May Design Series trade show: Karim Rashid

Pacing back and forth across the platform, world-famous New-York designer Karim Rashid (wearing his trade-mark pink suit, naturally) held an audience spellbound at the May Design Series trade show at ExCel earlier this week.

By the end, people were sitting on the staircase to hear and get a better view. He talked without notes for about 50 minutes, well exceeding his allotted spot. Memorable quotes: "Design is an extension of capitalism"; "time is the fourth dimension"; and "I hate museums - I want to live in the now." And his design motto; "Observe, respond, manifest, disseminate."

Karim must be one of the most prolific designers ever - he has over 3000 (yes!) designs in production, over 300 awards and is working in over 40 countries. At home I have his Garbino bins - and has told me that they are one of his fave products, too - in production for pushing 15 years, and issued each season in new fashion colours. I got my latest two from John Lewis.

Photograph by Barbara Chandler: flickr.com/photos/barbarachandler. Follow Barbara on twitter @sunnyholt. Visit barbarachandler.co.uk

Chelsea Flower Show 2013: award-winning gardens

By Pattie Barron

The Awards are in! The coveted Gold, Silver-Gilt and Silver medals have been awarded to Chelsea's Show Gardens and, perhaps because it's centenary year, there are no lacklustre Bronze medals. In fact, for the first time, 10 show gardens were awarded RHS Gold medals. Everybody is a winner - but who has what? Take a look, and see if you share the judge's opinion.

• More highlights from this year's Chelsea Flower Show

Best in show and gold medal winner

TRAILFINDERS AUSTRALIAN GARDEN: designed by Fleming's Nurseries
Melbourne designer Philip Johnson creates an exuberant Australian landscape that focusses on water management and natural habitat gardening - that is a real crowd pleaser. Not surprisingly, this won the highest award and is a great note for Fleming's Nurseries final hoorah at Chelsea - they've exhibited nine times at the show in the past, and won five gold medals - though maybe after this accolade, they might reconsider!

Other gold medal winners

THE TELEGRAPH GARDEN: designed by Christopher Bradley-Hole
Christopher Bradley-Hole's beautifully restrained garden, more about architecture and sculpture than plants, not suprisingly won a Gold medal. However the word from the crowd is that as a back garden, you might get tired of the never-changing landscape....

THE WASTELAND: designed by Kate Gould
Unusually, acclaimed designer Kate Gould sponsored her own garden - and it paid off, gleaning her a Gold. The Wasteland depicts a garden that has been created from discarded materials, giving them a new lease of life. Who could imagine that the charming filigree wall was created from old shopping trolleys?

THE LAURENT-PERRIER GARDEN: designed by Ulf Nordfjell
Cool, elegant and contemporary, the Laurent-Perrier Garden unites the classic styles of French and English landscaping with the sure signature of Swedish landscape architect Ulf Nordfjell. A great garden to wander in...but where are the seats?

THE M&G CENTENARY GARDEN - 'WINDOWS THROUGH TIME': designed by Roger Platts
No surprises here - Roger Platts' gorgeous garden celebrates the last hundred years of England's gardening heritage, and somehow manages to embrace different styles from cottage-garden to prairie planting, without cluttering the space.

THE HOMEBASE GARDEN 'SOWING THE SEEDS OF CHANGE': designed by Adam Frost
A hand-crafted working wooden beehive is just one of the charming and useful features on this quintessential family garden from designer Adam Frost. Designed with a small family in mind, the garden provides the space to emjoy an everyday connection with food - many of the plants are edibles - and with nature.

THE BREWIN DOLPHIN GARDEN: designed by Robert Myers
Although this is decidedly a crisp, modernist garden, many of the plants used are British natives, showing that you can mix wildflowers with garden cultivars, with great results. Robert Myers' fresh take on a central lawn is worth noting: squares of grass edge a looser centre of topiaried box cushions surrounded by long deschampsia grass. A sure-fire Gold.

THE ARTHRITIS RESEARCH UK GARDEN: designed by Chris Beardshaw
Chris Beardshaw's love of plants is obvious in this garden, and it is a pleasure among the abundance of green-and-white show gardens to see such a diversity of colour and texture, from the towering echiums to the dainty pink cranesbill geraniums. Surprisingly, many of the plants Chris has used are employed in the treatment of arthritis, eg borage, for its oil.

RBC BLUE WATER ROOF GARDEN: designed by Nigel Dunnett and The Landscape Agency
My personal favourite, this garden is an eco-friendly urban rooftop garden that, says Professor Dunnett, explores the potential of skyrise greening - to bring trees, meadows and wetlands into the heart of the city. Pictured is the central wetland area that captures rainwater run-off.

