Project 3 - Karen White’s Original Designs

Picture 1: Karen turned the building’s entrance into Coca Cola’s Reception enlarging an ad culled from historic annual reports. It shows off the most famous glass bottle in the world.  It was positioned for all to see as they passed by their UK Headquarters and the Royal Warrant on the right was given a antique finish to project its importance. Other enlargements were hung everywhere throughout the premises.  They conveyed messages even on staircases – purity in the labs, strength and global stature in Reception, but mostly to make people feel happy to be in the building.  

Picture 2: Blue Painted Corner Cupboard designed to mimic the traditional Swedish porcelain stoves which are usually covered in decorative ceramic tiles.  The design for the doors was taken from an aerial photo of a topiary herb garden planted in France at Villandry Chateau and the rest just flowed from that- beautiful little leaves somehow just seemed to find their own homes.

Picture 3: This dining table will appeal to anyone whose space is at a premium.Two Tables in One, it has a lift-off top that can be stored away (under a bed) leaving a smaller rectangular table for the hall or sitting room. A larger size table can be made and without the top, used as a side-board or even a simple desk and then a spare dining table when needed.

 Picture 4: Demonstrating the Art of Upholstery, this generous footstool was created by Karen especially for this setting at the House & Garden Exhibition Fair. The hand-stitched horsehair pad is treated as a traditional mattress, covered in a tough but elegant fabric by Manuel Canovas and given unique definition with square antique silver nails from France.

 Picture 5: A porcelain hand painted lamp, was produced by Helen Linfield, from a Chinese orchid design on Karen’s own antique vase which she had acquired in H.K.