Katie Sellers

Things I see, do and share... Images I snap of my material explorations, musings of exhibitions I've wandered around and scenes from daily life that capture my attention.

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Mylands Paint

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Mylands Paint

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Guest blog: Stylist Katie Sellers on how to decorate with blue

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Spring Summer Colour Round Up

Spring is finally upon us and the seasonal sentiment of a fresh start often leads us to hanker after new ideas to freshen up our homes. Interiors stylist Katie Frade talks us through the trends to look out for this season…

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browse our hints and insider tips on visiting lisbon and its wonderful eclectic furniture tastes

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Check out our review of this years 2016 London design week with our favourite features and trends.

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Guest blog: Creative paint ideas with Katie Sellers

To celebrate this season’s coastal-inspired colour trend we asked super-stylist Katie Sellers to come up with her own interpretation of our Coastline theme.

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Sofas & Stuff has teamed up with Katie Sellers and the outcome is beautiful! Katie Sellers has combined our fabrics in these gorgeous trend moodboards!

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Inspirational Moodboards by Katie Sellers - The Chromologist

Using Farrow & Ball paints, stylist Katie Sellers charts the colours she's currently inspired by, referencing artists John Hoyland and Betty Woodman

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Collaborative Thinking

So London Design Festival maybe over for another year but my desk remains cluttered with brochures, postcards etc acquired over the few days of racing my way round the capital. It’s quite an overwhelming week with so many exhibitions and events staged across the city to celebrate Design in all it’s guises. But what a delight it is to be exposed to such a variety of artists, designers and big brands, indulging oneself in a visual feast (followed by torment at WANTING everything my eyes widened over).

I merrily snapped away from the main events like Decorex, 100% and Tent etc; my Instagram was on high alert for a few days so I feel no need to now highlight everything I admired. But what has been interesting is flicking through all the pics I took to see if I subconsciously gravitated towards any sort of ‘thing’. And it appears I did.

(L-R, Top: Sofa & Room Divider for Efasma by Bureau de Change seen at 100% Design, Loom Chair by H Furniture & Ptolemy Mann seen at Design Junction. Bottom: Knit Stool by Curver seen at Design Junction, Thales bench by Jesscia Light,Liam Treanor & Rachael South seen at Decorex )

These collaborations above each grabbed my attention - all for their tactility, craft and function.

The unity of handwoven surfaces with very graphic forms in the Efasma collection, bridges that often gaping hole between domestic and commercial use. I’d happily plonk my derrière on those chairs both at home and in a swanky hotel thanks to the craftsmanship providing a welcome softness to the architectural shapes.

Weaving clearly is having a moment as the Loom Collection by H Furniture was inspired by the structural appearance of traditional looms. The strong elastic cord creates the seat itself and with the involvement of Textile Artist, Ptolemny Mann the addition of colourful chord options has been developed to enable customers to create bespoke palettes.

The handwoven linen braid by Jessica Light was used by chair caner Rachael South, to weave the seat on Liam Treanor’s ash wood bench. As well as showcasing how Passementerie can be used on a larger scale, this is a great example of creative (tri) collaboration. The exchange of expertise develops a fresh perspective on each skill involved.

And the Knit collection from Curver has responded to the surge in popularity of all things handmade too. Deep-surface injection moulding (sounds impressive) has been developed in partnership with contemporary designers to push the innovation of their plastic products further.

In summary, these working partnerships have generated unique results. When a design question is posed and then subsequently solved from different starting points, the answer is usually an exciting one.

Another of Jessica's creations popped up at Tent too. This time her stunning creations were used in conjunction with the Dulux Colour Futures installation where a select group of designers were asked to showcase their interpretation of the ‘Colour of the Year’ 2016, Cherished Gold.

And the floor was covered in Kit Miles’s signature style too. A criss cross of colour, weaving around the static installations. Thus proving again that when more minds are involved, the more refreshing the results.

All of the collaborative work mentioned involved designers and skills from the world of Textiles. Which is probably why I gravitated towards these examples of ‘making’  -  my inherent pull to anything embodying craftsmanship & colour . So for my current, past and future students at Central St Martins, it just goes to show how versatile our discipline is. And how working together should be celebrated.

*I’m not a journalist or an expert of anything in particular, I merely observe & muse. Facts are true in my mind but not necessarily factual to others.*

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One is never enough..

