Therefore, the cool elegance of monochrome was a rival to vibrant colours. But recently attitudes have softened and a more inclusive attitude towards design has been apparent, particularly in the realm of colours.
In the current exhibition, Monochrome and Colour at their gallery at 231 Westbourne Grove, W11, Themes and Variations celebrate this coming together.
The show features examples of both trends, ’70s steel and black glass coffee tables alongside dynamic, vivid furniture like Yves Klein’s blue
pigment table next to an enamelled table that Tom Dixon, head of design at Habitat, has designed specially for this show.
Also on sale is Italian lighting from the 1970s, such as the floor-to-ceiling lights by Leonardi & Stagi, contemporary lamps by Belgian designer Mathilde Alessandra and this 1969 Italian Esse table, above, by De Pas, D’Urbino & Lomazzi for Acerbis, which has steel legs supporting a white wood top opening to reveal a black extension.
The exhibition closes on October 25.
Also
HRW Antiques, with its array of antique furniture from the 17th to 19th centuries, is a popular call for interior designers and decorators, but this well known Fulham firm has now moved up in time to incorporate a new 1000sq ft showroom devoted entirely to 20th century furnishings.
The move into later material, explained HRW’s Iain Henderson Russell, “is aimed to appeal to the younger market and suits the current trend for minimalist interiors”. In keeping with the HRW look, the company is concentrating on design classics with an emphasis on fine wood and on cabinet-made and architect-designed pieces.
To launch their initiative, the firm is presenting a selection of their new 20th century stock at the Rebecca Hossack Gallery at 35 Windmill Street, London W1. The pieces they have selected, which will be on show until October 10, have a strong emphasis on Scandinavian design from the 1950s and ’60s with plenty of rosewood furniture and Holmegaard glass designed by Per Lutken plus 1960s English glassware from Whitefriars.
The turn of the tables
According to Themes & Variations, the West London dealers in 20th century decorative arts and contemporary design, for the past three decades minimalism has developed alongside a taste for baroque extravagance, but without converging.
