Great British Design: Spotlight on Sophie Conran

Through a journey to discover more about interiors and design, I have come to appreciate the range and spectrum of British design and British made products. I adore the history, craftsmanship and love of nature that so many homegrown designers have incorporated and drawn inspiration from.

For this reason, I wanted to focus on discovering the British designers Elys has in-store, starting with Sophie Conran a contemporary homeware designer who has pieces ideal for home and kitchen. As you will come to find as you read on, the collection offers different styles and finishes which can fit seamlessly into your living space aesthetic.

Sophie Conran with Portmeirion

Sophie Conran’s collection is a brand new arrival at Elys and it’s one I absolutely love and want to show off. Sophie Conran, daughter of interior design legend Terence Conran, is a multi-award winning designer and her designs and work show real flare and a passion for what she does.

In Sophie Conran’s latest collection, she has produced new pieces with Portmeirion, another notable and well known design institution, to create a beautiful range of serving plates and bowls. Sophie has created Arbor and Floret two designs which feature organic, handmade and nature inspired curves. They are available in a Creamy White and a soft Dove Grey that has a hint of blue which adds a lovely warmth.

The joy and beauty of Sophie Conran serving plates and bowls is how your eye is instantly pulled towards them. They stand out and are sure to be the centrepiece for a family feast. The mix of colours and sizes within the range are designed to work together no matter the pieces you buy which I think is great. I love that no matter what you buy, the individual pieces come together effortlessly to integrate into a table setting.

At a glance, you can see the influences from nature in the smooth curves of the bowl; it could almost be a water lily or soft plant growing in the garden. The finished result shows the graceful craftsmanship that both Sophie Conran and Portmeirion have. For what looks like such a delicate soft bowl, it is sturdy and robust. 

To show how versatile these pieces are, I have created some centrepiece ideas can be used all year round with a little decoration. On their own, these pieces are of course spectacular, but this is me and I love making things seasonal. I used the Arbor Creamy White Serving Platter and Floret Grey Medium Serving Bowl.

Spring

Sophie Conran Easter styling by Sisley White

For spring, especially Easter, I wanted to style the serving plate with bowl on top in a fun, childlike way. I used fresh greens cut straight from the garden. Bringing in fresh foliage in spring makes it feel like warmer days are round the corner and that nature is starting to gear up and bloom. I also added some fairy lights and little paper eggs to add some extra colour. Of course, I had to fill the bowl with chocolate eggs! Plus a cute Easter knitted decoration to add to the children’s theme.

 Sophie Conran Easter styling close up by Sisley White

Summer

Sophie Conran Summer styling by Sisley White

With so many gorgeous flowers in bloom, I wanted to keep the summer set-up really simple and elegant. Another reason why I adore the Sophie Conran collection: it easily adapts to suit how you want use it. You can go big and dramatic or can keep it simple and clean - it will work both ways.

Sophie Conran Summer styling close up by Sisley White

I cut down a few hydrangea blossoms from the garden and added a little water to the bottom of the bowl. As I gently placed them in the bowl, the curves of the bowl acted as a great support for the flowers and the finished result is beautiful. Having this placed in my kitchen for a few days really added a burst of colour to the room thanks to the hydrangeas.

Autumn

Sophie Conran Autumn styling by Sisley White

Like many, I really enjoy welcoming this season. The warming orange tones of the leaves, the twinkling lights and of course the pumpkins. I think this might have to be my favourite of the seasonal set-ups using the Sophie Conran pieces. Using a few gorgeous red and orange leaves around the edge, I placed these on top of copper wire lights to add a little sparkle as the evenings start to get darker. In the bowl I used artificial pumpkins and squashes that I use each year for decorating. These really brighten up the room and look great for the autumn season.

 Sophie Conran Autumn styling close up by Sisley White

Winter

Sophie Conran Winter styling by Sisley White

For a Christmas take on the beautiful Sophie Conran bowl and serving plate I went for sophisticated style. I chose 3 stunning ornaments (all from Elys last year) to catch the eye and add a little colour and twinkle; plus a few little ones to fill in the gaps.

Sophie Conran Winter styling close up by Sisley White

 

On the serving plate I added a single stem of dried eucalyptus that has been painted gold. A great little addition for Christmas that is reusable every year.

Shop Sophie Conran with Portmeirion online now