‘Series’ chair designed by Frank Wardle, 1971 for Duport Design Studios. Photograph by Ed Tritton. Richard Snell – Emeritus Professor of Birmingham City University’s School of Architecture and Design and co-curator with John Hall of the forthcoming Midlands Modern exhibition at Parkside Gallery – shares with us his pick from the show: the Vono ‘Series’ chair, designed by […]
Design Market: an interview with Lionel Obadia
It’s always interesting to meet mid-century furniture dealers from outside the UK, and learn more about the marketplace abroad, so here we catch up with Lionel Obadia, who tells us why his company, Design Market, has something different to offer. Business partners Lionel Obadia and David Mimouni. All photographs courtesy of Design Market. What inspired […]
Alexander Girard: A Designer’s Universe – A Good Read
Alexander Girard: A Designer’s Universe, Vitra Design Museum, 2016. Designed by Brighten the Corners In MidCentury 10, we explore the colourful world of Alexander Girard, currently being spotlighted by the Alexander Girard: A Designer’s Universe exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany. For those of us unable to visit, […]
The Kissing Fish archive: rediscovered fabric designs from the 1950s
Hetta and Ben Nicholson modelling ‘Henrietta Street’ by Kissing Fish. All photographs courtesy of Ben Nicholson. Having featured stories of re-discovered designs – and designers – from the 1950s and ’60s, we were thrilled to come across a new textile design company, Kissing Fish. Having happened upon a frayed portfolio containing dozens of mid-century […]
Kaj Franck’s Scandia cutlery: the relaunch of a mid-century classic
Scandia cutlery designed by Kaj Franck, produced in Hackman, Sorsakosi, Finland, 1952-89. Photo: Otso Pietinen Kaj Franck’s Scandia cutlery range, originally designed in 1952, has recently been relaunched by Iittala. The Finnish designer’s creations – including the Teema tableware and Kartio glass series – had a huge influence on the mid-century table and on […]
Sheila Bownas: the first ever exhibition
Untitled patten by Sheila Bownas, c.1950-55. Image courtesy of The Sheila Bownas Archive Although MidCentury readers probably need no introduction to the work of Sheila Bownas, it was less celebrated in its own lifetime – despite Bownas producing designs for the likes of Liberty’s and Marks & Spencer. In 2008, the Bownas archive was […]
Modernist pattern: an interview with Erica Wakerly
By Hilary Light Erica Wakerly’s design work combines Modernist design with traditional processes and craft to create wallpaper, fabric and tiles alongside bespoke projects. In 2006 she established her design label of the same name and her work is now distributed internationally, having won numerous British design awards. As part of London Craft Week, Erica […]
A seat on the train: an interview with textile designers Wallace Sewell
By Hilary Light Wallace Sewell’s colourful geometric forms adorn everything from scarves, throws and cushions to Transport for London (TfL) moquettes. Strongly influenced by the aesthetic and ideology of the Bauhaus period, the UK-based woven textile design studio, established by Harriet Wallace-Jones and Emma Sewell after graduating from the Royal College of Art (RCA) in 1990, […]
Curator’s Choice: John Piper’s Abstract textile design
With the opening of the exhibition John Piper: The Fabric of Modernism at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester, Simon Martin, Artistic Director of Pallant House Gallery, tells us more about John Piper’s 1955 ‘Abstract’ textile design.
Our favourite Instagram accounts for mid-century inspiration
Instagram can be a brilliant source of inspiration for design enthusiasts, from discovering gorgeous interiors to little seen designs by lesser known designers. And there’s plenty on the mid-century theme to be explored and enjoyed too. Here is a selection of our favourite mid-century Instagram accounts (aside from our own @midcenturymag account of course!) – do […]
Mid-century pattern: its enduring appeal
Peter Hall’s reissued ‘Verdure’ fabric. Photograph courtesy of Winter’s Moon By Hilary Light Mid-century pattern: a testament to its allure The endurance of mid-century colour and pattern is testament to its allure. From atomic design to the organic flora and fauna of 1960s flower power, there are many inspirations to take from the mid-century period, and plenty of […]
Lucienne Day: Walls of Silk
Photographs courtesy of the Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation By Andrew Casey Lucienne Day is best known today for her pioneering textile designs from the 1950s and ’60s, particularly her iconic ‘Calyx’ pattern, which was shown at the Festival of Britain in 1951. Working chiefly for the London store Heal’s, her work was unified by […]