THE EAST VILLAGE GARDEN: designed by Michael Balson and Marie-Louise Agius
The ambitious theme of this garden is to reflect the 'designed for living' theme of East Village, E20 - formerly the Olympic athletes village - and soon to be London's newest neighbourhood when it opens later this year. Local references are picked up in the boundary, structures and planting, right down to the curving lines and leaf forms. Meanwhile, those white arum lilies, viewed close-up, are just gorgeous.

Silver-gilt awards

B&Q SENTEBALE FORGET-ME-NOT GARDEN: designed by Jinny Blom
Not all show gardens are blueprints for our own gardens, and this garden, designed by landscape and garden designer Jinny Blom, together with Prince Harry who co-founded the charity Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, aims to educate us about Lesotho's 'Forgotten Kingdom' and Sentebale's role in supporting vulnerable children. Interesting to see how the usual garden building and seating area are interpreted!

THE SEEABILITY GARDEN: designed by Darren Hawkes
The garden's theme is sight loss, and has been created to raise awareness about the effects of visual impairment, but even if you take it at face value, the easy-to-read block planting and interesting feature walls make it a worthy urban garden.

STOCKTON DRILLING'S 'AS NATURE INTENDED' GARDEN: designed by Jamie Dunstan
Jamie Dunstan's brave missive is to promote the use of natural materials and crafts as well as highlight the ways in which mankind has exploited nature over the years, becoming heavily reliant on natural resources. The stuff that looks like overlong grass, surrounding the woven willow sculptures? It's winter barley, used, of course, in the brewing industry.

Silver awards

STOKE-ON-TRENT'S STORY OF TRANSFORMATION: designed by the landscape team of Stoke-On-Trent City Council
This unique, ambitious and rather fabulous garden tells the story of Stoke-on-Trent's journey from its rich industrial past to its present incarnation as a modern and vibrant city. That big structure represents a pottery bottle kiln and in contrast, a sunken seated area references the contemporary living spaces being created in Stoke-on-Trent.

STOP THE SPREAD GARDEN: sponsored by the Food And Environment Research Agency and designed by Jo Thompson
This garden is inspired by a powerful message: our plants, trees and wildlife are under threat from pests, diseases and invasive non-native species, which could have a huge impact on our gardens, woodlands and countryside. Although parts of the garden symbolise the devastation that can be caused, this is a space of quiet beauty. The central sculpture, made so you can walk through the centre, was designed by sculptor Tom Stogdon.

Photographs by Bethany Clarke

• More highlights from this year's Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea Flower Show 2013: Build-Up and preview

Pattie Barron dons her high-vis jacket and protective footwear to take a peek behind-the-scenes during Chelsea Flower Show's Build-Up on Sunday 19 May and catches Alan Titchmarsh on a break during filming, meets the team behind Prince Harry's Sentebale-inspired garden and discovers 'Kate and Wills' among a display of celebrity garden gnomes.

(Above left) Proving that even the day before Chelsea opens, designers have to sit down and take stock - even it's for five minutes - are Michael Balston and Marie-Louise Agius, creators of the East Village Garden, which has been inspired by the 'designed for living' theme of East Village, E20 - formerly the Olynmpic athletes' village and soon to be London's newest neighbourhood when it opens with its first residents, later this year.

(Above right) Roger Platts, for the M&G Centenary Garden called Windows Through Timne, embraces both new and traditional garden features and makes us fall in love with his magical planting, from wild grasses and meadow flowers to cottage roses and foxgloves.

(Above left) Alan Titchmarsh takes a momentary break from filming with a refreshing lemongrass tea from Jekka, queen of herbs: her newest venture is linking up with the Canton Tea Co to produce a series of aromatic herb teas. I've only sampled the lemongrass but agree with Mr T: it's a fragrant winner.

(Above right) The planting in Chris Beardshaw's striking garden for The Arthritis Research UK reflects the journey and emotions of someone with arthritis, from confusion and lack of understanding, represented by the rear Veiled Garden, the central section - the Lucid Garden, a more open and formal space, and the third, front section (pictured), called the Radiant Garden, filled with exuberant planting and a sculpture that reflects that exuberance. The soaring echiums, which grow well in London gardens, are featured on several Chelsea show gardens this year.

