design to be in the top 3 so if anyone wouldn't mind voting I would really appreciate it, you literally click vote and that is it, only takes a second! https://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/227826/voteable_entries/53256681

I would absolutely LOVE my design to be made into the real thing, would be amazing!

Lovely Paintings

Love the kitties :)

Came across a great artist today called Richard Friend, I absolutely love his paintings! The colours are gorgeous together and I love all of the patterns and textures. The kitties in his paintings make me love them even more! Here are a few of my favourites...

Pretty Purple :)

One of my favourites, reminds me of a patchwork quilt!

 If you want to check out more of his work here's the link to his Facebook page, he also has some great giveaways going on at the moment! https://www.facebook.com/r1chp4ge

Summer Sunnies

http://www.smartbuyglasses.co.uk/designer-sunglasses/Ray-Ban/Ray-Ban-RB2140-Original-Wayfarer-Polarized-901/58-4219.html?sd=1

I absolutely LOVE Ray Ban sunglasses, especially these gorgeous ones! I love the classic black frame, they would go with anything! They are also unisex so ideal for everyone, I want some!!

http://www.smartbuyglasses.co.uk/designer-sunglasses/Ray-Ban/Ray-Ban-RB2140-Original-Wayfarer-Polarized-9O2-57-5668.html

Or there are these lovely tortoiseshell ones which are equally gorgeous, and are also unisex!


These are just a couple of my favourites, but there are many more so check them out here: http://www.smartbuyglasses.co.uk

Design Competition

So I'm pretty sure I have annoyed the hell out of everyone by going on about it, but I am in first place to win a holiday to Miami in an interior design competition run by Trident insurance! Check out their website if you are interested in interior design, they post some really interesting and quirky stuff on there! If you could throw a vote my way while you're there that would be great, it's the pic that says March 21st under (middle right)
https://www.facebook.com/therealtrident/app_279467752083815

Pavilion Hotel

The Pavilion Hotel near Hyde Park looks absolutely amazing! The rooms are each individually designed and have their own themes (and quirky names!), and they all look superb! I would love to join the supermodels, actors, famous musicians and TV stars that have graced this hotel with their presence! And as if staying in the same hotel isn’t enough, I could visit the celebs (or at least very good models of them) at the nearby Madame Tussauds famous waxwork museum. Another nearby attraction that I would love to visit is Hyde Park, where I could voice my opinion in the famous ‘speakers corner’ and visit the beautiful and historical Marble Arch. I could then head down Edgeware Road and take my pick of restaurants (sushi is my delicacy of choice!)

So, amazing decor throughout and close to so many attractions, this seems like the perfect place to stay for a great few days in London!

 LINK 1- http://www.hotel.info/en/blog/free-nights-london-hotel/
LINK 2 — http://www.hotel.info/en/london/hotels-125449/

Summary

I have found it very interesting researching Kente cloth. I love all the bright colours and definitely want to use more of these in my work. I also like how the cloth is made up of lots of small pieces of weaving attached together. I would like to use this technique in my work, not just with weaving but with a range of different materials. For example, rather than printing onto a large piece of fabric I could print onto lots of small pieces and then stitch them together. Another aspect of Kente cloth that I have found interesting is the symbolic meaning of the patterns and colours. It has made me consider how colours affect us and what significance they may have. It has also made me think about how clothes can symbolise status, and certain people wear certain types/styles of clothes. I think that doing this research has definitely had an effect on my work, and people who have seen my samples have said that they look very African inspired.

Contemporary African Interior Design

http://www.architonic.com/ntsht/trends-salone-del-mobile-milano-2009/7000308

 

Phillipe Bestenheider

African textiles in general have a great influence on modern day design, Kente in particular because of its bright colours and geometric shapes. This chair by Philippe Bestenheider is an excellent example of this. He has taken a traditional Kente pattern and woven it in striking colours. This is made more contemporary by the modern minimalist shape of the chair itself. "The weaving with textile bands in contrasting colours creates a unique pattern which recalls the Kente fabrics from Ghana." (http://www.architonic.com/pmsht/kente-varaschin/1106039)

http://www.anthropologie.eu/en/uk/for-your-home/icat/forhome/

Tord Boontje

On the right is a chair by Tord Boontje inspired by Kente cloth and traditional African weaving. The chairs are made contemporary by the use of digitally drawn patterns and woven using coloured plastic threads. The plastic thread used is the same vibrant nylon cord that is used to weave fishing nets in Senegal , a country in West Africa.