Deirdre was delighted to attend the unveiling of the newest super-luxe kitchen design from Rossana UK, the K-In-K-Out created for both indoor or outdoor use, designed by Architect Massimo Castagna.
Deirdre with sixties model and author Victoria Nixon and Darren Miller of Rossana
The event was held in association with Wallpaper* and included a Virtual Reality version of the kitchen in situ by Manhattan Loft Corporation featuring a bespoke version of our UP & OVER graded wool and silk carpet.
Our UP & OVER carpet in the Virtual Reality room set featuring the K-In-K-Out Kitchen
Lady Deirdre Dyson was commissioned to create fourteen contemporary carpets – six hand knotted, free-standing rugs and eight gun tufted, fitted carpets together with a stair runner over four floors for this 18th Century listed Georgian townhouse.
The house, actually two adjoining properties, was restored and repurposed by Alexander Martin Architects (AMA) for use as private offices in Mayfair, London.
The brief required Deirdre to design a total of 350 square metres of highest quality wool and silk floor coverings for the entire property.
The incredible gun tufted 100% wool graded carpet created for the oak barley twist staircase.
Materials throughout the building were selected for their timeless quality, echoing those present in the original building. A palette of natural oak, stone and pale grey provides a backdrop for the bespoke Deirdre Dyson carpets used throughout.
The expanses of wool and silk used in the rug, carpet and runner designs sit perfectly with remaining original features and the stark modern interior application in the office spaces on the upper floors.
The central oak barley twist staircase is dramatically hugged top to bottom by a stair runner that creates a sense of movement with graded hues that flow from dark to light (pictured above)
A bespoke gun tufted, fitted version of TWILIGHT in one of the top floor office spaces.
Through her use of bold geometric designs, Lady Dyson developed a scheme to bring contrast and complimentary accent colours which define and enhance the individual rooms. A total of fifty separate colours were used across the project with some carpets having up to sixteen colours alone.
The carpets give each room a separate identity and interest but Dyson has connected the spaces using a similar colour palette, often through the use of colour grading, adding personality with dramatic bursts of colour, be it a bold blue or vivid terracotta. All working in tandem with remaining original features and the architect’s contemporary reworking of the building.
In some cases, Deirdre’s designs reference the building directly such as a version of her DAWN carpet design, its dramatic copper silk stripes echoing the copper cladding in the garden outside.
Deirdre Dyson’s bespoke hand knotted DAWN carpet in the Garden Room.
The scale of these carpets created challenges for both our weavers in Nepal (in some cases measuring up to 5m square) and the skilled tufters here in the UK as well as specialist fitters but a close, collaborative team effort realised Deirdre Dyson’s vision to stunning effect.
The project featured in an extensive editorial feature in Wallpaper* magazine, click here to read.
Sam and Mark from Echlin chat to Deirdre Dyson, Pandora from World of Interiors in conversation with James Dyson
We love revealing Deirdre’s new rug designs at Maison & Objet every January but by contrast, Deirdre’s annual UK collection launch, held here in the intimacy of our Kings Road gallery, is by far the highlight of our year.
The evening gives Deirdre a chance to catch up with valued friends of the brand as well as clients old and new and introduce her carpets in person whilst guests can touch and feel the incredible quality of the finished designs, see the lustre of the silk and the true colours which are always best viewed ‘in the flesh’.
Lady Dyson in front of her limited edition carpet artwork UNBOUND
This year’s collection inspired by the hues and patterns of birds and their feathers, is a riot of colour and contrast and provoked much admiration and discussion. As did Deirdre’s first carpet artwork, UNBOUND, created in a limited edition of three and intricately handwoven in 32 colours of wool and silk.
UNBOUND was recently included in The Luxury Cave launch event at the Design Museum and was so overwhelmingly well received that Deirdre is now working on another limited-edition wall piece, more details to be revealed soon.
Flowers by Clayton at Strudwick Flowers provided the perfect backdrop to the evening’s festivities. Deirdre had requested natural arrangements with fluid forms reflecting the designs on display and Clayton fulfilled this brief perfectly, picking up the reds in both HARLEQUIN and UNBOUND on the first floor and the golden and buttery tones of GOLDEN PHEASANT and BURLESQUE on the ground floor.
Bespoke cocktails colour co-ordinated with Deirdre Dyson’s QUILLS rug
This year guests enjoyed lavender cocktails selected by Edison to compliment the purple found in Deirdre’s new QUILLS rug design, Champagne and Dyson wine together with delicious canapes by Aquashard such as mushroom arancini, steak tartare and mini fish and chips. Guests were extremely well looked after by Aquashard’s John Wiltshire and his team.
Lily from Cereal Magazine with Deirdre Dyson PR Zara Brown of ZedcomsWallpaper* Online Editor Sujata Burman, Chanda Pandya of Rossana/The Luxury Cave, Sir James Dyson and Dave Harvey of Wallpaper*
The gallery, designed by Architect Timothy Hatton (pictured) comes in to its own at night and the wonderful atmosphere led to a very special evening celebrating another stellar rug collection by Deirdre.
Paresh Dudhaiya, Tricia Topping of Luxury Topping, Mary Wiggin and Rachel Bull of Co-ExistenceCorrena Mitchell, Sir James Dyson, Sir James Bucknall, Architect Timothy Hatton, Julia Carrick and Darren Miller of Rossana/The Luxury Cave
Michael Messenger, Diana Wilkinson, Model and Author Victoria Nixon and Deirdre DysonSir James Dyson and Architect Timothy HattonOcca Designs CEO Kate Mooney (right) and Clare-Ann CollJulia Carrick and Brendon MossNichole Detering and Nicholas Hanslip of Franklin of Project Management with Sir James BucknallSir James and Lady DysonStylists Louisa Grey and Marianne CotterillJohn Wiltshire and members of his Aquashard teamStylist Marianne CotterillAl Martin of Alexander Martin ArchitectsCorrena Mitchell of Timothy Hatton Architects
Designer Sue TimneyTricia Topping of Luxury Topping