Ian Oliver, CEO of GPlan
We are very pleased to introduce our special guest-blog contributor; Ian Oliver – CEO of GPlan
Many of us recall being disinterested in our parents’ furniture, growing up it seemed so unfashionable. The bright colour schemes and patterns that often clashed, the sideboard full of crockery and cutlery that was saved for best and used only on the rarest of occasions, and the sofas and chairs which seemed clunky and out-of-date, especially in comparison to today’s style.
Fast forward to my first home and my own furniture. The majority of us bought only the most minimal pieces, with clean lines and muted colours in defiance of the style of our childhoods, which were much more my taste and that of my friends.
But, with the recent advent of TV shows such as Mad Men and The Hour suddenly the 50s and 60s became all the rage. From furniture to fashion you couldn’t get away from it! I know friends who have trawled eBay looking for vintage classics, paying through the nose for original designs. I personally wish I had kept the fantastically bright orange coffee set that my parents often used when friends came round and the amazing blue bookshelf that took pride of place in our living room.
The launch of our GPlan Vintage collection has proved that the interest in the 50s and 60s shows no sign of waning. Created in partnership with Hemingway Design (of which Wayne Hemingway is Non-Executive Director at this event), the collection looks to breathe new life into classic GPlan products taken from our archives.
My only regret is that I did not keep those once distasteful pieces from my childhood and ask Wayne to take a look…
