Live from London: Zoe Murphy

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By Charlotte West –
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Pieces from furniture and textile designer Zoe Murphy were among of the standouts during our weekend tour of Tent London, an amalgamation of art, architecture and design on display at the Truman Brewery, a reclaimed warehouse on Brick Lane in East London. Here Murphy shares her thoughts on inspiration and her design process.
Live from London: Zoe Murphy - Photo 1 of 7 - A collection of pillows created from reclaimed silk from old dresses and screened with Murphy's seaside-inspired designs.

A collection of pillows created from reclaimed silk from old dresses and screened with Murphy's seaside-inspired designs.

A 2008 graduate of Loughborough University, Zoe Murphy was educated as a textile designer. Her colorful and appealing revived mid-century modern furniture draws inspiration from her hometown of Margate, a resort town on the southeastern coast of England. From her studio space located inside a former pie factory, Murphy reassembles and re-veneers dressing tables, foot stools, side tables and wall pieces, adorning them with silkscreened imagery that pays tribute to British seaside town iconography—theme parks, mid-century cinema and Formica-clad cafes. For the upholstery on the cushions in her collection, she uses hand-dyed silk appropriated from old wedding dresses. To see more images of her bespoke pieces, make sure to check out our slideshow.

Live from London: Zoe Murphy - Photo 2 of 7 -

Margate Drawers, a re-veneered circa-1950s chest-of-drawers with drawings of the Margate seaside screened atop.

In this quick video, Murphy explains how she gives new life to old things:

Live from London: Zoe Murphy - Photo 3 of 7 - The Patchwork Footstool, which is covered in hand-dyed silk garnered from old wedding dresses.

The Patchwork Footstool, which is covered in hand-dyed silk garnered from old wedding dresses.

Live from London: Zoe Murphy - Photo 4 of 7 - A simple chair, re-covered and re-veneered.

A simple chair, re-covered and re-veneered.

 

Live from London: Zoe Murphy - Photo 5 of 7 - Murphy prints images of seaside menus and Margate signage atop old pieces of Formica and wood.

Murphy prints images of seaside menus and Margate signage atop old pieces of Formica and wood.

Live from London: Zoe Murphy - Photo 6 of 7 - The Windbreaker Table, with a hand-veneered design of seaside windbreakers situated in a circle formation.

The Windbreaker Table, with a hand-veneered design of seaside windbreakers situated in a circle formation.

Live from London: Zoe Murphy - Photo 7 of 7 - A pair of re-tooled bedside tables.

A pair of re-tooled bedside tables.

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