(Above) Effective pebble-like sculptures work well with the ephemeral planting at the Brewin Dolphin Garden, designed by the talented Robert Myers. The planting focuses on native plants that also contrast with lush green topiary cushions.

(Above left) The brilliant floral designer Rebecca Louise Law works on her cascade of upside down flowers on her stand: Rebecca says that she has chosen flowers that fade beautifully, so that the peonies, irises and co will dry naturally upside down, and get better as Chelsea week progresses.

(Above right) Cath Kidston paves the way to her decorated artisan hut, filled with bouquets of red, pink and white paper roses, with a spray-on garden path of her signature cabbage rose design. Now that is clever.

(Above) Green roofs are everywhere at Chelsea - even on the smallest birdhouses...

(Above left) ...Green walls are everywhere too, but none so clever as this one - which totally artificial. The answer to Londoners who want maintenance-free - and no bare spots - Bright Green's stand at Chelsea (bright-green-walls.com) shows how you can have a naturalised wall with ferns, ivies and grasses, a tropical wall with vines and colourful bromeliads, or this Mediterranean wall of soft grey-green tones from olive, cypress, rosemary and succulents.

(Above right) Sculptor Tom Stogdon, clearly a man with a sense of humour, created not just a whimsical garden chair but a cushion of succulents, as a fine finishing touch

(Above) Not all gardens at Chelsea can be adapted for urban spaces, but then designer Jinny Blom, for the B&Q Sentebale Forget-me-Not Garden, was charged by Prince Harry, patron of Lesoth's charity Sentebale, to educate people about Lesotho's 'Forgotten Kingdom' and, more importantly, about Sentebale's role in supporting vulnerable children in Lesotho. Amazingly, its climate is akin to that of Wales, with which it is twinned.

(Above left) How scary are these gnomes? Hardly what you would call regal or indeed flattering....As it is Chelsea's centenary year, gnomes are, exceptionally, permitted on the showground and Wills and Kate, pictured here, are part of a celebrity gnomes display before being auctioned off via ebay for the RHS Campaign for School Gardening.

(Above right) Would you want this in your garden? Maybe not, but you have to admire the blue-sky thinking behind Trailfinders Australian Garden, presented by Fleming's, in which this hi-rise studio has a starring role. It is actually an abstraction of the watarah flower, a native Aussie plant, and it has been crafted with a series of asymmetrical and laser cut 'petals' made out of reclaimed timber.

(Above) A view of the Laurent-Perrier Garden, with slim cypress trees and copper pergola arches.

(Above) More sculptural shapes from David Harber, renowned for his stunning sundial designs. Expect to pay several thousand pounds to have one gracing your garden. How the wiggly copper sculpture works to tell the time is anybody's guess.

(Above left) If you thought Japanese gardens just weren't your thing, you have to take a peek at this delicious Alcove Garden from the master, Kazuyuki Ishihara, who presents his take on the traditional tatami room framed by acers.

(Above right) A selection of the most gorgeous containers from Capital Garden Products' stand. I want them all.

(Above) The RBC Blue Water Roof Garden, sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada and designed by Professor Nigel Dunnett and The Landscape Agency, is an urban rooftop space that explores the potential of 'skyrise greening' to bring trees, meadows and wetlands into the heart of the city. The hut's front wall shows that wildlife habitats can be super-stylish as well as practical.

(Above) No ordinary van, this: it belongs to Mark Gregory, one of the most revered behind-the-scenes people at Chelsea Flower Show: This is Mark's 24th year as a landscape contractor at Chelsea, and this year he and his company, Landform, hasve built two gardens as well as the 150m Hartley Botanic stand. His attention to detail is unparalleled.

(Above) Is it a garden? Is it art? Or an installation? Everyone was foxed by this group of upended wheelbarrows, under wraps till Chelsea opens.

Clerkenwell Design Week walking tours

By Emma Gaffney

After being such a huge success at last year’s Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW), Jane Young’s walking tours are returning in for 2013 festival.

Historian and designer Jane Young, who is one half of textile and interior products company London Kills Me, will be giving free guided tours around Clerkenwell and revealing the area’s colourful past and present.

Tours in the 2013 programme include The Gin Lanes of Clerkenwell, which gives a glimpse into the area’s gin distilling past; Clerkenwell’s Coffee House Culture, which explores the area’s love for coffee and its history; and a look at Charterhouse Square’s interesting past.

Discover all the highlights of CDW 2013 in our guide to the festival.

Tour dates and meeting points

The Gin Lanes of Clerkenwell
The perfect precursor to a drink in the Secret Gin Garden in Lansons’ Courtyard, this tour gives a tantalising glimpse into the area’s gin distilling past.

