University Challenge

We like nothing more than to set a challenge here at Hartman and this year was no exception.  For the second year running we set final year BA Design Studies (Product and Interior Product Design) Students a brief to come up with a table and chair design for our 2015 outdoor furniture collection.  

 

There were many excellent designs to choose from but we opted for the "Versaille" a Bond-esque style, hyper ergonomic resin weave chair and table set designed by Jonathan Davis. The design was contemporary, aesthetically pleasing and futuristic. Jonathan was presented with a cheque for £1000 and runner up Alexander Stefan Andrejczuk was presented with £500 prize money for his design named "Oscillare.  

All the designs were exceptional again this year and it made our job very difficult having to choose just two, each piece of work was professionally presented, however the winner and the runner up stood out because of design, style, shape usability and that elusive wow factor. 

We thoroughly enjoyed working with Birmingham City University on this exciting project and look forward to seeing the end results in production next year.  As well as the furniture collection Textile students from the university are now in the process of creating new innovative textile designs to complement the products created by the Product Design students.  The awards for the best textile design will be awarded in April. Watch this space.

 

Kew Gardens & Status Quo?

The Temperate House Backdrop

Early Morning at Kew

Ant, Mark and Chris hard at work

Rocking all over the Temperate House

The garden furniture industry is a great one to work in.  It is all about the sunshine and how we can help you relax when the sun shines.  Although the weather at the moment is not conducive to sitting outside it does give us a nudge, thinking ahead to warmer days and balmy nights.  Well I am, and with the thought of lighter nights I like to play a little game called “what shall I have in my garden” this involves me looking at all our wonderful furniture and selecting my favourite items to pop onto my patio. 

This year I have got to say my favourite is our new Kew range of furniture. It is officially fabulous.  Sweeping curves on the arms of the chairs, with tiny details that unless you look closely you would miss, like the little square feet at the bottom of the chair legs, the small flower in the centre of the chair back and minute rivets on the seats.  The table design is influenced by the intricate metal work in the Temperate House and I just love the pattern, it looks beautiful and my favourite bit of the whole set is the table centre which has the Kew stamp on it. Gorgeous. 

The range comprises two dining sets, a deep seated lounger and bench, a large and medium lantern and the “piece de resistance” the pavilion. A generously proportioned cast aluminium free standing structure that if I could get on to my patio I would.   It is just stunning and rather palatial.  It will be our centrepiece at the Chelsea Flower Show this year and the whole stand has been designed around it. 
The whole range is coated in riven black set off by very luxurious wheatgrass cushions. 

We had a great time photographing this range for the brochure and website, Kew Gardens very kindly let us use the gardens after hours as a backdrop for our photography so the 6th September 2012 saw Anthony, Mark, Chris and myself all heading south towards Richmond for two days of photography in the sunshine.

We arrived at Oxen House Gate and were escorted through the park by Dee Wade, Kew Enterprises Administrator, who was to be our chaperone for the next two days.  She cycled ahead and we followed her to the Temperate House. Cycling is the best way for the staff to get around Kew, as the park is around 300 acres in size so stilettoes would not be great work attire for Kew!  

We arrived at the Temperate House to find that we were sharing it for the afternoon and evening with Status Quo who were filming part of a video there.  Never ones to be deterred and to the strains of “Living on an Island” we took some fantastic pictures of the Kew furniture in and around the Temperate and the Palm House.  We really hope you like them as much as we enjoyed taking them.

Take a look at our website www.hartmanuk.com/partner_kew_gardens.html