1, 3, 5, 7 or more. As a Stylist, it’s an occupational necessity to group things in an uneven number. Not sure why a duo or a quadruple stack of plates never looks quite as good as their trio counterparts. But it just is. Fact. And as a Textile Designer, repetition is always a winner so the current installation of Ian McIntyre’s A Ton of Clay plays favourably into my love of a collection.

McIntyre has been investigating industrial scale craftsmanship hence his presentation of hundreds of plates & bowls for this years Jerwood Makers Open. The display grabs you upon entering the space, so incredibly tactile (so incredibly frustrating not being able to touch); almost like voluminous meringues that have beautiful subtle variations and irregularities. Singularly, the effect wouldn’t be quite so pronounced. Like any display, the more-the-merrier on view makes the goods all the more enticing. And when displayed tonally, the shift of light & shadow creates depth & interest to the eye (of the yet-beholder).

I’m in LOVE with the Astier De Villatte store on the oh-so swish Rue St Honore in Paris. The predominately white ceramic collection is all the more delicious for their delicate edges, uneven textures and slightly wobbly appearance. All set against a wonderfully, almost abandoned interior which is the perfect backdrop for the pieces. The stacks of goods on the shelves, dressers and tables make you slightly woozy as there’s just too much choice. But I did manage to decide on one plate on a recent visit. It’s happily hanging on my wall with some other finds but it’s my new ‘thang’ to buy a piece each time I hop across the channel, so that one day I might too have a creaking sideboard with a pile of wonky plates to admire.

The single colour approach to a collection certainly ensures that the focus becomes all about shape. The stunning Alice Anderson exhibition at the Wellcome Collection is an exploration of memory through sculpture. But visually it was a sensory experience of copper and curiosity. The everyday objects have been wrapped meticulously in copper threads; devoid of branding or associated colours, the objects take on a revered appearance on their simple black plinths like archaeological finds. This varied selection of everyday objects (binoculars, TV, tools, ladders etc) transformed into ‘art’ by the precise and tenacious method of mummifying, has created an evocative space to wander around.

In contrast, years ago, the brilliant exhibition entitled Waste Not by Song Dong was a fine example of how decades worth of clutter, with no obvious connection other than it was all housed under his Mother’s roof, was curated to be seen as a collection of memories and out of necessity.

Visually this totally contradicts the tonal beauty of what I highlighted above but the volume of repetition made a lasting impression on me and illustrates that collections of goods shouldn’t solely be concerned with aesthetic (my Pendelfin obsession as a child is a prime case in point) but if you treasure something(s), then go ahead and show them off.

*I’m not a journalist or an expert of anything in particular, I merely observe & muse. Facts are true in my mind but not necessarily factual to others.*

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Marble

On a recent holiday to Tuscany, I glimpsed at some of the marble graveyards, heaving with slabs of the stuff, which was quite breathtaking from the road yet (sadly) snapping a pic whilst driving wasn’t on the cards but this video by Yuri Ancaroni spectacularly documents the Marble at source.

https://www.nowness.com/story/artist-yuri-ancarani-il-capo?utm_source=tw&utm_source=Master%20List&utm_medium=SM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tw270715&utm_campaign=4d7fc92dc0-CCHQ%20Weekly%20Roundup%20-%2031%20July%202015&utm_term=0_04051a3fb3-4d7fc92dc0-85171925

Marble is certainly having its ‘interior’ moment (despite the material always having been a popular choice in both Architecture and Sculpture). The interiors world has adopted it as a must-have, with magazines featuring many a luxurious marble kitchen island and leading contemporary designers (Lee Broom, Tom Dixon, Bethan Gray et al) are feeding this revival by designing some fabulous contemporary products that filter down onto the high street with consumers readily taking a (shiny or matt) white & grey accessory home. Me included. A bespoke marble table top from Diespeker is now our dining table and a recently purchased chopping board is there to be admired (no one dare actually chop on it)

But a couple of marble related things have caught my attention this week. Firstly a bit of Trompe L’Oeil.

Lelievre has launched a range of fabrics depicting the veined appearance of the rock, to fool the eye into thinking that curtains are in fact a luxurious, rippling marble wall.  And Chesneys have debuted a phenomenal marble bath that has been sculpted to emulate drapery.

Traditionally associated with bookbinding, Marbling is a technique which creates unique & spontaneous surface patterns echoing the striations and swirls found naturally in stone.

Pernille Snedker Hansen has reinvented this typically small scale craft by applying it to wooden floorboards, creating striking multicoloured environments that mimic natures own patterns but with colours more nu-rave than au-naturel. Also upping the scale is an American wallpaper duo called Calico who have also embraced this craft and blown it up to fill wall spaces with their rich marbled creations.

