out and about :: tent

I rushed back from the West Country on Saturday and headed straight over to the East side of town for this year’s TENT, and boy was I glad I did!

Tent London 2010

Hosted in the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane; Tent London is one of London Design Festival‘s edgier events…… featuring forward-thinking design across all disciplines, including contemporary and vintage design, architecture and interiors.

Here are my best bits:

Bahia chair by 20age (photography: Ismael Moumin)

20age Bahia chair

20age have covered this vintage Parker Knoll in over 5000 Brazilian luck charms. The lucky riboons are traditionally tied around the wrist, with a wish made for every knot, which will come true when by the time the ribbon falls off. Here they create a fabulously fun and quirky chair design.

Flux chair

Inspired by folded paper sculptures; this gorgeous folding chair is suitable for outdoor use and folds flat incorporating a carrying handle. I’m always happy to see some aesthetic appeal injected back into useful objects.

Furniture Magpies desk

Furniture Magpies‘ rather lovely pieces of furniture are made entirely from… pieces of furniture – I suspect Martino Gamper thought of the idea first, but nonetheless, these are quirky and charming examples of my favourite type of recycling.

Penelope Jordan textile art

I’m a sucker for a bit of felt!

Zoe Murphy

Another wonderful example of reusing rather than recycling; Zoe Murphy promotes the idea of ‘loving what belongs to you’ by printing images inspired by her seaside hometown, Margate, onto vintage furniture and textiles. She’s my top tent pic – to quote Will Farmer “grab her designs while you can afford them”.

Further reading for the especially geeky: