What to look out for at London Design Week 2017

Ahead of London’s Design Festival which begins on Thursday, Charlotte Blake rounds up some of the best bits to look out for

In the pantry: the new Skandium showroom in the capital’s Thurloe Place

London will once again open its doors to designers for 2017’s London Design Festival which runs until next Sunday, 24 September. With so much to see, so many events to attend and a host of talks to be inspired by, here are the must-visits and the highlights.

First up are the Lapada fair and Decorex – both run until Wednesday. Lapada will be showing the finest arts and antiques in Berkeley Square, while Decorex, returning to Syon Park, in the west of the capital, is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

To celebrate, award-winning interior designer, Shalini Misra has been commissioned to design the Champagne Bar. Inspired by the Great Exhibition of 1851, expect an exclusive interpretation of one of the world’s most prestigious showcases of design and innovation.

Carpets and furniture by Bloomon

The show will also take inspiration from the four senses – sound, smell, touch, sight – and will offer visitors the chance to explore these interactive areas.

“Touch” sees a collaboration between Country Life magazine, the Campaign for Wool and three industry greats, who consistently support the use of British wool in their products: Brintons, Roger Oates and Zoffany. They will all be showing the innovative ways this natural fabric can be used to create everyday objects and products we have in our homes.

This all on top of the usual display of great design. Must see stands include Vispring’s, where they will be showcasing their exclusive collection with Missoni Home, Vanderhurd which will show its new rug collection and Dedar which will launch a tactile collection of wall-coverings inspired by traditional Chinese lacquerware techniques

Another dimension: Bloomon floral tunnel

Focus/17 runs from 17 to 22 September and features a whole host of talks. Style Library, the official home for six of the best British brands: Zoffany, Harlequin, Sanderson, Morris & Co, Scion and Anthology are presenting their brand new showroom for the first time, and are also part of the talks programme with The Alchemy of Colour by Zoffany. Peter Gomez will be taking the audience through a journey of how Zoffany set up its Alchemist studio to distill colour back to its purest form. There will also be a sneak peek of the new paint colours launching October.

Just a short walk away from the Design Centre, luxury flooring brand, element7, have joined forces with House & Garden, Tara Bernerd and Rita Konig to host a Design Masterclass (18 September) discussing the latest design trends in walls and floors.

Scandi lighting: Vita Copenhagen (Vita Copenhagen)

100% Design (20-23 September) and Design Junction (21-24 September) will then pick up the design baton. At 100% design Bethan Gray presents new monochrome marquetry and brass pieces from her Shamsian Collection, and a hand carved marble tea set. Danish lighting company VITA Copenhagen will also be taking up residence at 100% Design, showcasing its brand new collections – Asteria, EOS up, Willow, Champagne and Aluvia. The Asteria is a first for the brand, as it features LED lighting.

At Design Junction look out for floral subscription service, Bloomon, which will be installing a flower tunnel in the Granary Square. The tunnel will lead to a hidden doorway, where Bloomon will be hosting flower workshops and serving floral cocktails.

London Design Fair (21-24 September) will showcase the best in design from around the world, including stands dedicated to Finnish and Dutch design. The Seoul Design Festival will have a South Korean exhibition, growing on the recent popularity of Korean brands, home fragrance Soohyang. The stand will be showcasing designs by Bmixx, OIMU and Thence.

Foodies will want to drop into Smallbone of Devizes (Brompton Road/Thurloe Place) and Kitchenaid (Wigmore Street), which are both celebrating design through food. At Smallbone (21 September 4-8pm) there will be artisanal wood and leather demonstrations hosted by Smallbone’s master craftsmen as well as an interactive pasta-making masterclass from Electrolux Grand Cuisine. At Kitchenaid, The Serious About Food Kitchen Lab, which was shown first at La Triennale Design Museum during Milan Design Week, is finishing its tour at Kitchenaid’s flagship store. The eight kitchens, designed by eight designers will be on display from 18-22 September.

At Clerkenwell, Spanish designer, Cristian Zuzunaga will be taking over the BD Barcelona store on Berry Street with his new furniture collection. Finally, representing design in Mayfair, Alessi will be showcasing its AW collection.