Visitors stuffing the 20Centimes “secrets chair” .

Apart from having a really excellent day at TENT with the Second Sitters crew, I managed to get to Design Junction and Decorex last week.

It’s always slightly overwhelming and then suddenly you spot a friendly face on a stand and you relax into it.I have been very out of the loop since my hip operation so this was a way of getting enthused again – and it certainly worked.

Design Junction has always got those quirky designs to surprise and delight

I have to confess this slightly bemused me but it is individually crafted vehicles for the future – it reminded me of a herd of buffulo stampeding across the Savannah!

Ceramic hammer savings box by Qian Jong

Beautifully crafted teatable for one by Design K

A rocking chair made in the form of a racing bike, even down to the water bottle holder, made from saddle leather, it is a real work of art.

Decorex is a completely different beast to all the other shows but it was lovely to see such a focus on craft this year. I have always been drawn to the bling of passmenterie (curtain tie backs to the likes of you and I) SpinaDesign travel the world and take inspiration from antiques the find around the world

But really for me design week is all about looking for new fabrics and it was brilliant to see my old friends Bailey Hills and Thorody  both with new collections

And then of course to meet Margo Selby face to face, whose jewel like fabrics I have been drawn to for years.