Liz Rowland Big Bird Hand-Painted Ceramic Mug
£116
Liz Rowland Big Bird Hand-Painted Ceramic Mug
£116
Design Matters with… Blake Carlson-Joshua
Share tastemaker
As global design fairs get underway this May, we speak to one of London's rising stars about his life in design, the object he can’t part with and his highly original host gifts.
What role does craft and design play in your life?
Design and craft have influenced my life for as long as I can remember. I've always been a person with ADHD with thoughts racing through my mind, so design is a way to organize and prioritize them. Craft, meanwhile, is an action. My process starts with an idea that always changes, but I like that because I think process tells a story and I try to tell stories with the work I make.
How would you describe your interiors style?
I try to reuse as much as possible. In today's world and with how much we consume, I think it's always a good idea to try at first to reuse. After that, I would describe my style as a mix of contrasts, so whether it's brutal and cosy, or metal and newspaper, African and Scandinavian—I enjoy finding similarities and contrasts within those. I also really enjoy aesthetics by hand, like Liz Rowland’s coffee mugs, because you can see the brushstrokes. I think hand design always gives another experience to the object you're using.
Benjamin Nauleau Handwoven Willow Laundry Basket
£750
Benjamin Nauleau Handwoven Willow Laundry Basket
£750
Silvia K Ceramics Hand-Glazed Terracotta Large Serving Bowl with Leather Handle
£350
Silvia K Ceramics Hand-Glazed Terracotta Large Serving Bowl with Leather Handle
£350
Stamperia Bertozzi Lemons & Oranges Hand-Painted Linen Tea Towels (Set of 2)
£70
Sold out
Stamperia Bertozzi Lemons & Oranges Hand-Painted Linen Tea Towels (Set of 2)
£70
Sold out
Lucas Castex No. 6 Hand-Carved Oiled Walnut Serving Board
£810
Sold out
Lucas Castex No. 6 Hand-Carved Oiled Walnut Serving Board
£810
Sold out
Brandimarte Hammered Sterling Silver Jug
£1,175
Brandimarte Hammered Sterling Silver Jug
£1,175
Loewe Home Mohair Striped Blanket
£1,070
Sold out
Loewe Home Mohair Striped Blanket
£1,070
Sold out
Perla Valtierra Ribete Hand-Glazed Ceramic Medium Candle Holder
£146
Sold out
Perla Valtierra Ribete Hand-Glazed Ceramic Medium Candle Holder
£146
Sold out
Andrew Iannazzi Hand-Blown Glass Beer Mug
£160
Andrew Iannazzi Hand-Blown Glass Beer Mug
£160
Mervyn Gers Ceramics Hand-Glazed Ceramic Large Bowl
£66
Mervyn Gers Ceramics Hand-Glazed Ceramic Large Bowl
£66
Oeuvres Sensibles Knife & Fork Hand-Embroidered Linen Napkins (Set of 4)
£265
Baba Tree Handwoven Elephant Grass Tray
£240
Baba Tree Handwoven Elephant Grass Tray
£240
What is the best craft or design gift you’ve ever received?
My wife and I got married last year and the gifts from our friends were a gambit of different stuff they created themselves. There's a candle holder, jugs, things for the wall, so those are my most cherished gifts I've probably ever received because every single one has a story.
Where in your home do you do your best thinking?
At home it’s in our living room. We don't have any TV or any big stimulus items in here. So it's just me and the books. I think a lot of the time, inspiration comes from paring things down, which allows me to think better.
What is the first and last item you bought for your home?
The first item we bought was a coffee maker, that was a necessity. And the last item I bought was a book on Terry Gilliam from the Oxfam right next to us. He's actually originally from Minnesota where I'm from—and I really like Monty Python. He’s always been an inspiration, I like his doodling style.
Which item in your home brings you the most joy?
It's another found item—a still-life photograph depicting what seems to be someone getting a speeding ticket in the 1970s somewhere in Florida. Everyone has short shorts, tight clothes and the cars are all really boxy. It's something I really cherish—it hangs over our mantelpiece.
Lucas Castex Hand-Engraved Wood Candlesticks (Set of 3)
£1,470
Sold out
Lucas Castex Hand-Engraved Wood Candlesticks (Set of 3)
£1,470
Sold out
Andrew Iannazzi Hand-Blown Glass Pourer
£176
Andrew Iannazzi Hand-Blown Glass Pourer
£176
Anut Cairo Bees Hand-Embroidered Linen Tablecloth
£443
Sold out
Anut Cairo Bees Hand-Embroidered Linen Tablecloth
£443
Sold out
Suk Keun Kang Hamji Ottchil Wood Low Bowl
£665
Suk Keun Kang Hamji Ottchil Wood Low Bowl
£665
Sister By Studio Ashby Disa Cotton Pill Stool
£1,000
Sister By Studio Ashby Disa Cotton Pill Stool
£1,000
Huh Myoung Wook Ottchil Ash Placemats with Leather Holder (Set of 5)
£2,400
Sold out
Huh Myoung Wook Ottchil Ash Placemats with Leather Holder (Set of 5)
£2,400
Sold out
Gather Miami Hand-Blown Glass Ice Cube Cooler
£620
Gather Miami Hand-Blown Glass Ice Cube Cooler
£620
Artel Lobster Hand-Engraved Crystal Double Old Fashioned Glass
£170
Artel Lobster Hand-Engraved Crystal Double Old Fashioned Glass
£170
Carl Auböck Walnut Cheese Board with Knife
£655
Carl Auböck Walnut Cheese Board with Knife
£655
Green Wolf Lighting Titanio II Hand-Blown Murano Glass Portable Table Light
£395
Green Wolf Lighting Titanio II Hand-Blown Murano Glass Portable Table Light
£395
Raynaud Touraine Hand-Painted Porcelain Salad Bowl
£210
Sold out
Lorenzi Milano Zebu Horn and Iroko Salt and Pepper Mill (Set of 2)
£1,410
Tap to shop
What do you—or what would you like to—collect?
I have had different moments of collection in my life. I'm trying to pare back, but I would say vinyl records and design books are my go-tos. I like to use the two simultaneously, listening and reading at the same time which is a big part of my creative process. For vinyl, I like the grab-box approach to find something that I've never listened to. For books, I like the creative-salvage era in the 1990s, Ron Arad and early Tom Dixon; their use of materials is inspiring. I also like reading about West African artefacts.
What item in your home can’t you bear to part with?
When I moved to London five years ago from Oregon, I got rid of most of my items but the one thing I did bring with me, is my 1990 Gibson Les Paul Classic, my electric guitar that I bought when I was 12 years old after saving up from two summers long of mowing grass. It’s always been this kind of item that I can look at think, if you have a bit of persistence, then you can get things that you want.
Carlson-Joshua participated in Future Icon Selects at London Craft Week and is showing in conjunction with Studio Ashby and United in Design for Wow!House at Chelsea Harbour until the 4th July 2024.