Tue 21 May, 1pm – 45min tour, free, no booking required.
Meeting point: in front of Lansons’ Courtyard, 24a St John Street, EC1M 4AY

Clerkenwell’s Coffee House Culture
EC1 may now be home to London’s best cafes, but the area’s love affair with coffee goes way, way back.

Wed 22 May, 1pm – 45min tour, free, no booking required.
Meeting point: in front of Craft Central, 33-35 St John’s Square, London EC1M 4DS

Charterhouse Square
Poirot, the Great Plague and CDW’s new surfaces pavilion — Charterhouse Square is full of stories.

Wed 22 May, 4pm – 45min tour, free, no booking required.
Meeting point: Charterhouse Square, in front of the new covered pavilion

Unfortunately this year’s Clerkenwell Architecture Walking and Drawing Tour has been cancelled. The tour will be rescheduled for a date after CDW2013 (TBC).

Momentané exhibition by the Bouroullec brothers

By Barbara Chandler

The Bouroullec Brothers – very well known in the design world – are showcasing their work in design at the Museum of Arts Décoratifs in Paris, with an installation called Momentané.

They are very young, really, for such a prestigious event/venue – Ronan Bouroullec was born in 1971 and Erwan in 1976. In my picture, taken a couple of years ago in Paris, Ronan is on the left.

But people (including me) are always getting them mixed up – “Don’t worry, even our mother does it sometimes,” Ronan once remarked at a Ligne Roset lunch in London – or was it Erwan? Some of their most accessible work has been done for this great modern furniture company, who have a lovely showroom just behind Oxford Street, in Mortimer Street, W1.

But, arguably the Bouroullec brother's most fascinating work is where small identical parts can be joined together to make big screens or wall hangings. And this was demonstrated with some breathtakingly large installations of, for example, Algues, created for Vitra in 2004, and still on sale in six colours.

Also for Vitra is the Bouroullec brother’s poetic Vegetal chair, inspired by growing branches. You can see a little thicket of them outside the Saatchi Gallery near Sloane Square. People in Paris were also frolicking over Textile Fields, a floor installation where coloured rectangles are joined into a soft carpet. But I felt a little smug as we had that in London last September for the London Design Festival, on a far larger scale.

Talking of which, I’m very excited about the London Design Festival preview which will be at the V&A next week. The invitation is super – a large sheet of bendy see-through plastic with great red graphics. “Design is Everywhere & Here” it proclaims. Well, yes that’s London for you.

All photographs by Barbara Chandler: flickr.com/photos/barbarachandler. Follow Barbara on twitter @sunnyholt. Visit barbarachandler.co.uk

Eileen Gray exhibition: Pompidou Centre, Paris

By Barbara Chandler

The Eileen Gray exhibition is at the Pompidou Centre until 20 May, and is a triumph for both feminism and design. This inspirational woman was born in Ireland in 1878 and died in Paris (where she lived most of her life) when she was 98.

I think (hope) there is something about design which generates longevity – the acclaimed American ceramicist Eve Zeisel (born in Hungary) recently died aged 105, and Robin and Lucienne Day lived into their 90s.

Eileen Gray studied at the Slade, and used to prowl Soho in her lunch hour. There she peeped into the window of a lacquer workshop, and was entranced by this craft. “I don’t suppose you could teach me?” she asked. “Yes, start on Monday,” was the (I thought) rather British reply. This story is told by Eileen herself in a film at the show, made when she was 96 – “or is it 97? One looses track,” she said.

Eileen settled in Paris in 1906, where she collaborated with the Japanese lacquer worker Seizo Sugawara. She designed rugs, furniture and quintessentially modern architecture including her own villa in the South of France, where she was furious when Le Corbusier cheekily added colourful murals. 

We have her wonderful adjustable circular glass table at home (bought from Aram Designs who are the official licensee) – and look! there it was in a film of the house – so exciting (these pictures are from the screen of the film at the show).  

The table was also on the exhibition poster. The word icon is so overused these days, but this little table must surely qualify. And I can report that it is a joy to own and to use, going up and down at the flick of a pin, and nestling up close thanks to the break in the shape of the base.

The name of Eileen’s Villa E 1027 is an enigma. It was designed with Romanian architect Jean Badovici. I did not learn this from the show, but Wiki says he was her lover. Anyway, the E is for Eileen, and the numbers represent letters of the alphabet – 10 for the J in Jean (10th letter of the alphabet), 2 for Badovici, and and 7 for Gray. Should come in handy for a design pub quiz.

