After years of making components for names such as Bang and Olufsen, Vifa have created their own range of award-winning wireless speakers that combine Scandinavian styling with exceptional sound quality. Pop into W&L today for a demo.

The first of our hand-picked autumn/winter accessories are now in, with new ranges being added over the next four weeks. Do pop in to our Bathwick Hill showroom if you are looking for the perfect gift for the festive season, or follow us on Twitter for our regular updates on our new arrivals!

We’re very happy to announce that our recent flash sale raised £622.70 for the Bath Food Bank! Thank you to our team who worked so hard to raise the money for such a deserving cause.

Our week-long flash sale will start this Saturday, 26th September, at 10am.

10% of all proceeds will go to our chosen charity – the Bath Food Bank.

There will be up to 60% off all items, including furniture, accessories, lighting and fabric remnants.

It’s first come, first served and we won’t accept reservations, so get along early!

We look forward to seeing you there, at our new showroom studio next door at number 3 on Georges Place.

The interior design industry got off to a roaring start after the New Year celebrations with several of the world’s leading design events taking place in London and Paris.  Maison et Objet, Deco Off and Focus showcased products from top design companies across each sector, from ironmongery to luxury drapery and trimmings. Each event offered an inspiring window on what the design world has to offer for 2015. From the sublime to the ridiculous, we have studied and observed the key themes from each show so that you can get the low down on what’s hot and what’s not in interiors this year.

Decadent Revival

After the doom and groom of a recession, you could really feel a shift in confidence through the designs presented. There were flashes of true decadence through the use of highly polished metallic and exotic marbles, with the high-end interior companies featuring sumptuous fabrics and thick carpets to sink into. All a pleasant contrast with the more paired-down looks we have seen of late.

For those with a taste for bling, the shows didn’t disappoint. There was a distinctly glamorous flavour, reminiscent of 70s interior design but with a contemporary twist made possible by developing technologies and techniques in manufacturing.

Colourful Life

Grey tones have featured strongly over the last eight to ten years, replacing the warmer and creamier tones we saw previously. In both the September and January shows at Maison et Objet, the use of earthier neutrals was evident. This trend falls inline with the fashion and automotive worlds where bronzes and soft browns featured prominently in the latest collections and ranges.

Think less chocolate browns and much duskier hues of ochre. All accented with smokey blues, pinks, greys and greens. The Mesissen stand was a brilliant example of how these colours combine. A sophisticated, slightly seventies feel accented with soft pinks and blues. Then contrasted with striking and highly polished gold lamps bases.

In addition to the moody tones on view, the use of stronger, bolder colour abounded, particularly in home accessories. Our team particularly liked the designs by Dome Déco. Available in a myriad of brilliant blues, vibrant pinks and ochre yellow, their accessories offer the prefect opportunity to add splashes of colour to a scheme.  All off-set by brushed coppers and rose gold vases and candles sticks.

Material World

Bronze, antique brass and highly polished gold metallics featured across the collections from both high-end and more accessible designers. Together with highly inventive combinations of materials including ceramic tiles facing cabinetry and dramatic combinations of mixed veneers and metals on furniture.

The most interesting pieces combined natural materials such as marble, with highly polished metallics. Jonathan Adler, for example, in his distinctive style exemplified this look through his furniture design with striking effect.

A particular highlight for me personally was the work of accessory designer Michaël Verheyden. The beautifully crafted vessels combine marble and brushed gold collars, with the base wrapped in colourful, soft to touch suede.  A sophisticated, elegant and timeless collection.

Return to Form

Geometric pattern and highly structured and graphic shapes were strong characteristics of many of the designs featured. Particularly amongst furniture, lighting and fabric collections.

The Boca do Lobo stand at Maison showcased a collection of highly distinctive and individual pieces that would create a bold statement in any scheme. The Heritage sideboard cabinet, faced in Delft tiles and lined with gold, is a particularly striking piece, as is the Piccadilly Eclectic cabinet incorporating a series of square panels of metallic gold, painted finishes and mirrored detailing.
The Symphony cabinet continued the theme, made up of a series of gold cylinders connected to create the form of the piece. The strong, clean lines creating striking texture and depth.

Leading fabric houses incorporated geometric patterns and linear shapes within their designs. Mulberry, Larsen and Zimmer and Rohde use embroidery and printing techniques to dramatic effect. Zimmer and Rohde’s Ara fabric diamond motif is the perfect example, combining strong use of contrasting colour and shape.

We have been busy incorporating our latest finds within schemes for clients and we are looking forward to seeing what the world of interiors brings in September for Autumn too.

Interior & Garden Designers Nick Woodhouse and John Law are opening a temporary gallery next to their premises on Bathwick Hill in order to show exciting, new work from third year students studying Textile Design for Fashion & Interiors BA (Hons) at
Bath Spa University. Six students have been selected and one of these will become Woodhouse & Law’s Student in Residence for a year, benefitting from W&L’s vast experience in the field of Interior Design.

Nick Woodhouse, who heads up the Garden Design wing of the business explained
‘We have wanted to put something back into this area, as we feel Bath has supported us whilst growing our business. We want to help students hoping to make a career in Interior Design find the right path, help build their confidence, understanding of the work place and skill sets so they can happily move on to the next stage of their career.
We worked with Amanda to select students to exhibit in the show and one talented student will be offered our time, resources and mentoring. We will make that choice at the end of the two week show. This will be an annual competition and we are excited to see how it will develop.’

Amanda Goode runs this very popular course and is delighted with the interest and enthusiasm Woodhouse & Law have shown as it is vital to get students’ real work experience.
‘We are really looking forward to our association with Woodhouse & Law. Nick and John have been very generous with their time and I know this will be a wonderful, nurturing experience for the selected students. They will be able to carry on living in Bath and develop their own style within the inspiring, real work environment provided by the team at Woodhouse & Law. Our course is very much about experimenting with style, colour, technique etc but within an active office there will be some real hands on learning opportunities, with all the benefits found when working within a team of committed professionals.’

The Gallery will open with a private viewing on Thursday 30th April and will then run for two weeks. There is parking available on Bathwick Hill and it is an easy walk from the City centre. The Gallery will be open from 10am – 4pm Weds – Frid, 10am – 2pm on Sat
The show will close on the 16th May. The students at Bath Spa then prepare for their degree shows which will be on view at Sion Hill from 6th – 12th June.