Design Junction – a taster

The Design Junction preview this week was a visually exhausting (but most inspiring) three-storey adventure. The event is on all weekend, part of London Design Festival. Details at the end. Meanwhile, here's what I found out...

Among the new works launched by illustrator artists agency, Outline Editions, is work by the most excellent, often rude and very funny (unless swearing offends you): Mr Bingo. (Above, some of his non-expletive sheep.)

HAMmade, them of the lovely trampolining bunnies and lawnmowing pigs, have gone in for the statement of the season: metallics (specifically copper, which was glimmering warmly everywhere at the event). The company has deviated from its standard monochrome prints with this copper-coloured beauty.

London Underground – still celebrating their 150-year anniversary – are collaborating like they mean it: in the mix, Fired Earth have done some themed tiles...

...and a range of reproduction posters...

...and Kirkby Design have done some textiles.

Farrow & Ball have some new shades with typically unusual names. The range is inspired by the Dorset coastline.

But, specifically, just how damn good is their way of displaying them?

These bright and beautifully designed lamps – which can either be hung or stand on elegant mahogany legs – are made largely from recycled stuff by a company called Fantasized. The recycled stuff comes direct from the scrap merchants of Cebu City in the Phillippines, which has a large waste problem and overflowing landfills. The shades are discarded electric fan guards (hence the company name) and the strips are waste from a woven chair factory.

Copper and bronze also made an appearance on the brand new card range and limited edition prints from the lovely Lovely Pigeon. I was also impressed with their oh-so-this-season take on washi tape.

Otherwise known by keen gardeners as the stuff you put round your pots to keep the snails off. Genius.

I discovered Jay Watson, who makes lights out of old socks.

He also makes chandeliers out of "orphaned" old glass dessert bowls from flea markets. He has named them Just Desserts.

Another Country have started selling nice wooden numbers. Beautiful, but not especially cheap if you need more than one.

Finally, I discovered that fruit and vegetables look really good painted white.

So much more good stuff there too see – not to mention the rest of the London Design Festival. It all continues over the weekend. Design Junction runs until Sunday 22 September 2013 at The Old Sorting Office, 21-31 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1BA. Opening Hours:  Friday 20 Sept. 10am-7pm; Saturday 21 Sept. 10am-6pm; Sunday 22 Sept. 10am-4pm. For everything on at LDF 13, go to the website: Londondesignfestival.com

Post by Kate