All photographs by Barbara Chandler: flickr.com/photos/barbarachandler. Follow Barbara on twitter @sunnyholt. Visit barbarachandler.co.uk

Vic Reeves and Chris Robshaw host Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2013

By Kristy Gray

Vic Reeves and Chris Robshaw presented the awards

Comedian Vic Reeves took to the stage and entertained a ballroom packed with property industry experts at this year's London Evening Standard New Homes Awards. Also on hand at the Dorchester to help Reeves present the awards was England Rugby captain, Chris Robshaw. 

The awards celebrate all sorts of new-build houses and apartments, from starter homes in the commuter belt and "green" developments, to clever conversions and the ultimate in luxury London living.

All the entries were judged by a panel of independent experts with experience in property, construction and architecture. Every year the judges find many things to impress them, but this year they really did feel was the best year yet.

And the final gong presented was the coveted statue of Eros - the Grand Prix Award. All the category winners are in contention to win the "Best in Show" accolade.

This year, 3 Lime Grove Mews by St James - a gated scheme of family townhouses in Shepherds Bush - scooped the main prize. According to the judges, these west London houses really do have the “wow factor”, with top-floor winter gardens and a luxury feel, while being practical and flexible family homes.

 For our full four-page report, don't miss Homes & Property on Wednesday 22 May.

Follow us on twitter: @HomesProperty

Find us on facebook: ESHomesAndProperty Follow us on Pinterest: HomesProperty

Transform your garden with a new deck

By Pattie Barron

When your foot goes through your deck, it's time to get a new deck. In fact my leg went through, right up to my knee, and I nearly lost my favourite orange havaianas - one of them, anyway. I could have lost a lot more had I fallen through completely - the deck is raised several feet above the ground, with a gaping abyss beneath - so ordering up a new deck had to be top of my list of spring priorities for the garden. 

This is a before and after story - but unlike the makeover TV programmes of a decade or so ago, this deck wasn't built in a day. It took over three weeks of construction, and a lot longer beforehand for me to decide which wood I wanted.

The balustrading was a simpler decision: instead of the usual rounded wooden spindles, I wanted the modern simplicity of several parallel lines of tension wire held by the occasional post. The wood came down to two choices: softwood or hardwood. Softwood is used for the kind of ridged boards or squares you can buy cheaply from absolutely everywhere, and hardwood is expensive - but will last a lifetime and look a lot better. When I bought the house, the deck had been laid (or should I say thrown down) by the previous owners, so I had no choice, but several years of slipping around on softwood with ridges that supposedly make the boards non-slip, and looking at a permanently grubby-looking floor that did not complement my container plantings, decided me. I also didn't fancy having to replace the decking again within ten years; softwood is not a keeper. So - after a lot of soul searching and account balancing, I went for hardwood. It was a new deck or a new bathroom - and the deck won. It runs along the back of my house, and it's an important feature. But let's just say for what the deck cost, I could have had a very snazzy bathroom indeed.

I called in two local deck builders because I thought it would be good to work with local artisans - but neither of them, after initial discussions, came back to me with wood samples as promised. That delayed my plans by several weeks. I couldn't mess around any more. So I turned to a nationwide company called QTD (Quality Timber Decking, which I figured was what I wanted). I simply found them online, and liked the look of them plus they give their decks a lifetime guarantee. The director, Chris Sidey, talked me through the various wood options, including the new composite decking - which to my eye fools nobody. It's also very expensive. I appreciate it's ecofriendly, but aside from that, I just don't think it's worth the hype. 

In the end I went for ipe, because it's a sustainable hardwood that is apparently the toughest of the lot - many of the garden designers use it - and also has a nice nut-brown tone to it, with pleasing variations in the wood. So far, so good.  Until, that is, the QTD boys Mike and Harry lifted the boards to reveal - not a body, but a structure that consisted of not much more than a dozen or so timbers straddling the house wall and the balustrading - and a few of those were rotten. How the whole deck hadn't collapsed before then was a mystery and somewhat of a miracle. So making a sound, solid framework to hold the deck securely took a week. At the finish, the timbers crisscrossed reassuringly. Chris explained that the decking boards I'd had were laid flush to one another, so there was no room for expansion (bad) and the new deck's boards would have a slither of space between each one (good).

