Simple statement: Kvadrat proves a blank canvas is often the best inspiration

Giulio Ridolfo’s relationship with Danish textile brand Kvadrat dates back to 2004. During which time the Italian designer – who has worked as a textile and colour advisor to some of the world’s leading fashion and design brands – has conjured some of the company’s most successful textiles. ‘His feeling and approach to colour is unique,’ commends Kvadrat CEO Anders Byriel. ‘Surprising colour combinations of yarns give every textile by his hand a three-dimensional and surprising depth.’
So, in honour of this fruitful 13-year collaboration, Kvadrat has invited 19 designers from around the world to create unique works using Ridolfo’s distinctive ‘Canvas’ upholstery textile. The brief was left open to interpretation and the results will be unveiled at an exhibition that will open next week at Somerset House, coinciding with the London Design Festival.
The exhibition marks the third instalment of the brand’s acclaimed Design Projects series – previous editions have seen creatives reinterpret Nanna Ditzel’s 1965 ‘Hallingdal’ fabric, and Finn Sködt’s 1984 ‘Divina’ fabric for exhibitions in 2012 and 2014 respectively.
‘Blossom in Between’, by Kate Chung
‘“Canvas” stands out for its shimmering colour nuances, delicate contrasts and elegant structure,’ explains Kvadrat. ‘The new colour palette inspired by the painterly landscapes of Skagen, Denmark, comprises a variety of dark, light, cool and warm tones, reflecting the soft, Nordic pastel panoramas and dramatic, dark coastlines.’ One standout piece comes courtesy of Japanese designer Teruhiro Yanagihara, who has translated the fabric into a series of wall-mounted shelves. Wrapped around a semi-circular steel frame, the ‘Canvas’ material forms a solid shelf and a handy sling for storing books.
Strong seating propositions include Max Lipsey’s multicoloured ‘Woven Bench’, Tokyo-based YOY’s tactile trunk stools, and BCXSY’s timber frame bench, which is distinguished by its revolving rainbow-coloured seat made up of different variants of the ‘Canvas’ fabric. Maria Jeglinska, meanwhile, is presenting a series of large and small panels featuring the London-based designer’s distinctive graphic patterns. Hung from the ceiling, the panels connect together to form a contemporary room divider.
Detail of ‘Gravity’, by Teruhiro Yanagihara
Other room dividers in the collection include Berlin-based Martha Schwindling’s ‘Tension at Work’, where lengths of Ridolfo’s fabric are stretched around frames like sails; and Kate Chung’s ‘Blossom in Between’ origami-like folding screens. A set of shaggy-haired dance costumes by New York designers Chen Chen & Kai Williams is one of the series’ more playful interpretations, as are Felipe Ribon’s piñata-inspired clay containers, and Butternutten AG’s cocooning den structures.
‘The “My Canvas” project, as a whole, displays kaleidoscopic creativity, reflecting the diversity of the group based on cultural vision,’ says designer Jeffrey Bernett, one of the project’s five curators. ‘It is a testament to what happens when you present talent with a provocative opportunity, a blank canvas.’
‘Gravity’ shelving, by Teruhiro Yanagihara
‘Tension at Work’, by Martha Schwindling
Detail of ‘The Principles of Hiding’, by Butternutten AG
‘Catwalk Bench’, by BCXSY
From left, The Principles of Hiding’, by Butternutten AG; ‘Mask’, by Gamfratesi; ‘Horizontal & Vertical Shape’, by Jonathan Muecke; and ‘Catwalk Bench’, by BCXSY
‘Woven Bench’, by Max Lipsey
‘Brok’ containers, by Felipe Ribon
‘Trunk’ stools, by YOY
INFORMATION
‘My Canvas’ is on view from 18 – 24 September. For more information, visit the Somerset House website
ADDRESS
Somerset House
Strand
London WC2R 1LA
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ali Morris is a UK-based editor, writer and creative consultant specialising in design, interiors and architecture. In her 16 years as a design writer, Ali has travelled the world, crafting articles about creative projects, products, places and people for titles such as Dezeen, Wallpaper* and Kinfolk.
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
Summer holidays are here, with Wallpaper* editors jetting off to some exceptional destinations, including highly recommended Mérida in Mexico. Then it’s back to work, or, for one editor, back to school…
-
Step inside a neoclassical-inspired apartment in The Whiteley’s clock tower
Situated within London’s former Whiteleys department store, this newly unveiled residence combines Italian elegance, courtesy of furnishings by Maxalto, with architectural heritage
-
Malabar Hill’s elevated micro-forest trail brings nature to Mumbai’s urban experience
An elevated trail in the Malabar Hill neighbourhood is where nature meets design in the ‘urban jungle’ of Mumbai
-
‘The point was giving ordinary people access to bold taste’: how Ikea brought pattern into the home
‘Ikea: Magical Patterns’ at Dovecote Gallery in Edinburgh tells the story of a brand that gave us not only furniture, but a new way of seeing our homes – as canvases for self-expression
-
Design beyond humans: a new exhibition argues that the world doesn’t revolve around us
‘More Than Human’ at London's Design Museum (until 5 October 2025) asks what happens when design focuses on the perspectives and needs of other species, from bees to seaweed
-
‘100 Years, 60 Designers, 1 Future’: 1882 Ltd plate auction supports ceramic craft
The ceramics brand’s founder Emily Johnson asked 60 artists, designers, musicians and architects – from John Pawson to Robbie Williams – to design plates, which will be auctioned to fund the next generation of craftspeople
-
‘Disabled people have always been here’: a new V&A show centres on disability in design
Curator Natalie Kane takes us through five key exhibits from the London show, where design points the way to a more inclusive society
-
Malta’s London Design Biennale installation ‘reclaims death as a moment of reflection, not fear’
Wallpaper* speaks with Andrew Borg Wirth, curator of Malta's installation, ‘URNA’, which reimagines cremation rituals
-
11 things that caught our eye at Clerkenwell Design Week 2025
The Wallpaper* team bring you highlights from London’s Clerkenwell Design Week (20-22 May) – from public installations to product launches and a biscuit bar
-
‘R for Repair’ at London Design Festival displays broken objects, re-formed
In the second half of a two-part exhibition and as part of London Design Festival 2022, ‘R for Repair’ at the V&A displays broken objects, re-formed
-
‘Finding quality through the act of making’: Pearson Lloyd celebrates 25 years of design
Pearson Lloyd’s show ‘Change Making’ reflects on past designs from its archives, showcasing the influences on and evolution of the studio, from furniture design to the NHS