Grand designers

IF you’ve ever yearned to own a piece of homeware which is unmistakably the work of well-known designer, you’re in luck. A host of famous names are now also creating homeware collections, which means you can dress your rooms as stylishly as you dress yourself.

“In the current market there’s definitely evidence of selected extravagance in homeware sales, with an increasing awareness of designer collections,” says Kate Mooney, managing director of Occa-Home, which specialises in designer brand homeware and features collections by Mulberry Home, Vitra and Missoni.

“People feel that designer brands equate to style, luxury and quality, and by possessing them, those positive characteristics translate to their home. There’s a growing desire among home-lovers for name-drop pieces for rooms, much in the same way as fashionistas crave Mulberry bags or Louboutin shoes.”

There’s a glittering array of designers to choose from. Well-established specialists in interiors, such as Kelly Hoppen and Tricia Guild, are being joined by fashion designers, such as Ben de Lisi and Matthew Williamson, who are bringing a touch of catwalk glamour and glitz to our homes.

Buying one signature piece and making it a star in a room could be a wise buy, says Mooney: “A trend for fast interior fixes is waning and instead, people are investing in timeless, classic, designer pieces that are well made and will stand the test of time.”

Manchester-born designer Matthew Williamson has a host of celebrity devotees for his fashion range, including Sienna Miller, Keira Knightley and Cheryl Cole, and he’s rapidly acquiring a new fan base for his homeware.

Colour, nature and international travel have all shaped Williamson’s clothing collections and those themes are echoed in his interiors range, too.

He says: “India’s exoticism had an enormous impact on my work. I was enthralled by the exquisite craftsmanship, vivid colour palettes and extraordinary beadwork and jewelling.”

He describes his home collection as “an abundance of explosive kaleidoscope colours meets interesting shapes and patterns” that brings a taste of exotic escapism to a home.

Williamson style: Striking ikat prints, sequin and applique embellishments adorn soft accessories and bedlinen in the Butterfly range. Double duvet covers start at £50, cushions, from £20, are adorned with atmospheric sepia images, and vibrantly coloured bird-shaped candle holders are £8 each. All from Debenhams.

BRITISH style icon Celia Birtwell is a textile designer known for her distinctive bold, romantic, and feminine designs which draw influences from Picasso, Matisse and the classical world. Described as “the face that launched a thousand prints”, she started out creating fabrics for her husband Ossie Clark in the Sixties, and created clothes for The Rolling Stones, Paloma Picasso and Twiggy.

But she’s also been designing textiles for interiors for nearly 30 years, and her fabrics grace many leading hotels.

She says: “This year I’ve focused on three areas – fantasy, featuring creatures and birds.

I love nature and delight in making it slightly surreal; mystery – I love using mysterious motifs and dark colours in my work; and I’ve designed a ticking-style stripe that’s quite subtle and makes you think of old-fashioned laundry maids – maybe I was influenced by Downton Abbey a bit with that one.”

Birtwell style: Her homeware collection has a vintage, hippy chic feel and includes fabrics such as Candy Flower, from £18 a metre, and cushions, from £35. Available from John Lewis. Birtwell’s fabrics are also available online.

RENOWNED for dressing celebrities on the red carpet, American-born fashion designer Ben de Lisi has turned his talents to interior design. He says: “It doesn’t matter if I’m designing for a curvaceous body or a square room – I keep it pure, elegant and rich, never overstated.

It’s hard-working chic.

But there should always be a twist so it’s neither over-the-top, nor too minimal.”

De Lisi style: His bold, colourful home collection for Debenhams has proved a huge hit, especially items inspired by his French bulldogs.

Trio of dogs cushion, £20, and zingy geometric Flash bedlinen starts from £35 for a single duvet set.

RISING star Lisa Stickley in the interiors world who’s tipped to be the next Cath Kidston.

Her nostalgia-inspired interiors collection has a homespun, almost home-made feel, and has attracted fans such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Kirsten Dunst and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Lisa, 32, says: “I think with the current economic climate people are searching for a slice of nostalgia.

It’s always comforting to go back to basics and indulge in a little home comfort – but also to have something chic and elegant that makes you smile.

It’s lovely to see people embracing the traditional values of Britishness.”

Stickley style: Her range has an “at home with the Aga” feel and her latest Buttercup collection features kitchenware scattered with flowers and wire cake stands. Her Posie collection includes bedlinen and pretty Posie china, including a plate for £9, available from Debenhams. She also has her own shop in the capital and a bath and bedlinen collection at Heal’s.

DESIGNER DESTINATIONS
Celia Birtwell: 020-7221-0877, celiabirtwell.com
Debenhams: 08445-616-61, debenhams.com
Heal’s: 020-7636-1666, heals.co.uk
John Lewis: 0845-604-9049, johnlewis.com
Lisa Stickley: 020-7737-8067, lisastickleylondon.com