Heritage architectural details, picked out in deeply sophisticated primary hues… Daniel Heath’s collection for our Limited Edition designer cushion range have a tactile and timeless hand-drawn quality. We made Daniel step away from the printing press, and clean the ink off his hands, to answer a few questions about his work…
Tell us about your design process Daniel… how do you get started?
I always begin each design idea with a theme and a narrative that will inspire the work. For the Heal’s collection I found myself cycling around London, looking at the striking Art Deco architecture that would sometimes be sitting relatively unnoticed above betting shops and pound shops.
I enjoy making historical references in my work as it allows me to learn whilst developing my imagery. When I’m gathering my research I’ll make a lot of notes and sketches along the way, figuring out how to translate what I’m looking at into something new.
How did you get involved with Heal’s Limited Editions?
I got involved with Heal’s through exhibiting at Tent London during London Design Week in 2013. I think that what I do aligns quite well with Heal’s ethos and also its history in supporting British design and manufacture.
Much of my work is bespoke, but because I make everything at my studio myself, I am able to sample new ideas and manufacture limited edition products myself. It’s part of the story. I print all of the cushion fronts myself in my studio, which is only a few miles from Heal’s on Tottenham Court Road.
I suppose the first textile I designed would have been at school in Eastbourne. I remember meticulously cutting out stencils depicting bottles and bunches of grapes ready to print onto a table cloth.
Everyone has very personal reaction to colour. Are there any colours you instinctively avoid?
I think colour just requires context. When I’m using colour in a design then it is important to try to balance it with another colour. When I am designing something, or printing a bespoke piece, then it is interesting to think about what else goes in that room.
I often balance bright or strong colours with materials that have a natural tactile quality, which is why I have enjoyed working with linen.
Do you have a design hero that influences your work?
I’m sure that I’m not alone in saying that my design hero is William Morris, but he was so much more than a designer.
Morris had conviction about his product ethos and was powerful in driving forward his ideology, standing against the grain set by society at the time. He pioneered the development of natural dyes, supported and promoted the use of craft skills and was an ardent campaigner for social change.
My wife and I have recently moved to Walthamstow and have visited the William Morris Museum a good few times – it’s well worth a look.
Do you have any studio superstitions/ design quirks?
I have BBC 6 Music on all the time in my studio; it serves as my clock. Arrive at the studio and get started with Shaun Keaveny. When Lauren Laverne is on I should be working at full pace. When Radcliffe and Maconie come on then I should think about grabbing some lunch. When Steve Lamacq comes on at 4pm, I hope I’m well under way and if I need to cycle anywhere to pick anything up, I’d better get a move on. When Marc Riley comes on at 7pm, I’ve either got to think about going home, or consider pulling a late night in the studio.
Finally, what three words would you use to describe your Limited Edition collection for Heal’s?
Modern Deco Opulence.
