DECOREX REVIEW: A TOUR WITH KIT KEMP PART 1

A journey through Decorex with Kit Kemp – by Jim Evans

[Short versions of the article first published in Bridge for Design, Winter 2013]

In an east meets west theme of ‘The Silk Route’, the honour of designing the entrance to the interior designer’s must-see UK show, Decorex International, was handed this year to Kit Kemp.

Picking up the mantel after Nicky Haslam [more from him in Part 2] and Dame Vivienne Westwood last year, we were given a masterly class of up-scaling for the luxury sector with all the bold trademarks expected by the renowned Firmdale Hotel founder and designer Kit Kemp.

She has an eclectic style that when dissected has many believing they can take on the elements of vintage finds and art installations, injected with tactile and vibrant new fabrics and wallpaper and bring it all together with aplomb. But the trick, dare I say genius, is that she obtains an overall high-end luxury result every time. Not so much shabby as always chic.

Now in its 36^th year ,this interiors and luxury design exhibition was relocated to the royal garden of Kensington Palace. This year allowing an expansion of over 300 exhibitors including two new tents.

It’s the UK’s essential calendar event for any budding designer looking for the very the best in international craftsmanship and quality with many established names rubbing shoulders with new and up and coming names, making for an exciting medley. I couldn’t help be affected by many eager faces of visitors trying to contain their intoxicating excitement.   This year we take a trip around some of the highlights as pointed out by the boutique hotel designer Kit Kemp.

The show is becoming such a treasure trove of proudly presented home inspiration that even when you think you’ve covered it all thoroughly I found that through the eyes of someone else another layer was peeled back to unearth beauties one could have missed.

Lapicida were showing what wonders are possible with their incredible technology which can turn a CAD-style 3D drawing on to a sculpture from either one solid block of marble (they had a beautiful 60’s sports car on display), or even more interestingly applied to flooring designs like this pillowed wall covering.

Moans of contended ‘oohs’ from our crowd as they caressed the wall “it’s so soft looking I didn’t think it could be marble” exclaimed what we all were thinking.

Keen to read on through our journey to Part2?