Decorex

SET in the stunning grounds of Syon Park, London, Decorex 94 (25-28 September) boasts the cream of the UK and European fabric houses and furniture and accessory makers. The emphasis on stylish presentation makes this show a visual treat, with exhibitors vying for the accolade of Best Stand.

This year, Decorex is marginally larger, with 190 exhibitors withstanding the onslaught of an expected 13,000 visitors, 20% of whom are usually from overseas; Italian voices can be heard around every corner - a tribute to the show's high design standards from that supremely style-conscious nation.

The trend for neutrals and naturals has evolved further. Companies are experimenting with texture and finish, exploring the diverse qualities of natural materials such as silk, wool, cotton, raffia, stone and metal, and taking motifs from nature and history - Zimmer & Rohde's leaf-dappled, summer-green fabric shades, Timney Fowler's mosaic-inspired new prints, and Christopher Wray's gothic range.

Attica has even imported slabs of 500-year-old stone from Israeli quarries. A little dandyness emerges, however, in the lush velvets that are creeping into the collections.

Although the overriding impression veers towards "country house hotel grandeur meets elegant Chelsea home" there are always surprises, with certain furniture and fabric firms keeping their sights firmly on the 21st century. n

back to the bible

Attica's Decorex range takes an ancient theme, with Biblical stone originating from 19th century quarries in the Southern Hebron, Israel, and a blue stone from Perscelly in Wales, similar to the famous Stonehenge figures. The latter has been combined with English oak by Villiers Brothers to create unusual pieces of furniture, on display at the stand. There will also be new mosaic carpets featuring patterns taken from antiquity. The stone costs £150 per square yard, and the mosaic carpets £650 per square yard.

STAND E158

ZIMMER & ROHDE

German fabric house Zimmer & Rohde returns to Decorex after a year's absence, offering a wide range of silks, linens, cottons and cotton mix fabrics in its trademark plains, but also in patterns. Laila (striped), and Lorenza, (both pictured, opposite) are 70% cotton and 30% polyester, have a retail price of £64 per metre.

STAND C75

PARKER & FARR comfort

Comfy cotton chenille begs you to sink into this sumptuous sofa, called Westbury, from bespoke upholstery company Parker & Farr, which is exhibiting a wide range of furniture and upholstery finishes, from classic to modern, this year. The two-and-a-half seater Westbury, with matching chenille fringe and trimmings, costs £2,785.

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DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

Thomas Dare takes a break from tradition combining a jacquard stripes and cheques technique with ottoman weave effects to create this zig-zag pattern suitable for upholstery. Available in five colourways, Cochin Stripe comes in a 137cm width, priced £13.25.

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Handwriting images

Also giving young designers a leg-up, Firifiss has incorporated handwriting and symbols from design students at the Royal College of Art into its new Graphica collection. The graphic images have been turned into four patterns, which explore hand-dyed effects and resist-dyed checks and squares. In soft yellows, corals, apple greens and indigos, there are four complementing wallpaper designs. Fabric is 100% cotton, 145cm wide and retails at £25.20 per metre; wallpaper is £17.75 per metre.

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medieval influences

Lighting specialist Christopher Wray has plundered medieval and Gothic design books for his range of wall brackets, ceiling pendants and crystal lamps. Seen above is Horatio, a rust-finished model with scavo glass shades, inspired by the Viking "horn of plenty". The ceiling pendant retails at £485 and the wall bracket at £145.

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Leaf pattern collection

Scandinavian folk art, leaf patterns, checks and delicate French bedroom fabrics feature in five new collections from Monkwell, launching at Decorex. Pictured (centre, opposite page) is Lisieux, the bedroom collection, offering seven diminutive designs in 100% cotton and in 70 colourways. Retail price is around £9 a metre.

STAND C92

Fresco fashion

The Librarian (pictured above) is from Timney Fowler's new Fresco Collection of prints, based around images from 16th century frescos, primarily found in Rome's churches. Made from 100% cotton, the fabrics are available in several colourways, with a retail price of around £40 per metre.

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NEW DESIGNERS IN BUSINESS

The New Designers in Business stand will show the work of 30 of its 80 young designers. They range from hand tufted rugs by Annette Nix (pictured), priced on commission, to an unusual clothes storage unit (also pictured) by Jona Hoad of Lime Design costing £1,200.

STAND A23

LIGHTing NEW CANDLEs

New shades, featuring leopard and zebra-look animal prints, gingham and pastoral scenes add variety to Acres Farm's candle shades range, available both for real candles and for electric candle-look lamps. Prices range from £8 to £10 for a candle shade and £16 for a lampshade.

STAND A22