In all my years going to trade shows & exhibitions I have never been anywhere as busy as Grand Design Live Birmingham last weekend, packed to the rafters with fans of The God Who Is Kev. If those numbers are anything to go by, the UK doesn’t need any national house builders, it just needs to get it’s act together on self-build mortgages and individual sellable plots! It really was a case of Don’t Walk, Shuffle as thousands of GD fans explored products, services and individuals there to help their build dream become a reality. Mr M & I were sourcing with the EcoReno of Moregeous Mansions in mind and though there was a lot I’d seen before, there were still some new finds and spots I wanted I’d share with you.
I enjoyed a mooch around the Eco House, particularly liking the Babylon light by Object Interface Inc with it’s low energy bulbs and tumbling greenery. Couldn’t quite get my head around the grass table, it gave me disturbing thoughts of bugs in my breakfast and the cat being too lazy to *go* outside…..
KevGod clearly liked the cardboard Bravais armchair, by Manchester’s Lazerian, judging by his expression of caught -in-the-act-fondling…. we liked it too 🙂
There was a definite sense of natural beauty in design at the show, as indeed there was at LDF13. Lots of timber, lots of earthy products.
These solar panels below, designed to look like slate, encapsulated the feel of wanting practical eco products to ‘blend in’ more.
I liked the curved lines of these metalwork drawers and the battered, reclaimed, personality filled timber fronts.
Totally fell in love with these brass lamps and others on the Bath based Felix Lighting stand – just gorgeous:
Have you ever seen a concrete look so inviting? I’ve heard about a firm mattress being good for you but I’m thinking this design might not make it indoors, definitely one for the garden.
I loved the look of the leather floor made from old belts, and the feel of it… yes, that is my foot!
And this bench, with it’s incorporated message, a really unusual take on customising your furniture.
These doors slid back beautifully to reveal an internal courtyard, exactly the design I have for our new build. Just made me want to get on with it!
How’s this for an unusual radiator by Jaga called Play…..
An unusual take on domestic and relatively simple / cost effective garden walling……
And despite the crowds, we managed to fit in an interiors talk by Jo Hamilton, meeting Manchester architect Ric Frankland at his ace Dwelle house, joining the RSPB after chatting with the very nice man on their stand and listened to a talk including mention of Japanese wineberries which was such a coincidence as I’d never heard of them before this week, when we were offered some whilst on our wood hunting mission. I have the feeling that everywhere I turn now, there will be Japanese wineberries, which I don’t mind as they were delicious and will definitely get planted here once Moregeous Mansions is ready for a fruit garden!
I super love that mattress. I would use it indoors.