Irish Pride at London Design Festival

Our pick of Irish talent showing at this year’s London Design Festival?

September is always an exciting time for finding out what Ireland’s most talented creatives have been up to. Starting today, as it does every year, the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland will be presenting new work from contemporary Irish designers at the London Design Festival 2014. This year’s exhibition, entitled Weathering – curated by Steven McNamara and running until Sunday 21st – examines the stripping-back of excess and ?the slow process makers undergo to unearth and express an object’s essence, revealing its true potential?. Weathering represents 25 designers and makers of varying disciplines from ceramics to basketry, and includes lots of exciting collaborations, two of which particularly caught our attention.

Above: Matt Jones’ spalted Irish beechwood peppermill series for Makers and Brothers

The first is Matt Jones with Makers and Brothers. We’ve seen this pairing grow through the design and production of the first peppermill, and this knowledge of each other’s working methods shows in the refined aesthetic of their extended series for LDF.? It’s all made in Ireland from rare spalted Irish beech, whose wild black spidery pattern dominates the minimal form and makes each one individual.

The second collaboration that pulled us in is the Stanley Lounge Chair by Horizon Furniture with Molloy & Sons. With a frame of Irish oak, and the seat upholstered in Donegal tweed by Molloy & Sons, the form immediately lends itself to its function, remaining true to the idea that furniture should be beautiful, useful and made to last.

Weathering runs from September 18?21 at Tent London as part of LDF 2014.

Are you heading over to the London Design Festival? Tell us what catches your eye and send us your snaps on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For another cool craft collaboration, check out our Irish cut-glass revival story.

Sheenagh Green for @image_interiors