A recent visit to see the Jerwood Open Makers 2015 showcased 2 artists whose practice nodded at this ancient technique too. Jasleen Kaur displayed plastic busts with a marbled finish, mimicking the mass-produced buckets often found in hardware shops. And Silo Studio capture the movement of liquid resin by creating a series of bowls which have flowing surface patterns too.

All of which reminded me of my experiments with nail polish and water when I was a first year Textile student. Inspired by my writing of this post, I almost passed out from nail polish fumes in my non-ventilated office space to bring you this marbled concrete tile. This could be the start of a new venture....or perhaps I should just leave it to the craftsmen.

* I’m not a journalist or an expert of anything in particular, I merely observe & muse. Facts are true in my mind but not necessarily factual to others.*

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Seasonal Sparkle

So these little sandals seem to be gathering quite a bit of attention when we’re out n about at the moment. Be it from coo-ing fellow Mums demanding me to remove the shoes to take a look at the brand name (or if the queue of smelly toes waiting to try them on at Gymnsatics is anything to go by), toddlers (including a boy) quite like them too. Which is fortunate as my brief was ‘sparkly party shoes’, so I think I’ve nailed that one.

(FYI - shoes are by Minorquines from Sarenza - if I had a £1 for everyone who has asked, I’d have a lot of ice cream money for the summer ahead!)

Rainbow bright hues were another requirement so it seems that Iris is quite on-trend as there’s been a fair bit of the same brief appearing at the recent Christmas Press Shows.

(L-R :  Talking Tables, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Dobbies)

The multi-coloured entrance to the John Lewis festive extravaganza was a Dualit grotto showcasing their classic toasters but in all shades of rainbow. The jewel-like glass baubles from Marks & Spencer follow suit. And Talking Tables, as ever, have a tantalising new collection, which just makes me want to throw a party for the heck of it (which will come in handy for the big 4-0 which I’m planning, not mine I hasten to add… quite yet) and this, err tasteful, little Princess Fairy Queen was snapped at the Dobbies/Tesco show as a reminder to myself that our tree might ‘need’ one when the actual festive period is upon us.

Christmas in July is always a slightly disconcerting affair. Immersing oneself in reindeer and baubles on what always turns out to be one of the hottest days of the year, makes your seasonal ‘dar all a jitter.

But thankfully a seasonally appropriate date in the calendar, which marks summertime, (actually in Summer) is the unveiling of the Serpentine Pavilion. This year it was a Spanish Architectural Practice, which had the privilege of creating the 15th experimental and temporary structure that is always hotly anticipated. In todays’ glorious sunshine, it glimmered on approach and certainly has a playful appearance thanks to the multi-coloured wrapped structure allowing colourful shadows to be cast upon our feet (& on ‘those’ sandals).

A bit of a Hungry Caterpillar/disco ball hybrid in Hyde Park, making it not a bad thing to visit. A little flimsy and for some, could err on the tacky with the choice of iridescent plastic materials chosen for the installation but I/we enjoyed our little immersive experience amongst the sparkly sunlight.

And if you want a bit of all-year round rainbow beneath your feet, this delicious After the Rainbow rug by Sonya Winner is being exhibited at Tent London in September. You could always fire a confetti cannon over it for that extra dash of dalliance if required!

 *I’m not a journalist or an expert of anything in particular, I merely observe * muse. Facts are true in my mind but not necessarily factual to others.*

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Do you always wear blue?

Yes, it appears I pretty much do. An observation from a friend the other week (whilst I was riding my blue Tokyo bike, with my blue helmet & my blue bag and later, having left said bike in my blue hallway, surrounded by blue coats from the hooks above) made me take stock of both my wardrobe and my house. I clearly like blue.

These little peeks of my home were shot (by photographer Ben Anders) a few years back for a magazine and illustrate that I’m quite partial to a range of hues and I’m quite happy to mix it all up, a life-size living paint chart I s’pose. Which is handy as I love nothing better than perusing paint ranges, imagining what my next colour scheme will be. It’s just lucky that Blue is having it’s moment so I don’t need to bring in the decorators just yet but instead lust after the possibility of dotting new shades around the home.

This week saw the launch of the new Blue collection from Little Greene; inspired by the indigo/denim trend found all across the catwalk, they’ve translated this versatile colour group into a capsule collection of 21 shades (plus new wallpapers to boot).....of which Smalt and Air Force Blue would be a welcome addition somewhere in my house. I just need to find that long forgotten corner.

