Tent London is an interiors trade show that specialises in showcasing the latest in independent contemporary interiors products – furniture, lighting, ceramics, textiles, materials and accessories. The National Design Academy attended this years event, the sixth Tent London, to see what new products stood out.
StudioJonMale
Jon has turned his hand to many creative endeavours over the years, and his current interest lies in lamps that he creates by merging parts of old light fixtures he finds on Ebay.
StudioJonMale from NDA Foundation on Vimeo.
Alex Garnett
For some oversized spray can tip stools, giant submerged I ‘Heart’ New York mug chairs and ice cream and skull lamp shades, Alex Garnett is your man. Some weird and wonderful items that could easily be used in the right interior to add a bit of interest and surrealism.
Here Sarah introduces us to her new lamps.
Sarah Turner from NDA Foundation on Vimeo.
Popalipana
The Silva Patio chair by Popalipana is an unpretentious patio / lounge chair with a great Caribbean aesthetic.
Popalipana’s from NDA Foundation on Vimeo.
Sonya Winner
From bright lights to bright rugs. Sonya Winner creates bold and striking rugs constructed of concentric shapes. Her designs are inspired by famous artists work and can be wall hung as well as laid on the floor.
Sonya Winner from NDA Foundation on Vimeo.
Zoe Murphy
This was Zoe’s fourth year at Tent. Her uniquely upcycled furnishings are doing very well and it’s easy to see why.
Zoe Murphy from NDA Foundation on Vimeo.
Node
A non-profit social business that produces all their rugs with Kumbeshwar Technical School in Katmandu, Nepal. The school was set up as an education and support centre for disadvantaged people.
node from NDA Foundation on Vimeo.
The rugs are all designed by top contemporary artists from around the UK, but any design can be made if so desired. The finished rugs are entirely hand made using traditional Tibetan carpet making techniques and pure Tibetan wool. The results are beautiful, merging traditional crafts with contemporary illustrators, graphic designers and artists.
Understorey
If contemporary sustainable funiture is more your bag then Understorey have a very considered approach to funiture design. I was most impressed with their coffee table that consists of three wooden pegs, clipped to the table top and held firmly in place by rope twisted around a stick.
Understory from NDA Foundation on Vimeo.
SEER and VINCENT / VERA
One of the most impressive things I saw launched at Tent was this SEER table and chair set. It was impressive because it married function and form perfectly to make a table and chairs for four people seemlessly transform into a table and chairs for eight people.
SEER Table from NDA Foundation on Vimeo.
Freeform International Ltd
Fresh Taiwan was a stand that brought together many talented designers from Taiwan. It was an impressive array of many different homewares, but what I liked the most were the elegant Waving Tree cup holder, ZEN jewellery stand and The Blue Bird door hooks.
KIMU design
Although these aren’t strictly interior items I couldn’t help to be charmed by the Detective survival guide Notebook by KIMU design. 
Laszlo Tompa
The work of Lazlo Tompa on the Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency stall was very impressive. His Flower Lamps and Cube Illusion box are lathe cut geometric shapes, cleverly fitted together to create an optical trick of the eye.
Kristjanas Williams
Former fashion designer Kristjana Williams has turned her talents to interiors, creating a wonderful collection that features vintage imagery that has been retouched and layered to make colourful fantasy landscapes featuring a plethora of objects and animals.
Tamasine Osher Design
This was the last stand I came to before leaving Tent and what a nice way to remember the show by. Tasasine Osher has been causing quivers with her designs for a little while now. Here she was exhibiting her new space saving shelf come bike rack, spring stools and wood pendant lamps.
