JAY BLADES: THE SLOW LANE
Our columnist praises the Slow Movement – an ethos that, for him, is about enjoying quality design, creative moments and life as it happens
H&A’s columnist chats to us about the merits of taking furniture design out of the fast lane…
We are moving too fast. We all want the quickest communication, the fastest internet and the most beautiful, design-led homes. But fashions come and go before we’ve had the chance to enjoy them. That’s why the Slow Movement – an ideology that’s about appreciating what’s right in front of you, in every moment – took my fancy when I heard of it. An allotment owner in Bristol introduced me to the idea. For him, ‘Slow’ was about food seasonality: you don’t get
strawberries in winter – but then you appreciate them all the more in the summer, because you haven’t had them all year.
‘Slow’ goes against the constant turnover of trends. It’s about valuing what you like and sticking with it for as long as you like it. For that reason, it’s about being grateful for what was great once before as well. Classic design and well-made things – no changes for change’s sake. If a design works, there’s no need to play with it to suit a passing fad. Antiques become classics because they stand the test of time. When you have a piece that just follows a trend it doesn’t last. And there’s so much waste. All this feeds into why I prefer to work with old furniture.
My process is quite ‘Slow’ I think. If I see a material that I like, I will buy it, even though I may not have a clue what I’m going to do with it yet. I have to wait for the right chair to come along. I value every moment in the process, from nding the fabric and the chair to, eventually, nding the best combination of these things.
I’ve started selling fabrics by artist and designer Michael Angove following these ‘Slow’ ideals. If someone wants a sample, it will be a scrap piece I have le over – not a pre-cut A4 swatch. And I don’t keep any stock – the customer will have to wait at least three weeks while the pa ern is printed. It won’t be rushed. The buyer will have to really want the piece and, hopefully, they will appreciate it all the more for the wait – just like strawberries in summer.
‘If a design works, there’s no need to change it. Antiques become classics because they stand the test of time.’