This is England

There is something fabulously cosy and familiar about an old English pub: the patterned carpets, the fusty colours, the decorative china. Designers have been taking this old-school English look and reworking it for years, but none quite like Manchester-based Jon Male, whose tongue-in-cheek take on tradition is leading a trend that’s an exhilarating progression from the quirky style epitomised by Paul Smith in the 1990s.

Male’s best-known piece is a cowhide-shaped rug (below left), wittily fashioned from an old Persian carpet that he found rolled up in his parents’ loft. He planned to cut it down to fit his new home (it was enormous) when the idea of mix-and-matching the carpet with another strong interiors aesthetic – the shape of a cowhide – hit him. “Animal hides are iconic: you see them in interior shots all the time,” says Male. “But there’s something a bit wrong about them.” As a vegetarian, I agree, but the result – a fabulously English and eccentric piece – can’t help but make you smile.

The design has attracted a lot of attention, especially from Rimo, a rug manufacturer that specialises in bespoke, ethically made, hand-woven carpets, which has put the English Hide into production, from £950. Other admirers include Liam Howlett, and Precious McBane, the interior designers, while Philippe Starck and John Hitchcox have used Male’s “soft porn” printed side tables (above, £280) in their hipper-than-thou Yoo apartments. Alongside the likes of Timorous Beasties, Male is leading the way to a much wittier expression of British design.

Bring it on.

www.jonmale.com; www.rimodesigns.co.uk

On the tiles

Digital printing has revolutionised the art of tiling. Thanks to speedy, inexpensive new processes, designers are launching wild styles that even a few years ago wouldn’t have been possible. Hot off the press, Annette Taylor-Anderson’s work epitomises this “design-first” attitude. Her retro patterns, squiggles and photographic prints are inspired by everyday imagery such as train tracks, cups of coffee and the Financial Times. The resulting pieces have a retro, animated feel that has scored her serious points in the design community. Forget last year’s focus on stone – when it comes to tiling, art-house and abstract designs are now at your fingertips. www.atadesigns.com

Best of British

1 Laura Ashley’s two-arm bird candelabra combines the vibe of English country gardens with a modern take on ceramics. It also casts amazing shadows when lit. £15; www.lauraashley.com.

2 It’s not cheap, but how cool is this cushion made from an antique King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra 1902 coronation flag? £495; www.judithmichael.com.

3 We’re famous for being a nation of dog lovers, but if you don’t have the space or time for one of our furry friends, then snap up an Atypyk dog doormat. It’s a sound investment for aspiring pet owners who know their limitations. £50; www.cubicuk.com.

4 Wellies are as British as it gets, and Qubus Design’s patterned porcelain pair make great vases, doorstops or umbrella holders, while perfectly embodying quirky Brit style. £150 each, or £300 a pair; www.thorstenvanelten.com.

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