L - R Little Greene, Ian Sanderson, Boro, Eden Hassell CSM

Ian Sanderson furnishings tap into this too (along with many other Blue collections from the interiors world as indicated by the numerous press releases I’m receiving of late). Their Indigo Revisited collection is an enticing mix of prints and weaves, putting their own twist on traditional techniques, offering a tactile range of fabrics that would sit well with the paints mentioned above (and in that corner if I ever find it..)

I love a bit of handicraft so their interpretation of Shibori and Ikat along with  bold textural gestures reminded me of the stunning Boro exhibition I saw at Somerset House last year. This in itself requires far more than just a sentence or two but the spectrum of blue alone was a delight. Patched together, lovingly restored and passed down the generations make these Textiles a fascinating study in necessity as-well as simply being appreciated for their very contemporary appeal.

This exhibition visit developed into a Denim brief for my Fashion & Textile Students at Central St Martins. Taking the humble cotton cloth and re-working it into a myriad of surfaces and garments; an inspired use of unusual materials such as the blue tack and porcelain above, made us appreciate the universal appeal of blue (denim) in many new guises.

L- R Colour Makes People Happy paints: Winkle, Blue Robin, Next To This Is Nothing, La Sacre Bleue

Fortuitous to me, the wonderful Colour Makes People Happy paint shop is round the corner from home and they very kindly let me loose on their paints a few months back. I happily whiled away the hours working out colour combinations and throwing in concrete, lino, plasticine and card just because. The results being small snippets of tactile colour rather than seeing them solely as a flat colour on the wall.

And only last night, my dad proudly announced that he was ‘getting with it’ and painting his front door Grey. I gently informed him that he now needs to revert back to his paint chart and start over again. Greys are going (or at least into the wings for now) and the Blues are back.

(Picture from Lepusitmidus on Pinterest)

* I’m not a journalist or an expert of anything in particular, I merely observe & muse. Facts are true in my mind but not necessarily factual to others *

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Loving the carpet remnant textiles by #georgiafleck at the #centralstmartins @csm_ba_textile_design BA textiles show. And great to see many of my ex foundation students. Super work. http://ift.tt/1Hia0Nn

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I need this colour amongst all my blues #mudaustralia #mudceramics #porchesterplace #opening #ceramics http://ift.tt/1fGFNLR

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The simplicity of two intersecting lines forming a grid never fails to capture my eye. On recent trip to Paris, the iconic double escalator of the Le Bon Marche was as impressive as expected (not to be confused with the not so chi-chi Bonmarche of our local highstreets, the kind that my Gran used to frequent in Chorley..) 

Weaving its way upwards towards the atrium in a lattice like formation, it glides shoppers onto the fashion floors above; a piece of interior architecture, which upholds the status of this swish Parisian destination.

Having researched a bit about the history of the shop for my MA dissertation many moons ago, I was keen to experience this space. Heralded as the first ever department store, the finery of this Beaux Arts building creates an as-enticing environment today (whoops, discovered that APC was cheaper) as it did for those Victorian leisure-pursuing classes at its’ inception. The 1989 escalator installation by architect Andree Putnam references the steel structures synonymous with the local area, in-keeping with the original design by Gustave Eiffel.

This little tourist trip led me onto a Pinterest peruse, checking out more grids in interiors. There are lots around. I wouldn’t define it as a fleeting trend as it’s never gone nor will it go away. My admiration of a minimalist aesthetic doesn’t transcend into my actual home life but one can dream for a Fronzoni pendant or Crittall-esque sliding doors.

The bronze cast of pavement cracks by Cornelia Parker, pictured below from when I visited her exhibition at The Whitworth Art Gallery and the simplistic mark making of monotypes seen in Mira Schendel’s work at Hauser & Wirth appeal to my appreciation of linear qualities across the spectrum of art & design.

And the tiled interior of Jean Pierre Reynaud’s (1969) La Maison de la Celle- Saint-Cloud is just as relevant today. The uniformity of the grid pattern and geometric form can be seen in the set design of the newly launched Anglepoise collaboration with Eley Kishimoto. And two of my favourite brands are championing the grid too - Darkroom and Hay.

So all that’s left to do is check out the relatively new Southerden Patisserie and admire the Eley Kishimoto wallpaper whilst eating a Mille-feuille, reminding me of my Parisian weekend away surrounded by grids and cake!

* I’m not a journalist or an expert of anything in particular. I merely observe & muse. Facts are true in my mind but not necessarily factual to others.*