Time for Design

At the end of April, Phillips in London is holding an auction, ‘Time for Design’, to raise funds for the final stages of development of the new Design Museum.

The Design Museum is relocating to Holland Park in November this year. Having stood vacant for a decade, the West London building is being transformed into a 21st century museum by a team led by John Pawson - an architect known for his minimalist aesthetic.

The donations for the auction have come from design greats like the late Zaha Hadid, Thomas Heatherwick, Norman Foster and Antony Gormley. Talking about the auction, Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic explains "Friends of the museum ... have donated such outstanding pieces, often from their personal collections, to help us fulfil our ambition of creating one of London's most important new cultural sites."

There are some incredible pieces for sale like this 'D-Sofa' by Ron Arad. Born in Tel Aviv, Arad now lives and works in London, with a studio in Chalk Farm. He is known for pushing heavy materials like metals to their limits and creating objects that go against the grain - this sofa is a great example of his rejection of traditional soft furniture. 

We were obviously devastated to hear about Zaha Hadid's recent passing, her creative brilliance was a major asset to British creativity, architecture and design and she truly left a mark on the cities her creations still stand in. Philips is auctioning this collection of her 'Bianco Covelano' low tables from the 'Mercuric' collection.

We were also intrigued by this large chandelier by Tord Boontje, made from enamelled steel, clear crystal and crystal AB coating. He is widely known for his famous Garland light that was a sell-out Habitat high street piece. Tord wants to stress that modernism doesn’t always mean minimalism. His work blends traditional methods and design with contemporary technology to create sensory pieces. 

Paintings from Christie's Interiors December Sale

This painting by Hercules Brabazon Brabazon really caught our eye for its subject matter and colour palette. Brabazon was an accomplished watercolorist, after graduating in Mathematics from Cambridge University, Brabazon travelled to Rome to study art, pursuing his true passion. During his life he continued to travel, mostly across Europe, to explore the artistic feats of artists such as Velazquez, who he greatly admired. His watercolour style was also very much influenced by Turner. This work below depicts Santa Maria della Salute in Venice and is painted in watercolours heightened by white on blue paper. The colouring is sensitive and subtle yet still evokes this Venetian scene.

These next drawings, by Henry Parsons Riviere, are on sale as a pair. One depicts the Colosseum in Rome, the other shows a view at Tiber and St Peter’s Cathedral. Like Brabazon, Riviere was also a renowned watercolorist. He also travelled to Rome where he lived and taught for several years. During this time his work became increasingly focussed on ancient ruins and Rome’s historic landscape. These works are both executed in pencil and watercolour, and are beautifully detailed.

This painting by Fred Yates has a lovely colourful and cheerful quality which caught our eye. Yates took up painting during his time as a painter and decorator. In 1970 he moved to Cornwall where he painted outdoor landscapes scenes, and became commercially popular following the Tate’s ‘St Ives’ exhibition. His work is often likened to L. S. Lowry for its aesthetic similarities. This painting below depicts the town of Urmston in Manchester, Yates’ hometown, and we love the use of blues, yellows and reds. A work like this would enliven a modern interior, and look lovely in a muted colour scheme to add a splash of vibrancy.

'Made in Britain' // Sotheby's

We had a difficult decision choosing just a few of our favourites, but take a look at some of our highlights and let us know what caught your eye!

Howard Hodgkin’s work always catches our eye for its expressive colouring. The work below, entitled Moonlight (1980) is a beautiful lithograph printed in colours with additional hand-colouring. Hodgkin is one of Britain’s most important printmakers and painters and his bold style is completely captivating. Since the 1970s expressive patterning has dominated his work, combining printmaking techniques, bold brushstrokes and bright daubs of paint to produce punchy abstract works that would instantly enliven a room.

There is a finely balanced tension that we find interesting in Victor Pasmore’s work; the balance of saturated colour and fine black strikes. We were drawn to this piece entitled Senza Titolo (1991) for its unified hue. A work like this can really inform a colour scheme if you are designing a new interior, or help to tie together an existing colour scheme. We are inspired by works of art and their expressive colours and often use them as starting points for a new project’s colour scheme.

There was also a fantastic selection of ceramics on sale. The four pouring vessels by Rupert Spira, below left, are beautifully elegant in their shape and blue glaze. We were also drawn to the ceramic pieces on sale by Lucie Rie. The footed bowl, below centre, has a beautiful matt blue glaze and bronzed rim. On sale were also ceramics from one of Britain’s most respected and influential potters, Bernard Leach. The fluted bowl, below right, is made from porcelain with a celadon glaze. Its size, form and neutral glaze give it a sense of timeless elegance that would sit beautifully in either a modern or classic home.

We were also struck by the painting on sale by Mary Fedden. Fedden’s work is characterised by her use of bold, often contrasting, expressive colours. The vivid colours in the painted still life, below, left, with reds, purples and greens would really bright a vibrant splash of colour to a neutral room. We often enjoy pairing vibrant works of art with interiors that have muted colour schemes, and tie it in with details like cushions that work with the colours.

With the Tate’s major retrospective on this month, we were also looking out for works by Barbara Hepworth. The lithograph printed in black and yellow, below left, is beautifully harmonious and would perfectly compliment an interior with a muted and subtle colour scheme. The screen print, below right, by Ben Nicholson has been printed on woven silk. The delicate quality of the material blends beautifully with his subtle and sensitive colour scheme. Whether your interior is modern or classic, works of art that are elegant and subtle like this piece can really add charm to your home.