Gradually the deck took shape - a new system of black plastic clips, barely visible between the boards, looks better than endless screws - and I started to get excited. When the boys finally finished, and oiled the boards to bring out the nap and richness of the wood, I was thrilled with the finished result: a sleek, handsome deck that could double as a ballroom floor and just begs for a party with lots of barefoot dancing. Yippe for ipe! When the sun shines, the wood is warm underfoot. When it rains, the wood looks even richer and twice as glossy. The treads on the steps leading down to the garden are now regulation height so I don't have to tippy-toe and instead of those horrid curvy wooden spindels redolent of Heidi's chalet there are just a few stainless steel wires that make me feel a little like I'm on a cruise liner. And so far - though I might be tempting fate - I haven't slipped once.

 

There is a downside, though. Just like painting a room makes everything in it look a bit tired, it's the same with the deck: the plant stands need a lick of paint, the teak loungers look distressed which is not a good look for teak loungers, and somehow my new ever-so-contemporary designer deck demands more contemporary plantings - grasses, phormiums, sword-like foliage - than I currently have in my plant arsenal. Everything has to be lifted rather than shifted, because the wood will scratch. And every pot has to be raised off the ground with terracotta feet so the wood won't mark or be darker in tone when the pot is moved. My days of potting up on the deck - all that mess on the boards - are over. I have to smarten up my act and treat the deck with the respect and reverence it deserves. I am also tempted to limit my plant containers this summer so that the deck can be properly on show (we'll see about this last resolution…) But do you know what? It's all worth it.  I'm broke but I'm happy. Judge the before and after pix for yourself.

D*Haus: mathematically-inspired design

By Emma Gaffney

British design studio D*Haus (thedhaus.com) have invited the public to get involved in helping to get their unique designs into shops through their Kickstarter campaign (thedhaus.com/launch). 

Design duo David Ben-Grünberg and Daniel Woolfson designed their striking D*Table based on the 100 year-old mathematical theory by Henry Ernest Dudeney. The amateur mathematician worked out how to turn a perfect square into a perfect equilateral triangle by dissecting it into four distinct shapes, and now D*Haus have taken this theory and applied it to their stylish and incredibly versatile table (pictured below) which opens up and can be arranged in a multitude of configurations.

As well as tables, Ben-Grünberg and Woolfson have also applied the theory to architecture in their D*Dynamic house (below). The ambitious house is made of four sections which sit on customised tracks allowing it to move. The design studio is hoping to build the first of these dynamic houses in Surrey.

Through Kickstarter, D*Haus aims to raise enough money to get the D*Table into shops and any money raised beyond that will go towards building the world’s first dynamic house. People can donate anything from a pound upwards and in return may receive  a D*Haus book, prints, coasters and even a session to design something with the studio. Donors will also be named in a time capsule that will be buried under the studio’s house. The campaign is also the first opportunity for the public to order the D*Table.

For more details and to donate, visit the dhaus.com/launch.

Secrets of the Royal Bed Chamber: Hampton Court

By Barbara Chandler

Frolicking around on a sumptuous bed in the Orangery of Kensington Palace were a “king and queen” (or maybe his mistress) in full 18th-century rig. They were providing regal photo-ops for a crowd of guests there to launch the bed itself, a sumptuous affair hand-made (in a limited edition) in North London by Savoir Beds, using a gamut of British products and skills, including embroidery from the Royal School of Needlework and silk from Vanners of Ipswich.

Photograph: Barbara Chandler

The bed celebrates “Secrets of the Royal Bed Chamber,” a new show (sponsored by Savoir Beds) lavishly presented by the Historic Royal Palaces at Hampton Court, and running from 27 March to 3 November (hrp.org.uk).

Here you can see six magnificent early state beds from the world’s largest collection, for the first time in a single display. And learn their dramatic and sometimes poignant secrets.

“The state bedchamber was not a restful place of privacy but the seat of power,” confides Sebastian Edwards, curator of the Historic Royal palaces’ exhibition. “It was a bit like a modern boardroom, for the business of the kingdom. Courtiers were knighted, wars brokered, marriages consummated, and mistresses wooed all in the shadow of the royal bed.”

The modern version we saw from Savoir was inspired by the Angel bed at Hampton Court, and has been adapted to suit today’s lifestyles – albeit luxury ones. For example, it has an adaptable  “floating” canopy, rather than foot-posts, and flat upholstered panels, which are more tailored than bulky drapes.

(Above) The sumptuous hand-made bed (in a limited edition) by Savoir Beds

Enquiries about the bed: royalbed@savoirbeds.co.uk

Picture by Barbara Chandler: follow her on twitter: @sunnyholt